Colossians 1:1-29

The Necessity of Christ

Verse 1 - Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

  1. Paul had never visited this church, nor did he know the people.

    1. He did not visit the region or the area during any of his missionary journeys.

      1. Colossians 1:4 – Since we hard of our faith…

      2. Colossians 1:9 - …since the day we heard it…

      3. Colossians 2:1 - …and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh…

      4. Colossians 2:5 – For though I be absent in the flesh…

    2. This teaches me these lessons:

      1. I do not have to be involved in a work for it to be a good work.

      2. God is well able to work with other ministers to produce the work he wants.

      3. Just because something is not done the way I would do it, doesn’t mean it is not a good work.

      4. Matthew 16:18 – Jesus said he would build his church, and he will. I need to let him build his church and rejoice when he does build it.

        1. I should not depend on my plans, programs, or other such things to build a church – Christ can do a wonderful job without me.

        2. Christ has build his church for many generations, and he will continue to build his church after I am dead and gone.

        3. I must “get used” to God not need me – I am dispensable.

        4. God is indispensable.

    3. How does God build his churches?

      1. I do not know all the answers, but God does not use modern gimmicks and other worldly programs devised by men.

      2. God uses the preaching of the Word of God.

        1. Matt 28:18-20 – Christ commanded the early church, which command is also for us today, to preach the gospel to every creature.

        2. I Corinthians 1:17-18 – Christ did not send Paul to baptize (that is the church’s job) but to preach the gospel. It is by the foolishness of preaching that men are saved, then the church baptizes them.

  2. Paul is not “sticking his nose where it does not belong”.

    1. Paul has a love for the work of God.

    2. Paul has a love for all the children of God, whether he knows them or not.

    3. Paul is not trying to take credit for the church at Colosse, but desires to be a spiritual help to them.

      1. Paul shows great interest in meeting other saved Baptists and fellowshipping with them.

      2. We should also show great interest in meeting other saved Baptists and fellowshipping with them.

      3. We might feel more comfortable around those saved Baptists we have already met and learned to love, but we should always want to meet other believers.

  3. The obvious point of this the book of Colossians is the need of Jesus Christ.

    1. It is very interesting that no reference is made to salvation by baptism or by works in the entire book of Colossians.

      1. Salvation is presented as being a gift of God, without works on the part of men.

      2. Those denominations that believe in salvation by some type of works will only use a certain few verses, and they will use those verses “out of context”, so the verse will say what they want it to say.

    2. In the book of Colossians, there is an indisputable link between being saved and living for God.

      1. The Bible does teach the doctrine of “once saved, always saved”, but it also teaches that saved people will work for Christ.

      2. Those people who believe they can be saved, and never work for Christ are very sadly mistaken.

      3. Believers are saved by grace, through faith, without any works on our part at all.

      4. Believers work for Christ because they are already saved, not because they are trying to be saved, or keep themselves saved.

    3. Chapter 1 gives full credit to Jesus Christ for the salvation and present love of the Colosse brethren for Christ, for one another, and for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

      1. 1:6 speaks of a day when the members of Colosse heard the gospel message and believed.

      2. 1:13 gives honor to God who delivers from the power of darkness and translates believers into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

      3. 1:14 states very clearly that redemption is through the blood of Jesus Christ.

      4. 1:20 declares that it is the blood of Christ that people are redeemed.

      5. 2:3 states that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ.

        1. This verse is stating that everything worthwhile is to be found in Christ.

        2. The word “hid”, doesn’t mean that Christ is concealed from the world, but that he is a secret the world cannot discover by themselves.

        3. Men are totally depraved, dead in sins, therefore, God must open unbelievers eyes to the greatest treasure of all – Jesus Christ.

    4. Chapter 2-3:17 gives full credit to Jesus Christ for the sanctification of believers and the new life in Christ, including all areas of life.

      1. Colossians 1:21-23 declares that only in Christ will any believer be presented before holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable.

      2. Every believer knows this is so.

      3. 2:4 reveals that it is possible for believers to be tricked into believing Satanic lies.

      4. 2:6 tells every believer how they can live for Jesus – the exact same way they received him.

      5. 2:12 reveals that every believer who desires to walk correctly with Christ will be baptized.

    5. Chapter 3:17-4:1 gives full credit to Jesus Christ for the practical application of love in the home and outside the home.

      1. 3:17 – The practical application of the love of Christ causes the wife to be in submission to her husband.

      2. 3:18 – The practical application of the love of Christ causes the husband to love his wife.

      3. 3:20 – The practical application of the love of Christ causes children to obey their parents.

      4. 3:21 – The practical application of the love of Christ causes fathers to be right in their families.

      5. 3:22 – The practical application of the love of Christ causes employees to be good employees.

      6. 4:1 – the practical application of the love of Christ causes employers to be good employers.

    6. Chapter 4:2-18 gives full credit to Christ for all the ministry of Paul, which occurs through prayer.

      1. These verses speak of the necessity of the prayers of God’s children to the furtherance of the gospel message and utterance of the ministers of God.

      2. There are various people mentioned so the children of God will be able to pray with knowledge, and see the results of their prayers in the lives of particular people. 1

Verse 2 - To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

  1. I don’t think Paul is saying that the saints and the faithful brethren are two different groups of people, but that they are one group.

    1. He is saying that the saints are faithful.

    2. This is the same salutation as in Ephesians 1:1.

Verse 3 - We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Verse 4 - Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

Verse 5 - For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Verse 6 - Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

Verse 7 - As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Verse 8 - Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Verse 9 - For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Verse 10 - That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Verse 11 - Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Verse 12 - Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Verse 13 - Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Verse 14 - In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Verse 15 - Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Verse 16 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Verse 17 - And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Verse 18 - And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Verse 19 - For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Verse 20 - And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

I. Christ will reconcile everything - things on earth, and things in heaven.

  1. Reconciled things on earth.

  1. It is obvious from the next verse that a part of the things reconciled on earth will be His elect.

  2. Verse 16 - Here is a list of things that God will reconcile to Himself through Jesus Christ.

  1. Verse 16 - He created the earth for His own good pleasure, but Satan, through the disobedience of mankind, has taken control of God’s creation.

  2. Verse 17 - He holds the creation together even when the Devil has rule over it.

  3. The visible and invisible things on this earth - this means every physical thing whether we see it or not. This includes germs (living and dead), all scientific and physiology and emotional principles.

  4. All thrones, dominions, principalities and powers will be brought under His control.

  5. Every creature will realize God is God, whether that creature has an eternal soul or not. I say this because during the millennium reign, even the poisonous snakes won’t bite anybody. The lion will lay down beside the ass. There will be no harm in all the kingdom of God, which includes all the creation, both in the earth, the skies, and everywhere.

  1. Reconciled things in heaven.

  1. The stars, planets, and all celestial bodies. Man has polluted the heavens by visiting them, taking their sinfulness to those far-away planets.

  2. Jesus Christ will also “reclaim” the throne of heaven, upon which Satan will sit during the tribulation period.

  3. It has been said that God will create a new heaven and a new earth because the present heaven and earth has the stain of sin in them.

Verse 21 - And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Verse 22 - In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Verse 23 - If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Verse 24 - Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Verse 25 - Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Verse 26 - Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Verse 27 - To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Verse 28 - Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Verse 29 - Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

1 Preached to here November 9, 2005 IBC Wednesday Evening