Episode notes
Four Study “Finally Free” Colossians Series:
While imprisoned by the Roman government due to the uproar he caused by spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, Paul the apostle wrote four letters that are now famously called the “Prison Epistles” (Ephesians, Philemon, Philippians and Colossians).
While in prison, Epaphras (the man who founded the church in Colossae) visited Paul to update him on both the faithfulness of the community of believers and the various pressures and opposition they faced.
In response to this conversation, Paul wrote the letter we now know today as the book of Colossians, which was read aloud to the church by a man named Tychicus, who was joined by a man named Onesimus.
While these may seem like small details, it is interesting to note that Onesimus was, in fact, an escaped slave who had been owned by a man named Philemon. In other words: Paul, a prisoner, wrote a letter to a church battling unbiblical belief systems popularized in Colossae, and the man he chose to stand present at its reading was a runaway slave.
Despite these obstacles, one of the primary messages God communicates through Paul in the four chapters of Colossians is the fact that, because of Jesus, we are finally free.
Today, it can be tempting to brush this letter aside. After all, the Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, we rarely write physical letters anymore, Colossae is no longer a recognized city (it’s now a mostly forgotten piece of land in Turkey), and (thankfully) the ownership of slaves is no longer as widespread.
Despite all of these changes over the passage of time, this incredible letter contains timeless truth for our world today.
Similar to Paul’s audience when it was originally written, those who believe in Jesus today still face immense pressure and opposition, and sometimes it can feel as though there is no hope for our situation.
Over the next four bible studies, our intention is to dust off this ancient letter and discover that, as a result of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, those who believe in Him are Finally Free...
Study #1) In Christ(Colossians 1)
Study #2) From Lies(Colossians 2)
Study #3) For Purpose(Colossians 3)
Study #4) In Community(Colossians 4)
Where We’re Going
Satan, the enemy of our souls, always disguises his traps with lies. Avoiding these traps requires both a well-rounded understanding of truth and an awareness of the deceitful tactics he often uses. After detailing the freedom found only in Christ in Colossians 1, Paul shifts his focus in chapter 2 to address the specific lies being told to the church in Colossae.
In “Finally Free: From Lies”, we’re going to take a closer look at five lies Jesus has set us free from:
Lie #1) The Path Has Changed(Colossians 2:1-7)
Lie #2) Humans Always Know Best (Colossians 2:8)
Lie #3) You Still Need More (Colossians 2:9-12)
Lie #4) Our Debt Is Unpaid(Colossians 2:13-15)
Lie #5) Religion Should Trump Relationship(Colossians 2:16-23)
Prayerfully, as we study this chapter together, God will open our eyes to the truth and enable us to stand firm in it!
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