Colossians 3-4; 1 Thessalonians 1

Colossians 3

If we (believers) have been raised with Christ, then set your minds on things above

• Your life is hidden with Christ
  • Our old life is done
• Christ will appear in our life with glory

Put Sin to Death

• Put to death:
  • Sexual immorality
  • Impurity
  • Passion
  • Evil desire
  • Covetousness
    • This is idolatry
• Put away:
  • Anger
  • Wrath
  • Malice
  • Slander
  • Obscene talk 
  • Lying 
• The old self has been removed
• The new self is being renewed in Christ

Put on:

• Compassion
• Kindness
• Humility
• Meekness
• Patience
• Bearing one another
• Forgive one another

Above all, put on love

• Let Christ’s peace rule our hearts
• Let Christ’s word dwell richly within you
• Teach and admonish each other in wisdom
• Worship God together
• Do everything in Jesus’ name

 Christ in the Home

• Wives submit to husbands
• Husbands love wives
• Children obey parents
• Fathers do not provoke children
• Servants work sincerely
• Masters treat servants fairly

Colossians 4

Continue steadfastly in prayer

• Pray for open doors for the gospel
• Walk wisely toward outsiders
• Let speech be gracious and wise

Final Greetings

• Tychicus delivers the letter
• Onesimus accompanies him
• Greetings from Paul’s coworkers
• Instructions for sharing the letter
  • read in the church of the Laodiceans
• Archippus is encouraged to fulfill his ministry

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

1 Thessalonians 1

from: https://www.jesuswalk.com/thessalonians/00_intro.htm

Author: Paul  with  Silas and Timothy

To: The church in Thessalonica.

Thessalonica was a large port city in Macedonia (modern Greece)

Date:  likely AD 50-51

This makes 1 Thessalonians one of the earliest New Testament books, written only about 20 years after Jesus’ resurrection!

Paul, Silas, and Timothy greet the church- Grace and peace 

Paul continually thanks God for them 

• Their work of faith
• Their labor of love
• Their steadfastness of hope
• The gospel came with power of the Holy Spirit and conviction

 Examples to Other Believers

• They imitated Paul/Timothy/Silas and the Lord
• They received the gospel
  • amid suffering
  • With joy of the Holy Spirit
• They became examples throughout Macedonia and Achaia
• Their faith became widely known

They turned from idols

• They now serve the living and true God
• They await Christ’s return from heaven, who died and was raised
• Jesus delivers believers from coming wrath

Application

We are taught to put away our sinful habits as our new life is now found in Christ. Not only are we told how to handle our inward hearts, but also how we treat one another. We should speak wisely and use every opportunity to share the gospel. We have been transformed in Christ!