Thankful for Gospel-Love - Thanksgiving Sermon
Brian Fletcher
Colossians 1:3-8
Intro:
As you read the letters of the New Testament you need to always remember the context they were written in. Of course, each letter that was written to individuals, churches, or groups of churches has its own specific context. But we must not forget that the letters on a whole were written to first-century Christians. These dear brothers and sisters are living out the great commission of Jesus and forming the early Christian church. There were so many things that had not been established yet. They were meeting in homes, not in large buildings with incredible sound systems, like our current context. They were learning from the apostles but only one letter at a time. They did not have all of the New Testament books neatly put together in a beautiful bound cowhide leather study Bible.
This is the audience that the New Testament authors were writing to. They were newly formed communities of faith, living under military occupation, trying to understand the implications of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
These new communities of faith were scattered across Israel, Asia Minor, and into Italy. They grew as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. They were taught byt these letters from the apostles and by the Old Testament Scriptures. They were beginning to see how beautifully interwoven this story of God's redeeming love fit into what they were learning.
And the church was growing rapidly. It grew and matured in its understanding of the good news. This gospel of truth about Jesus Christ who had the power to forgive sins, reconcile us to God, bear His wrath, sanctify us, lead us into a life that exalts and glorifies God, and will one day end in eternal salvation for all who put their faith in Jesus.
You can only imagine the genuineness of the apostle Paul's thanksgiving toward the people, the new believers in these churches. So let's see a few things ...
Brian Fletcher
Colossians 1:3-8
Intro:
As you read the letters of the New Testament you need to always remember the context they were written in. Of course, each letter that was written to individuals, churches, or groups of churches has its own specific context. But we must not forget that the letters on a whole were written to first-century Christians. These dear brothers and sisters are living out the great commission of Jesus and forming the early Christian church. There were so many things that had not been established yet. They were meeting in homes, not in large buildings with incredible sound systems, like our current context. They were learning from the apostles but only one letter at a time. They did not have all of the New Testament books neatly put together in a beautiful bound cowhide leather study Bible.
This is the audience that the New Testament authors were writing to. They were newly formed communities of faith, living under military occupation, trying to understand the implications of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
These new communities of faith were scattered across Israel, Asia Minor, and into Italy. They grew as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. They were taught byt these letters from the apostles and by the Old Testament Scriptures. They were beginning to see how beautifully interwoven this story of God's redeeming love fit into what they were learning.
And the church was growing rapidly. It grew and matured in its understanding of the good news. This gospel of truth about Jesus Christ who had the power to forgive sins, reconcile us to God, bear His wrath, sanctify us, lead us into a life that exalts and glorifies God, and will one day end in eternal salvation for all who put their faith in Jesus.
You can only imagine the genuineness of the apostle Paul's thanksgiving toward the people, the new believers in these churches. So let's see a few things ...
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