Colossians 1

1:1-29 I. : THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST Doctrine - Declaring Christ Pre-eminence.

A) Introduction. 1:1-14

B) The Person of Christ. 1:15-18

C) The Work of Christ. 1:19-29

As we understand the pre-eminence of Christ and His true position over all creation and His reconciling redemptive work, we will then present ourselves to Him and present Him to all other men.

Colossians 1:1-14

A) . 1:1-14

1. Paul’ s Greeting. 1:1-2

2. Paul’ s Gratitude. 1:3-8

3. Paul’ s Prayer. 1:9-14

4. Paul’ s Greeting. 1:1-2 V.1 a) Apostle in Christ -

I. It is God that gives the ministry gifts and not men. Paul reminds them of his authoritative ministry.

II. Timothy was Paul’ s missionary companion.

V.2 b) Brethren in Christ - It was addressed to all the saints but also to the faithful.

c) Grace and peace in Christ -

I) Grace and peace is available only through Christ and those in Christ.

II) There can only be grace and peace when the Father and Jesus is received as Lord and God

III) Grace and peace is a person. 2.Tim.2:1; Eph.2:14 IV) There is a peace - with God Rom.5:1 and of God. Phil.4:7 2. Paul’ s Gratitude. 1:3-8 V.3 Thanksgiving - Paul gave thanks for their faith, love and fruit.

V.4 a) Faith - Fame of the Colossians.

I. God-ward.

II. Paul develops this faith to Christ in Ch.1-2.

b) Love - Flowing love of the Colossians.

I. Man-ward.

II. Paul develops this love in Ch.3-4.

V.5 c) Hope - Focus of the Colossians.

I. Faith, hope and love. 1.Cor.13:13 II. The hope in heaven. Eph.1:3, 18; Matt.6:19-20 III. They were exhorted to seek this hope in Col.3:1-2. V.6 d) Grace - Fruit of the Colossians.

I. It was by the grace of God that they heard the Truth and bore fruit.

II. The Gospel is: Truth v.5, for everyone v.6, it produces fruit v.6 and is God’ s grace to man v.6.

V.7 a) Minister of Christ - Learned from Epaphras.

I. Paul began with faith and love and now ends this section with it as well.

II. Epaphras was a faithful minister (perhaps their Pastor).

III. Perhaps Paul mentions Epaphras to reveal that he also held the same views in this epistle and therefore made the words more acceptable.

V.8 b) Love in the Spirit - Love of the Colossians. Love is a fruit caused by the Spirit. Gal.5:22 3. Paul’ s Prayer. 1:9-14 V.9 a) Portion - Filled with knowledge.

I. Reason for prayer - They began praying for the Colossians when they heard of their faith in Christ.

II. Request of prayer - v.9-11 describes their prayer for them.

1. Knowledge - Is the storage of facts of Truth.

(Gr. epignosis) means full knowledge. Gnosticism promoted a “ deeper knowledge” reachable only by the privileged few. Words like knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding were a part of their religious language. Paul said they could have the full knowledge, wisdom and understanding they wanted in Christ in contrast to the deeper knowledge of Gnosticism. Col.2:2-3 2. Wisdom - Is the application of Truth.

3. Understanding - Interpretation of Truth.

Gnosticism is about knowledge that saves by thinking right. Christianity is about knowledge of His will through a Person: Christ.

V.10 b) Pleasing - Full in pleasing and fruitfulness.

4. Pleasing God - Through a worthy walk.

Through fruitful good works. Through increasing in knowledge.

V.11 c) Power - Full power strengthening.

5. Strengthened with might -

5.a Extent - The Source is: His glorious power. Phil.4:13; Rom.8:18; 1.Pet.4:14 5.b Endurance - The result is: Patience and longsuffering

5.c Expression - Joy: Not only Enduring but Enjoying in patience and longsuffering.

Paul moves from 5 Petitions to God (v.9-11) to 6 Praises to the Father. (v.12-14)

The petition is Paul Asking God to give, the praise is Paul giving an Answer to God for giving. Paul gives 6 reasons to be thankful and they tell us why Jesus died for us. v.12-14

V.12 a) Transformation - Inheritance in the Light is Gained.

I. Qualified us - He qualified us by giving us Christ’ s holiness and perfection. Col.3:3; 1.Cor.1:30; Eph.4:24 II. Be Partakers - The saints are partakers of an inheritance laid up for them in heaven and they have the Holy Spirit as a deposit for that inheritance. Col.1:5; Eph.1:13-14 V.13 b) Translation - The Son’ s kingdom and Love is Given.

III. Delivered us - The saints are no longer under the domain, authority of darkness, they are free. Eph.2:1-2; 1.Pet.2:9 IV. Translated us -

1. The saints are inside His Kingdom where Christ is their King. (Teleportation) Col.3:1; Eph.2:5-6
2. Gnosticism taught much about light and darkness but no teaching can measure with what Christ did for His own.

V.14 c) Transcentric - His sacrificial Life brought Grace. V. Redemption - The price for the saints was the blood of Christ.

VI. Forgiveness - When God forgives it is in a righteous way, He meets the qualifications for forgiveness through Christ. Ps.103:12

Colossians 1:15-18

B) THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 1:15-18

1. In Relation to the Father. 1:15

2. In Relation to the Creation. 1:16-17

3. In Relation to the Church. 1:18

V.15-18 Has been called by numerous people “ The Great Christology" V.19-20 Has been called by numerous people “ The Christ Hymn"

V.15 a) God over creation - I. Image of God -

1. Man was made in the image of God. Gen.1:26-27
2. Christ is the image of God.

Because the Son is God He can be the image of God the Father. Heb.1:2-3; John 14:8-11; 2.Cor.4:6 II. Firstborn over all - We need to ask ourselves this questions:

1. Because Jesus is the firstborn, does that mean He is created? Rev.3:14; John 1:18
2. What does it mean to be firstborn?

