Greetings may seem unimportant, but don’t be too quick to dismiss them. When you’re on the frontlines serving and missing home, a greeting from someone who cares and gives some encouragement is life-giving! Colossians 4 gives us a rare glimpse into what was happening in cities across the Roman Empire in the first century: Christ was being preached, prayers were fervently prayed as letters and gospels were written , leaving us an unmistakable picture of faith and conviction amidst hardship.
If you are trying to have a quiet time, getting started in a relationship with God or seeking guidance at this point in your life, you're in the right place.
In fifteen minutes or less you will listen to God's word for you, reflect on it and learn to pray to God as well as carry that word with you through the rest of your day. It's a perfect way to get started!
In season four we're praying through some of the letters in the Bible. We finish Colossians as Paul and Timothy send greetings to believers in Colossae and final instructions for how to carry on the work of the gospel. Ancient letters usually ended with greetings, and the New Testament letters give us a portrayal of how intensely social and close-knit the early Christian communities were as they carried the gospel with urgency and purpose.
Colossians 4 begins by urging prayer and dedication to the task of sharing the gospel. The early Christians were not bookish types writing their gospels, letters or other writings safely in a university or private study. They were on the frontlines, contesting in the marketplace and taking care of the poor and sick and hungry as they faced misunderstanding and persecution.
The greetings that Paul and Timothy share not only give us insight into how churches related to one another or how letters and teachers were shared, they also embody the essence of Christian living. Listen to the end and strive to make the application practical today.
As we read the letters we grow closer to God and realize we can't exhaust the riches in each part of scripture that we cover. However, you can go deeper into them on your own using our four step process. You can download the helpsheet that details and demonstrates the four step process we use on First Fifteen using Psalm 1.
If you want to get more daily encouragement you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram @WordofPrayer15 . Go ahead and get started listening and follow/subscribe to this podcast to hear more from God's word. You can also find us on Facebook at Word of Prayer 15.
We have a course on Philemon and Colossians for in-depth Bible study called "Christ Supreme". If you are interested in going deeper, check out the links on our website or the Facebook page.
A classic book that does an imaginative retelling of the Onesimus-Philemon story that will appeal to young and old is Twice Freed by Patrician St. John. You can find it on Amazon.
Additional resources at the Word of Prayer website https://word-of-prayer.com
