Let No One Disqualify You

Introduction

Paul addresses the dangers of legalism and false teachings that were threatening the Colossian church.

False teachers were telling the people that they weren’t good enough. Teachers were telling the people that they were not spiritually qualified.  You are not really a Christian.  (It would be like someone telling you that you are not qualified to teach at The Redeemer Day School.) If you truly want to be righteous you need to follow “these” teachers.

This passage helps to equip believers to discern and reject false teachings that can lead them astray.

Colossians 2:16-23 NLT
¹⁶ So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. ¹⁷ For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. ¹⁸ Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, ¹⁹ and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
²⁰ You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, ²¹ “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? ²² Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. ²³ These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

Examine the Scriptures:

Let No One Disqualify You

Paul addresses the dangers of legalism and false teachings that were threatening the Colossian church.

Colossians 2:16-23 NLT

Introduction/review

The false teachings in Colossae, which Paul addressed in his letter to the Colossians, were a mix of several philosophical and religious ideas.

False teachers emphasized strict adherence to the Mosaic Law. (Colossians 2:16-17)

False teachers were promoting harsh treatment of the body, such as fasting and self-denial, as a way to attain spiritual purity. (Colossians 2:20-23)

False teachers were encouraging the worship of angels, possibly as intermediaries between God and humanity. (Colossians 2:18)

The Colossian heresy included early Gnostic elements. Gnosticism claimed that salvation could be gained through a special form of secret knowledge.

False teachers were promoting hollow and deceptive philosophy based on human traditions rather than Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Paul is addressing all of these philosophical and religious ideas in today’s passage. 

¹⁶ So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 

The false teachers at Colossae were advocating obedience to the Law of Moses by imposing some sort of dietary regulations on the people for justification and sanctification.

The Israelites had celebrated the first day of each month, which was indicated by the new moon.

The New Moon was one of the regular occasions for worship alongside Sabbaths and feasts.

Special sacrifices were offered at the start of each month.

Paul warns against allowing anyone to judge them based on dietary laws, religious festivals, new moon celebrations, or Sabbath observances.

• Faith is not measured by external religious practices such as dietary laws, religious festivals, new moon celebrations, or Sabbath observances. 

¹⁷ For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come.

• The old system under the Law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. (Hebrews 10:1)

Hebrews 10:1 NLT
^10:1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 

Romans 6:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
¹⁵ Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!

• Observing Old Testament rituals is not necessary for salvation or spiritual growth.

The dietary restrictions, festivals, and Sabbaths were part of the Mosaic covenant, which served as a shadow pointing to Christ. 

And Christ himself is that reality. 

Christ is Sufficient.

Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and the source of true spiritual life.

• Christ fulfilled the Old Testament law, and now righteousness comes through faith in Him, not through works.

Matthew 5:17 NIV
¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Christ’s perfect obedience satisfied the requirements of the Law that no human could achieve (Romans 8:3-4).

Romans 8:3-4 NLT
³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. ⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Christ’s life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the Law’s foreshadowing of salvation. For instance, the sacrificial system, which temporarily covered sins, found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Through Christ’s fulfillment, believers are no longer under the Law as a system of righteousness. Instead, they live under the new covenant of grace, guided by the Spirit and the law of Christ—love for God and neighbor.

Romans 6:14 NLT
¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. 

• The Old Testament rituals and laws pointed to Christ, and now that He has come, they have fulfilled their purpose.

• True spirituality is found in Christ alone. 

¹⁸ Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things.

This likely refers to a form of mysticism that emphasized intermediary spiritual beings between God and humanity.

False teachers were teaching “access to God through angels”.

False teachers were trying to “disqualify” (much like the actions of an umpire or referee) believers through false humility and the worship of angels.

• Don’t allow false teachers to deny the reality of your salvation.

False teachers were saying “You are not qualified” unless ……

Look to scripture.  Test all teachings with Scriptures.  What does scripture say?

Their sinful minds have made them proud, ¹⁹ and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body.

• True spiritual life comes from being connected to Christ, the “head” of the body, the church.

These false teachers were not connected to Christ. 

For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

Christ alone holds the body together. 

²⁰ You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, ²¹ “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?  

“Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” are rules of the world.  These rules don’t come from God. These are human commands and teachings, and not the core of true Christian faith. 

• “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” are rules of the world.

Don’t taste!

Mark 7:18-19 NLT (Jesus talking to the disciples.)
¹⁸ “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? ¹⁹ Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

Proverbs 25:16 NLT
¹⁶ Do you like honey?
Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!

 Don’t touch!”? 

1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT
¹² You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

²² Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 

The “rules” discussed here were developed by false teachers.  They were not from God. 

²³ These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

These rules may seem wise.

These self-imposed rules, although appearing to be spiritual, do not have the power to deal with the sin nature.

Including self-mutilation.

Ascetic (as·cet·ic) (severe self-denial) practices, while appearing wise and disciplined, don’t transform the heart or overcome sinful desires. Only Christ can change the heart.

True transformation comes from life in Christ, not external restrictions.

