WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday June 23, 2019
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HEARTS
UNITED IN LOVE
(The
freedom of a new life in CHRIST JESUS)
(Colossians
2:1-15)
While
the Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he wrote this letter to the church at
Colosse, a city which he himself had not yet visited. He had come to know the
believers there while he was still living in Ephesus during his second
missionary journey. It was around this time, that he began to receive word
about the “strange antichrist doctrines and theories” that had infiltrated their
church, such as witchcraft, astrology, magic, and yes, Judaism, which was
intent on downgrading CHRIST JESUS to the rank of just another angel.
This
letter was carefully and brilliantly written by Paul to serve as proof that
JESUS was actually GOD in human form while HE existed here on earth. HE was the
greatest example ever, of what GOD HIMSELF is really like. GOD is the CREATOR
of all things, and through HIM we have everything we need to survive, both,
physically, and more importantly, spiritually.
In verse 1 of chapter 2, Paul gives us a
glimpse into his own heart, as he expresses the agony of his struggle that he
was going through for the Colossians and other Christians whom he had never met
face to face. Here he compares or associates the Colossians with the church at
Laodicea, one of the three towns with whom they shared a vicinity (the third
being Hierapolis).
It is not enough just to have love for
humanity, but one must also have love and belief in CHRIST JESUS, lest that
love become just mere sentimentality. The true Christian clearly has a double commitment
in this life, for he or she must first be committed to CHRIST JESUS, and then
one must also be powerfully committed to their fellowman.
In verses 2-3 Paul shares his goal with the
believers of Colosse. Here he tells them that his goal is that “they will be encouraged and knit together by
strong ties of love” (vs. 2a-NLT). However, in verses 2b-3, he reveals to
them the most important part of that goal which is for them to “have full confidence because they have
complete understanding of GOD’s secret plan (the Christian Church) which is
CHRIST HIMSELF. In HIM lies hidden all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”.
And so we see here that loving each other
and loving CHRIST has to be synonymous with each other. For CHRIST tells us in
Matthew 25, verses 31-46, that, when HE returns, HE will judge us according to
how we reacted to human need in our lifetime. In other words, HE will judge us
based on how we put our love for our fellowman into action.
We as human beings, should never be led
away into doctrines (including so-called Christian denominations) which are developed
by human minds. We should, instead, make a greater effort to adhere to the
things that come direct from the mind of a supreme GOD (the Holy Bible) WHO knows
all things that are conducive to living a life that can tap into the power that
HE has given to us as HIS greatest creation. JESUS, WHO is the greatest of the
greatest, clearly demonstrated that “power” (“exsousea”- “authority”) to us,
time and time again, while HE lived here on earth.
Beginning in verse 4 of this letter to the
Colossians, here in chapter 2, Paul tells us why we must be committed to
gaining complete knowledge and understanding of the Word of GOD, and he implores the believers here to stay away from
strange, “empty philosophy” (“pithanologia”) and “high-sounding nonsense” (“ecstatic
speech” – more popularly known today as “speaking in tongues”) that come from “human
thinking”, and, from the evil powers of this world, respectively (v.8).
JESUS represented to us, the fullness of
GOD in a human body (v.9), and we are made complete through our union with HIM.
JESUS is LORD over all rulers and authority in the whole universe (v.10), and
HE is LORD over both, the physical, and, the spiritual life. Our belief in HIM
infuses in us, a spiritual life that will persist, even after physical death
(Vs.11-12).
Baptism is a public act that symbolizes our
being buried with CHRIST, and then, being raised into a new life because we
believed, that, through the mighty power of GOD, WHO raised JESUS from the
dead, we will also be raised from the dead to be with HIM. Our acceptance of
CHRIST cuts away at “the gravitational pull” that the world has on our sinful
nature, and puts us on the road to a new life of seeking to know GOD more and
more with each passing day (Vs.13-15).
In these verses the Apostle Paul clearly
shows the adequacy of the work that JESUS did as a 100% human being here on
earth. Because of what HE did, our sins are forgiven, and the evil work of
satan was conquered, or nullified. However, we can only enjoy CHRIST’ conquest
when we repent and request forgiveness from GOD for our sins against HIM.
There are few things in this world that are
universally available to all human beings, regardless of their race, nationality,
gender, or social or economic condition. Of those few things, “the Salvation of
men’s souls” stands alone as the most valuable thing that any man can acquire. And
because of what CHRIST JESUS did, this greatest of assets, is free!
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
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