Colossians Intro
Basic
Written from prison (4:18)
Audience: A people he hadn't met. Church was founded by his friend Epaphras.
Letter is meant to encourage by reminding them not to seek wisdom from the world, but only in Christ. Or to put it another way, if our worldview isn't centered on Christ, we have made a fatal mistake in need of correction.
Goals:
What you make of it
Grow in your understanding of who God is, who you are, and how your relationship with him can be established or strengthened. (their sanctification)
As the leaders of this study, Kyle and I desire for our time with you to be similar to the reason behind this letter.
Open discussion (engaging) vs. being lectured
Family atmosphere is best environment for this goal to take place. It also should be a necessary byproduct of our time together, or our hearts are being cold to the transformational work of his Word.
Themes we will cover:
Supremacy of Christ (1:15-19)
Guarding against False Teaching
Identity
Union with Christ
Gentiles relationship to the law
The mystery spoken of in Colossians deals with how Gentile believers become true Israelites not through the keeping of Jewish law, but through their union with Christ.
the false teaching they were encountering seemed to make Jesus and his gospel the starting point of salvation. The false teaching was taking away from a high view of Christ, so Paul aims at correcting that error.
The church has been tempted with syncretism. To blend Greco-Roman philosophy, along with Jewish commandments, with the Gospel which they were taught earlier by Epaphras.
Similar temptation our culture puts before us. Create the god that fits you by borrowing from the different options our world has to offer through religion, philosophy, and therapy.
trying to gain the upper-hand over evil forces through various rituals (dietary laws, etc) instead of relying on Christ's supreme authority over all evil.
Practical ways to live as a Christ-follower
Go Into Chapter 1: Introduction
Recap: Our desire to point them to the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ in all aspects of life. Our desire to root them in God's Word so that they are best able to identify and stand up against false teaching. Our desire to constantly remind them of their union with Christ so that they desire to live out the life of a Christ-follower from the outflow of grateful hearts.
God's Sovereign Rule
Delegated Ruling Authority to Man
Rule Broken
Ask them about their hopes for this monthly study.
"with him" and "in him"
Our study of Colossians is going to have us digging into the text, but before we do that, we are going to prime the pump with some background information.
PRAY
Rule Restored: Christ and God's people through their union with him.