True spiritual growth comes from abiding in Christ.

John 15:5 NLT
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

• Ascetic practices, while appearing wise and disciplined, don’t transform the heart or overcome sinful desires. Only Christ can change the heart.

• True spiritual growth comes from abiding in Christ.

Alive in Christ

Introduction

At the end of this lesson, summarize in one sentence what this passage of scripture is saying to you.

Colossians 2:8-15 NLT
⁸ Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. ⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. ¹⁰ So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
¹¹ When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. ¹² For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
¹³ You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. ¹⁴ He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Examine the Scriptures:

Alive in Christ
Colossians 2:8-15 NLT

⁸ Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 

• Paul repeatedly warns the church to be vigilant against the destructive teachings of false teachers.

Previously in Colossians 2:4
⁴ I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.

Later in Colossians 2: 20 & 22
²⁰ … So why do you keep on following the rules of the world … ²² Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 

Paul warns the Colossians to be vigilant against false teachings that are based on human traditions rather than in Christ.

False teachers were combining faith in Christ with “man-made regulations.  (Salvation = faith in Christ + works.) 

They should have been teaching “Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone”.

… rather than from Christ. 

• True wisdom and understanding come from Christ. 

John 14:6 NLT
⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 

⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 

Here Paul is affirming Christ’s deity, emphasizing that He is fully God in bodily form.

John 10:30 NLT
³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

John 14:9 NLT
⁹ Jesus replied, … Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! …

John 1:1-5 NLT
¹ In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
² He existed in the beginning with God.
³ God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
⁴ The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
⁵ The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

• Jesus is God in the flesh. 

¹⁰ So you also are complete through your union with Christ,

• Believers are united with Christ.

Romans 12:4-5 NLT
⁴ Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵ so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

John 14:20 NLT
²⁰ When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

1 Corinthians 6:15 NLT
¹⁵ Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? 

1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT
²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Believers, united with Christ, are made complete in Him and do not need any additional religious rituals or human philosophies.

John 11:25-26 NLT
²⁵ Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. ²⁶ Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die…”

• What believers have in Christ is completely adequate for their spiritual needs.

John 15:5 NLT
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

The heresy being taught to the Colossians was that Christ alone is not enough. 

who is the head over every ruler and authority.

• Jesus Christ is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.

We have no need for anything other than Jesus.

Review: From Colossians 1

Colossians 1:15-20 NLT
Christ Is Supreme
¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
¹⁶ for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
¹⁸ Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
¹⁹ For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
²⁰ and through him God reconciled
everything to himself. 

¹¹ When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 

In the Old Testament, physical circumcision was established as a sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants.  Physical circumcision was a requirement for participating in Israel’s religious community.

• The New Testament emphasizes a spiritual circumcision, the cutting away of the sinful nature, — a transformation of the heart through Christ.

Romans 2:29 NLT
… And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit… 

¹² For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

Baptism symbolizes this inward change.

• Baptism symbolizes and confirms the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Through faith, believers partake in Christ’s victory over sin.

Romans 6:3-6 NLT
³ Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? ⁴ For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
⁵ Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. ⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

Water baptism was closely related to conversion in the early church. 

¹³ You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. 

Before salvation, believers were spiritually dead in sin. 

Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

We owed a debt we could not pay.

Paul describes the believer’s past state—spiritually dead due to sin. However, through Christ, God grants new life and complete forgiveness.

Review:

Colossians 1:13 NLT
¹³ For he (the Father)  has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 

¹⁴ He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 

Romans 3:23 NLT
²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 6:23 NLT
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:10 NLT
¹⁰ Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.

• Jesus, through His death, satisfied the legal requirements of the Old Testament Law.

• Through His death and resurrection, Christ paid the penalty for our sins, freed believers from legalistic bondage, and triumphed over spiritual enemies. 

¹⁵ In this way, he (Christ) disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Ephesians 6:12 NLT
¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

• Christ’s death and resurrection defeated the powers of darkness, stripping them of their authority over believers.

By fulfilling the demands of the Law, Christ disarmed the demonic powers and authorities.

God Himself is the source of all truth, and His Word (the Scriptures) is the revealed truth. Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, embodies truth, and the Holy Spirit guides believers into understanding and living by that truth. (ChatGPT)

This passage emphasizes that Christ alone is sufficient.

Paul’s Labor for the Church (continued)

Introduction

Are there still unrevealed mysteries in the Bible?

Yes

The nature of the Trinity.

The identity of Melchizedek.

The Apostle Paul’s “Thorn in the Flesh”.

The End Times and the Book of Revelation.

The mystery of the timing of Christ’s return.

The mystery of God’s sovereignty and free will.

Etc.

Are there unrevealed mysteries in the Bible that we need to have revealed?

No

Colossians 2:1-7 NLT
^2:1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. ² I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. ³ In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
⁴ I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. ⁵ For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.
⁶ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. ⁷ Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Examine the Scriptures:

Paul’s Labor for the Church (continued)

Colossians 2:1-7 NLT

^2:1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church

Paul agonized for the believers at Colossae and Laodicea.

