Colossians 1 vs 1 - 8 - Corps Night - April 4 - 1984
Colossians 1:1-8 April 4, 1984 We're going to Colossians chapter one tonight. And before we do, I wanted to read you a poem by Lonnell Johnson called "A Good News Day". It is a good news day No blues day, new shoes No way to lose What a good news day It's a great day, I can't wait day Lift your voice, let's rejoice My Lord a good news day It's a pay day, going my way day No nay, all yeah, what you say Such a good news day It's a living up day Overflowing cup day, it's a bright and bubbly doubly lovely Sho'nuff good news day. I think that sets the heart of Colossians, so we go to Verse 1. Colossians 1:1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother. First of all, it's Paul again writing to the believers. He was the one that fathered them in the Word that started the movement of the Word in that province of Asia, and Colossae was a part of that province. Remember he spent two years and three months in Asia in which all Asia heard the Word of the Lord. And that means the Colossians had to hear about it too, during that time. And it says, an apostle, he was an apostle, or one who is sent, an apostle is one who is sent to bring new light to a generation. It may be old light but it's new to that generation. And of course the things that were revealed to Paul at this time that he brought to the people regarding the Mystery had never been made known before. And therefore, it was totally new light to that generation. And it says, "an apostle of Jesus Christ", and Jesus Christ is the correct order, it's not Christ Jesus because an apostle is one who serves. And whenever it's in the category of service or the context of service, it will put Jesus the humiliated one first, followed by Christ the glorified one. Otherwise, it would put the glorified one first. Christ Jesus. But in this context, it's service. He's an apostle, so he's an apostle of whom? Of Jesus Christ. Putting the emphasis on the humiliated one or the service. "An apostle of Jesu
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because of the hope which is stored in heaven for you. What is the hope that's stored for you? Well, it's your eternal life, your inheritance goes with that eternal life and it's the rewards, it's the rewards too. Because verse four, that epitrechon, that short deviation or side issue, explains having heard of your believing in Christ Jesus and your love to all those who are set apart. They were faithful, they had great love for the people, they had great believing in Christ Jesus, so, would there be rewards? Sure, it just explains that a little bit more. If you haven't heard about somebody, would you pray for them? Well, you couldn't. But, when you hear about them and the more you hear about them, the more they come to your mind, the more you lift them and throughout the day, God brings somebody to your remembrance, or you just remember them and you pray for them. And it's because of th