Collections from Colossians

Greetings fellow-wayfarer, two weeks ago (November 13, 2016) we went into groups of three for Sunday School. These are posted for your edification and to aid along in study of Paul's letter to the Colossians. Below are fifteen collections that I pray will stretch and strengthen you in your love for God. Shalom.
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1. If Colossians were a First Testament book, which one would you say and why?
2. Show five instances in the letter of Colossians of Paul being imprisoned. Describe each of those instances with citation of chapter and verse reference.
3. Paul is a new man in Christ but imprisoned. Make sense of this reality and share three paradoxes that are its necessary outcome.
4. Last week’s sermon entitled, “Misfits of Another Kingdom,” made the point in 3:18-4:1 that Christians are not primarily about telling other people what to do. Explain the way that works in family roles of wives-husbands, children-fathers, slaves-masters.
5. Unpack Colossians 2:23, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” Context: Paul is speaking of human teachings and precepts (something Jesus was on about with the Pharisees) when talking about having an appearance of wisdom. What does have value to stopping the indulgence of the flesh? And why does “self-made religion”, “asceticism” and “severity to the body” not work in stopping the indulgence of the flesh? Why is this false approach used by people generation after generation? How do you understand this lingering effect?
6. Review the Sunday School from a couple weeks ago that addressed the ways we understand the head and the way Colossians does (see Col. 1:18; 2:10, 19). In sum, Christ as the head sounds a lot different than we point at the head. Account for this difference.
7. The one part of our sermon series in Colossians that did not have time allotted to go through was Col. 3:15-17. In past times of teaching these verses, the repetition of thanksgiving (3X) has been mentioned. Look at the word “let” (v.15, 16) and connect this to doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Comment on what kind of outcome this can have on our ways of being Christian.
8. Colossians 3:11 reads, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free: but Christ is all, and in all.” This verse is reminiscent of Galatians 3:28. Why does Paul not include male and female in this list? Is this simply an oversight or gloss? Or perhaps does it contribute to the addressing of the Christian household in 3:18-4:1? Further, how do you hear Christ is all and in all?
9. Paul warns against being taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of this world (2:8). Again in 2:22 he speaks of human precepts and teachings.  Why is there a need to warn against the role of human tradition, teachings and precepts? Isn’t this a built in component to being Christian that we have a human composition to that way things are share, disseminated or disclosed? Speak to this issue with understanding church practice (both within our Sunday confines and abroad).
10. Have each person offer up a portion of Paul’s prayer in 1:9-14 for one another and our church.
11. Re-summarize the role of the opening chapters of Genesis in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Why does he make a point of starting from there?
12. Death and resurrection are the ways of God made plain in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Show the ways that Paul makes this the crux of the matter for our life in Christ.
13. Colossians 3:25, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.” This verse seems to be out of place when reading the flow of 3:22-4:1. But we know the Bible is God’s Word and these lines have a point to make. Who is this line speaking of? The bondservants or masters? Or it both? Give reason(s) for your answer.
14. Read Colossians 4:7-18. This will be next week’s text that concludes our sermon series in Colossians. Get acquainted with the names and imagine being in the church at Colossae when it is being read aloud. What impressions does this ending leave with you?  
15. Benediction: now may the Father of our living Lord Jesus Christ who robes you and adorns you as our high priest in heaven cause you by the Holy Spirit to be wearing as God’s hand-picked ones, holy and much loved to be clothed with compassionate hearts to our failures, kindness to the bruised, humility to the proud in heart, meekness to the power-hungry, patience to the wandering, making room for other Christians who fault without finding fault, and tenderly forgiving others as you remember what it has been like to be forgiven by the Lord, so now forgive others and let love reign in you from the inside out and by so doing promote the glory of God in this mission of imaging the Creator Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.  

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