• Ministry can be hard. 

at Laodicea,

There was a close relationship between the church at Colossae and the church at Laodicea.

The two cities were only 10-20 (approximately) miles apart.

The heresy in the Colossian church had spread to Laodicea.

While Paul does not explicitly define this heresy it was most likely a mix of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, and early Gnostic-like mysticism. 

and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 

The church at Colosse was not founded by Paul but was still very important to him.

The church in Colosse was likely established by Epaphras, a co-worker of Paul who was from that region.

The Apostle Paul did not visit Colosse as far as we know from the Bible.

While Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians, it is widely believed that he had never been to the city. 

Paul cared deeply for the body of Christ.

² I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love.

• Believers need encouragement.

• Paul understood the importance of unity within the Church.

• Love unifies the Church. 

I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan,

Review from previous lesson:

In Scripture, a “mystery” or a “secret” frequently refers to something once concealed but now revealed.

A truth previously unknown or not fully understood but now revealed by God.

• Many of the mysteries in the scriptures have been revealed to Believers.

1 Colossians 1:25-27 NLT
²⁵ God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. ²⁶ This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. ²⁷ For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

Ephesians 3:6 NLT
⁶ And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 

Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT (Addressed to the Gentiles)
¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

• The mystery revealed here is that Christ would dwell in Gentiles and deal with them on the same basis as He did Jews. 

• Paul wanted the churches at Colossae and Laodicea to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan.

Gentiles have access to the truths of the Gospel.

Promises to Gentiles (as well as to the Jews).

John 3:16 NLT
⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Romans 10:9 NLT
⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan,
which is Christ himself.  

³ In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1 Corinthians 1:24 NLT
²⁴ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of wisdom.

• True wisdom is found in knowing Christ.

John 1:18 NLT
¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. But the unique One (Christ), who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

Hebrews 1:2-3 NLT
² And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. … ³ The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, ….

Christ reveals God to man.

God speaks to us through His Son.

Most importantly:

John 14:6 NLT
⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 

⁴ I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.

How many times have we heard Paul make comments similar to this one?

What the false teachers were saying sounded right, but it was still false.

True wisdom is not found in human philosophy or traditions but in Christ Himself.

False teachers were having a negative impact on these churches, claiming to have special knowledge of the mysteries of God’s truth.

• False teachings can sound appealing but must be tested against Scripture.

Paul insists that Christ is God’s mystery.  All understanding is found in him. 

 ⁵ For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. 

⁶ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Put the following three verses together.

1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT
³⁰ God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

Galatians 6:9 NLT
⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT
^12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith

• Paul urges believers to remain anchored in the truth of Christ rather than being swayed by persuasive but empty philosophies. 

 ⁷ Let your roots grow down into him (Jesus), and let your lives be built on him.

Psalm 1:1-3 NLT
¹ Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
² But they delight in the law of the Lord (The Scriptures),
meditating on it day and night.
³ They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

Spend time in the Word.

Spend time in prayer.

Be in community with other believers.

• Spend time in the Word. Spend time in prayer. Be in community with other believers. 

Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Spiritual growth requires firm faith, continual learning, and thankfulness.

• Christian growth is an ongoing process of deepening faith, maturity, and gratitude in Christ.

Paul’s Work for the Church

This passage is loaded with Biblical principles that we should be applying to our lives.

Colossians 1:24 – 29 NLT
Paul’s Work for the Church
²⁴ I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. ²⁵ God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. ²⁶ This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. ²⁷ For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
²⁸ So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. ²⁹ That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 1:24 – 29 NLT

Paul’s Work for the Church 

²⁴ I am glad when I suffer for you in my body,

This letter was written by Paul while he was in prison in Rome sometime between A.D. 60-62 and is referred to as a prison epistle (along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon.)

Some of Paul’s suffering.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NLT
²³ Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. ²⁴ Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. ²⁶ I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.^[a] 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
²⁸ Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 

Philippians 1:29 NLT
²⁹ For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

• Paul believed that it was a privilege to suffer for Christ.

Paul’s believed that his suffering benefited the church.

²⁴… I’m doing this for the sake of his body, which is the church. (CEB)

The Bible contains various verses that address the reality of suffering for Christians.

Here are a few key verses that highlight this theme:

John 15:18-19 NLT
The World’s Hatred
¹⁸ “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. ¹⁹ The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

John 16:33 NLT
³³ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

2 Timothy 3:12 NLT
¹² Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 

Romans 8:17-18 NLT
¹⁷ And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT
¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³ Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

Matthew 5:10-12 NLT
¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
¹¹ “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. ¹² Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

• Suffering for the sake of Christ and His body, the church, is a reality for many Christians. 

²⁵ God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 

¹ This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.

Paul sees himself as a servant entrusted with a divine commission. Paul has been given the responsibility to faithfully carry out the mission God has given him.

Paul’s ministry is centered on making the word of God fully known to both Jews and Gentiles.

• Paul sees himself as a servant entrusted with a divine commission.

God has given each one of us a ministry.

