Well, this morning as we come to the Word of God, we're going to do something a little different than usual.
We're going to take a Sunday off from the Gospel of John, and we're going to hear from another place in God's Word.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, said this to Timothy.
He said,
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture.
So not just a little bit of reading Scripture out loud from time to time in public, but devote yourself to it.
Give yourself wholly to it.
And so I want you to imagine this morning that we are living back in time in the first century.
It's not too long ago that Jesus was there in Israel.
Not too long ago that he was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
And here we are a good ways away in the city of Colossae.
We live in Asia Minor, which is now modern-day Turkey.
Since Jesus came, news has been spreading like wildfire about him.
And bringing the news are these men called apostles of Jesus.
Literally, in the common tongue, sent messengers of Jesus.
And they're doing the same kinds of signs and wonders that we heard Jesus did while he was there among the Jewish people.
Things which no mere man can do.
Things which even the best of our world's magicians and healers can't do.
Many of you know the story of how the early churches were established.
The apostle Paul's missionary adventures are written out for us in the book of Acts.
He went from place to place, traveling all around the Mediterranean world, spreading the news of Jesus, and speaking on behalf of the Lord.
And in many cities and towns all around the Mediterranean, fellowships, churches, began to form.
They began to grow as they heard the word about Christ and believed in him.
And the apostles, from time to time, came back to visit these churches.
And from time to time, they wrote letters to the churches.
And as the churches would gather week after week, they would read aloud together these letters of the apostles.
Just like Paul wrote at the end of his first letter to the Thessalonians.
He charged them before the Lord to read this letter aloud to all the believers there.
So what we're about to do is a lot like how they did it back then in the days of the early church.
And so I want you to imagine this morning that you belong to the church of Colossae.
You never had the privilege of seeing or meeting any of these apostles like Paul in person.
But you heard about Jesus secondhand through a good friend named Epaphras.
He himself saw Paul and met with him in person.
And ever since Epaphras came back to Colossae with news of that encounter,
all of us here who believe in Jesus, we've been steadily growing in our faith.
And now imagine that someone has just arrived, a messenger carrying with him a letter from the apostle Paul himself,
addressed to us, to our little church here in Colossae.
From the miracle-working, good news-telling, apostle Paul himself.
And now imagine that we are all gathered for the first time to hear what Paul would say to us on behalf of the Lord Jesus.
Let me read you Paul's letter to the Colossians in full.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother.
To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ,
grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Father, we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.
Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,
and of the love you have for all God's people.
The faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven,
and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.
In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world,
just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God's grace.
You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,
who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you,
we have not stopped praying for you.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will,
through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord,
and please him in every way,
bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God,
being strengthened with all power,
according to his glorious might,
so that you may have great endurance and patience,
and giving joyful thanks to the Father,
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people
in the kingdom of light.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins,
the Son is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation,
for in him all things were created,
things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities,
all things have been created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body,
the church.
He is the beginning
and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him
and through him to reconcile to himself all things,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God
and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behavior,
but now he has reconciled you
by Christ's physical body through death
to present you holy in his sight,
without blemish and free from accusation,
if you continue in your faith,
established and firm,
and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.
This is the gospel that you heard
and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven
and of which I, Paul, became a servant.
Now, I rejoice in what I am suffering for you
and I fill up in my flesh
what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions
for the sake of his body,
which is the church.
I have become its servant by the commission
God gave me to present to you
the word of God in its fullness,
the mystery that has been kept hidden
for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the Lord's people.
To them, God has chosen to make known
among the Gentiles
the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
He is the one we proclaim,
admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom
so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
To this end,
I strenuously contend with all the energy
Christ so powerfully works in me.
I want you to know how hard I'm contending for you
and for those at Laodicea
and for all who have not met me personally.
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart
and united in love
so that they may have the full riches
of complete understanding
in order that they may know the mystery of God,
namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden
all the treasures
of wisdom
and knowledge.
I tell you this
so that no one may deceive you
by fine-sounding arguments.
For though I am absent from you in body,
I am present with you in spirit
and delight to see how disciplined
you are
and how firm
your faith in Christ is.
So then,
just as you received Christ Jesus
as Lord,
continue to live your lives in Him,
rooted
and built up in Him,
strengthened in the faith
as you were taught
and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive
through hollow
and deceptive philosophy
which depends on human tradition
and the elemental spiritual forces
of this world
rather than on Christ.
For in Christ,
all the fullness of deity
dwells
in bodily form.
And in Christ,
you have been brought to fullness.
He is the head
over every power
and authority.
in Him,
you were also circumcised
with a circumcision
not performed by human hands.
Your whole self,
ruled by the flesh,
was put off
when you were circumcised
by Christ.
Having been buried
with Him
in baptism,
in which you were also
raised with Him
through your faith
in the working of God
who raised Him
from the dead,
when you were dead
in your sins
and in the uncircumcision
of your flesh,
God made you
alive
with Christ.
He forgave us
all our sins
having canceled
the charge
of our legal indebtedness
which stood against us
and condemned us.
He has taken it away,
nailing it to the cross.
And having disarmed
the powers and authorities,
He made a public spectacle
of them,
triumphing over them
by the cross.
Therefore,
do not let anyone judge you
by what you eat
or drink
or with regard
to a religious festival,
a new moon celebration
or a Sabbath day.
These are a shadow
of the things
that were to come.
The reality,
however,
is found
in Christ.
Do not let anyone
who delights
in false humility
and the worship
of angels
disqualify you.
