Introduction

1. My best friend from high school is now an Air Force pilot stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I sent him an email asking him to be a groomsman in my wedding, but because of the great geographical distance between him and me, I knew he probably would not be able to come.

2. A few weeks went by and as Becky and I were driving from Philadelphia to San Jose, I received two voice mail messages on my cell phone. They were from an unfamiliar number. The first message was two minutes of silence. The second was my friend Chris telling me to my amazement that yes, he would come to my wedding. And on the inside I was going, "Yeah!!! Chris is gonna be there at the wedding!"

3. Now that was big news, and I'm glad it finally got through. Chris's first phone call made it across the miles from Okinawa to the United States, but at some crucial point, it didn't make the connection, and out in the cell-phone signal-deprived wastelands of Wyoming or Utah, I couldn't hear what he had to say. But his second call made the connection, and got his message through to me.

4. Now God has not just big news, but hugely important and good news to tell you today in the book of Colossians, and for that reason He is reaching out to you to make a connection with you, to give you His grace and peace through Jesus Christ.

Body

1. Author: Jesus Christ sent Paul to you

   1. It is for that reason that Jesus Christ sent Paul to you. This is the very first thing Paul tells us in this book – Jesus Christ sent Paul to you. This is Paul's first point in today's passage. He says in v. 1:

      1. Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus

   2. The word "apostle" means "sent." So Paul identifies himself here as "Paul, sent by Christ Jesus."

   3. Christ

      1. Because it's Christ who sent Paul, let's first look at how God gave us His grace by sending Christ to us. John says about Christ that

         • John 1:14 the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

      2. Out of the riches of His mercy God sent Christ—who is the eternal second person of the Godhead, who was before all things, by whom all things were created, and in whom is bound up all the fullness of God's life, and goodness, and grace—God sent Christ to put on flesh and thereby in Himself to perfect our human nature, to dwell with us and conquer the lusts of the flesh, to die in our place to take the punishment we deserve, to rise from the dead to prove His victory over sin and death and hell.

      3. What an amazing kindness God has shown to us, we who have rebelled against Him in our hearts and actions, and only deserve His wrath! That He would send His only Son to reconcile us to Himself, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life!

      4. Now that Christ has won this victory on our behalf, He sent out His apostles as His ambassadors, to declare His victory to all who will hear, to call them to believe on Christ as their Savior, and thereby to reconcile us guilty sinners to Himself. Turn with me if you will to 2 Corinthians 5:18 and listen to how great God's grace is toward us in sending Christ's ambassadors like Paul with the message of salvation:

         • 2 Corinthians 5:18 - 6:2 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 6:1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

         • God conveys His grace to you by sending you a man who will tell you that today you can be reconciled to God. This man wrote the book of Colossians which you now hold in your hands. And this book of Colossians gives you God's grace by telling you about how great Jesus Christ your Savior is, and how great is His work of reconciliation, accomplished for you.

         • Treasure the message of salvation given to you in this book, dear friend, for it will give you life.

         • This is why Christ sent Paul to you—that you may receive the fullness of life in Christ.

   4. Paul. Paul's apostleship: the man & his office (more info at NGSB p. 1712)

      1. Origin of apostleship

         • Paul claims here at the beginning of his letter to the Colossians to be an "apostle of Christ Jesus." Why do we need to know that Paul was an apostle? What is the significance of the apostleship?

         • At the beginning of His ministry Christ appointed twelve men to preach in His name, and at the end of His ministry Christ "sent" the twelve out to make disciples of all nations, to be His witnesses from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the end of the earth. By doing this He gave them the special office of apostle.

      2. Qualifications of apostleship

         • Eyewitnesses of Christ's resurrection

           • This office had two qualifications which were recognized in the early church, and which express the reason why we need to know that Colossians comes from one of the apostles.

           • First, an apostle had to be an eyewitness of Christ's resurrection. After Judas had betrayed Christ and committed suicide out of his sense of guilt, the church sought out his replacement in Acts 1:22, saying,

             • Acts 1:22 one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.

