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The Epistle to the Colossians a Weekend in God’S Word

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The Epistle to the Colossians a Weekend in God’S Word The Epistle to the Colossians A Weekend in God’s Word Pa Bible Teaching Fellowship 11/21 – 11/22/2015 Contents Chapter 1: 1 - 12 – Shawn Weir .................................................................................................................... 3 The City(small town) of Colosse............................................................................................................... 3 A Place Where The Word of God Grew Mightily and Prevailed ............................................................. 4 Phrygian Religion, Jewish Mysticism, Early Gnostics and Earthquakes ................................................. 4 The “Why” of Colossians .......................................................................................................................... 6 To the Saints and Faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Colosse…..................................................... 6 As ye also learned of Epaphras… ............................................................................................................. 8 Walking Worthily...................................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 1: 13 - 29 – Sam Pittenger ............................................................................................................. 12 Jesus Christ the Firstborn and the Image of God .................................................................................. 12 The Fullness and Preeminence of Jesus Christ ...................................................................................... 16 Christ in You ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Chapter 2 - 3:4 – Jim Nichols Sr. ................................................................................................................. 20 The Teeth of Colossians, The Shot Across the Bow ............................................................................... 20 Chapter 3: 1 - 17 – Sam Pittenger ............................................................................................................... 35 Seeking Things Above............................................................................................................................. 35 Clothing Ourselves with the New Man .................................................................................................. 37 Christ All in All ........................................................................................................................................ 38 Chapter 3: 18 - 4:18 – Shawn Weir ............................................................................................................. 42 Worthy walking in every aspect of our lives (Continued)..................................................................... 42 Interpersonal Relationships ................................................................................................................... 42 Praying Always ....................................................................................................................................... 45 Interactions with Unbelievers ................................................................................................................ 45 Personal Greetings and Closing Remarks .............................................................................................. 46 Appendix – The Victory Triumph ................................................................................................................ 49 1 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him All Scripture quotations are from the Authorized King James Version unless otherwise noted. Scripture quotations noted as “NASB” are quoted from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations noted “ESV’ are quoted from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations noted “RSV’ are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations noted as “WT” are quoted from the Working Translation in A Journey through the Acts and Epistles (copyright © 2006 by Walter J Cummins. All rights reserved.) and Volume 2 A Journey through the Acts and Epistles (copyright © 2013 by Walter J Cummins. All rights reserved.). 2 Chapter 1: 1 - 12 – Shawn Weir The City(small town) of Colosse Colosse (or Colossae) was an ancient city in the Lycus River Valley in the center of the region of Phrygia and part of the Roman province of Asia, which is contained in modern day Turkey. o The city was a location were the cultures and religions of the East met the West being “situated near the great Persian Royal Road that ran from Ephesus and Sardis in the West to the Euphrates and on to Persia in the East.”1 o It was nearly 100 miles east of the great, capital city of Ephesus. o The river valley is rich and fertile for pasturing. Colosse was anciently known for its flourishing textile industry and high-quality dark red wool, known as "Colossian wool." o Laodicea (12 miles west) was a wealthy city and served as the political and financial center for the region. o Hierapolis (15 miles northwest) was considered a sacred city and health resort. Thousands flocked to Hierapolis to bathe and drink from its natural hot springs and great baths, which were touted to have spiritual and medicinal qualities. By the time of the writing of the Epistle to the Colossians, Colosse was the smallest of the three sister cities in the Lycus River Valley. o It had been an important town during the Greek and Persian War of the fifth century B.C., but by the first century new trade routes had carried most traffic to Laodicea and Hierapolis leaving Colosse as a small country village. o The Greek historian and geographer Strabo, writing about two generations before Paul wrote Colossians, calls the Colosse of his day “a small town.’ o Colosse was insignificant in Roman history and was only ever mentioned by a few Roman writers. "Without doubt Colossae was the least important church to which any epistle of St Paul is addressed." - J. B. Lightfoot, St. Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, p. 16. 1Iran, Vol. 36. (1998). In D. French, Pre- and Early-Roman Roads of Asia Minor. The Persian Royal Road (pp. 15 - 43). British Institute of Persian Studies. 3 A Place Where The Word of God Grew Mightily and Prevailed Colosse was in the Roman province of Asia, all of which heard the Word as Paul was preaching for two years in Ephesus. The church at Colosse was likely established at this thrilling time. Acts 19 9a – 10, 20 WT 9b reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10This continued for two years with the result that everyone living in Asia heard the Word of the Lord, both Judeans and Greeks. 20 In this manner, the Word of the Lord was growing and prevailing mightily. There is no scriptural indication that Paul ever got to Colosse. Many at Colosse and Laodacia had never even seen him before. Colossians 2:1 WT As a matter of fact, I want you to know how greatly I contend for you and for them at Laodicea and for whoever has not seen my face in the flesh Paul wrote Colossians while imprisoned either at Caesarea or in Rome. Phrygian Religion, Jewish Mysticism, Early Gnostics and Earthquakes Phrygian Religions Colosse was an ancient city in the center of the region of “Phyrigia, where the national character was so prone to a mystic fanaticism.”2 Early Gnosticism and Mystery Religions The beginnings of what would erupt into a much larger heresy were already beginning to be seen in this region with the introductions of early Gnosticism and the “Mystery Religions.” These were secretive groups that taught that salvation is through a hidden knowledge (gnosis) by which individuals come to know themselves, their origin and destiny. Born out of a mixture of Eastern religion and Greek philosophy, at the root of their beliefs is that all things material are bad and all things spiritual are good. The philosophy was highly malleable and so the versions varied, but the basic explanation of our current existence was that the true, good God created or emanated beings called aeons and/or archons. A mishap by the aeon Sophia (Wisdom) led to the creation of the evil Old Testament God who created our world and pretends to be the true God. He hides truth from humans, but sparks of Sophia in some humans fill them with an urge to return to the Pleroma (divine realm) where they belong. The obtaining of this deeper spiritual wisdom and understanding is obtained through many methods and modes of denying the physical body (known as asceticism) and the worship of (often to placate) elemental spirits. 2 W. J. Conybeare, J. S. (1866). The Life and Epistles of the Apostle Paul. (p. 643) New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. 4 Jewish Mysticism Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) had relocated thousands of Jewish families from Mesopotamia to this region. With them, they brought strict adherence to the keeping of the law along with their own
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