Colossians 1:1-6 The Gospel Bears Fruit
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Note on Devotions with Epistles: I have found that when I read an epistle, it is helpful to quickly read through the letter on the first day to get an overview of the letter. I do not try to stop and understand details. Instead, I simply read for a general idea of the feeling and flow of the letter. This gives me a framework to hang each specific idea on later. I also consult a commentary to get some background information. This process clears up a lot of confusion.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: September 17 & 18, 2020 Colossians 1:1-6
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
DAY 1
(Understanding the Text / Application / Prayer) First, I notice how Paul emphasizes that he is a Christian because of God’s will. He has direct evidence in his own experience that God wanted him specifically and that God had a job for Him. Why do I always ignore the direct evidence that You are working in my life and want me and have jobs for me to do? Paul always remembered. I need to do that too. This is also sent from Timothy. It is directed to the Christians living at Colossae.
(Understanding the Text) Guzik’s commentary says that Paul probably never visited Colossae. Paul “wrote the letter while in Roman custody (Col_4:3; Col_4:10, and Col_4:18), probably from Rome and around A.D. 63. i. Paul probably wrote the letter because of the visit of Epaphras from Colosse (Col_1:7). It is likely that Paul himself had never visited the city (Col_2:1).”
Guzik’s commentary says that Colossae was experiencing a crisis in doctrine, but the precise nature of the doctrinal heresy is not known. “The city of Colosse was probably the smallest and least important city that Paul ever wrote to. It might surprise us that Paul would turn his attention to the Christians in Colosse at a time when he had so many other concerns. Yet he apparently thought the situation in Colosse was important enough for apostolic attention. i. Paul wrote because there were problems among the Christians in Colosse, but the doctrinal problem – sometimes described as ‘The Colossian Heresy’ – is difficult to precisely describe. It probably was a corruption of Christianity with elements of mystical and legalistic Judaism perhaps combined early Gnosticism. ii. The first century religious environment was much like our own. It was a time of religious mixing, with people borrowing a little from this religion and a little from that religion. The only difference was that in the first century, one joined a group who did the borrowing. In our modern culture one does the borrowing one’s self. iii. Whatever the problem was precisely, Paul dwelt on the solution: a better understanding of Jesus. Knowing the real Jesus helps us to stay away from the counterfeit, no matter how it comes packaged.”
Colossae is west of Ephesus near Laodicea near a river. I wonder if the problems at Colossae were related in any way to the Laodicean problems?
(Application / Prayer) My application to myself is that I need to remember that I am your servant that You chose and wanted. I need to remember that I have had signs that You are working in my life and that You want to use me in Your service. I pray to remain willing and ready to serve You and to stop being so moody about it.
DAY 2
(Understanding the Text) Okay, I got a chance to read through the letter as an overview. In yesterday’s study, Guzik’s commentary said that there was some kind of “Colossian Heresy” that Paul was addressing. I just don’t see any problems being addressed specifically on a quick overview reading. I may see something when I read in more detail.
The first thing I notice in these verses is that Paul prayed for a group of people that he had never met. He was thankful to God for the Colossians. The second thing I notice is that Paul acknowledges that the Colossians have faith in Jesus and love for each other. Thus, if there is a problem, it is not because of a lack of faith or love. The third thing that I see is that Paul says that the gospel is going to the whole world, and it is bearing fruit and continuing to increase. Then Paul expands that idea to say that within the Colossian believers the fruit of the gospel is increasing also. Thus, he must be referring to maturing as Christians. He mentions this idea later on in verse 28. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). Also, Paul speaks of increasing fruits in the verses immediately following today’s passage. Thus, the context is of spiritual maturation, which is still in the process and not yet accomplished.
Here is one difference between my devotional study of Philippians and what I am seeing in Colossians. Paul regards the Philippians as already being spiritually mature. He regards the Colossians as being on the right road to maturity but not there yet. To the Philippians, Paul just gives warnings of possibilities that they might face while explaining that he knows that they already know this stuff. To the Colossians, Paul points out the next steps in growth and warnings about regression to past sinful behaviors. Paul regards the Colossians as still babies, who have been growing well, but need to be guided so that they continue to grow in the right direction.
Paul says that we have love for each other because of the hope laid up for us in heaven. What hope was Paul referring to? New bodies? Being with Jesus? A life without hardship? No condemnation? I understand what he is saying in general, but I wonder what Paul was thinking of specifically whenever he thought of his own hope laid up in heaven.
(Revelation of God) I notice that Paul thanks the Father. This helps me because every once in a while, I wonder if I should be praying to Jesus. However, Paul’s example is to pray to the Father about Jesus. I guess I need to be mentioning what Jesus has done for me in prayer to the Father.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I need to keep letting the gospel mature me. I need to keep remembering Jesus and His actions and words and thanking the Father for His Son. I need to have faith in God and love for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Father, help me to always remember that Jesus is my Savior and my Lord. Thank you for loving me so much that You sent Jesus to save me. Help me to grow and develop into someone like You, who loves and gives. I want to trust You in all things, but I am lacking in faith. Give me the faith that I need.