Sunday School Lesson For May 9, 2010

ASSASSIN · #1 05-08-2010, 07:57 PM

AN ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY

Devotional Reading : Ephesians 3:14-21

Background Scripture: Colossians 2:1-19

Printed Text: Colossians 2:1-12

BACKGROUND:
In order to appreciate the words of Paul in today’s lesson, it will be necessary to form a mental picture of the religious/political atmosphere of that day. To begin with, even the orthodox Jew had problems with Jesus. Those problems likely began with a little-noticed incident following the Resurrection of Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 28:11-15. There a rumor was born alleging that Jesus did not rise from the grave, but rather someone stole the body and hid it elsewhere. Of course Christians today read over that passage and pay it little attention, seeing it as an almost comical way of saving the heads of a few soldiers. But in the secular world, that rumor probably spread rapidly and was taken by many as truth. This would cause many to doubt the Resurrection. Jesus would be still dead, and there would be little reason to worship or honor Him...

There was also the issue of pagan religions. Judaism was not the only religion in the east and in Asia . Many other religions existed, and many people actually practiced multiple religions. To say the least, the religious atmosphere at the time was clouded...

INTRODUCTION:
The orthodox Jew was satisfied with his religious practices before Jesus came on the scene. He had the Old Testament, which contained the Law and the Prophets, and the Jew was satisfied that his religion was complete. So when Jesus came on the scene, there was no place in the Jew’s religious system to place Him. So Jesus was rejected, and the “Judaizers” of that day sought to reinforce that concept...

But it was Jesus that Paul was promoting. It was Jesus on whom Paul heaped praises about being the Son of God; even God Himself. The question was, could a seemingly contradictory, fledgling religion survive in a world established and rooted in its on religious systems?

Read Paul’s words to the Colossians, and you can appreciate the apostle’s difficult task...

KNIT TOGETHER IN LOVE -
Colossians 2:1-5

Right away the Bible student may face difficulty with verse 1. This is due largely to the literal translation of the King James text, and its use of Old English. The New Jerusalem Bible puts verse 1 this way: “I want you to know, then, what a struggle I am having on your behalf and on behalf of those in Laodicea , and on behalf of so many others who have never seen me face to face.” It is noteworthy that Paul, who is being held prisoner with no promise of release, is more focused on the problems of a people he had never met than he was on his own plight. Paul apparently takes such a position because he was convinced that God told him to preach, but did not specify where he was to preach. So wherever he found himself, Paul promoted the Gospel...

It is apparent here that Paul intends this letter to be shared with the people in the church at Laodicea , as they may be having similar challenges. You will recall that it was the church at Laodicea to whom John wrote in Revelation (3:14-22). There Jesus called the people “luke warm”. It could be that despite Paul’s efforts with his letter, a few years later the congregation was still “straddle the fence” in their convictions about Jesus...

Notice that Paul alludes to the “mystery of God”. Here is his opening thrust in arguing that Jesus is the Son of God, and should be understood as such. Jesus is, says Paul, the embodiment of all the jewels of wisdom and knowledge. Go to Jesus for every spiritual need...

Why say all this? Paul is aware that there are those in the area committed to uprooting this new church which is founded on the Victory of Jesus Christ. There are, says Paul, some “arguments” that should be completely ignored (The same is true today). Of course Paul here takes the opportunity to praise the church at Colossae on how firmly they appear to be standing in the faith (Could that have been psychological strategy?)...

WALKING TOGETHER WITH CHRIST -
Colossians 2:6-12

Accepting Jesus Christ as one’s Savior is not in itself everything. Accepting Jesus is a commitment. One should not “visit” with Him; rather one should walk in Him. That is, once in Jesus, it is full-time. Going back to the world is not an option. One should reflect Jesus in every act and word from that point on. The New Jerusalem Bible says, “…now live your lives in him”...

Of course with all the temptations of life, the human flesh cannot independently separate from the world and live with Christ. Paul explains that this can be accomplished only through faith and teaching, coupled with thanksgiving...

Then comes the part that Paul seeks to especially emphasize: do not be captivated by the lure of “philosophy”. That is, don’t be led astray by some “logic” fashioned by Satan’s agents. There was in Paul’s day the seeds of Gnosticism that threatened the religious atmosphere. That concept taught that there were several “gods”, all of whom should be worshipped at some level, and that there were “levels” of believers, based on the concept of some knowledge of “secret” things. Gnostics also believed that spiritual things and earthly things did not mix, so therefore Jesus could not have been both God and man. This is the occasion for the words in verse 9...

Verse 11 brings up an Old Testament concept: circumcision. Of course as God directed Abraham, the procedure was purely physical, separating skin from skin. But Paul uses it in another sense – to separate the old “self” from the new. One cannot return to the old self, simply because it will no longer exist...

Finally, verse 12 should bring to mind a familiar Baptist procedure: baptism. One symbolically buries the old “self” and is brought to life in a new light....

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