Putting Christ First: Introductions
Colossians 1:1-2a
What is Colossians?
- It is one of Paul’s letters written to a struggling congregation
- Written with Timothy (v. 1)
- Who was from the nearby Derbe-Lystra area (Acts 16:1)
- It was written around AD 60 to 62
- It was written while Paul was in prison
- It was written to the church in Colossae
The City of Colossae
- In Paul’s day, was considered a “small town”
- Overshadowed by nearby Laodicea (Col 4:15–16)
- But due to its history as a military outpost and its previous grandeur, it was home to a mixture of people groups
- Phrygians, Greeks, Romans, Scythians and Jews (see Col. 3:11)
- The Church was probably founded by Epaphras (1:7; 4:12-13)
- Between AD 53-55
- About 7 to 10 years before the writing of the Epistle
The Issue at Colossae
- False teachers threatened to undermine what Epaphras had taught
- Which threatened to undermine the church from its strong Christ-centered foundation
- Thus, Paul’s message throughout Colossians is:
- Christ must be center to the life of the Church Body
- Christ must be center to the life of the Church members
Christ the Center
- When Christ is not the center of life the church it fail to be the Church
- The community which:
- Is called out to be different from the world
- Which is why Paul calls the Colossians ‘saints’
- Reflects Christ’s kingship to the world
- Which is why Paul calls them ‘faithful’
- Is a new family in Christ
- Which is why Paul calls them ‘brothers’*
- The Church is called to offer the world an alternative
- Which can only be found in Jesus
So What?
- Are we living as faithful saints, putting Christ first?
- Are we ready to be challenged to keep Christ as the center of all we are and do both corporately and individually?
Meditation Verse: Colossians 1:2a