Podcasts about Colossae

This week Pete Soden, one of our Movement Elders, continues our series "A Summer in Collossae" teaching from Col 1:15-23 and we also hear a video with a Father's Day encouragement from Pastor Michael.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8While under house arrest, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes a letter to the growing church in Colossae. A church that knew Jesus but needed to be reminded of the truth.It's the truth still needed today. The truth of the gospel is that salvation comes through Jesus alone, and once we receive salvation, we are called to live in a manner worthy of the One who saved us.

What is the Source of our hope and comfort? What is the foundation of our spiritual life and maturity? It is found in this 'Christ hymn of Colossae.'

In the opening of his letter to the Colossians Paul shared with them how he had been praying for them. Now, as the letter begins drawing to a close, Paul asks them to return the favor - he asks his brothers and sister in the church at Colossae if they would pray for him. Specifically, he asks them to pray for God's intervention in Paul's evangelistic efforts.

Relevance For Today Episode 352 How To Live a Christ Like Life: Paul's Pathway Made Easy Part 4 In this final part of this new series, once again, I'll be sharing key passages from the Apostle Paul's letters to the churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae—what we know today as the books Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. My goal is to give you some Bible-based nuggets that'll not only encourage your walk with the Lord but also equip you with practical truths to help you live a Christ-like life every single day. I truly hope you feel blessed and encouraged by what I share with you. If you enjoyed the message, please consider sharing, subscribing, and leaving a rating to help us grow. Thank you, and blessings to you all! Facebook: Stephen Lewis Relevance For Today rftministry@gmail.com Instagram: @relevancefortoday TikTok: @stephenlewisrft YouTube Channel Relevance For Today Stephen Lewis

Movement Elder Cheryl Arnold teaches Colossians 1:1-14 and we also hear a recorded moment from Pastor Michael from sabbatical! 

The Apostle Paul has a passion to serve the church. He longs to see the church at Colossae grow in maturity in Christ. Do we have that same passion to serve? Do we know the spiritual gifts that we have been given to bless others? Could the Holy Spirit renew a deep passion in us to serve the church?

