Good Ears That Hear the Good News
1) The beginning of the letter (1-3)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
2) The gospel that bears fruit (4-6)
because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-- the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.
3) Our love that is rooted in the Spirit (7,8)
You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Summary
Faith and love cannot be attained or increased through our own strength and effort. We receive them when we accept the gospel of Jesus Christ manifested on the cross and the hope that it represents. The hope of the cross is the only way we can experience and practice true love.
For Discussion
1) What did Paul understand about true hope?
2) How can we learn to love even more?