1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT
⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

1 Peter 4:10 NLT
¹⁰ God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

Romans 12:6-8 NLT
⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. 

Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT
¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

• Each one of us should see ourselves as a servant entrusted with a divine commission.

• A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 

²⁶ This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 

In Scripture, a “mystery” or a “secret” is something once concealed but now revealed.

A truth previously unknown or not fully understood but now revealed by God.

• In Scripture, a “mystery” or a “secret” refers to a truth previously unknown but now revealed by God.

²⁷ For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

Numerous scriptures refer to mysteries. A truth previously unknown or not fully understood but now revealed by God.

The mystery here is that Christ lives in believing Gentiles.

This is explained in more detail in Ephesians chapter 3.

³ As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. ⁴ As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. ⁵ God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
⁶ And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. ⁷ By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
⁸ Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. ⁹ I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

• The mystery revealed here is that Christ would dwell in Gentiles and deal with them on the same basis as He did Jews.

The church, as a unified body of both Jews and Gentiles, was a hidden aspect of God’s plan now revealed through Christ.

The revelation of Christ as the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles is central to God’s redemptive plan. Believers are called to embrace and share this truth.

(This would be a challenging concept for the Jews.)

Continue reading from Ephesians chapter 3.

Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT (Addressed to the Gentiles)

¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

²⁸ So we tell others about Christ,

• Our ministry is telling others about Jesus.

warning everyone

We always be aware of the false teaching abounding around us. 

and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us.

James 1:5 NIV
⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 

We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 

• Paul’s goal was for the Colossians to mature in their relationship with Christ.

Discuss Progressive Sanctification: 

James 1:3-4 NLT
³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing..

Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
Pressing toward the Goal
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Jesus makes us perfect.

Hebrews 10:14 NLT
¹⁴ For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

• Paul’s aim was to lead believers to maturity in Christ, which required diligent teaching, correction, and the application of wisdom.

• Our goal is not just to get little children (and their families) saved. Our goal is to guide believers to maturity in Christ. This requires diligent teaching, correction, and the application of wisdom. 

²⁹ That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

Paul had to expend physical, mental, and spiritual energy in order to achieve his goal of bringing the Colossians to maturity. Paul knew that it was the supernatural power of the indwelling Christ that energized him.

• Paul acknowledges the immense effort required in his ministry, yet he attributes his strength and success to God’s power at work within him.

• Paul’s ministry is sustained not by his own strength but by divine enablement, highlighting the partnership between human effort and God’s provision.

• Even as Paul labors tirelessly, he depends on God’s power working through him, a reminder for believers to rely on God in their own ministry and growth.

• As believers, we work and struggle, depending on Christ’s mighty power working within us.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Reconciliation to God

This was made possible by the baby born in a manger in Bethlehem.

This is an awesome gift.

Colossians 1:21-23 NLT
²¹ This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. ²² Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
²³ But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 1:21-23 NLT
²¹ This includes you who were once far away from God. 

“This” refers to the previous two verses.  (Christ is supreme.) 

¹⁹ For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
²⁰ and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 

You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 

This highlights the universal human condition apart from God’s grace.

Minds and hearts far from God.

Hostile toward God in thoughts and attitudes.

Separated from God by sin.

Everyone

Romans 3:23 NLT
²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 6:23 NLT
²³ For the wages of sin is death, 

Separation from God.

Our condition as Gentiles.

The church at Colosse was predominantly a Gentile congregation.

Ephesians 2:11-13 NLT
¹¹ Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. ¹² In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. ¹³ But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 4:17-18 NLT
¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

• At one point in time, we were all enemies of God, separated from Him by our evil thoughts and actions. 

²² Yet now he has reconciled you to himself

Reconciled

Transformed

Reconciliation is the restoration of a broken relationship, particularly the mending of the relationship between God and humanity that has been damaged by sin. It involves bringing two parties back into harmony and peace with one another.

Review verses 12-14 (Part of Paul’s prayer for the Colossians.)

¹² always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. 

This is a reminder of the things God has done for us. 

He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people,

Titus 3:7 NLT
⁷ Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

who live in the light. 

God has enabled us to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people. 

¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 

We are no longer under Satan’s power. 

¹⁴ who purchased our freedom 

Redeemed.

Deliverance and freedom from the penalty of sin, paid for by the death of Christ.

Romans 6:23 NLT
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

and forgave our sins.

through the death of Christ in his physical body. 

• God has reconciled believers to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body.

Romans 3:21-26 NLT
Christ Took Our Punishment
²¹ But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. ²² We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴ Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, ²⁶ for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. 

This emphasizes the tangible, real nature of Christ’s sacrifice. It wasn’t abstract or symbolic—it was a historical act where Jesus gave His life as a ransom for sinners.

 The false teachers of Colosse denied Christ’s true humanity and His true deity.

False teachers taught that Jesus only appeared to have a physical body. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 

As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless

Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT
⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵ God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 

Colossians 3:12 NLT
¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, 

Chosen by God.
Made Holy by God.
Loved by God.

 as you stand before him without a single fault.