Such a person
also goes into
great detail
about what they have seen.
They are puffed up
with idle notions
by their unspiritual mind.
They have lost connection
with the head
from whom the whole body,
supported
and held together
by its ligaments
and sinews,
grows
as God causes it
to grow.
Since you died
with Christ
to the elemental
spiritual forces
of this world,
why,
as though you still
belong to the world,
do you submit
to its rules?
Do not handle,
do not taste,
do not touch.
These rules,
which have to do
with things
that are all
destined to perish
with use,
are based on
merely human commands
and teachings.
Such regulations,
indeed,
have an appearance
of wisdom
with their self-imposed
worship,
their false humility,
and their harsh
treatment of the body.
But they lack
any value
in restraining
sensual indulgence.
since then,
you have been
raised with Christ.
Set your hearts
on things above,
where Christ is,
seated at the right
hand of God.
Set your minds
on things above,
not on earthly things.
For you died,
and your life
is now hidden
with Christ
in God.
when Christ,
who is
your life,
appears,
you also
will appear
with him
in glory.
Put to death,
therefore,
whatever belongs
to your earthly nature,
sexual immorality,
impurity,
lust,
evil desires,
and greed,
which is
idolatry.
Because of these,
the wrath of God
is coming.
You used to walk
in these ways,
in the life
you once lived,
but now you must
also rid yourselves
of all such things
as these,
anger,
rage,
malice,
slander,
and filthy language
from your lips.
do not lie
to each other,
since you have
taken off
your old self
with its practices
and have put on
the new self,
which is being
renewed
in knowledge,
in the image
of its creator.
Here there is
no Gentile
or Jew,
circumcised
or uncircumcised,
barbarian,
Scythian,
slave,
or free,
but Christ
is all
and is in all.
Therefore,
as God's
chosen people,
holy
and dearly
loved,
clothe yourselves
with compassion,
kindness,
humility,
gentleness,
and patience.
Bear with each other
and forgive
one another.
if any of you
has a grievance
against someone,
forgive as the Lord
forgave you.
And over
all these virtues,
put on love,
which binds them
all together
in perfect unity.
Let the peace
of Christ
rule
in your hearts,
since as members
of one body,
you were called
to peace.
and be thankful.
Let the message
of Christ
dwell among you
richly
as you teach
and admonish
one another
with all wisdom
through psalms,
hymns,
and songs
from the Spirit,
singing to God
with gratitude
in your hearts.
and whatever you do,
whether in word
or deed,
do it all
in the name
of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks
to God
the Father
through him.
Wives,
submit
yourselves
to your husbands
as is fitting
in the Lord.
husbands,
love your wives
and do not
be harsh
with them.
Children,
obey
your parents
in everything
for this
pleases
the Lord.
Fathers,
do not
embitter
your children
or they
will become
discouraged.
Slaves,
obey
your earthly
masters
in everything
and do it
not only
when their
eye is on you
and to curry
their favor
but with
sincerity
of heart
and reverence
for the Lord.
Whatever you do,
work at it
with all your
heart
as working
for the Lord,
not for human
masters
since you know
that you will
receive
an inheritance
from the Lord
as your reward.
It is the
Lord Christ
you are
serving.
Anyone who
does wrong
will be repaid
for their
wrongs
and there
is no
favoritism.
Masters,
provide your
slaves with
what is right
and fair
because you
know that
you also
have a
master
in heaven.
Devote
yourselves
to prayer,
being watchful
and thankful
and pray
for us
too
that God
may open
a door
for our
message
so that
we may
proclaim
the mystery
of Christ
for which
I am
in chains.
Pray that
I may
proclaim it
clearly
as I
should.
Be wise
in the way
you act
toward
outsiders.
Make the
most of
every
opportunity.
let your
conversation
be always
full of
grace,
seasoned
with salt
so that
you may
know how
to answer
everyone.
Tychicus
will tell
you all
the news
about me.
He is a
dear brother,
a faithful
minister and
fellow servant
in the Lord.
I'm sending
him to you
for the
express purpose
that you
may know
about our
circumstances
and that he
may encourage
your hearts.
He's coming
with Onesimus,
our faithful
and dear
brother who
is one
of you.
They will
tell you
everything that
is happening
here.
My fellow
prisoner,
Aristarchus,
sends you
his greetings,
as does
Mark,
the cousin
of Barnabas.
You have
received
instructions
about him.
If he
comes to
you,
welcome him.
Jesus,
who is
called
Justice,
also sends
greetings.
These are
the only
Jews among
my co-workers
for the
kingdom of
God,
and they
have proved
a comfort
to me.
Epaphras,
who is
one of
you,
and a
servant of
Christ Jesus,
sends greetings.
He is
always wrestling
in prayer for
you,
that you may
stand firm
in all the
will of
God,
mature,
and fully
assured.
I vouch for
him that he
is working
hard for you
and for those
at Laodicea
and Hierapolis.
Our dear
friend Luke,
the doctor,
and Demas,
send greetings.
Give my
greetings to
the brothers
and sisters
at Laodicea
and to
Nympha and
the church
in her
house.
After this
letter has
been read
to you,
see that it
is also
read in
the church
of the
Laodiceans
and that
you in
turn read
the letter
from Laodicea.
Tell
Archippus,
see to it
that you
complete the
ministry you
have received
in the
Lord.
I,
Paul,
write this
greeting in
my own
hand.
Remember
my chains.
Grace
be with
you.