In these verses, Paul's final remarks teach us that God is full of mercy and that his saints are chosen from all walks of life and from all levels of society (1 Cor. 1:26–31). We find among Paul's companions a runaway slave (engaged in ministry), a restored backslider (now forgiven and full of zeal), a pastor (concerned for his flock), a doctor-turned-historian, and others who work with Paul in evangelism. The apostle Paul is able to accomplish his ministry only because of the faithfulness of many dear friends who have stuck by him and who've been helpful to him in his ministry. And in order to use them as an encouragement to the Colossians and to all the churches that would read this letter, he tells us a little bit about them. And it adds a very warm, personal touch to what is a very doctrinal letter. It also indicates to me something of the magnetism of his personality, and the deep, rich love of which he was capable, because of the fact that he had so many of these people with him for so many years, and they had such a deep loyalty and love for the man. Those who brought greetings (vv. 7–9) Two envoys Tychicus and Onesimus are two loyal and highly valued friends of the apostle Paul. They are envoys sent with the epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon to inform and encourage the believers in those churches (Eph. 6:21–22). tychicus WAS THE MAN WITH A SERVANTS HEART.  hE came from the province of Asia and was one of Paul's companions. The name “Tychicus” means fortuitous or fortunate; and indeed he was fortunate. We don't know much about him; there isn't much said in the Bible. He's mentioned five times, and every time it's very, very brief. But we know one thing: he lived up to his name, because he was a fortunate man to be able to spend as much time, in fact, as many years as he did in the ministry with the apostle Paul. He was a close friend who later would wait for him at Troas when Paul travelled to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4) fourteen years later. Paul regards Tychicus as wholly reliable and a witness to his state in prison.  He is a man with a servant's heart. He realizes this is a long journey. He's leaving his home, his job, his friends, the fellowship of his church;    when we see him, as Paul writes Colossians, he's still with Paul; he's still around. He's stuck by him for a long time now. He went to Jerusalem with him. It may be that he returned with him. He for sure is with him now in the imprisonment in Rome. And at the end of Titus chapter 3, verse 12, he says, “When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis; for I have determined to spend the winter there.” Here's a loyal man. And you know what? He says, “I'm going to send him, Titus, to take your place,” either he or Artemas. We don't know which one he sent, but it may well have been Tychicus.   Now what Paul wanted was – Paul loved Titus. Titus was the pastor of the congregations in the island of Crete, and Paul wanted Titus to come and spend the winter with him. Paul knew it wasn't only the winter of the year, but it was the winter of his life; and Paul wanted the fellowship and the love of Titus. And so he said to Titus, “Look, if you'll come and meet me in Nicopolis and spend the winter with me, I will send this man Artemas, or this man Tychicus, to take care of your church.”   Now it's kind of an interesting thing. Here is a man who started out as a messenger, and wound up substituting for a very great man, the man by the name of Titus. The man with a servant's heart made himself available, and God used him in ways, I'm sure, he never dreamed possible.   Now later on, I want you to notice something: Paul wrote the last letter that we believe he wrote, 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 12, and he says this, writing to Timothy: “And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas” – I'm glad he has that same problem that all of us have; he left his coat somewhere. “The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come, would you please bring it, and my books, and especially the parchments?” Good to know he's human, isn't it? He left almost everything there. So he says, “When you come, will you bring all that stuff I left over there?”   Now you see, what he's saying here is, “Timothy, I want you to come and be with me; I need you. And in order that you can come and be with me, I know you'll have to leave your congregation in Ephesus so I'm going to send somebody to take your place.” And who is it? Tychicus again. He's making a career out of being an interim pastor, and he's filling in for some pretty, pretty high-class men: Titus and Timothy. He would reflect to both of those congregations the character of Paul, the life of Paul, the ministry of Paul; and they would love him because he would bring Paul to them. Now that's the kind of man he was. He was a messenger, and he was a pastor. In fact, he was anything Paul wanted him to be. We never find any bit of argument, we never find any bit of anxiety; we only find Tychicus doing what Paul told him to do.   But this is a faithful servant. He loves Paul. He's loyal. He'll be a messenger; he'll be a pastor; he'll be anything. And Paul here has in mind sending him with the letter to the Colossians. He isn't going to pastor, he's just going to be a delivery boy.   You say, “Well, that's not too tough.” Listen, if you knew what the trip was like from Rome to Laodicea and Colossae you might not say that. It's a long trip, a perilous trip. You had to cross Italy on foot, and then he had to sail the Adriatic, and then he had to cross Greece, and then he had to sail the Aegean. Then he had to walk, after he had landed at Miletus, up the steep Lycus River Valley to Laodicea and Colossae, and it wasn't easy; it was a very difficult journey. But Paul says, “He's going to come and he's going to bring the letter.”   And you know something? He didn't just have the letter of Colossians, he had another letter too. You say, “Well, what other letter did he have?” Well, I believe, if you look at Ephesians 6:21, it says; “But that you also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that you might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your heart.” You see, that's almost an exact quote out of Colossians. So, now we know he doesn't have one letter, he's got two letters. Tucked somewhere in his robe is Colossians and Ephesians.   And, incidentally, the book of Ephesians, it was not just written to the Ephesians. In fact, we find many manuscripts; and in the beginning of Ephesians there is a blank where it says, “Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints who are at blank.” You know why? This was a general letter to all the churches; it's just that one of the manuscripts we found happened to have Ephesus written in it. In the whole book of Ephesians there's not one allusion to a person in Ephesus.  And also had; he had another letter: Philemon. He had the letter to Philemon. And look at verse 9 of Colossians 4: “And along with Tychicus I'm sending Onesimus.” See? And Onesimus was the slave that was returning about whom the book of Philemon is written  The second thing he says – and this gets us into the thought that he is a servant's heart, “He is a faithful minister,” verse 7, and the word is diakonos, or servant. He is a faithful servant. He never attained prominence, he just served. He was an invaluable liaison between Paul and the churches; and he was faithful, he stuck with it. He was one of those 1 Corinthian 4 kind of stewards that was found faithful; he just did it, whatever it was. And you know something? There's no other way to get the work done, and Paul knew it. You've got to have people who have a servant's heart. He not only was a faithful servant of Paul but he was a fellow slave in the Lord. The first phrase has to do with Paul: “He is a faithful servant of mine, and a fellow slave in the Lord.” And Paul uses two different words. The first one is diakonos which just means servant. The second is sundoulos, which means bond slave. He is not a bond slave to Paul, don't confuse it. He's a bond slave to Jesus; he's just a willing servant to Paul. The New Testament words are important.     onesimus a man with a sinful past is a runaway slave who is the subject of the Epistle to Philemon.  Philemon was a convert of the apostle Paul. Verse 19 of Philemon he says that, “You owe to me your own self.” So he was a convert of Paul. And he's a very wealthy man; he owns some slaves. One of the slaves Philemon owned was a man named Onesimus, this man. But Onesimus didn't like living in Philemon's house, and he didn't like being a slave, so he ran away. And you know what a slave was to do when he ran away if he was caught? He was to give his life; he was executed. Runaway slaves were executed. But this one was willing to make the gamble, and he ran away, and he ran all the way to Rome. And you know what happened? Amazing thing: he ran right into the apostle Paul. And you know something? Just as the apostle Paul had led Philemon to Christ, the apostle Paul led Philemon's runaway slave to Christ. Isn't that amazing when you think there were two million people in Rome? Not so amazing when you see what God had in mind. Now Paul writes a letter, the letter of Philemon, and sends Onesimus back, and the letter says, “Say, Philemon, I know he ran away; but don't kill him. He may have gone away a slave; he's coming back a brother, and he's willing to serve you as a slave and a brother in Christ. So open your arms of love and take him, will you?” And so here's Tychicus with Philemon, the letter in his pocket, and Onesimus the slave walking beside him. Paul writes the letter to establish in Philemon's heart acceptance for a returning slave who's now a brotherHe has been recently converted and now serves Christ as Paul's ‘beloved brother' (v. 9). Paul is not interested in status or wealth, but in spirituality and faithfulness. Tychicus and Onesimus are both brothers to Paul through grace, men who were happy to help out and use their gifts under Paul's direction, accepting and recognizing that he was the Lord's servant. They are sent to ‘comfort hearts', that is, to encourage the Colossians to keep the faith and to obey the Word of God. And in the letter to Philemon he says, “Onesimus is” my very heart. Onesimus is my very heart. Those who sent greetings (vv. 10–14) Three messianic Jews (vv. 10–11) Aristarchus, Mark and Justus are fellow workers and long-term Jewish friends of Paul. These men worked with Paul for the glory of Christ in the local churches. They were team players who shared the same agenda as Paul for the church's growth and well-being and were not too busy ‘doing their own thing' to help out. Their ministry blessed Paul personally because he was encouraged by their friendship. The word ‘comfort' (v. 11) speaks of consolation and relief. We get the English word ‘paregoric' (‘a medicine that soothes pain') from the Greek used here. aristarchus is the man with a sympathetic heart. Now Aristarchus' name appears elsewhere in the New Testament in association with the town of Thessalonica. It's very likely that he came from that town. And at Ephesus, you remember Paul ministered at Ephesus for three years; and during those three years, Aristarchus was with him. And you remember when finally in Ephesus the riot broke out? When the riot broke out, Aristarchus and Gaius were seized by the mob, and Aristarchus found out what it was to be a prisoner. They recognized him as one of Paul's companions, and so they seized him. Now that's in chapter 19. Now Paul decides to go to Jerusalem. You know what happens? He takes Aristarchus along. So he goes on that trip. Paul gets on the boat. You remember he was captured as a prisoner in Jerusalem, then he was moved to Caesarea on the coast where he stayed as a prisoner. And then finally, in Acts 27, he gets on a boat to go to Rome to be tried in Rome, and he's a prisoner on the ship; and Acts 27:2 says when he got on the boat, Aristarchus was with him. Had Aristarchus been with him through all the imprisonment? Very possible. Very possible since the time he identified with Paul in the city of Ephesus, and escaped from the riot, and went to Jerusalem. From that time until now he has stayed with Paul; as a prisoner in Jerusalem, he hung around. Caesarea, he may have hung around. On the ship – and you remember what a ride that was. Read Acts 27 again. I mean that was something exciting, and he was there. Now here he is back in Rome. And guess who's there? Aristarchus. And Paul calls him “my fellow prisoner.” And the guy hasn't committed a crime, he just hangs around with criminals, so he spends his time in jail. came from Thessalonica (Acts 27:2) and he was with Paul during the riots at Ephesus (Acts 19:29). From Acts 20:4 we see that he also waited for Paul with Tychicus at Troas as Paul made his way back to Jerusalem. It is thought by some that he travelled with Paul as his slave or, alternatively, that he was taking a lift back home; whatever the truth is, he is also a prisoner in Rome at this time (Paul calls him ‘my fellow prisoner'). He was a volunteer willing to suffer for the kingdom of Christ. mark is the man with a second chance the cousin of Barnabas and the writer of the second Gospel. Twelve years prior to this, Mark and Barnabas had left Paul after a disagreement about whether Mark should accompany them on their second missionary journey. In Paul's opinion, Mark had been disloyal and cowardly when he deserted them at the end of their first missionary tour (Acts 15:36–41). Mark's relationship with Paul is now restored and he is fully engaged in the Lord's work and in full fellowship with the Lord's people. In 2 Timothy 4:13 Paul said that Mark was very useful to him for the ministry, thus assuring us that Mark's restoration to faithfulness was a permanent thing (see also 1 Peter 5:13). This is so encouraging as it tells us never to doubt the grace of God and his promise to keep us from falling. Mark is no longer a liability to Paul and is to be welcomed as a fully committed co-worker of Christ. Mark is forgiven both by God and by Paul. We should not withhold our love from those whom Christ has redeemed and restored. Restoration is a wonderful certainty because God promises it in Christ (Eph. 3:20–21; Jude 24). justus, the man with a strong commitment also called Jesus. His was a common name among the Jews. A man called by that name was nominated as a replacement apostle for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:23), while another of the same name lived in Corinth and was a supporter of Paul (Acts 18:7). If the Justus of Colossians 4:11 is neither of these two (and that is what most commentators think) then he is mentioned only here in the New Testament and represents the ‘unknowns' in the Lord's service: those myriads of believers—ordinary people—with nothing particularly special to note about them, who yet have been chosen and given grace to be ‘fellow workers for the kingdom of God'. No matter how ‘unknown' believers may feel in their own little place, they contribute to the growth of the kingdom when they use their gifts and walk in obedience to Christ.        Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

Send us a textPaul opens up his letter with a salutation that reminds the Christians that they are not only living in Colossae but they are also living in Christ. Both locales have responsibilities. He also encourages them of the certainty of Heaven waits for them in the future. The nice thing about this  letter is that we can find much personal application for our own lives. Listen carefully and see for yourself.

Paul catches word from fellow workers in the Gospel that the church at Colossae is wrestling with some false teaching that had entered their church. While the heresy is not fully identified, we gather that it had an inferior view of Christ, involved worship of angels and asceticism, and promoted man-made traditions. Paul directs their hearts and minds to give glory to Christ and to seek the things that are above, where Christ is. He is Lord over all Creation, and therefore, no elemental, created thing could be as glorious or as powerful as Him.Colossians 1 - 1:11 . Colossians 2 - 5:49 . Colossians 3 - 10:47 . Colossians 4 - 14:39 . Psalm 85 - 17:45 . Psalm 86 - 19:22 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Prayer is one of the most important spiritual disciplines in a Christian's life. And yet so many of us go through seasons where we neglect praying. As the Apostle Paul nears the end of his letter to the church in Colossae, he calls them to prioritize this all-important practice. He calls them (and us!) to give ourselves to prayer. 