The reconciled believer has been made holy, set apart from sin, without blemish or defect, totally without grounds for criticism. Paul was speaking about the Christian’s position in Christ.

The result of this reconciliation is a complete transformation of the believer’s standing before God. In Christ, they are no longer guilty but are viewed as holy, blameless, and justified in God’s sight.

This is a picture of God’s grace.

• Christians are chosen by God, made holy by God, and are loved by God. 

²³ But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. 

John 6:29 NLT
²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

• Believers are called to remain steadfast in their trust in Christ.

Christians are in a spiritual battle.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT
⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT
¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

• Run with endurance the race God has set before you.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT
^12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Matthew 25:21 NLT
²¹ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

2 Timothy 4:7 NLT
⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

• The believer’s faith must be rooted and grounded, not easily shaken by false teachings or trials.

Believers need to hold tightly to the hope of the Gospel and not be swayed by alternative teachings or worldly distractions.

Philippians 1:6 NLT
⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Progressive sanctification.

Philippians 2:13 NLT
¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
¹⁸ And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. ¹⁹ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ²¹ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 

Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

• The existence of false teachers is a reality.

Romans 16:17 NLT
¹⁷ And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 

1 Timothy 4:1-2 NLT
Warnings against False Teachers
^4:1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. ² These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. 

1 John 2:19 NLT
¹⁹ These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. 

• Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. 

The Good News has been preached all over the world,

Colossians 1:6 NLT
⁶ This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

John 3:16 NKJV
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 1:16 NLT
¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Matthew 28:19 NLT
¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

John 5:24 NLT
²⁴ “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

• The Good News is being preached all over the world.

and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.

 

Christ Is Supreme

Great Christmas passage.

Who did the shepherds see lying in a manger in Bethlehem?

Answers from scripture:

Luke 2:11 ESV
¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Matthew 1:23 NLT
²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

Isaiah 9:6 NLT
⁶ For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Paul says more about this baby in a manger in Colossians 1:15-20 when he writes about characteristics of Christ and His deity.

Don’t try to understand everything in this lesson.  Just believe and be thankful for this passage of scripture.

Colossians 1:15-20 NLT
Christ Is Supreme
¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
¹⁶ for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
¹⁸ Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
¹⁹ For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
²⁰ and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 1:15-20 NLT

Christ Is Supreme 

¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. 

1. Christ is the image of the invisible God. 

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being… (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) 

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God … (Hebrews 1:3 NLT)

• Christ perfectly reveals God’s nature and character.

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! John 14:9

• Anyone who has seen Christ has seen the Father!

John 10:30 NLT
³⁰ The Father and I are one.” 

John 1:1 NLT
In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God. 

• Jesus is God

Jesus reveals God to humanity. 

He existed before anything was created

• Christ existed before anything was created.

John 1:1 NLT
In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.

Deuteronomy 33:27 NLT
²⁷ The eternal God is your refuge,
and his everlasting arms are under you.

Revelation 1:4-8 NLT
⁴      …
Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne;
 …
⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

and is supreme over all creation,

2. Christ is supreme over all creation.

Jesus Christ holds ultimate authority and power over all creation, both spiritual and physical. 

¹⁶ for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.

3. Christ is the creator of the universe.

John 1:3 & 10NLT
³ God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him. 

¹⁰ He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.

He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him. 

• Everything was created through him (Christ) and for him.

Hebrews 1:2 NLT
… through the Son he (God) created the universe. 

¹⁷ He existed before anything else,

John 1:2 NLT
² He existed in the beginning with God. 

See notes for verse 15. 

and he holds all creation together. 

He not only created all things but actively upholds and preserves their order and coherence.

Christ keeps the sun, moon, and stars in their orbits.

Christ keeps the atoms, protons, and neutrons in place.

• Christ sustains the universe. Without His sustaining power, creation would collapse into chaos. 

The work of Christ is ongoing. 

¹⁸ Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body. 

4. Christ is the head of the Church.

Ephesians 5:23 NLT
²³ For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.

• Christ is the leader and sustainer of His people. 

He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.

5. Christ is the firstborn from the dead.

• His resurrection guarantees the future resurrection of believers.

1 Corinthians 15:20 & 23 NLT
²⁰ But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

²³ But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

¹⁹ For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ, 

6. Christ is the fullness of God.

This emphasizes the deity of Christ.  Jesus Christ is God. 

• This indicates that the totality of God’s nature and attributes reside in Christ 

²⁰ and through him God reconciled
everything to himself. 

7. Christ is the reconciler of all things. 

• Christ’s death makes reconciliation between God and man possible.

Restoring broken relationships, 

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 

Example:

Ephesians 2:14-17 NLT
¹⁴ For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. ¹⁵ He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. ¹⁶ Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.  ¹⁷ He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.

 

The shepherds saw far more than a little baby lying in a manger in Bethlehem.

Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians

Another one of Paul’s prayers.

A great model for us.

Colossians 1:9-14 NLT
⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
¹¹ We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, ¹² always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 1:9-14 NLT

⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you.

