Colossians housegroup material – Week 2
Colossians 1:24-2:5 New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s Labour for the Church
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
2 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
The writer refers to himself as a servant of the Gospel.
1. Would you describe yourself as a servant of the Gospel?
2. How do we as both the Church and as individuals serve the Gospel?
We recall that at the time of writing a servant was a possession. They had no rights, they had to listen and obey. They were called to suffer because of their status and role. Paul believes that he is called to suffer for the Church. He took this suffering in his stride as a normal part of being a minister of Christ. In some ways he saw his suffering as uniting himself with the suffering of Christ.
There are many examples of Paul’s drawing on his suffering. 2 Timothy 1: 7 -12 and 1 Peter 4: 12 – 19 are two such.
3. Do you think people suffer for the Church today and if so how?
Paul declares that he strenuously contends with all of the energy that Christ has given to him for people he has never even met.
4. What is the hardest you have ever worked for something?
5.When you think about your own ministry do you choose to only do those things which fit in with your own life or which you can “afford” time-wise?
6. Are there things which challenge your boundaries because of your stewardship of the Gospel message?
7. The Bible contains many examples of the importance of rest, work and family. Our secular world is full of advice on work / life balance and its’ importance. So, how do we find a healthy balance between these things and our service to the Gospel?
Paul works hard to proclaim a mystery and in this context this means a truth which was previously unknown but has been revealed by God. As he does so he has clear goals for the Church and its’ people.
He wants them and in due course us to mature as followers of Jesus. He wants them to have an encouraged heart and to be united in love. He is delighted by the firmness of faith of the Colossians and by their discipline.
8. How should we value self-discipline in our Christian lives? How do we grow in self-discipline?
We now relate the experience of the early Church to our own as we reflect on what we are called to do in St Albans in 2019.
9. Are there things you feel you should be strenuously contending for?
10. If you are not already doing them what would it take you to start?
11. Do we still depend on God for strength in our service today?
12. How do we spend ourselves in our God given mission while fully depending on God to make it happen?
Colossian’s 2 v 6 – 15
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised byc] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
The Church in Colossae was suffering from false teachings which had a certain attraction. Close enough to the message not to cause alarm but gently drawing them away from holding Christ as the centre and one true source of salvation.
13. Have you ever been led astray for a time?
14. What sort of “hollow and deceptive philosophy” typically leads people away from Christ today? How do we combat that philosophy?
In verses 13b to 14 we find the heart of the Gospel that despite our fickle nature and lack of love he has forgiven us and welcomed us into relationship with him.
Perhaps one of the ideas that the modern world fails to understand or accept is the concept of sin or indebtedness. It is “old fashioned”, we are “good people”, we are not “indebted to God”, why should we be.
15. What other language would you use to describe our need to accept the gift that God offers to everyone?
What made you feel that you needed to turn to God and offer yourself to him so that you could be in relationship with him?
How did you feel when you accepted that gift?
Can you put those thoughts and feelings into a short testimony that would sparkle and overflow with the joy and delight Paul expresses in our readings from Colossian’s today?
