I recently watched a sermon on Colossians by one of our favorite preachers/teachers, Alistair Begg, Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio. I would like to share a summary of the message here.
Colossians 1:
V.2 – To the saints and faithful brothers[a] in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
Paul and Timothy are writing this to the “saints and faithful brothers” who in today’s vernacular are the Christians and their blessing on/to them is the grace and peace of God our Father! I would love to see this style of greeting resurrected in current day writing! Could you imagine opening an email and seeing this type of greeting to you!
V.6 – in talking about the “word of truth, the gospel”, Paul and Timothy write, “since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.” The gospel has to be spoke or “preached” in order to be heard, but also it has to be understood! Arguments or “apologetics” are insufficient, although not unnecessary. How many times have you read a particular scripture only to have it come to life “all of a sudden” the hundredth time you read it! Only God can make clear what was once unclear!
v.10- so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Paul and Timothy pray their outward life would match God’s directives! The Family of God (big family) and our own personal families should look the same as is reflected in this verse! The challenge is not in our ability to articulate what we believe, but the ability to live in a way that those around us wonder what it is about us that is so different!
v.12 – giving thanks[d] to the Father, who has qualified you[e] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. One can only be qualified by God the Father and only based on Jesus who is our ultimate example; not based on education, race, gender or any other human characteristic.
v.13 – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. We have been delivered from where we once were to the very presence of Jesus, NOT to be a member of or hold a certain position in a church.
V.18 – And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Matthew 19:4 – “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female” The Lord establishes the whole concept of marriage! This institution is permanent and universal. What God has established by creation will not be destroyed by mane! Light shines in the darkness and darkness cannot put it out! We cannot expect the non-believing culture to honor the marriage bond if they do not know its origin … which is creation?
2 Thessalonians 2:7 – For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. The mystery of lawlessness is at work all around us and at its most basic form is the opposition of Biblical views. We are in ANOTHER period in history where it seems lawlessness is almost unsurmountable … BUT GOD!!!
Our relationship with God is:
- There by creation
- Disrupted by sin
- Restored by Grace … only in Jesus
Jesus obeyed where Adam failed and Jesus took divine judgement that Adam (and we) deserve!
God is good … all the time and all the time … God is good!!!
Barnabas Man 