Paul modeled persistent prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6 NLT
⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Ephesians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

1 Timothy 2:1 NLT
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 

• Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. 

We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

Pray for complete knowledge of God’s will.

Know what the Bible teaches.

Pray for spiritual wisdom.

Make application of the scriptures you know in your daily living.

Pray for spiritual understanding.

Understand the importance of applying scripture to our daily living.

Understand how scripture makes a difference in your life (and in the lives of other believers).

• We need to:

Know what the Bible teaches.

Be able to make application of the scriptures we know in our daily living.

Understand how scripture makes a difference in our lives (and in the lives of other believers). 

We ask God to give you …

• Our understanding of scripture can only come through the working of God’s Spirit in us.

Paul prayed for their full perception and deepest understanding of God’s will for them.

James 1:5 NLT
⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

It starts with:

Proverbs 1:7 NLT
⁷ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,

Proverbs 9:10 NLT
¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. 

¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.

Wisdom and understanding of scripture lead to changed lives.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful.

The purpose of knowing God’s will is practical—to live a life that honors Him.

Spiritual knowledge is not an end but a means to faithful living.

Understanding God’s will is vital for a life that pleases Him.

• Knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom, and spiritual understanding enable Christians to live lives that honor and please the Lord and live lives that produce good fruit.

We have to want this knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

1 Peter 2:2 NLT
² Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,

Psalm 119:97 NLT
⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your instructions!
I think about them all day long.

• Correct understanding is foundational to correct behavior. 

All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

This is a lifelong process – Sanctification.

Romans 12:2 NLT
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

• Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 

¹¹ We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his (God’s) glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.

Ephesians 1:18-20 NLT
¹⁸ I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light (truth-God’s Word) so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

God gives this power to help believers continue in the faith, resist temptation and deceitful teachers, and know the joy of the Lord.

• Endurance (perseverance in challenges) and patience (gracious dealing with people) are evidence of spiritual maturity and dependence on God. 

May you be filled with joy, 

Filled with joy.

Psalm 28:7 NLT
⁷ The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Romans 15:13 NLT
¹³ I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

• God, the source of hope, can fill us completely with joy and peace when trust in him.

¹² always thanking the Father.

• Thanksgiving is a natural response to God’s grace in rescuing believers from darkness and bringing them into His kingdom. 

A reminder of the things God has done for us. 

• Remember what God has done for you. 

He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people,

Ephesians 1:11 NLT
¹¹ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Titus 3:7 NLT
⁷ Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Hebrews 9:15 NLT
¹⁵ That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. 

who live in the light. 

Live in the truth of His Word. 

• God has enabled us to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people. 

¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 

We are no longer under Satan’s power

 

Paul’s ministry.

Acts 26:17-18 NLT
… Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles ¹⁸ to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ 

• God rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. 

¹⁴ who purchased our freedom 

Redeemed.

Deliverance and freedom from the penalty of sin, paid for by the death of Christ.

• Christ paid the penalty for our sins.

Romans 6:23 NLT
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

and forgave our sins.

 

 

 

Paul’s Thanksgiving

Paul is thankful for the Church in Colossae and for the way God has worked in the lives of the Colossians.

We are thankful for the Redeemer Day School and the way God is working in the lives of all the people associated with the school (students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of the school).

Colossians 1:3-8 NLT
Paul’s Thanksgiving
³ We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, ⁵ which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
⁶ This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
⁷ You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. ⁸ He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 1:3-8 NLT

Note:  These six verses are all one sentence in the Greek text.

Paul’s Thanksgiving 

³ We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God,

We refers to Paul and Timothy.

“Thanks” is an important theme in the book of Colossians.  (Verse 1:3, 1:12, 2:7, 3:15-17, 4:2)

• Paul not only teaches but he also prays regularly and gives thanks to God for those he shepherds.

• Scripture tells us to be persistent in our prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ … Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

How can you apply this to your life? 

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

God is the Father of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus is Lord.

• Paul emphasizes the lordship of Jesus Christ in his letter to the Colossians.

In verses 15-23 we’ll learn about the preeminence of Christ.

Paul talks about the deity of Christ in chapter 2.

Colossians 2:9 NLT
⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 

John 14:6 NLT
⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 

⁴ For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 

Your faith in Christ Jesus.

Faith is directed vertically, toward Christ.

Your love for all of God’s people.

Love is horizontal, toward others.

God’s people, Christians, Saints, people who have been set apart by God as His own holy people.

Colossians 3:12 NLT
¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves,

• Paul thanks God for the Colossians spiritual growth, their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all of God’s people. 

Bottom line:

We all want all of our students to have a growing faith in Jesus and a love for others. 

⁵ which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. 

Faith in Christ Jesus and love for all of God’s people, comes from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven.

• Reflecting on the hope of an eternal inheritance awaiting believers can inspire faithfulness and love in our daily lives.

Your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven.  An eternal inheritance awaiting believers not yet fully revealed.

