WHY COLOSSIANS IS SO IMPORTANT IN 1994
"Although written almost 2,000 years ago, Colossians speaks
to the problems facing us today. To the dilemmas of our age
it presents Christ as the answer."
1. Ours is an age of SCIENCE.
.Ninety-five % of all scientists who have ever lived are
alive today.
.There has been an abundant increases in knowledge in all
areas of science and technology from microbiology to
astrophysics. millions of pages of this literature are
published yearly. Specialists find it difficult to keep up
with the flood of discoveries in their fields.
.The rapid pace of scientific discovery leads to the
question HOW DOES GOD RELATE TO THE UNIVERSE?
WAS HE CREATED OR THE CREATOR?
DID THE UNIVERSE EVOLVE OR WAS IT CREATED?
.COL: 1:16 ANSWERS THIS
2. THIS IS AN AGE OF ECUMENISM.
. Many are seeking to unify the world's religions.
.EFFORTS TO UNITE Protestants, Catholics, Hindus Buddhists
Shintoists ...
cf Robertson and the Rest.
They claim to be following JN 17:22
..this passage was fulfilled in I Cor 11:12,13 ..IT
WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO UNITE THEM IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE
THEY HAVE BEEN GOING TO HEAVEN SINCE PENTECOST.
..this would also be a church without a Head Col 1:18
3. THIS IS AN AGE OF REBELLION AGAINST ALL FORMS OF
AUTHORITY.
. Absolutes are denied
especially Biblical absolutes
.To say Christ is the ONLY way is intolerant bigotry.
.He is put on the plane with others even though He is
the only One who arose.
Col 1:15ff and 2:9 answer this
4. THIS IS AN AGE OF PRAGMATISM.
.Not IS IT TRUE?
BUT DOES IT WORK?
HOW MANY FISH DO YOU HAVE?
THIS MUST BE OF GOD, LOOK AT THE BLESSINGS.
CAN this religion give me what I want? Health, wealth,
peace, ease, a good time?
Colossians answers this. 1:22 2:6,7 2:10 3:3
5. THIS IS AN AGE OF FRUSTRATING RELATIONSHIPS.
.meaningless relationships. unfulfilling relationships
.heartbreaking relationships...cf. Simons boy-reunion
.COLOSSIANS SPEAKS TO THIS...COL 3,4
6. THIS IS AN ESCHATOLOGICAL AGE.
.THREATS OF war, environmental disaster
.FEAR OF end of age, failure, loss of __________
BOOKS: The Biological Timebomb
Future shock Doomsday Book
Population Bomb
Colossians speaks to the future 3:4
WHY COLOSSIANS IS SO IMPORTANT IN 1994. COL. #1B
Although written almost 2,000 years ago, Colossians speaks to
the problems facing us today. To the dilemmas of our age,
this Book presents Christ as the answer.
I. OURS IS AN AGE OF ________________.
QUESTIONS: HOW DOES GOD RELATE TO THE UNIVERSE?
WAS HE CREATED OR IS HE CREATOR?
DID THE UNIVERSE EVOLVE OR WAS IT CREATED?
Colossians answers this in Col. _______
II. OURS IS AN AGE OF __________________.
Misguided efforts to unite all religions wrongly
use Jn 17:______ This passage was fulfilled in
I Cor 11:_______
Uniting the Body of Christ on earth is impossible
because saints have been going to heaven since
______________.
A uniting of world religions would seek to put Christ on
the __________ with all other religious leaders and
would be a church without a ___________.
Colossians answers this in COL 1:_____
III. THIS IS AN AGE OF _______________
Especially against _________ and Biblical ______________
To say Christ is the ONLY way is called_________________
and_____________
Colossians answers this in 1:__ and 2:___
IV. THIS IS AN AGE OF _________________
NOT "Is it true?" but "Does it ________?"
or "How many fish do YOU have?"
"It must be of God, look at the blessings>"
Colossians 1:22 2:6,7 2:10 3:3
V. THIS IS AN AGE OF FRUSTRATING ___________________
HOW MANY CAN YOU NAME?
Col. 3 & 4 answer these.
VI. THIS IS AN _________________AGE. see Col 3:4
INTRO TO COLOSSIANS: CHRIST IS PRE-EMINENT #1
1. AUTHOR: Paul the Apostle
.did not _______ the church 1:4,9 2:1
.never __________these saints
.written from prison in Rome
2. TO THE CHURCH AT COLOSSE
.probably started by believers (_________, ________)
from church
at Ephesus. 1:7
.who also founded churches of Laodicea & Hierapolis,
about 100
miles from Ephesus. Col 4:12,13 Philemon 1,2
.started while Paul was at _________"All who lived in
Asia heard the Word." Acts 19:10
3. CITY OF COLOSSE.
. 100 miles from Ephesus; triad with Laodicea &
Hierapolis. . on east-west ______ route in region of
Phrygia (now Turkey) . once thriving, now __________.
Center of wool industries with dyes made from chalk
deposits & pastures nearby. . population predominantly
_______ with sizeable ______
community who trade in wool.
4. REASON FOR WRITING.
1) Epaphras visits Paul & informs him of _______. A
crisis that would destroy the ministry of the
church. Paul wrote this letter to refute the heresy
and establish the Truth.
Epaphras stayed with Paul and Onesimus and Tychicus
carried epistles to Colesse, Philemon (at Colosse)
and the Ephesus.
2) The heresy was a combination of Eastern Philosophy
and Jewish legalism with elements of Gnosticism (NOS-ti-cism)
AGNOSTIC = one who does not know
GNOSTICS = "in the know" __ ______ - claimed to know
the "deep things of God", to be the "spiritual
aristocracy" of the church.
.They promised spiritual perfection and fulness
through teachings and ceremonies - Only the
_________ could enjoy. This "special wisdom" could
release them from earthly things and acquaint them
with heavenly things.
.They believed all matter was ____ and since a Holy
God couldn't come in contact with matter, there had to be a
series of ____________ from God to His creation.
.They believed a powerful Spirit World used material
things to attack man and that through astrology,
angelic beings ruled heavenly bodies to influence
the affairs of men. 1:16, 2:8-10,15.
Added to this was Jewish legalism
.Spiritual development was aided by circumcision (2:
11), dietary laws (2:14-17), rules and regulations
(2:21) and asceticism (All pleasure is wrong, "If
its good, spit it out")
3) Thus: Christ person and work is attacked. They
said He was one of the "Emanations" instead of the
Very Son of God
.at a distance versus a God who is near
.His atoning death needed works, legalism, rules and
systems, it was not sufficient.
.He did not fully put to nought the forces of evil.
.His own body and material world is corrupt.
.His special revelation is insufficient and needed
mystical
"emanations" "shortcuts" and knowledge
5. The theme is The ____________ of Christ (Col 1:18, 3:11)
and the believers completeness in Him (Col 2:8-10)
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