This week Pastor Michael kicks off our new series "A Summer in Colossae" with a word of encouragement as we head into the Summer, including a baby dedication and the movement elders praying over him as he heads into sabbatical.  Colossians 3:17  

Episode 351 How To Live a Christ Like Life, Paul's Pathway Made Easy  Part 3 In this new series, I'll be sharing key passages from the Apostle Paul's letters to the churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae—what we know today as the books Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. My goal is to give you some Bible-based nuggets that'll not only encourage your walk with the Lord but also equip you with practical truths to help you live a Christ-like life every single day. I truly hope you feel blessed and encouraged by what I share with you. If you enjoyed the message, please consider sharing, subscribing, and leaving a rating to help us grow. Thank you, and blessings to you all! Facebook: Stephen Lewis Relevance For Today rftministry@gmail.com Instagram: @relevancefortoday TikTok: @stephenlewisrft YouTube Channel Relevance For Today Stephen Lewis

In this episode of Footnotes, we begin our summer series in Colossians by exploring the opening chapter of Paul's letter to the church at Colossae. Greg unpacks how Paul confronts false teaching that sought to lower Jesus to the status of angels, and instead elevates Christ as both the Creator and the Redeemer. The heart of the message is clear: Jesus is not merely the bringer of the gospel—He is the gospel. From bearing good fruit to growing in knowledge, Paul ties all of Christian life back to the preeminence of Christ, in whom all things hold together. Watch this episode on YoutubeListen to the Sermon

This episode begins a new series in the book of Colossians, exploring Paul's letter to the early church in Colossae. Learn about the context of this letter, including the spread of a teaching called Gnosticism which presented ideas contrary to the gospel of Jesus. Discover how Paul's message emphasizes that Jesus is everything and the unifying factor for believers. The message highlights key truths about Jesus from Colossians, contrasting them with the Gnostic view.Verses ReferencedColossians 1:15-20Genesis 1Psalm 89:27The second commandmentProverbs (mentioned in relation to the word 'icon')

We wrap up our series on Colossians by looking at 4:7-18. What simple but powerful lessons do we glean from Paul's final words to Colossae?

In his letter to the believers at Colossae, the apostle Paul addressed the various relationships that existed in the home. He spoke to husbands and wives. He spoke to fathers and children. And then he spoke to masters and slaves. When we read Paul's words to masters and slaves he doesn't seem to take issue with the institution of slavery that was widespread across the Roman empire in his day. Was Paul pro-slavery? Was he against it? Was he indifferent to it? We unpack those questions and more in this message. 

Relevance For Today Episode 350 How To Live a Christ-Like Life: Paul's Pathway Made Easy Part 2 In this new series, I'll be sharing key passages from the Apostle Paul's letters to the churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae—what we know today as the books Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. My goal is to give you some Bible-based nuggets that'll encourage your walk with the Lord and equip you with practical truths to help you live a Christ-like life every day. I truly hope you feel blessed and encouraged by what I share. If you enjoyed the message, please consider sharing, subscribing, and leaving a rating to help us grow. Thank you, and blessings to you all! Facebook: Stephen Lewis Relevance For Today rftministry@gmail.com Instagram: @relevancefortoday TikTok: @stephenlewisrft YouTube Channel Relevance For Today: Stephen Lewis #FaithBasedPodcast #relevancefortodaypodcast #spiritualspotlightpodcast #hopeinChrist  #ReflectJesus #ChristianLiving #FaithWalk #BeTheLight #JesusFollower #LiveForChrist #WalkInLove #ScriptureTeaching #LiveChristLike #ChristInYou #FruitOfTheSpirit #WalkingInTheSpirit #BibleStudySeries #relevancefortodaypodcast #spiritualspotlightpodcast

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8While under house arrest, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes a letter to the growing church in Colossae. A church that knew Jesus but needed to be reminded of the truth.It's the truth still needed today. The truth of the gospel is that salvation comes through Jesus alone, and once we receive salvation, we are called to live in a manner worthy of the One who saved us.

We are studying the Book of Revelation. We are in chapter 3. The church we are looking at is the church of Laodicea.Welcome to the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast with Dr. John G. Mitchell.Dr. Mitchell gives us the meaning of the word "Laodicea" in which church, there is no praise from the savior. In fact, they were self-sufficient and seemed to need nothing.But the Lord Jesus gives them and us a very different perspective, a divine perspective, of their condition as a church. Laodicea was close in proximity to two other cities. Laodicea, Hieropolis and Colossae were the tri-cities of their day. Each city had a church as we learn from the book of Colossians chapter 4 verse 13.Dr. Mitchell dwells on verses 14 and 15 in this lesson in which he helps us understand the real meaning of the words that Christ is the beginning of the creation of God. Here is Dr. Mitchell, Rev. 3:14-15.

Relevance For Today Episode 349 How To Live a Christ Like Life, Paul's Pathway Made Easy Part 1 In this new series, I'll be sharing key passages from the Apostle Paul's letters to the churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae—what we know today as the books Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. My goal is to give you some Bible-based nuggets that'll not only encourage your walk with the Lord but also equip you with practical truths to help you live a Christ-like life every single day. I truly hope you feel blessed and encouraged by what I share with you. If you enjoyed the message, please consider sharing, subscribing, and leaving a rating to help us grow. Thank you, and blessings to you all! Facebook: Stephen Lewis Relevance For Today rftministry@gmail.com Instagram: @relevancefortoday TikTok: @stephenlewisrft YouTube Channel Relevance For Today Stephen Lewis

Paul writes to the church of Colossae—a group of new believers who have embraced the gospel, but false teachings have clouded the truth and simplicity of it. Paul reminds them of what they already know: salvation is through Jesus and Jesus alone. He encourages them to be filled with the knowledge of God's Word, because whatever you're filled with is the very thing that will control you. If you aren't filled with the Word of God, you will be tossed around. There's a world waiting to fill the empty spots. When you are filled with truth, you will walk worthy, please Him, grow, be strengthened, have endurance, and give thanks. True salvation is life change. Be filled with the Truth. Listen to this sermon about being filled with the Truth in the first part of our In The Word series, walking through the book of Colossians.Check out our video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/rJtJ1GDJwMUSubscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/8wmeCwBf_zkLearn more about us at chestnutmountain.orgFollow us on Facebook & Instagram @chestnutmtn_Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast, leave a review, and let us know what you think.

Join Jerry as he walks through the book of Colossians. This letter, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Colossae, is full of important truths about the second person of the Godhead—Jesus. In a world that has many beliefs, and confusion about God's Word, Paul seeks to set the record straight on who Jesus really is and encourages them to continue growing in Christ.   Grab your Bible and prepare to be encouraged and strengthened through the book of Colossians. You can also join Jerry every day, and take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.   « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Celebrate Good Times   Zac Price, Student Ministries Pastor   Colossians 1:1-8 is the introduction for Paul's letter to the Church in Colossae. We dive in to understand that as Saints, we should celebrate who Jesus is.    Click on the links below for additional Cascade Church resources. Connect Card: https://cascadechurch.org/connect Give Online: https://cascadechurch.org/give