1 John 2:25 NIV
²⁵ And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 

Hebrews 10:23 NLT
²³ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Our hope is not just wishful thinking but a firm assurance of something that will happen.

• Three great Christian virtues, faith, hope, and love are foundational to the Christian life.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
¹³ Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT
³ As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT
⁸ But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

Hebrews 10:22-24 NLT
²² let us go right into the presence of Go with sincere hearts fully trusting (faith) him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
²³ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. ²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 

Faith is the soul looking upward to God,

Love looks outward to others,

And hope looks forward to the future.

Faith rests on the past work of Christ,

Love works in the present, and

Hope anticipates the future. (Bible Knowledge Commentary) 

You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

The confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven.

The hope of heaven should inspire faithfulness and love in our daily lives. 

⁶ This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world.

Refer to a Bible map.  (This is primarily the area around the Mediteranea Sea.)

Romans 1:8 NLT
⁸ Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.

Within three decades of Pentecost. 

It (the Gospel) is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives,

See verse 10

¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 

just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. 

• Lives are transformed by the dynamic power of the Gospel.

Romans 1:16 NLT
¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

The gospel’s impact is both personal and communal.

We are a part of this global movement of the gospel, both by living transformed lives and by sharing the message.

Think about the lives of your students being changed by the dynamic power of the Gospel. 

⁷ You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 

Paul did not start the church at Colossae.  The people heard the gospel from Epaphras, a fellow Colossian.  (Colossians 4:12) 

Note: You are God’s faithful servant, sharing the Good News with your students. 

⁸ He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

The Holy Spirit is the source of all Christian love.

This love is a divine gift, reflecting the Spirit’s work in their lives. It serves as evidence of their genuine faith and connection to God.

1 John 4:7, 11, 19 NLT
⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 

¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

• The love we have for others comes from God.

• We are commanded to love each other.

John 13:34-35 NLT
³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 

Romans 13:8 NLT
⁸ Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 

---

Greetings From Paul

Paul wrote this letter to the Colossian Church to address some false teaching that was taking place in the church.

• • • Paul feel a pastoral responsibility for the church at Colosse (and Laodicea). He wants to help them deal with the dangerous teaching threatening their spiritual health.

Colossians 1:1-2 NLT
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
² We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God our Father give you grace and peace.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 1:1-2 NLT

• The church at Colosse was not founded by Paul.

The Apostle Paul did not visit Colosse as far as we know from the Bible. While Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians, it is widely believed that he had never been to the city.

In Colossians 2:1, Paul mentions that he is writing to people who “have never met me personally,” which indicates he had not personally visited them. However, Paul had a deep concern for the church there and wrote the letter to address doctrinal issues and encourage their faith.

Colossians 2:1 NLT
^2:1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.

• Paul felt a pastoral responsibility for the church at Colosse (and Laodicea). He wants to help them deal with the dangerous teaching threatening their spiritual health. (bullet point repeated)

Paul wrote to correct doctrinal errors that threatened the Colossian church. 

Laodicea was located just north of Colosse.

It appears that the false teachings in Colosse had spread to Laodicea.

Laodicea is one of the churches mentioned in Revelations.

Revelation 3:14-16 NLT
The Message to the Church in Laodicea
¹⁴ “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
¹⁵ “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! ¹⁶ But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

The church in Colosse was likely established by Epaphras, a co-worker of Paul who was from that region (Colossians 1:7-8; 4:12-13).

• During the time when Paul spent three years in Ephesus, Epaphras may have heard Paul sharing the gospel, was converted, and took the gospel message to Colosse.

Acts 19:8-10 NLT
Paul Ministers in Ephesus
⁸ Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. ⁹ But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.

Colossians 1:7-8 NLT
⁷ You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. ⁸ He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

If Paul was the spiritual father of Epaphras, that would have made Paul the spiritual grandfather of the church at Colosse.

• It appears that Epaphras was concerned about some false teachers at Colosse. He was so concerned about the false teaching that was occurring in the Colossian church that he had traveled to Rome to discuss this matter with Paul.

Epaphras would have been with Paul when Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians.

Colossians 4:12-13 NLT
¹² Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. ¹³ I can assure you that he prays hard for you …

This letter was written by Paul while he was in prison in Rome sometime between A.D. 60-62 and is referred to as a prison epistle (along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon.)

7 of Paul’s letters (Galatians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus) address false teaching, false teachers, or the misunderstanding of Christian doctrines within the church.

Colosse was a small city in Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia.  It was on the Lycus River about 100 – 120 miles east of Ephesus.  At one point in time, Colosse was on a trade route. When the trade route changed, Colosse was diminished to a second rate market town. It was known for its wool production.

• Colosse was a small city whose population was mainly Gentile with some Jews.

The church itself was likely made up of both Gentile and Jewish Christians.

• Paul’s emphasis on the unity of believers in Christ (Colossians 3:11 NLT) suggests that the church was ethnically and culturally diverse, united by their faith in Jesus.

Colossians 3:11 NLT
¹¹ In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

 

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, 

chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus,

Paul considered himself to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.

