ReadBibleAlive.com

Daily Bible Studies

General Introduction to this form of Bible Study

Before you start reading the Notes, may we recommend the following:

1. You pause and pray and ask for God's help for the Bible to come alive to you.

2. You have your Bible open infront of you and read the passage through completely first.

3. You work your way through the questions looking for answers in your Bible.

4. Then and only then, read through the commentary.

The primary objectives of these studies are a) to get you to read the Bible and b)  to take in what you have read. At the end of each page of studies (normally a chapter) there will be a 'Recap' to remind you of what you have read. At the end of every 'set' (see the front Contents page) there will also be a 'Summary' and a 'Conclusions' that cover the pages in that set.

INTRODUCTION to Colossians

Who, When & Where

     This letter, like Ephesians, was probably written by the apostle Paul (1:1) to the church in Colosse (1:2) from Rome somewhere between AD 60-63, from prison (4:10).

     Paul clearly knew about the church in Colosse (1:4,9) but it seems clear that he had not been there at the time of writing for there were people there who he had never met (2:1).

     The church there seemed to have been founded by Epaphras (1:7) who had come to Paul and told him of the church there. Clearly in his account, there were things that concerned Paul and so he wanted to write to them to encourage them (2:2).

Content

  The content of this letter, therefore, is different forms of encouragement for the Christians at Colosse:

•  to live a life worthy of the Lord ( 1:10 )
•  realising they are redeemed ( 1:13 ,14)
•  by Jesus the image of God, the head of the church ( 1:15 -18)
•  once enemies, now reconciled to God ( 1:21 ,22)
•  seeking to present them perfect in Christ ( 1:28 )
•  now to live in Christ by faith (2:6,7)
•  avoiding deceptive human thinking (2:8)
•  realising they are forgiven, not needing circumcision ( 2:11 -15)
•  not needing to follow ‘religious rules' ( 2:16 -23)
•  instead focusing on heavenly things (3:1,2)
•  being aware that Jesus will come again for them (3:4)
•  so now putting to death the old life (3:5-9)
•  and putting on the new life ( 3:10 -17)
•  letting it have practical outworking in the family & work ( 3:18 -4:1)
•  and be prayerful and graceful (4:2-6)

Part 1:  “Prayer & a Person”

      In this first part we'll see something of Paul's prayer life and his intentions for the church at Colosse. Through that he will then focus on the wonderful person of Jesus Christ, reminding them what has happened to them through the work of Christ.

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:1,2

A. Find Out:      

1. What designation does Paul give himself? v.1a

2. Why is he that? v.1b

3. Who else writes with him? v.1c

4. To whom does he write? 2b

5. How does he describe them? v.2a

6. What does he want for them? v.2c

B. Think:

1. How does Paul establish his credibility here?

2. What would the readers feel hearing this description of themselves?

3. Why do we need grace and peace?

C. Comment:

     When Paul greets each church, he has in mind what he is wanting to say and so even the opening words have significance. The first thing Paul does is establish his authority for writing.  Let's consider his descriptions of himself.

     An apostle : one who has been sent with a mission. Paul comes to them as one of that band of men sent to establish and raise up the early church. He is that by calling and actual experience.

    Of Christ : he was sent out by Christ to preach Christ.  Everything about Paul starts and finishes with Christ.

     By the will of God : Paul is not what he is by personal ambition but simply because it is part of God's great plan that Paul should be this and be doing what he is doing.

     And Timothy : Paul doesn't work alone; he always works with a team. At the present it is Timothy working with him

     Next let's note to whom he wrote: the church at Colosse.  He describes them as “holy and faithful”.  They are holy, set apart by God for God; that is their standing as established by God.  They are faithful: that speaks about how they have responded to God, how they have held firm to the Gospel and grown in Christ. This is praise indeed. He will speak more about that shortly.

