Colossians

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ColossiansChrist and the Church

• Lesson 2
• Pauls Greetings to the church
• Page 5

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Pauls GreetingsColossians 11-2

• Paul follows his usual pattern
• Identifies himself and those to whom he is
  writing
• Extends his prayer for their well-being
• He then adds other personal remarks and launches
  into the reason for which the letter was written
• He calls himself an apostle
• Timothy was well-known among the Gentile churches
• To the saints and faithful brethren
• To those in Christ which are at Colosse (v.2)

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Pauls GreetingsColossians 13-18

• He has several things to say about the Colossians
  before he addresses the things he wants to say to
  them

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Thanksgiving and Prayers Colossians 13-5

• His thanksgiving and prayers for the Colossians
  sprang from two things
• Faith in Christ Jesus and
• Love for all the saints
• Also, his prayers and thanks were because of the
  precious hope laid up for them in heaven
• Other passages provide information about the
  value and benefits of the Christians hope

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Thanksgiving and Prayers Colossians 15

• Rom. 52-- The Christian hopes to receive glory
  from the Lord
• 1Cor. 910-- The Christian hopes to be rewarded
  for his service to Christ
• 1Cor. 1519-- The Christian hopes for a bodily
  resurrection
• Gal. 55-- The Christian hopes for righteousness
  before God
• Eph. 118-- The Christian hopes for Gods great
  power toward believers
• Titus 1237-- The Christian hopes for eternal
  life
• Heb. 619-- The Christian hopes for entrance into
  heaven
• 1John 33-- The Christian hopes to have an
  eternal nature like Christs

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Thanksgiving and Prayers Colossians 16-8

• The gospel had been taken to Colosse by faithful
  preachers just as it had been proclaimed in all
  parts of the Roman world
• The success of Gods word in Colosse had occurred
  because
• many heard and knew to know completely,
  accurately the blessings of Gods grace when it
  was first declared to them
• The truth of the gospel was bringing forth fruit
• As they had learned it from Epaphras

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Thanksgiving and Prayers Colossians 16-8

• Epaphras
• He was one of them (412)
• A dear fellow servant and a minister of
  Christ on their behalf
• He also declared to Paul their love in the Spirit
• He had come to Rome
• To report on the spiritual condition at Colosse
• To lay the problems caused by false teachers
  before Paul for solutions

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Pauls Prayer For The Colossians Colossians
19-13

• Paul did not cease to pray for them to ask that
• They may be filled with the knowledge of His will
  in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (v.9)
• Not the intellectual progress of gnostic
  philosophy
• Not the acquisition of special knowledge
• They may walk worthy of the Lord (v.10)
• Being fruitful in every good work and
• Increasing in the knowledge of God
• They be strengthened with all might (v.11)
• According to Gods glorious power
• For all patience and longsuffering with joy

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Pauls Prayer For The Colossians Colossians
19-13

• Paul did not cease to pray for them to ask that
• They give thanks to the Father
• Who qualified us to be partakers of the saints
  inheritance (v.12)
• Who has delivered us from the power of darkness
  (v.13)
• Who has translated us into the kingdom of His of
  the Son of His love (v.13)

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Christ Has Pre-eminenceColossians 114-18

• In Christ, the Son of His love
• we have redemption through His blood (v.14)
• we have forgiveness of sins (v.14)
• The conclusion Paul has in mind is advocated in
  verse 18 ...that in all things He may have
  the pre-eminence.

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Christ Has Pre-eminenceColossians 114-18

• Here are several profound reasons why Christ has
  pre-eminence
• Reason One
• Christ is the image of the invisible God (v15)
• Reason Two
• He is the firstborn over all creation (v.15)
• Reason Three
• He was the Creator of everything that was created
  (v.16)

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Christ Has Pre-eminenceColossians 114-18

• Reason Four
• Everything was made for Him (v.16)
• Reason Five
• He existed before any created things existed
  (v.17)
• Reason Six
• He maintains everything that He has made (v.17)
• Reason Seven
• He is head of His church (v18)

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