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” This is a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE SECOND PERSON PLURAL. Notice that this dwelling is not automatic. Believers must co-operate in the Christian life as they do in salvation. The outlines of Eph. and Col. are very similar. The parallel to this verse in Eph. is 5:18! 3:16–17 There is a theological and structural parallel between Eph. 5:18–21 and Col. 3:16–17. In Eph. there is a PRESENT PASSIVE IMPERATIVE with the passive imperative our responsibility lies in being open to God's operation, the Spirit's working, and Christ's indwelling. Thus the passive imperative preserves in the grammar the most fundamental principle of God's economy, that is, that God is the One who operates in us and yet we are responsible to open to His operation, to allow Him to operate, and to cooperate with His operation. God is sovereign and we are responsible go hand in hand. “ever be filled,” while in Col. there is a Present Active Imperatives are commands that are expected to be followed not once, but as an ongoing process. “let the word of Christ dwell within you.” Also in Eph. the IMPERATIVE is followed by five PRESENT PARTICIPLES which describe the Spirit-filled life: This means, of course, the Word of God. The false teachers came to Colossae with man-made traditions, religious rules, and human philosophies. They tried to harmonize God's Word with their teachings, but they could not succeed. God's Word always magnifies Jesus Christ. It was not the word of false teachers that brought salvation to the Colossians; it was the Word of the truth of the Gospel (Col. 1:5). This same Word gives us life and sustains and strengthens us (1 Peter 1:22–2:3). The Word will transform our lives if we will but permit it to “dwell” in us richly. The word dwell means “to feel at home.” If we have experienced the grace and the peace of Christ, then the Word of Christ will feel at home in our hearts. We will discover how rich the Word is with spiritual treasures that give value to our lives. However, we must not think that Paul wrote this only to individual Christians; for he directed it to the entire church body. “Let the Word of Christ dwell among you” is a possible translation. As it dwells richly in each member of the church, it will dwell richly in the church fellowship. There is a danger today, as there was in Paul's day, that local churches minimize the Word of God. There seems to be a lack of simple Bible teaching in Sunday School classes and pulpits. Far more interest is shown in movies, musical performances, and various entertainments than in God's Word. Many saved people cannot honestly say that God's Word dwells in their hearts richly because they do not take time to read, study, and memorize it. There is (according to Paul) a definite relationship between our knowledge of the Bible and our expression of worship in song. One way we teach and encourage ourselves and others is through the singing of the Word of God. But if we do not know the Bible and understand it, we cannot honestly sing it from our hearts. Perhaps this “poverty of Scripture” in our churches is one cause of the abundance of unbiblical songs that we have today. A singer has no more right to sing a lie than a preacher has to preach a lie. The great songs of the faith were, for the most part, written by believers who knew the doctrines of the Word of God. Many so-called “Christian songs” today are written by people with little or no knowledge of the Word of God. It is a dangerous thing to separate the praise of God from the Word of God.[1] “with all wisdom” This is a play on the false teachers' overemphasis on human knowledge. The word of Christ (the Spirit-filled life) is true wisdom. Wisdom is a person (cf. Prov. 8:22–31) and a lifestyle, not isolated truth or creeds.  “with psalms” The NKJV and NASB translations imply “teaching with songs,” but the NRSV and NJB imply “teachers with songs in their hearts.” Psalms were, of course, the songs taken from the Old Testament. For centuries, the churches in the English-speaking world sang only musical versions of the Psalms. I am glad to see today a return to the singing of Scripture, especially the Psalms. Hymns were songs of praise to God written by believers but not taken from the Psalms. The church today has a rich heritage of hymnody which, I fear, is being neglected. Spiritual songs were expressions of Bible truth other than in psalms and hymns. When we sing a hymn, we address the Lord; when we sing a spiritual song, we address each other. Paul described a local church worship service (1 Cor. 14:26; Col. 3:16). Note that the believer sings to himself as well as to the other believers and to the Lord. Our singing must be from our hearts and not just our lips. But if the Word of God is not in our hearts, we cannot sing from our hearts. This shows how important it is to know the Word of God, for it enriches our public and private worship of God. Our singing must be with grace. This does not mean “singing in a gracious way,” but singing because we have God's grace in our hearts. It takes grace to sing when we are in pain, or when circumstances seem to be against us. It certainly took grace for Paul and Silas to sing in that Philippian prison (Acts 16:22–25). Our singing must not be a display of fleshly talent; it must be a demonstration of the grace of God in our hearts. Someone has said that a successful Christian life involves attention to three books: God's Book, the Bible; the pocketbook; and the hymn book. As a believer grows in his knowledge of the Word, he will want to grow in his expression of praise. He will learn to appreciate the great hymns of the church, the Gospel songs, and the spiritual songs that teach spiritual truths. To sing only the elementary songs of the faith is to rob himself of spiritual enrichment. Before we leave this section, we should notice an important parallel with Ephesians 5:18–6:9. In his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul emphasized being filled with the Spirit; in his Letter to the Colossians, he emphasized being filled with the Word. But the evidences of this spiritual fullness are the same! How can we tell if a believer is filled with the Spirit? He is joyful, thankful, and submissive (Eph. 5:19–21); all of this shows up in his relationships in the home and on the job (Eph. 5:22–6:9). How can we tell if a believer is filled with the Word of God? He is joyful, thankful, and submissive (Col. 3:16–4:1).[1] The Spirit-filled life is daily Christlikeness or allowing the word of Christ and the mind of Christ to guide in every area, especially interpersonal relationships. The key is the heart of the worshiper, not the form of the music (cf. 3:17). Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. THE SERVICE OF LOVE: The work of Christ must be done in the manner of Christ. Believers are to live and act as those who bear his name and must do nothing that would make them ashamed to say that they are Christians. This is a principle to live by: ‘whatever you do' (v. 17), whether at home, at work, in the church, or out and about. This sense of duty must also be accompanied with a sense of gratitude and note of praise, ‘giving thanks to God the Father through him'. Giving thanks declares the gratitude of grace and the praise of peace. 3:17 “Whatever you do in word or deed” This is a major spiritual truth. Believers must relate all their motives and actions to God through Christ. Every aspect of our lives is “as unto the Lord.” Believers do not live for themselves (cf. v. 23; Rom. 14:7–9; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 5:15; Eph. 6:7; 1 Pet. 4:11). This truth could revolutionize the modern, western, individual-focused church[1] The Name of Christ (Col. 3:17) In modern society, we pay little attention to names. But the ancient world held a man's name to be of utmost importance. Often, during Old Testament days, God changed a person's name because of some important experience or some new development. As Christians, we bear the name of Christ. The word Christian is found only three times in the entire New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). The name was given originally as a term of contempt, but gradually it became a name of honor. The name of Christ, then, means identification: we belong to Jesus Christ. But His name also means authority. A man's name signed to a check authorizes the withdrawal of money from the bank. The President's name signed to a bill makes it a law. In the same way, it is in the name of Jesus Christ that we have the authority to pray (John 14:13–14; 16:23–26). Because Jesus Christ is God, and He has died for us, we have authority in His name. All that we say and do should be associated with the name of Jesus Christ. By our words and our works, we should glorify His name. If we permit anything into our lives that cannot be associated with the name of Jesus, then we are sinning. We must do and say everything on the authority of His name and for the honor of His name. Bearing the name of Jesus is a great privilege, but it is also a tremendous responsibility. We suffer persecution because we bear His name (John 15:20–21). [1] Note that Paul again mentioned thanksgiving in this Colossian letter. Whatever we do in the name of Christ ought to be joined with thanksgiving. If we cannot give thanks, then we had better not do it or say it! This is the fifth of six references in Colossians to thanksgiving (Col. 1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; 4:2). When we remember that Paul was a Roman prisoner when he wrote this letter, it makes this emphasis on thanksgiving that much more wonderful. As we review these four spiritual motivations for godly living, we are impressed with the centrality of Jesus Christ. We forgive because Christ forgave us (Col. 3:13). It is the peace of Christ that should rule in our hearts (Col. 3:15). The Word of Christ should dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16). The name of Christ should be our identification and our authority. “Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:11). Since we are united with Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we have all the resources we need for holy living. But we must be spiritually motivated. Because we have experienced the grace of Christ, we want to live for Him. Because we have enjoyed the peace of Christ, we want to obey Him. We have been enriched by the Word of Christ, and raised to the rank of nobility by the name of Christ; therefore, we want to honor and glorify Him. Can we desire any higher motivation?[1]        Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions    