D. Application:

1. Do I know my calling and am I working it out daily?

2. Am I faithful to that calling, not diverting in any way?

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:3-6a

A. Find Out:

1. What did Paul say he always did? v.3

2. Of what two things had he heard? v.4

3. From what did those two things spring? v.5a

4. Where was that stored? v.5b

5. How had they already heard about that? v.5c,6a

B. Think:

1. What is the object of their faith from these verses?

2. What is the object of their love?

3. How is hope linked to faith and love?

C. Comment:

     As so often, Paul tells his readers that he prays for them and, again, as so often in his other letters, he prays with thanks when he thinks about them. Really this is all about the motivation of Paul's prayers. He hears things about them and that stirs him to thank God for them. There are two primary motivations for prayer: thanks and crisis!

     Let's consider what stirred Paul into thanks. First of all he has heard about their faith in Jesus, he has heard that they are well established in the faith.  In each of us the thing of primary importance is our relationship with God, that stands on our faith in Jesus.  When we realise the fundamentals of the faith we are able to stand strong.

     The second thing is their love for all Christians.  This is the outworking of their faith in Jesus; it produces love for other Christians.  In these two things we find a reflection of Jesus' command in Mt 23:37-40 to love God with all you are and then your neighbour as yourself.  This is what this is all about.

     But then he tells us that these things spring from the hope that is stored in heaven for us.  Because we have been told we have been reconciled to God and our destiny has been declared to be with Jesus in heaven, that has released faith in us and subsequently love of others.  Because of Jesus' actions for us, we now believe and love.

D. Application:

1. Everything goes back to Jesus' death for me. Praise him!

2. I am what I am in response to that. Thank the Lord.

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:6b-8

A. Find Out:

1. What had the gospel been doing where? v.6b

2. What illustration of that did he point them to? v.6c

3. What had they understood? v.6d

4. From whom had they heard it? v.7a

5. How does Paul describe him? v.7b

6. What had he told Paul and the others? v.8

B. Think:

1. What do these verses tell us about Paul's relationship to this church?

2. What do they tell us about the Gospel?

3. What do they tell us about Epaphras

C. Comment:

     From all Paul says in these opening verses it would seem clear that he hadn't been to Colosse, that he had simply heard about them (v.4) and that it had been Epaphras who had taken the Gospel to them. [Epaphras is also mentioned in 4:12 and Philemon 23].   In 2:1 he also speaks about all who had not met him personally.   Yet Paul has a heart for them and prays for them and now writes to them. Here is a man with a burden that extends beyond those who he has met personally.

     He has been speaking about the faith, love and hope that are in the Gospel and he declares that this Gospel is having effect and spreading all over the world.  When we are going through hard times locally, when the Gospel is seeming to be rejected by local people, we need to remember that it's not like that everywhere.  Generally the Gospel is spreading all over the world and having great effect!

      Why does it do that?  Well one reason is that it is the truth, it speaks about the world as it is (sinful), about God as He is (holy and loving) and His work as it is (redeeming through the work of Jesus) and the life changes that come through it.  All this is the truth, how things actually are. It is all about the grace of God, His undeserved goodness extended to us through Jesus.  No wonder it has effect!

D. Application:

1. The Gospel is truth.   It tells things are they really are.

2. The Gospel is about grace, God's free gift of life and goodness.

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Jude 1:9-12

A. Find Out:

1. What had Paul been doing, since when? v.9a

2. What had Paul been asking? v.9b

3. Why did he ask this? v.10a

4. In what 3 ways did he expect that to work out? v.10b,11a

5. What 3 things would that produce? v.11b,12a

6. Why may they have all those things? v.12b

B. Think:

1. How are knowing and doing God's will linked?

2. What resources are available to us in these verses?

3. What are the outcomes for our lives in these verses?

C. Comment:

     Having heard about them from Epaphras, Paul prays fervently and continuously for them.  He wants them, first of all, to KNOW GOD'S WILL.  This will come as the Holy Spirit teaches them and imparts wisdom and understanding to them.

     Why does he pray this? Because he knows the simple and obvious fact, that we can't pursue a particular course (God's will) unless we know what it is, and when we do follow it then that will please God, and that is what Paul wants at all times.

