Lessons

Colossians Study – Part 1.This is a new series that covers the book of Colossians. This is an important book because it is a prison epistle that is written to us. All scripture is for our learning but all scripture is not written to you. We don’t obey the scribes and Pharisees that sit in Moses’ seat… these instructions were to Jesus’ disciples at that time in scripture. Paul is an apostle to the Gentiles. He didn’t start out this way… when he was called on the road to Damascus; the first place he went to go and tell of Christ was in the Synagogue to the Jews. Paul changed during the Acts period from going to the Synagogue and the Jews to going to the Gentiles. We see in Galatians that Paul’s ministry becomes one that was unto the uncircumcision. Galatians 2:7 (KJV) says “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;” Paul’s journey to Galatians was during the Acts period and is an example of the seven books Paul wrote during this time (those books being Galatians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Romans, and Hebrews). The subject matter of the Acts period is the same in the books that Paul wrote during that time… We see that in the book of Acts, from Acts 1 through Acts 28… Israel is the primary focus. Acts 1:6 (KJV) “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?” Acts 28:20 (KJV) “For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Then when the Jewish elders could not come to agreement with what Paul was saying… they departed… and that is when the salvation was sent (authorized apart from Abraham) to the Gentiles as it says so in Acts 28:28. Up until this point, salvation was in the hands of Israel (remember it was said that salvation was out of the Jews) as it said in John 4:21-22. After Acts 28:28, the Gentiles have been the depository of the salvation message for over 2000 years. At the close of Acts, Paul sets aside his ministry to the Jews (circumcision) and completely dedicates himself to the ministry of the Gentles (uncircumcision). The first book he wrote after Acts was Ephesians, where he declares this special ministry to the Gentiles. The seven books Paul wrote after Acts 28 are the ones written specifically to us, and contain our appropriate doctrine which is what we should follow today (these seven books are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Titus, Philemon, 1 & 2 Timothy). The lesson on October 14, 2007 begins a new audio series on Colossians.