           • Peter tells us why an apostle needed to be a witness of Christ's resurrection in 2 Peter 1:16-21. Turn with me there. Peter tells us,

             • 2 Peter 1:16-21 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

           • You see, because they give us an eyewitness account, the apostles are a far better witness than any other who would claim to give you the fundamental truths you need to know. The false teachers influencing the church at Colosse claimed to have deep personal knowledge of the physical or spiritual powers of the universe, but they had not witnessed anything as great as Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. I tell you, if a charismatic Christian tells you he is an "apostle," you need to remember that he has not seen Christ face to face in His resurrected and glorified body, as did Peter, or as did Paul. False apostles should not use that name.

         • Appointed and Sent by Christ

           • But second, an apostle must be appointed by Christ, and sent by Him to preach His gospel.

             • Christ appointed Matthias to replace Judas by causing Matthias to be chosen by lot in Acts 1:26, and Christ appointed Paul an apostle in Acts 9, saying, as Paul recounts for us in Acts 26,

             • Acts 26:15-18 I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things which you have seen and to the things which I will show you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles- to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

           • You need to know that Paul is an apostle of Christ—that Paul was appointed and sent by Christ—because then you know that Paul comes in the name and authority of Christ and that in his message Paul is bringing to you the salvation which Christ has accomplished for you. Paul brings you Christ's authority, Christ's message, and Christ's salvation.

   5. "By the will of God"

      1. Paul further tells us that he is an apostle "by the will of God," and he adds that he sends this letter in partnership with "Timothy, the brother." We will pass over these details very quickly today, just noting that Paul did not appoint himself to be an apostle, of his own will, of his own choice, out of the directives of a humanly-originated philosophy or empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, rather than according to Christ. But rather Paul was sent by Christ because God chose to send Paul. He was an apostle by the will of God.

      2. Paul mentions "Timothy, the brother" not to indicate that Timothy is an apostle or even the author of this book, but rather to welcome the Colossians into the fellowship of the whole church throughout the world, and to reassure the Colossians that here Paul speaks not his own opinion but rather the truth that is commonly received throughout Christ's church.

2. Recipients: You are Christ's church

   1. You see, there were several barriers preventing the Colossians from maintaining full faithfulness to Christ, and from partaking fully in His church.

      1. First off, they had never actually met Paul, but rather the church was planted by Epaphras, one of Paul's converts.

      2. Further, the Colossians lived in a small town, a cultural and economic backwater somewhat cut off from the mainstream of Greek society.

      3. But more importantly, the city of Colosse was being infiltrated with a strange combination of Jewish legalism, pagan nature-worship, and philosophical speculation about the deep, fundamental powers of the universe.

   2. And so to overcome these barriers, and to convey to the Colossians the full riches of God's grace in Christ, Paul first tells them that Christ sent Paul to them just as much as to every other group of Gentiles throughout the world. And that was our first main point in this sermon—Christ sent Paul to you. But now Paul tells them a second truth which they greatly need to hear—he tells them, you are Christ's church. That is Paul's second point for the Colossians and for us in this passage. You are Christ's church. He makes this point in v. 2 by addressing the intended recipients of his letter with these words:

      1. Colossians 1:2 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae

   3. Paul addresses the Colossians by declaring that they are "saints and faithful brothers in Christ." Now the word "saints" means "holy ones," "people who are holy." By calling the Colossians "saints," Paul makes clear that God has in fact already begun to make the Colossian Christians holy. Paul reminds them here that they have already received the redemptive work of Christ. Paul indicates further by calling them "faithful brothers in Christ" that not only has God made them partakers in Christ's salvation at their conversion, but God has continued to grant them continued faith in Christ, and faithfulness to Him.

   4. Paul says these things because it is imperative for the Colossians not to forget their identity! Their old nature has been buried with Christ, and they have now been made alive together with Him in His resurrection, and in their regeneration. Since they were raised with Christ, now they must set their minds on things which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. From Christ flows all the fullness of our Christian life. And for that reason, we must not forget our identity.

   5. And so by telling the Colossians of his identity as the letter's author, and of their identity as the letter's recipients, Paul reminds them of their identity, and reorients their perspective to recognize the true greatness of Christ their Savior, and the reality that their lives are bound up with Him.