My friend Judy was a missionary living in Nairobi, Kenya. She traveled a good deal in and around Nairobi, and if you've ever been there, you know it's pretty much a continual traffic jam. And there are always people lined up on the streets selling everything you can imagine—including to my horror, puppies. One day Judy was traveling with her driver, Baraza, and she saw a woman selling bananas, with a baby strapped to her back and two others playing at her feet. Judy told Baraza, “Pull over; I want to buy some bananas.” She gave him the equivalent of about two dollars and told him to buy all her bananas—about 20. “But Sister,” he said, “why are you buying 20 bananas? You can't eat that many.” “Just buy them,” she told him. He was baffled as to why Judy would want so many bananas, since she lives alone, but he did as she insisted. When he paid the lady for all her bananas, her face lit up with a huge, incredulous smile. That probably represented two days of food for her and her family. Baraza said, “Sister, did you see how happy she was. You did a good thing for her.” Then they traveled on, and Judy saw a crippled man with only one leg by the side of the road. She told Baraza to stop and give him some bananas. Once again, Baraza saw how thrilled the man was to get the bananas. This went on for their entire journey until Judy had given away all the bananas. Baraza—who is a wonderful believer—said, “Sister, this was so good. I can do this. I can give away bananas.” And as a result, Baraza began to carry bananas, apples, and other fruit with him to give to people randomly as God led him. So, he had a banana ministry. What do you have in your hands that could easily become gifts of love to the people in your life—strangers, coworkers, family, friends—whoever?  I'm suggesting that every one of us should look for our banana ministry—something we intentionally do to share the love of God. You're probably familiar with the phrase “random acts of kindness.” Actually, it has become a movement, encouraging people to purposely plan and perform kind acts for others. Lots of research has been done that shows the incredible benefits for the person who decides to plan and execute random acts of kindness. According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain's pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper's high.” Isn't it interesting that when people follow the principles of Scripture, whether they are believers or not, they discover it benefits everyone. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone. . . (2 Timothy 2:24). And to the church in Colossae he wrote: Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). He was preaching “random acts of kindness” long before the term was coined. Certainly, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should share “random acts of kindness” more than any others because we have the Holy Spirit, and we also have the great privilege of showing God's love to a loveless, often cruel world. And then, as the studies show, we discover what Jesus told us—it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. Let me tell you about my friend, Kiyoko, a Japanese woman in my church. She was inspired to use her creativity to share the gospel. So, she made beautiful little bookmarks with a Bible verses, using things people throw away, like candy wrappers. She carried her bookmarks with her and whenever she had an opportunity—with a stranger, a store clerk, someone she sat by on the bus or airplane—she gave them one of her bookmarks. She called them “born-again bookmarks,” and explained how she makes them from scraps of paper that people throw away. This opened the door for her to tell them that her born-again boo...

Join Jerry as he walks through the book of Colossians. This letter, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Colossae, is full of important truths about the second person of the Godhead—Jesus. In a world that has many beliefs, and confusion about God's Word, Paul seeks to set the record straight on who Jesus really is and encourages them to continue growing in Christ.   Grab your Bible and prepare to be encouraged and strengthened through the book of Colossians. You can also join Jerry every day, and take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.   « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Join Jerry as he walks through the book of Colossians. This letter, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Colossae, is full of important truths about the second person of the Godhead—Jesus. In a world that has many beliefs, and confusion about God's Word, Paul seeks to set the record straight on who Jesus really is and encourages them to continue growing in Christ.   Grab your Bible and prepare to be encouraged and strengthened through the book of Colossians. You can also join Jerry every day, and take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.   « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Join Jerry as he walks through the book of Colossians. This letter, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Colossae, is full of important truths about the second person of the Godhead—Jesus. In a world that has many beliefs, and confusion about God's Word, Paul seeks to set the record straight on who Jesus really is and encourages them to continue growing in Christ.   Grab your Bible and prepare to be encouraged and strengthened through the book of Colossians. You can also join Jerry every day, and take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.   « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Colossians 3 verses 1-4 tells us that since we have through the act of baptism been raised in him to a new life our thoughts and actions should be in harmony with this. And so from verses 5-9 all those past behaviours are to find no place among believers. Our new self is being renewed every day through our growth in understanding what it means to be “in Christ”. From verses 12-17 the focus of the believer's mind and actions is to centre on living with (and as) Christ. From verses 18 to the chapter's end he addresses the different groups within Christian households and advises on proper behaviour. Chapter 4 continues with instructions for masters and servants – such an important topic as five sixths of the Roman world were slaves. Verses 2-4 is a request to those at Colossae to pray for Paul's preaching. Verse 5 tells that their speech and behaviour must be sincere at all times – “seasoned with salt”. Verses 7-17 conclude with final greetings. Verse 18 tells us that the letter was written by Paul in his own handwriting.

n this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony dive into the final verses of Colossians 4, reflecting on Paul's closing words and the rich theological and practical insights they offer. The discussion begins by addressing the significance of these often-overlooked sections of scripture, emphasizing their God-breathed purpose and the enduring lessons they provide for the church today. Paul's ministry partners, including Tychicus, Onesimus, and Luke, take center stage as Jesse and Tony explore how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary purposes in His kingdom. The conversation also highlights the theme of reconciliation, particularly through Onesimus' story, as Paul sends him back to Colossae, urging the church to embody the gospel by welcoming him with grace. This practical application of theology reminds listeners that the gospel transforms relationships and calls believers to live out Christlike love in their communities. Jesse and Tony also unpack the broader implications of Paul's instruction to share the letter with the Laodiceans, underscoring the importance of scripture's universal application across time and culture. As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on the unity and encouragement found in Paul's words, reminding listeners of the value of every member of the body of Christ. They also prepare for their upcoming exploration of Philemon, which continues the story of Onesimus and offers further insight into living out faith in real-world situations. This episode is a rich blend of theology, practical wisdom, and encouragement for believers seeking to grow in their understanding of scripture and community. Key Points: The Significance of Paul's Final Words: Paul's closing remarks in Colossians 4, though seemingly mundane, reveal God's interest in the details of ministry and the importance of community within the church. God Uses Ordinary People: The episode highlights Paul's ministry partners, showing how God works through ordinary individuals like Tychicus, Onesimus, and Luke to advance His kingdom. Reconciliation in Action: The story of Onesimus demonstrates the transformative power of the gospel, as Paul encourages the Colossian church to welcome him back with grace and forgiveness. Universal Relevance of Scripture: Paul's instruction to share the letter with the Laodiceans emphasizes the broader application of scripture beyond its immediate audience, affirming its value for all believers. Practical Theology and Community: Jesse and Tony discuss the importance of living out theological truths in everyday life, particularly in fostering unity and encouragement within the church. Questions for Reflection: How does Paul's inclusion of specific names and details in his letters inspire you to see God's work in the “ordinary” aspects of ministry? What lessons can we learn from Onesimus' story about reconciliation and living out the gospel in challenging situations? How can we as believers ensure that our churches reflect the unity and diversity seen in Paul's ministry team? Why is it important to view scripture as universally applicable, and how does this perspective affect how we read and apply the Bible today? In what ways can you, like Paul's ministry partners, support and encourage others in your church or community?

Paul sent the letter to the Colossians in about 62 AD. He never personally visited the region where there were two groups of believers – one in Colossae and the other in Laodicea. The one letter was read by both at this time and about 34 years time when another letter was sent in 96 AD by the Lord Jesus Christ. The area was exceptionally fertile and lay in a very rich valley. The epistle commenced with the greeting “Grace (‘charis' the Greek greeting) and peace (‘shalom' the Jewish greeting) coming to the believers from God our Father. This is followed by thanksgiving and prayer for their faithfulness in the gospel; as reported to the Apostle from Epaphras. The believers were increasing in knowledge and love. But the greatest of all thanks was to be expressed to God, our Father, who had “qualified us to share the inheritance of the saints in light … and has transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son” (verses 12-13 ESV). Then from verses 14-23 Paul tells us of the preeminence of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father. Our Lord Jesus is the beginning (Gk ‘archegos') and head of God's new creation and is the firstborn (Jesus firstborn by birth, death and resurrection) of that creation; the firstborn from the dead to be raised to eternal life. Verses 24-29 tell of Paul's suffering for all Gentile believers, that he might share and participate in the sufferings of Christ (as part of his body, which we,the ecclesia are). In verse 27 we have the key verse and theme of the book, “Christ in you (ie each of us) the hope of glory”.

