Sunday School: Glorious Riches

Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!

When we meet together, we take some time to share our joys and concerns. If you have any prayer requests, please add them as a comment to this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below, written by Alan Paton, (source) to get started. 

O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others
Open my ears that I may hear their cries;
Open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,
Nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
And use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears
That I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee.

---

This week's lesson is on Colossians 1:19 - 2:3. 

Lesson Context
Four of the letters written by Paul while in prison in Rome are called the prison epistles: Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians. Colossians was written to the church in Colossae. This church was likely planted as a result of Paul's third missionary journey, but not by Paul.

The congregation's of Paul's day were either of Jewish or pagan backgrounds. A major threat was syncretism -- a blending of old beliefs and practices with new ones. Teachers of this system would say something like, "Having Christ is important, but to be saved, you also need..." That sentence might be completed by one or more Jewish practices of the Law of Moses, or it might be finished with speculative elements of Greek philosophy. Both seemed to have been problems at Colossae. 

Paul's Status (verse 24)
​Paul's ministry was to be characterized by suffering. But his suffering had a purpose. Paul was clear that Christ's afflictions were complete in their intended purpose. Paul's suffering was instead for the body of Christ, the church. 

Paul's Intent (verses 25 - 29)
​Paul says he is a servant. The word translated "servant" comes from the Greek word diakonos, from which we also derive the word deacon. The book of Acts records Paul's mandate: 

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
...
“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.
...
‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

The mystery Paul refers to is the content of Pauls' preaching, the good news of Jesus, once hidden, but not revealed. The gospel message broadly deals with two issues: (1) the person of Christ, and (2) the work of Christ. The four gospels focus mostly on the person issue. That is, evidence and belief that Jesus is the divine Son of God. The meaning and significance of Jesus' work -- primarily why his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension are essential -- are largely not addressed in the gospels. Instead, it received full treatment after his ascension as the apostles received further revelation and the rest of the New Testament was written. 

The gospel message is inclusive, including both Jews and Gentiles. The mystery of the gospel is that Christ is in and of himself, and that Christ is in each believer. This indwelling is the glorious riches Paul is talking about. Riches refers to spiritual blessings. 

Christ is proclaimed, by both admonishing (or preaching) and teaching. The content of the message has the singular goal of presenting everyone fully mature in Christ Jesus. We can understand mature as meaning perfect in this case. Clearly, perfection is not possible. But we keep aiming for that standard, and asking for forgiveness when we fall short. We must apply wisdom to help work toward perfection.

God's power works within the church. The purpose of the church is for her members to be not only reconciled (justified) but also to be complete in holiness (sanctified). 

Paul's Labor (verses 1-3)
​Paul wants his readers to know of his ministry of prayer on their behalf. While Paul may have known a few people in Colossae, he probably had not actually been there. Although many within this letter's audience are strangers to Paul, they are still objects of Paul's concern that arises from the unity believers have in Christ. 

Scripture often uses the word heart to designate the person, especially one's center of moral and ethical deliberation, will , and attitudes. One is strengthened in the kind of comfort Paul means. United in love suggests a harmony of purpose and thought. It has its source in devotion to Christ, who empowers us to love one another. 

Paul desires his readers to have the confidence and power that comes from an ability to distinguish between true and false teaching. False teachers claim to have hidden truth to which only the spiritual elite have access. In contrast, Christ is the one in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is the mental grasp of truth. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge appropriately. 

Conclusion
​God's care for the first-century church came primarily through human hands. Paul is a primary example of this. But what Paul began needed the help of others to carry it out on a long-term basis. Paul wrote a call to alertness and action. His readers needed to remain alert to wrong views of Christ, wisdom, power, glory, mystery, etc. Only with such alertness could they be prepared to act to protect the church.

How well did the church at Colossae do in this regard? We don't really know, but the church in nearby Laodicea received criticism decades later for being lukewarm in Revelation 3:14-22. Lukewarmness manifests itself in the form of complacency. 

​Do you see signs of complacency in your church? How do we know when complacency is setting in? What are its signs? To be able to answer such questions is an issue of alertness, which must precede action. And who do you expect to take the corrective or preventative action? 

Prayer
​Heavenly Father, remind us constantly of your presence and available power! May we never exchange your Son and his wisdom for counterfeits. Let us become experts in Christ to be able to stay alert to those pretenders! We pray in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Questions for Discussion

• ​How do you deal with suffering? 
• What is the difference between preaching and teaching? What are the overlaps between them? What can one accomplish that the other cannot?
• What is your goal when contending for other believers?
• What role does the Bible's wisdom literature play in your seeking wisdom?
• How can Old Testament texts aid in growing in maturity in Christ?

Benediction

Next week's lesson is on 2 Corinthians 3:5-18.