     Then he gives 3 EXPRESSIONS of doing God's will:

•   first, increasingly doing good in daily life (see Mt 5:16);
•   second, increasingly knowing God more and more, and
•   third, increasingly being strengthened by the very power of God.

     Following this he gives 3 OUTCOMES of doing God's will:

•   first, endurance, that ability to stand in the face of pressure,
•   second, patience, that ability to keep going, and
•   third, thankfulness to God in the awareness that all this comes from Him.

     It is God the Father who has made it possible (qualified us) for all this to become ours. These things are part of the inheritance that is there for every believer, fruitfulness and ability to go on and on!

D. Application:

1. God's wisdom, revelation and power are there for us for today.

2. They are there to enable us to be fruitful in the way we live.

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:13-15

A. Find Out:

1. Where have we been rescued from? v.13a

2. Where have we been brought to? v.13b

3. What do we have in Jesus? v.14a

4. And what is that really all about? v.14b

B. Think:

1. Read Heb 1:2-4 & 2:8 & 1 Pet 3:22 What is Jesus' position?

2. Read 1 Jn 5:19 Yet what is Satan's position?

3. How do we reconcile these two things?

C. Comment:

     We now come to two critical verses that need underlining in your Bible. For Christians, there are two vital truths they need to know in reality: WHO they are and WHERE they are.   Paul addresses the latter truth, where we are today as Christians.

     The new, young Christian needs to know that he or she is no longer under the rule of Satan.  Jesus has rescued them out of the “dominion of darkness” so they are no longer in his domain and no longer have to submit to his leading.  Satan, or his minions, speak to people and seek to dominate them by lies, doubts, untruth, guilt, shame and so on. These are all part of the darkness. The unsuspecting non-Christian has no resources against these whisperings and so they are dominated by them.   No wonder John says the whole (non-Christian) world is under Satan's control.

     Now we have been brought into the kingdom of the Son.  We are now “in Christ” as the New Testament tells us many times, and we are under a new ruler, one who simply seeks our good at every turn.   He is redeeming us from the sinful ways we once knew. He has forgiven us our sins and is now working to make us more and more like himself. Jesus, the all-powerful Son of God ruling from heaven at his Father's right hand, has been given all authority (Mt 28:18b).  HE is Lord over all things and he simply uses Satan as his agent of discipline.

D. Application:

1. We are free from the power of Satan.

2. We are under the rule and protection of Jesus.

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:15-17

A. Find Out:

1. In what two ways is Jesus now described? v.15

2. What had he done? v.16a

3. What things are listed to be included in that? v.16b

4. How next is he described? v.17a

5. And what does he do? v.17b

B. Think:

1. Note the things that describe Jesus himself.

2. What do they say about him?

3. Note the things he has done or does. And?

C. Comment:

      The descriptions of Jesus by Paul are some of the most powerful in the New Testament. Let's look at the things said about the person of Jesus and what he has done and does do.

       First he is the visible expression (or image) of God.  If we want to see something of God, then look at Jesus Christ.   Then he is described as “the firstborn over all creation”.  Now we need to understand that in Jewish culture and history, the first born was the heir, the all important child.  So Paul is saying Jesus is the heir of all creation, it has been handed over to him.

      Then he gives the reason.  It is because all thing were made with reference to Jesus. Some versions say “By him..” and others say “In him…” He was certainly involved alongside the Father in the creation (see Prov 8:22-30) but more than that, it is only Jesus who makes sense of creation, for without him there would be no possible salvation and humanity would be utterly doomed, and God would not have created us! Jesus himself existed with the Father before anything else existed, and indeed it is only because of his presence that everything continues (Heb 1:3). The world doesn't continue because of so-called laws of nature. They only exist because Jesus makes them.   If he turned his back on creation, everything would cease instantly!   THIS is who the Son of God is!