Today's Passage: Colossians 2: 4-7I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.Today's Prayer: Dear God, would you illumine the places in our lives where we have either been deceived or are at risk of deception from the persuasive arguments of our day and time. Speak to our heart even in this moment, Lord and shine your light on the places we are thinking wrongly…acting wrongly…believing wrongly…We so identify with the people of Colossae and we confess that it our desire to stand firm and steadfast. We want to be an immovable people when it comes to walking in truth. We confess that error will divide us, and it is our desire that truth unite us as a body.Psalm 119:32 says. “I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding” and we ask you to broaden our understanding.Father we come to you in full confidence today asking you to make us a people of stability. As your people, marked by having received Christ Jesus the Lord, we choose to walk in you. Holy Spirit, apply the finished work of Christ to our lives. Root us deeply and firmly. Build us, grow us up in Christ. We reject a life that lulls us to sleep. We reject a life that makes little of you. We reject a faith that is passive. And in its place, we choose a faith that is rooted and established. We bless Your name. We thank you, Christ Jesus, for Your finished work. We praise you because You are exalted far above all powers and principalities and You sit at the right hand of the Father where are right now intercede for us. As we move throughout this day, with all that it holds, both large and small, we do so overflowing with gratitude at the life you make possible for your people. In Christ's name we pray…Amen.NOTES & LINKS:Information about the Women's Summer StudyInformation about the Men's Summer StudyReach out to the Center for Spiritual Formation

Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Naming the Empire (Colossians 2:6-15) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarboror watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard  Summary: In this powerful and provocative sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche continues the Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire series by exploring Colossians 2:6–15 and what it means to be faithful to Christ in a world shaped by empire. Drawing from Paul's letter to a fledgling church in Colossae, Donnell frames the passage as a deeply subversive text—one that directly confronts the ideologies, powers, and allegiances of the surrounding Roman empire. For Paul, and for us today, to declare that Christ—not Caesar, not the economy, not nationalism—is Lord, is to resist the false narratives that shape our lives and identities. Pastor Donnell draws sharp connections between Paul's world and our own, exposing the subtle and not-so-subtle ways empire exerts its influence today—from militarism and economic control to curated media narratives and Christian celebrity culture. He names modern forces—TikTok, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Warner Bros, and even popular pastors—not to shame, but to awaken the church to how deeply these forces shape our desires, fears, and theology. “Don't be taken captive,” Paul warns, and Pastor Donnell echoes that call with urgency, reminding us that resistance starts by rooting ourselves in Christ, not in power, performance, or fear. The sermon crescendos with a bold declaration: Jesus, crucified by empire, disarmed the powers not with violence, but through the cross. Pastor Donnell invites the weary, the skeptical, and the disillusioned to see Jesus clearly—not as a tool of empire, but as the one who triumphs by love, truth, and resurrection. “Empire doesn't get the last word,” he proclaims, “Jesus does.” The call to the church is clear: Wake up. Resist. Stay rooted in Christ. And when overwhelmed by the noise of the world, pray the simple prayer of resistance: “Jesus, free me from the voices that hold me captive. Root me in you again.”  

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8While under house arrest, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes a letter to the growing church in Colossae. A church that knew Jesus but needed to be reminded of the truth.It's the truth still needed today. The truth of the gospel is that salvation comes through Jesus alone, and once we receive salvation, we are called to live in a manner worthy of the One who saved us.