For a Jew it had to do with a position and is clearly seen in Heb.11:17 where Isaac is called Abraham’ s firstborn son, we know that Ishmael was his firstborn son but according to promise Isaac was his firstborn, so the word firstborn is used as a positional word and focuses not on the aspect of being born but on position. Ps.89:27 3. It doesn’ t say firstborn in all creation but over all creation. Christ has been given all things as His inheritance. Eph.1:18; Ps.2:7-9 V.16 b) God the Creator -

I. The Son is One of the Creator’ s of all things. Gen.1:26; Heb.1:2 II. All things where created:

1. By Him - Origin of the power, the Architect of it.

2. Through Him - Operation of the power, the Agent of it.

3. For Him - Objective of the power, the Addressee of it.

III. Notice it says not only through Him but also by Him.

IV. He created also the angels, seraphim and cherubim and that means He can’ t Himself be what He created: He is not an angel. Heb.1:5-14; 2:5 Gnosticism honoured angels, but Jesus is greater than the angels. V.17 c) God in creation - I. Pre-existence -

1. Only God is before all things, the Son is even before time for time is a thing, a matter and a created thing. That means that the Son is eternal, without beginning. Micah 5:2
2. It is not saying “ He was before all things” but He is before (Refer to His eternal existence). John 8:58 II. Providence -

All things consist or are held together by the Son. Heb.1:3 All adams, molecules, gasses and mass, all of it would collapse and explode if He stopped upholding it.

V.18 d) God above creation -

I. His Pre-eminence over the Church - He is the Head.

II. His Pre-eminence over the dead - He is the First.

1. He is both the lower Rock and the higher Rock. Ps.114:8
2. He was the first to enter heaven with a resurrected body.

All others went to Hades (Gr.), Sheol. (Heb.) when they died, people like Enoch, Elijah and the raised saints of Mat.27:50-53 went to Hades too. Jesus brought all the saints to heaven after His resurrection. Eph.4:8 3. Jesus is not the first that rose from the dead but the firstborn in position and as heir.

III. Pre-eminence over all things - All things that God does is always done through Christ and everything that is not done in or through Him is flesh or devilish.

IV. Gnosticism gave Jesus Prominence but not Pre-eminence and therefore Paul explained who Christ is in His Excellency and Majesty.

Colossians 1:19-29

C) THE WORK OF CHRIST. 1:19-29

1. The Description of His Reconciling Work. 1:19-23

2. The Application of His Reconciling Work. 1:24-29

3. The Description of His Reconciling Work. 1:19-23 V.19 a) Pleasing - Fullness dwells in Him.

I. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ by the Father’ s pleasure. Col.2:10 II. Dwell (Gr. katoikeo) means to house permanently and refer to that the fullness dwells permanently in Christ.

V.20 b) Peace - Fullness of peace in Him.

All the reasons of rejection and alienation is taken away in Christ. Christ is our peace. Eph.2:14 V.21 c) Past Condition - Foreigners before but now reconciled.

I. Past Rejected by God. (Alienation)

II. Presently Reconciled by Christ. (Alignment)

V.22 d) Presentation - Flesh of Jesus reconciled.

III. Presented Righteous by Christ. (Appearance)

False teachers like the Docetists taught that Jesus only appeared to have a physical body, because they believed physical flesh is inherently evil. Perhaps therefore Paul teaches reconciliation through Christ’ s body.

V.23 e) Present Continuation - Faith and hope of the Gospel.

IV. Present Rooting by the saints. (Abiding) Eph.3:17; 1.Tim.3:15; Matt.7:24-27; 2.Pet.1:10

2. The Application of His Reconciling Work. 1:24-29 V.24 a) Filling up - Suffering for you in Christ.

Christ suffers through us. Acts 9:4; Matt.25:31-40 All saints have a cup to drink. Matt.20:22-23; 2.Tim.3:12 V.25 b) Fulfilling - Stewardship from God for you.

Paul’ s ministry was to get the Word out to people and he did it through:

I. Revelation. v.26

II. Preaching. v.28

III. Warning. v.28

IV. Teaching. v.28

V. Wisdom. v.28

VI. Labour. v.29

V.26 c) Forwarding - Secret now revealed to the saints.

Paul was an agent God used to reveal the mystery of Christ. Eph.3:1-7 V.27 d) Favour - Spirit of Christ in you.

I. The favour of God for ages had been upon the Jews, now God showed the Gentiles His underserved favour

II. To the Ephesians Paul revealed “ you in Christ” but to the Colossians it was “ Christ in you” .

V.28 e) Founding and Forming - Serving every man.

I. The Method - Preaching, warning and teaching.

II. The Manner - All wisdom

f) Finality - Separation unto perfection.

I. The purpose of it was presentation and perfection.

Paul’ s goal for people was not alone salvation but maturity. Heb.5:12-14; Matt.28:20 II. 3 times emphasis upon “ every man” , Paul wanted all to reach maturity.

V.29 g) Fellow-working - Striving in Christ.

Paul was working and so was God through him. John 3:21; 1.Cor.15:10 The testimony of the life of Paul: I. Willingness to suffer for Christ.

II. Readiness to share the Gospel.

III. Faithfulness in stewardship to God.

IV. Striving through the power of the Holy Spirit.