1

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

2

Col. 1:19-23…Col. 1:19-23…19 For it was the Father19 For it was the Father’’s good s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,in evil deeds,

3

Col. 1:19-23…Col. 1:19-23…22 yet He has now reconciled you in 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— blameless and beyond reproach— 23 23 if indeed you continue in the faith if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.a minister.

4

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… The Godhead had one great purpose in The Godhead had one great purpose in

mind in the formulation of the mind in the formulation of the ““mysterymystery”” plan which called for the Word to plan which called for the Word to ““become flesh and dwell among usbecome flesh and dwell among us”” (John (John 1:14).1:14).

The The ““Colossian HeresyColossian Heresy”” troubling the troubling the church probably promoted a multiplicity church probably promoted a multiplicity of inter-mediaries between man and the of inter-mediaries between man and the ““True God.True God.””

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

5

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… These aoens had the elements of manThese aoens had the elements of man’’s s

salvation distributed among them and salvation distributed among them and were jointly responsible for whatever were jointly responsible for whatever progress seekers might make toward progress seekers might make toward heaven.heaven.

The pre-eminent Christ offered a simple The pre-eminent Christ offered a simple and effective route to the throne of God and effective route to the throne of God because He was God in the fullest.because He was God in the fullest.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

6

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… The total nature of Divinity was the The total nature of Divinity was the

nature that dwelt permanently in the nature that dwelt permanently in the body of Jesus as He worked on earth to body of Jesus as He worked on earth to save man from his sin.save man from his sin.

““All thingsAll things”” in heaven and on earth, in heaven and on earth, whoever and wherever they might be, can whoever and wherever they might be, can be reconciled to God by Christ.be reconciled to God by Christ.

Jesus can make peace between God and Jesus can make peace between God and man because He alone was able to atone man because He alone was able to atone for the crimes man had committed for the crimes man had committed against God.against God.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

7

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… ““All thingsAll things”” is a rather generic category of is a rather generic category of

persons and powers that were reconciled persons and powers that were reconciled by Jesus.by Jesus.

You were enemies in your mind.You were enemies in your mind. You were also guilty of doing unspeakably You were also guilty of doing unspeakably

wicked works, and such actions often wicked works, and such actions often drove the apostle to insist that Gentiles drove the apostle to insist that Gentiles ““put off the old manput off the old man”” and his deeds and and his deeds and ““put on the new man in righteousness and put on the new man in righteousness and true holiness.true holiness.””

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

8

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… You, nevertheless, have been reconciled You, nevertheless, have been reconciled

despite your unworthiness of forgiveness despite your unworthiness of forgiveness for what you thought and for what you for what you thought and for what you did.did.

You can now expect to be presented as You can now expect to be presented as holy, blameless, and irreproachable.holy, blameless, and irreproachable.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

9

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… There were some There were some ““ifsifs”” that stood between that stood between

them and the happy ending they them and the happy ending they anticipated:anticipated:

If they continued in the faith of the gospelIf they continued in the faith of the gospel If they remained grounded and steadfast If they remained grounded and steadfast

in the truths about Jesus that were vital in the truths about Jesus that were vital to salvation;to salvation;

If they didnIf they didn’’t move from their convictions t move from their convictions about the pre-eminent Christ that had about the pre-eminent Christ that had first given them the hope of heaven (1:5).first given them the hope of heaven (1:5).

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

10

Verses 1:19-23…Verses 1:19-23… Surely, the Colossians knew that the Surely, the Colossians knew that the

gospel of Christ had been taught in gospel of Christ had been taught in places other than in their own city.places other than in their own city.

Paul had worked hard to spread the good Paul had worked hard to spread the good news into as many places and to as many news into as many places and to as many lost souls as possible.lost souls as possible.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

11

Col. 1:24-29…Col. 1:24-29…24 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christin Christ’’s afflictions. s afflictions. 25 25 Of this church I was made a Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,the preaching of the word of God,

12

Col. 1:24-29…Col. 1:24-29…26 26 that is, the mystery which has been that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, manifested to His saints, 27 27 to whom God willed to make to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

13

Col. 1:24-29…Col. 1:24-29…28 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. every man complete in Christ. 29 29 For this purpose also I labor, For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. mightily works within me.

14

Verses 1:24-29…Verses 1:24-29… Paul was concerned that his Paul was concerned that his

imprisonment might become a hindrance imprisonment might become a hindrance to the faith of other Christians.to the faith of other Christians.

Paul maintained a very optimistic outlook Paul maintained a very optimistic outlook on his imprisonment.on his imprisonment.

PaulPaul’’s sufferings s sufferings ““for the sake of...the for the sake of...the churchchurch”” were a continuation of the trials were a continuation of the trials endured by the Lord at the hands of endured by the Lord at the hands of oppressive men.oppressive men.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

15

Verses 1:24-29…Verses 1:24-29… PaulPaul’’s conversion and apostleship were to s conversion and apostleship were to

be attended by be attended by ““many thingsmany things”” to be to be suffered for the name of Christ (Acts suffered for the name of Christ (Acts 9:16), so imprisonment was not 9:16), so imprisonment was not unexpected.unexpected.

Paul called the gospel a Paul called the gospel a ““mysterymystery”” several several times in the book of Ephesians.times in the book of Ephesians.

The The ““mysterymystery”” preached to the Gentiles preached to the Gentiles was was ““richrich”” in spiritual blessings that they in spiritual blessings that they might enjoy if they chose.might enjoy if they chose.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

16

Verses 1:24-29…Verses 1:24-29… The pre-eminent Christ was real wisdom, The pre-eminent Christ was real wisdom,

the wisdom of God.the wisdom of God. Paul had worked hard for the salvation of Paul had worked hard for the salvation of

many.many.

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3

17

Verses 1:24-29…Verses 1:24-29… The working of Christ in Paul assumed The working of Christ in Paul assumed

two roles:two roles: Christ worked in him through motivating Christ worked in him through motivating

him to satisfy his Lordhim to satisfy his Lord’’s expectations for s expectations for him as a preacher and as an apostle (Acts him as a preacher and as an apostle (Acts 26:16-18);26:16-18);

Christ also worked in him through the Christ also worked in him through the support of signs and wonders given to support of signs and wonders given to him to assist in his effectiveness as an him to assist in his effectiveness as an evangelist (e.g., Acts 14:3).evangelist (e.g., Acts 14:3).

Colossians – Christ And The ChurchColossians – Christ And The ChurchLesson 3Lesson 3