A Sermon for Easter Day Colossians 2:20-3:4 & St. John 20:1-10 by William Klock Sometimes there's a way that seems right, you try to follow it, and you just get yourself into trouble.  I parked at the Big Qualicum fish hatchery and went for a ride on my gravel bike on the Horne Lake-Cook Creek Forest Service Road loop.  It's a beautiful ride, but it's not the easiest.  There's a hill at one point that's so steep the logging trucks actually have to be towed to the top by one of those giant trucks with eight-foot tall wheels.  It's too steep to ride and even walking it while pushing your bike is hard, because your shoes just slip out from under you in the dry sand and gravel.  I saw that 20% grade in my mapping app and thought I'd be smart.  There's another logging road on the map that bypasses that big hill.  It would also cut the loop down from 90km to about 75km. So off I went down the mountain on that other logging road.  I should have known better.  My mapping app shows how heavily travelled various routes are.  I could see that everyone took the main road and went up the giant hill.  I could see that no one went the way I was going.  I thought I was smart and had found a secret no one knew about.  And then that shortcut suddenly ended at ravine.  There was a cliff on both sides and Nile Creek babbling away sixty feet below.  The logging company had decommissioned the road and removed the bridge.  I climbed about thirty feet down the cliff with my bike over my shoulder, sure I'd find a way.  I didn't.  And I had to climb back up and then ride back up the mountain, back to the main road with scraped knees and elbows to show for my folly.  I got to climb two big hills that day. We're always looking for the easy way, no one wants to take the hard and difficult way even if it's the right way to go.  Jesus' words were looping in my head as I rode back up that hill to the main road: The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  I was picturing myself barreling down that road, happy I found the easy way, not paying attention, and riding right off that cliff.   This is what St. Paul's getting at in our Epistle today from Colossians when he writes, Think about the things that are above, not the things of earth.   Here's what was happening in Colossae—or, at any rate, what Paul feared would happen if the church there didn't get on the right track.  Just as in Galatia, the Christians were being tempted to fall back into a form of Judaism—to start finding their identity in things like circumcision, sabbath-keeping, and diet.  They were facing the same sort of persecution the Galatians were and it was very tempting to avoid it by backing away from their identity in Jesus and to instead identify themselves as Jews.  Jews were exempt from all the requirements of Roman religion.  But that wasn't the only thing that made Judaism tempting.  Even before Jesus came on the scene, there had been gentiles who were attracted to Judaism for its ethics and morality.  The ancient pagan world was grossly immoral and barbaric in ways that we—living in a world shaped for two thousand years by the gospel—it was filthy in ways we struggle to imagine.  And some of the pagans got sick of it.  Yes, the torah made heavy demands, but it also offered a way of life along very clearly delineated lines of holiness and purity.  That was attractive to some people.  This is what Paul is getting at, at the end of Colossians 2—which I think really needs to be part of today's Epistle if we're going to get a sense of the context.  Staring in Colossians 2:20 Paul writes: If you died with the Messiah, coming out from the rule of the worldly elements, what's the point of laying down laws as though your life was still merely worldly?  “Don't handle!  Don't taste!  Don't touch!”  Rules like that all have to do with things that disappear as you use them.  They are the sort of regulations and teaching that mere humans invent.  They may give an appearance of wisdom, since they promote a do-it-yourself religion, a kind of humility, and severe treatment of the body.  But they are of no use when it comes to dealing with the indulgence of the flesh.   Paul had in mind these gentiles who were thinking that the laws and regulations of the torah would give them a sense of wisdom and religion and humility, but it's not hard to see our own culture in his warning.  Everyone it seems is looking for some way to feel better about themselves.  Sometimes it's just a sort of generic do-gooderism.  Some people get this way with life-style and fitness routines, disciplining themselves in ways that become a sort of religion.  Some people pursue conservation and environmentalism with the fervency of religion.  Things like recycling or cutting down Scotch broom or driving an EV become almost sacramental.  These things atone—or at least begin to atone—for our sins and the sins of our ancestors.  And then there's the full-on Post-moderns who have bought into various critical theories and the whole dichotomy of oppressor and oppressed.  In that system, if you find yourself in the oppressor category—usually because you're white or male or heterosexual or—God forbid—all three—there is no atonement, there is no forgiveness.  You must simply spend the rest of your life genuflecting at the woke altar and confessing your sins and those of your ancestors.  There is no forgiveness, but at least you can feel better for constantly signaling your virtue and for being an “ally”.  You can even feel holier-than-thou and look down your nose—a Post-modern Pharisee—when you see your fellow oppressors who aren't kowtowing at the woke altar.  These are all just modern expressions of Paul's “do-it-yourself religion”.  They may make us feel better or feel like we're doing something or even that we're working to heal creation and make the world a better place, but to put it in his words, They are of no use when it comes to dealing with the indulgence of the flesh.  None of these things address our real problem.  None of these things will make us genuinely holy.  In the end, they turn out to be indulgences of the flesh themselves. They're shortcuts.  Instead, we need to take that hard and narrow way.  We need to take the road that climbs that giant hill, even though it means pushing the bike while your feet slip out from under you in the sand and gravel.  Because the hard way is the only way that will get us to the end goal.  Every other way will eventually turn into a dead end—with the emphasis on dead.  There is only one way that leads to life.  Brothers and Sisters, we have to die and be raised back to life.  That's the only way to get out of this worldly sphere and to escape the “worldly elements”—the powers and gods of the present evil age, the powers and gods that keep us perpetuating our sins and our rebellion against God.  Because no matter what we do, no matter how many good works we think we've done, as long as we're enslaved to those false gods and systems, we're just feeding, we're just perpetuating the fallenness of the world and this present evil age. Something has to change.  We have to leave behind the present age—it's days are numbered anyway and as Christians we should know that—and we need to take our place in the age to come, in God's new creation.  We all know that the world is not as it should be.  God didn't create us for pain and tears and it's good that we instinctively want to fix that.  But we can't.  Not on our own.  Our sin and rebellion have broken God's creation and there's no fixing it with the broken tools it offers.  To get back to where we should be—to get back to that place of fellowship with God, of living in his presence, of being the stewards of his world—means leaving behind the old and joining in the new. This is what drew people to Jesus during his ministry.  He was preaching good news, yes, but he was also wiping away the tears and giving people a taste of new creation.  He healed the blind and the deaf and the lame.  He cast out demons.  He even overturned death on a few occasions.  In Jesus, God's new world, Gods' new age was breaking in.  And then there's that first Easter morning that we read about in John's Gospel. We see Mary standing at the tomb and weeping.  Sin and death, all the powers of this evil age had risen up at once and killed Jesus.  If there was a time for tears, that was it.  The most evil of evil things evil has ever done.  Mary represents us all as we cry in the midst of this broken and fallen world full of evil.  She was so overcome with the sadness of it all that she doesn't seem to have been moved even by the presence of the two angels.  “Why are you crying?” they asked.  And she just kept sobbing.  “They've taken away my lord and I don't know where they've put him!”  And then Jesus walks up and asks her again, “Why are you crying?”  And she turns around and asks him, “Sir, if you've carried him off somewhere, tell me where you've put him.”  John says she thought he was the gardener.  We pass over that little detail without much thought.  At least I did for years and years.  But then I started noticing how so many artists in history depict Jesus that Easter morning with a shovel or a hoe in his hands.  There's something to that bit of detail.  John mentions it for a reason.  Mary mistook him for the gardener because he must have been doing gardener things.  So there was Mary crying at the tomb and talking to angels, while Jesus knelt nearby pulling up weeds or tending to a fallen plant.  The second Adam was alive.  God had raised him from the dead and rolled away the great, heavy stone from the tomb.  That was the greatest event on the greatest day in the history of the world.  When Jesus burst forth from the tomb, I like to say that he sent a shockwave of life through a dead world.  Nothing would ever be the same.  And yet what does he do?  He walks out of the tomb and starts tending to the garden.  My first thought is something like, “Doesn't he have bigger and better things to do?”  But it shouldn't really be surprising.  This is the same Jesus, God incarnate, who humbly took on our flesh and who humbly went to the cross for the sake of his enemies.  Why shouldn't he act the part of a humble gardener first thing after his resurrection?  But, too, it shouldn't be surprising, because this is what he came to do: to set his creation, broken by our sin and rebellion, he came to set it to rights.  Why not start with those weeds just outside the tomb and then that rosebush starting to fall over.  Mary keeps weeping uncontrollably.  And then he says her name and suddenly she knew, suddenly she recognised him.  “Rabbi!”she said.  And the tears stopped—or maybe they turned into tears of joy.  John doesn't say.  But the weeds, the rosebush, Mary's tears—Jesus didn't just burst out of the tomb to be some highfalutin and abstract doctrine of resurrection to be studied and discussed by theologians in ivory towers.  No, he came out of the tomb, resurrected indeed, but immediately working out that resurrection for his beloved creation and for his beloved people.  First the garden and then Mary, and pretty soon everyone. One by one Jesus has come to each of us as we've been confronted with the good news of the gospel.  He's spoken our names.  He's wiped away our tears.  We've believed.  We've been baptised.  And coming out of those baptismal waters, we've been filled with God's own Spirit and made new.  We still wait for the day when we will be resurrected as Jesus was, but the Spirit is a down-payment, an earnest on that day.  In our baptism we have died and been raised up with Jesus to a new life.  Like Israel delivered from Egypt at the Red Sea, we've been delivered from our slavery to sin and death as we've passed through the waters of baptism and now Jesus sends us out.  Now we're the gardeners, sent out into the world to proclaim and to live the good news.  To tend to the weeds and the falling rosebushes and the tears.  To do the things we knew all along needed to be done, the things maybe we tried to do, but that we could never really accomplish on our own or with the world's broken tools.  But now they get done, because the power of the Lord goes with us in the gospel and the Spirit. We are—again—like Israel.  Consider.  Israel passed through the Red Sea and then the Lord sent her to conquer Canaan.  And yet it wasn't Israel who won the victory, but the Lord.  Yes, Israel had to march and Israel had to fight, but it was always the Lord who won the battle.  And just so with us.  Jesus has brought us through the waters of baptism and now he sends us out into the world to reclaim what rightly belongs to him.  And it won't happen if we don't go, but at the same time, it is not we, but he who wins the victory.  The kingdom of God fills the earth because of the power of the gospel and the Spirit.  But, again, Paul's warning to the Colossians: We are so prone to forgetting all of this and we fall back into do-it-yourself religion.  And so he says in verse 1 of Chapter 3: So if you were raised to life with the Messiah, search for the things that are above, where the Messiah is seated at God's right hand.  Think about the things that are above, not the things of earth.  Don't you see: you died, and your life has been hidden with the Messiah, in God!  When the Messiah is revealed (and he is your life, remember), then you too will be revealed with him in glory.   Here's the good news.  Throw away all the do-it-yourself religion.  Get off those dead-end trails and get back on the main road.  Because if you belong to the Messiah, you're also already part of his new creation.  This is one of the greatest themes all through Paul's epistles.  Paul wants us to understand that what is true of Jesus is already true of us because we are “in him”—or as he puts it “en Christos”, “in the Messiah”.  It may not always feel like it, but this is one of the fundamental things about the life of faith that Paul wanted these new believers to understand.  It's often hard, but we need to learn to believe that this is true even if it doesn't always feel that way.  Because it's in those time when we're not feeling it—feeling like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, feeling like we're far from God, feeling like there's no escape from sin, feeling like the world will never change—it's in those times that we're most prone to falling back into do-it-yourself religion. And there are two true things that Paul wants us to understand above everything else.  If we can remember these two things, everything else is going to fall into place.  Jesus has died and he's been raised from death.  And that means that if we are “in the Messiah”, then we have died with him.  You have died with him.  You are no longer a part of the old evil age.  You are no longer a slave to sin and death.  You don't need any do-it-yourself religion to get close to God or to make the world a better place.  You just need Jesus.  You have been raised with Messiah.  Even though we wait for the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, through the indwelling of God's Spirit, we have in part—here and now—the life of the age to come.  Jesus has made us part of his new creation. Our hope—and the hope of the world—lies with him as he sits at God's right hand.  In his incarnation, in his ministry, in his death, and in his resurrection, Jesus began the process of uniting heaven and earth, of bringing God and man back together.  One day that task will be finished, heaven and earth will be rejoined and we will be resurrected and—as Adam and Eve once did—we'll live in the full presence of God.  But in the meantime, we—his church—have been given the task of proclaiming the good news about Jesus and by our life together, giving a dark world a taste of God's light, of his new creation—of giving the world a taste of heaven. Brothers and Sisters, that's how the kingdom spread.  That's how Christendom came to be.  As Jesus' people set their minds on God's new creation and, as the church, lived it out in the midst of the darkness.  And just as the God of Isreal who gave his son for their sake was unlike any god they'd ever known as pagans.  This church, this community of people who identified with the Messiah and who gave their lives humbly for the sake of the world, who lived as one people regardless of whether they were rich or poor, slave or free, Jew or gentile, this people who taught the world what love and mercy and grace and justice are, this people showed the world the holiness it had been looking for, it showed the people how this broken world really can be set to rights—when we set aside our do-it-yourself ways and let the Messiah wash us clean and let his Spirit make us new. Brothers and Sisters, keep your eyes fixed on the things that are above.  Keep praying with Jesus: Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, one earth as it is heaven.  One day heaven and earth will be fully rejoined, but only because the church, in the power of the Spirit, has proclaimed the gospel to the whole world.  In his book Surprised by Hope, Tom Wright wrote this, “People who believe in the resurrection, in God making a whole new world in which everything will be set right at last, are unstoppably motivated to work for that new world in the present.”  May that be true of us.  While we wait for God's new world to come in all its fullness, let us never tire of being that new world here and now: as we, empowered by the Spirit, proclaim the good news that Jesus has died, that Jesus has risen, and that Jesus is Lord, as we pull the weeds, and as we wipe away the tears. Let's pray: Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant us by your grace to set our minds on things above; that by your continual help our lives may be transformed; through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Occult spiritual practices are nothing new. False teachers attempted to sway the church at Colossae into believing that if a person didn't have these kinds of spiritual experiences then that person didn't truly know God. Paul makes quick work of this false teaching by showing the Colossians that the only spirituality that matters is the one that is connected to Jesus. 

