A Bird's-eye view of the New Testament Part 3

 A Bird's-eye view of the New Testament

There is no mention of Colosse in the Book of Acts, so we don’t know who first preached the gospel here. But we do know that during Paul’s two years in Ephesus, “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” This surely included Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. Epaphras, who was from Colosse and a co-worker with Paul, may have been the one to preach the gospel to them and been their pastor.

Epaphras had come to consult with Paul about false teachers causing problems in the Colossian church. Whatever the heresy was, it was clearly depriving Jesus of his glory and our completeness in him!

The fullness of God in Jesus Christ:
+his dear Son
+who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
+all things were created by him, and for him
+he is before all things, and by him all things consist
+he is the head of the body, the church
+who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead
+that in all things he might have the preeminence
+For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell
+In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
+For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily

We are complete in him:
+Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness
+and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son
+In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
+And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
+And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power
+Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him
+For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God
+When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory

Acts 17 tells us of Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica – it was brief and he was run out of town. He went on to Berea and the Jews of Thessalonica had him run out of that town as well! How brief was his stay in Thessalonica? We are told that he preached in the synagogue for three sabbaths or three weeks. But a church was started that seemed to be thriving and suffering. Paul wrote these epistles to encourage this young and suffering church. He mentioned the second coming in every chapter, and uses this hope to strengthen them in faith and holiness and comfort them in their suffering.

1 Thessalonians
1 Second Coming And Salvation
2 Second Coming And Christian Service
3 Second Coming And Sanctification
4 Second Coming And Them Which Are Asleep
5 Second Coming: Times And Seasons

2 Thessalonians
1 The Second Coming And Suffering For Jesus
2 The Second Coming And The Son Of Perdition
3 The Second Coming And Patient Waiting For Christ

Some golden daybreak Jesus will come
Some golden daybreak, battles all won
He’ll shout the vict'ry, break thro’ the blue
Some golden daybreak for me, for you
(Carl Blackmore)

Timothy and Titus were Paul’s co-workers in the gospel. Of Timothy we read, As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine (1 Tim 1:3). Concerning Titus, For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee. (Tit 1:5)

Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus instructing them about church life and practice.

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Tim 3:14-16)

Philemon was a personal friend of Paul who was living in Colosse. He was encouraged by Paul to welcome Onesimus back, a runaway slave who had been converted by Paul.