D. Application:

1. Jesus is almighty creator and sustainer of the world.

2. He has been decreed this by the Father.

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:18-20

A. Find Out:

1. How does Paul describe the church? v.18a

2. What is Jesus' position in it? v.18a

3. How does he then describe Jesus? v.18b

4. What does he then say about him? v.19

5. With what purpose in mind? v.20a

6. How did he achieve that? v.20b

B. Think:

1. List the descriptions of Jesus in these verses?

2. What do they say about his work?

3. What impact should these verses have on our lives?

C. Comment:

      Let's consider the various descriptions of Jesus:

     First, he was the fullness of God in human form. In other words he was completely God in human form. Although limited in the human form he was still completely God.

     Second, he is the beginning. Before all else was, there was Jesus. He was alongside his Father bringing the world into being, and now he is also the beginning of the new kingdom or reign of God on the earth.

     Third, he is the first born from among the dead. He has shared in human life and human death and has now risen from the dead. He is the first of many to so do. He is the means of each of us passing through death to continuing (eternal) life because HE is eternal life.

     Fourth, he is the head of the church which is now called his body, because it continues to do the same things at his leading, that the one body did two thousand years ago.

     Fifth, he is THE reconciler, the one who took away our sin on the Cross and reconciled us to God. These verses are all about Jesus, about what a wonderful and glorious being he is, and what a wonderful and glorious thing he has achieved.

D. Application:

1. Jesus is God's Son, head of the church, raised from the dead.

2. He is or Saviour and Lord. Worship and obey him!

Chapter: Colossians 1

Passage: Col 1:21-23

A. Find Out:

1. How were we once? v.21

2. What has Christ now done? v.22a

3. How does that now leave us? v.22b

4. What condition is there though? v.23a

5. What is all this? v.23b

B. Think:

1. How is our past portrayed here?

2. How are we shown to be in the present?

3. What are the determining factors for our present?

C. Comment:

     Having just spoken about Christ's reconciling work, Paul now expands on that by describing our experience.

    BEFORE we were Christians we were alienated or separated from God by the way we acted and the way we thought.   But it is more than that!   We weren't just separated from God, we were enemies of God, we were hostile to him in our very thinking and because we thought wrongly, we acted wrongly.

     NOW though, Christ has brought us back to God.  The WAY he did it was to die on the Cross.  The EFFECT of what he has done is to present us before God as holy, unblemished and innocent!  Because Christ has died for every sin of ours, IN GOD'S SIGHT we are all of these things.   Because Christ has taken our punishment, God no longer “sees” our sin, He no longer sees us as blemished or damaged goods, He no longer sees us as accused felons due to be sentenced.    No, now we can come before God and He sees us as pure, spotless, innocent children of God.   Every time we think or do something wrong it instantly gets taken to the Cross.   We are free!

     There is just one condition: that we hold to this belief, that we go on in our faith.  We need to hold to these wonderful truths and by so doing we will live in God's continual blessing.

D. Application:

1. We were once enemies of God - doomed!

2. Christ has now reconciled us - we are free!

RECAP:   "Prayer & a Person"  Colossians 1:1-23

SUMMARY :  

In this first group of 8 studies we have seen Paul :

- announcing himself and greeting his readers

- saying how he was thankful in prayer for them

- saying how he prayed for them

  - to be filled with the knowledge of God's will

  - to become a fruit bearing people

- describing Jesus as the one who

  - had rescued them from darkness

  - is the image of the invisible God

  - had made all things

  - holds all things together

  - is the head of the church

  - has reconciled us to God

COMMENT :

     In these opening verses Paul speaks first about himself (v.1), about his desires through prayer for his readers (v.2-12) and then about the wonder of Christ and what he has done for us (v.13-23). Perhaps we need to reread verses 9-12 to clarify our own personal goals and to see our resources in God, and then verses 13-23 to see the wonder of who Christ is and what he has done for us.

LESSONS?

1. Our goal is to know God and His will for us more and more.

2. We have been rescued and reconciled and should live accordingly.

3. Christ is supreme over all things. We may rest in him.

PRAY :

     Thank the Lord for the wonder of what he has done for you, rescuing you from darkness and sin and reconciling you to Himself. Ask for grace to become the fullness of what He wants for you.

PART 2 : "Paul's Work"

    In the next Part look to see how Paul describes his labour and particularly the wonder of what has been revealed to him and the privilege he feels about that.