   6. Now Paul was not only speaking to the Colossians, but here in these words he is speaking to you, today. He is the apostle whom Christ sent to tell you of the greatness of God's grace toward us in Christ. Christ sent Paul to you. But further, if God has made you a saint, a faithful brother in Christ Jesus, if you have believed on Christ as your Savior, by faith receiving in Him the benefits of His death and resurrection on your behalf, then you are Christ's people, you are Christ's church, you are now members of Christ's kingdom, as much as were the Colossians. If you believe on Christ, then with Paul in Col. 1:12-14, give "thanks to God the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered you from the domain of darkness and conveyed you into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

   7. And if these things are true of you, then Christ has sent Paul to you, because you are Christ's church, and now Paul has a message for you. The author and recipients are identified, the connection has been made, and now the pipeline is wide open and ready to pour out into your life the fullness of what God has in store for you.

3. Greeting: Grace to you, and peace

   1. What then does God intend to give you in this letter? Paul immediately tells us in v. 2:

      1. Colossians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

   2. In this letter God is giving you His grace, and His peace. This is Paul's main point today—God is giving you His grace, and His peace.

   3. Grace

      1. What is God's grace? It is God's unmerited favor, expressed in God's condescending care for us His people. Let's unpack that definition a bit.

         • Unmerited favor.

           • Favor. God's grace is first off His favor. His favor is the kindness which He has toward us within His own heart. As 1:13 says, we are now in the kingdom of God's beloved Son. By uniting us with Christ, who is beloved by the Father, now God can fully express His love to us, for in expressing His eternal love for the Son, now he is able to express His love for us who are bound up in Christ, who are in Christ's kingdom, who are covered by Christ's blood, who are represented by Christ before the presence of the Father.

           • Unmerited. Not only is God's grace His favor or His love for us, but it is a love which we do not deserve. It is unmerited. John Murray says that God's grace is not only His favor to the un-deserving, but it is His favor to the ill-deserving; even to the hell-deserving.

           • You see, apart from God's grace in Christ you and I would deserve the full wrath of God and thereby would experience the pains of hell forever. The reason we would deserve this is that apart from salvation in Christ, our hearts are hostile to God, to His goodness, and our deeds are evil. We covet, we hate, we kill our brother in our minds if not with our hands. This great evil alienates us from God, and only deserves for God to cast us further out of the presence of His blessing. Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:21 of who we were apart from God's grace:

             • Colossians 1:21-22 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

           • If you have not yet asked God to forgive you for your sins, if you have not yet trusted on Christ for salvation from your sin, you have begun to experience this alienation, and you not only deserve, but will receive that greater alienation to come. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will not know peace with God. And in fact, you are bound in the power of darkness, and on your own you cannot escape from its power.

         • Condescending care

           • But I want you to know that if that is who you are; if today you know you are in fact hostile to God, doing evil deeds, and you have not asked Him to save you from your sins, more than anyone else today you need to hear the message of this book. You need to know that not only does God have a disposition of favor in His heart toward those He has already saved, but God in fact reaches out to you to make a connection with you, even when you are still hostile to Him. This is why God sent Jesus to die for you, even before you were born—because of how great his love and care is for you. Paul tells us in 1:22 that His people God

             • has now reconciled in Christ's body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

           • Not only did God send Christ to die before you could pay for your sins, but God also reaches out to you now when you are in fact dead and raises you to life by giving you faith in Christ. God overcomes the power of sin for you before you are ever able to do so yourself. This is God's grace. Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us that

             • Ephesians 2:4-5 4 God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved-

           • And further in v. 8 we hear that

             • Ephesians 2:8 by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God

           • God reaches out to you with the words of the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe on Christ. He calls you to turn away from your sins, and believe on Christ, and in calling you He in fact gives you that faith, by which you receive Christ, and all of His righteousness to cover your sin, and His holiness to transform your life. Come to Him today, for "all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

           • And in this call God condescends, He comes to you, a sinner in need of His grace, and kindly cares for you as a father cares for His child. Let us praise Him that His grace is not only His unmerited favor, but also His condescending care.

   4. Peace, from God our Father

      1. If you have received God's saving grace by believing on Christ as your Savior, then now you have peace with God through your Lord Jesus Christ. And so as the direct result of God's grace Paul also announces to you God's peace. He says, "Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father." Though you once were guilty before God because of your sins, and because of God's law which condemned your sin, by Christ fulfilling that law in your place, God has now canceled the record of debt which stood against you. "This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14) Through Christ God has "reconciled [you] to himself...making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:20)

Conclusion

1. In conclusion, remember that out of the riches of His grace, Christ sent Paul to you. Out of the riches of His grace, you are Christ's church. Now out of the riches of His grace, God's grace and peace are to you, from God the Father.