He was not one of the original 12 Apostles, but he did see the risen Christ

1 Corinthians 9:1 NLT
^9:1 … Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord?

1 Corinthians 15:8-9 NLT
⁸ Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. ⁹ For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

And he did possess special miraculous powers given to authenticate apostles.

2 Corinthians 12:12 NLT
¹² When I was with you, I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you. 

• It was God’s plan, not Paul’s plan, for Paul to be an apostle.
  • • Paul was commissioned and sent by God.
    • Paul’s authority comes from God.

Application for us:

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Philippians 2:13 NLT
¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 

and from our brother Timothy. 

² We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Look at Colossians 3:12 NLT

¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves,
or
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, (NIV) 

Christians are holy in the eyes of God because of what Christ has done for them.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT
²¹ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Ephesians 1:4 NLT
⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

 

Some translations say:

To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: ESV

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: KJV

Those who have been separated from sin and set apart for God’s purposes.

Paul addresses the Colossian believers as faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul addresses the Colossians as God’s holy people.

Paul addresses the Colossians as people who have a personal relationship with Christ. 

The phrase “in Christ” is used 6 times in the book of Colossians.

The phrase “with Christ” is used 6 times in the book of Colossians

• Paul is writing this letter to God’s holy people.
• God’s holy people (Saints) are set apart for God’s use.
• The recipients of this letter are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
• The recipients of this letter are “believers” in Christ Jesus. 

May God our Father give you grace and peace.

Imagine knowing that people were praying this for you.

Discuss grace.

Grace is unmerited favor and kindness of God toward humanity, freely given despite our undeserving nature.

Grace enables us as believers to live godly lives and overcome sin.

Grace empowers us as believers to grow in holiness and fulfill God’s purposes.

Grace provides strength, guidance, and hope in our spiritual journey.

• Grace is undeserved blessing that comes from God’s kindness.
• Peace is a sense of well-being and contentedness rooted in the Good News and brought about by the Holy Spirit.

Paul Thanks the Philippians for Their Gifts

Introduction:

There are a number of “Biblical Principles” in this passage for us to consider.

Philippians 4:10-23 NLT
Paul Thanks the Philippians for Their Gifts
¹⁰ How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. ¹⁴ Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
¹⁵ As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. ¹⁶ Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. ¹⁷ I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.
¹⁸ At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
²⁰ Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

Paul’s Final Greetings
²¹ Give my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. ²² And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.
²³ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Examine the Scriptures:

Philippians 4:10-23 NLT

Thanksgiving for the Philippians Gifts 

¹⁰ How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 

• Paul is praising the Lord because the Philippian Church was demonstrating their concern for him.

Galatians 6:10 NLT
¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Philippians 2:4 NLT
⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

1 John 3:17-18 NLT
¹⁷ If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 

• Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:10 NLT 

¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 

• Paul certainly appreciated the Philippians’ gift, but he knows that he doesn’t need their money. Paul has learned to be content in any situation. 

¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 

• Learn how to be content with whatever you have.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 NLT
⁶ Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.
⁸ So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

Matthew 6:25-26 NLT
²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 

³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

Hebrews 13:5 NLT
⁵ Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.” 

¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

• God gives believers the strength to do whatever He asks them to do.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 NLT
⁸ We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. ⁹ In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 NLT
⁷ We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
⁸ We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. ⁹ We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT
⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Galatians 2:20 NLT
²⁰ My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

Psalm 37:3-5 NLT
³ Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
⁴ Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
⁵ Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.

¹⁴ Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

• Even though Paul did not need the Philippians money, it was a good thing for them to share their money with Paul in his time of trouble.

God doesn’t need our money, but He does want us to experience the blessing of giving.

Hebrews 13:16 NLT
¹⁶ And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. 

¹⁵ As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. ¹⁶ Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 

¹⁷ I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

Paul clarifies that he seeks not the gift itself but the spiritual reward that will benefit them.

Notice this verse does not mention money.

Luke 6:38 NLT
³⁸ Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-12 NLT
⁶ Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. ⁷ You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” ⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. ⁹ As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
¹⁰ For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. ¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. 

• God loves a person who gives cheerfully. 

¹⁸ At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 

Offered with the correct attitude.

The Philippians’ gift was a spiritual sacrifice

• Gifts given with the correct attitude are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 

Matthew 25:34-40 NLT
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
³⁷ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? ³⁹ When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
⁴⁰ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Proverbs 19:17 NLT
¹⁷ If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!

Exodus 29:18 NLT
¹⁸ then burn the entire animal on the altar. This is a burnt offering to the Lord; it is a pleasing aroma, a special gift presented to the Lord.

Lev 4:31
a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 

¹⁹ And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

• Paul assures the Philippians that God will also meet all their needs, both physical and spiritual, from his glorious riches.

Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
¹⁰ Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine. 

Luke 6:38 NLT repeated
³⁸ Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” 

An example of God’s spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 3:16-20 NLT
¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

²⁰ Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

• God alone deserves the glory. All provisions, blessings, and honor come from Him.

Paul’s Final Greetings

²¹ Give my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. ²² And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.
²³ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.