While the Apostle Paul was under arrest in Rome, he was visited by a church planter from Colossae named Epaphras. Epaphras had great news about the move of the Holy Spirit in Colossae but had some concerns about false teaching making its way into the church there. This visit inspired Paul to write a letter to the church in Colossae to remind them that Jesus really is above all. As Paul concludes his letter, he focuses on how we are to use our words - and how they are to line up with our conduct.

False teachers were telling the Christians at Colossae they had to obey commands in the Old Testament Law in order to be saved. Paul tells the Colossians they have no obligation to uphold the Old Testament Law now that they are in Christ. Why did Paul say that? Because the Law was the shadow that pointed ahead to Jesus. 

While the Apostle Paul was under arrest in Rome, he was visited by a church planter from Colossae named Epaphras. Epaphras had great news about the move of the Holy Spirit in Colossae but had some concerns about false teaching making its way into the church there. This visit inspired Paul to write a letter to the church in Colossae to remind them that Jesus really is above all. In this passage, Paul gets very practical. But these nine verses MUST be read in context with the previous two and half chapters. In this new kingdom of Jesus, there are ways to live in our everyday. When Christians live as if they are truly risen with Christ, everything changes.

While the Apostle Paul was under arrest in Rome, he was visited by a church planter from Colossae named Epaphras. Epaphras had great news about the move of the Holy Spirit in Colossae but had some concerns about false teaching making its way into the church there. This visit inspired Paul to write a letter to the church in Colossae to remind them that Jesus really is above all.As Paul shifts to the "what now" portion of his letter, his focus moves to how the Colossians should live in light of the truth of Christ's pre-eminence. In this passage, he implores the Christians in Colossae to fix their minds on things that are right and true and pure and let their behavior follow.

While the Apostle Paul was under arrest in Rome, he was visited by a church planter from Colossae named Epaphras. Epaphras had great news about the move of the Holy Spirit in Colossae but had some concerns about false teaching making its way into the church there. This visit inspired Paul to write a letter to the church in Colossae to remind them that Jesus really is above all. In this passage we get to the root of the issues in Colossae. The young Christians were being told that the way to grow in faith was through legalism or spiritualism and not through Jesus.  We can find ourselves in the same place, even today. So, what are we to do?

The Apostle Paul is aware of the false teaching that is trying to infiltrate the church at Colossae. But instead of getting the Colossians to fixate on the false teaching, Paul calls them to focus on moving forward, continuing to grow their faith in Jesus. Because the stronger one's faith in Christ is, the harder it will be for false teaching to draw them away from following their Lord.

While the Apostle Paul was under arrest in Rome, he was visited by a church planter from Colossae named Epaphras. Epaphras had great news about the move of the Holy Spirit in Colossae but had some concerns about false teaching making its way into the church there. This visit inspired Paul to write a letter to the church in Colossae to remind them that Jesus really is above all.In this passage, Paul begins to deal with some of the false teaching that was impacting the lives of the Christians in Colossae. He appeals to them to walk with Christ in the same way they received Him. He asserts that there is no separation between our salvation and our sanctification.

The Church at Colossae was spiritually healthy. They were doing well. But that didn't stop the apostle Paul from writing to them about Jesus. Because everybody needs Jesus – both the spiritually sick, and the spiritually healthy.

In the second installment of our series "Deepening the Roots of Our Faith," we explore Colossians 1:15-23 and examine the supremacy of Jesus Christ. This message reveals why understanding Jesus' true identity is vital for believers, addressing today's culture's many counterfeit versions of Jesus. Pastor Matt explains how Jesus is supreme in creation and redemption, explaining theological concepts like justification, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, and reconciliation. He compares these transformative realities to the false teachings that troubled the early church in Colossae, many of which still mislead people today. Learn why Jesus Christ is not merely a prophet, teacher, or moral guide but God himself - and discover what it means to place Him at the center of every aspect of your life. Whether you're just beginning your faith journey or seeking to strengthen your spiritual roots, this message offers clear biblical truth about who Jesus really is and why it matters. Join us next week as we continue our 8-week journey through Colossians, building a faith foundation that can withstand our time's counterfeit ideas.

In this opening message of an eight-week series on Colossians, Pastor Matt explains why this ancient letter remains crucial for modern believers. He enthusiastically explains how the church in Colossae faced challenges similar to those Christ-followers encounter today. The sermon explores Paul's letter to the Colossians, written between 58 and 62 AD while imprisoned. It addressed both false philosophy and Jewish legalism that were confusing new believers.   The message focuses on Colossians 1:1-14, breaking down Paul's prayer for spiritual knowledge into five key goals: a worthy walk, a fruitful life, spiritual growth, strength, and joyous endurance. Pastor Matt then connects these ancient challenges to modern issues in Christianity, including progressive Christianity, new-age mysticism, and hyper-grace teachings. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of standing firm in Christ and God's Word, encouraging daily Bible reading using provided Scripture journals.

Archippus was the son of Saints Philemon (Nov. 22) and Apphia (Feb. 15), and, like them, was a disciple of the Apostle Paul, who calls him "our fellow soldier" (Philm. 2). He and his father preached the Gospel at Colossae, and Archippus probably served as a priest for the church that gathered there at his family's house (Col. 4:17). Archippus' fervor in preaching the Gospel of Christ so angered the pagans that they seized him and brought him before the governor Androcles. When the Saint refused to sacrifice to Artemis, he was stripped, beaten, tormented in various ways, and finally stoned to death.

Welcome to Day 2556 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Paul's Lost Letters – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2556 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2556 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 41st lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God's redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it's also a book that seems strange to us. While God's Word was written for us, it wasn't written to us. Today's lesson is: “Paul's Lost Letters.” Unless you've been on an extended vacation from popular culture over the last couple of years, you know there's been a lot of recent discussion about how we got the New Testament. Dan Brown's blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code based its conspiratorial plot in part on the notion that other gospels had been eradicated by spiteful church authorities and an emperor openly partial to orthodoxy. The success of the novel prompted many churchgoers to ask whether or not all the books that should be included in the New Testament actually were. To be sure, Dan Brown took a lot of liberties with facts in his story. But what if we're not dealing with fiction? The New Testament itself tells us that there were books written by apostles that didn't make it into in the Bible. Surprised? Let's take a look. 1 Corinthians 5:9 In 1 Corinthians, Paul himself mentions an earlier letter he wrote to this same church: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people” (1 Cor 5:9). While some interpreters have argued that Paul was referring to the letter he was currently writing (1 Corinthians), most acknowledge that this explanation is weak. Taken at face value, 1 Corinthians 5:9 tells us that Paul had written to this church before—but that letter has not survived and thus is not part of the New Testament. Colossians 4:16 In Paul's letter to the church at Collosae, he says, “And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea” (Col 4:16). What was this letter from Laodicea? What happened to it? The phrase “letter from Laodicea” is a literal translation of the Greek and suggests that the letter came from Laodicea. This is a bit misleading, though. The phrase does not necessarily mean that this letter was written by someone in Laodicea to Paul or to the Colossians. Colossians 4:16 tells us that letters to churches were circulated, and so it may be that this Laodicean letter was written by Paul and sent to the Christians at Colossae—like the Colossian letter was to be sent to the believers in Laodicea. Some scholars have speculated that this letter isn't actually missing. The region of Laodicea was also identified with the city of Ephesus, indicating that the letter from Laodicea may actually be the epistle to the...