Colossians 1:1-2 (NIV)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Paul is writing this letter to the church in Colossae, a city in the Roman province of Asia (modern Turkey), a few miles southeast of Laodicea . Paul had not been to Colossae and he was not the one who had started the church there, but he had recently had contact with two men from there.
The first was Epaphras. Epaphras had been instrumental in starting the church, and was now with Paul in Rome (1:7, 4:12). Epaphras had become a partner with Paul in the work he was doing in Rome, but his heart was still with the Christians back home in Colossae, and he held them up in prayer continually.
The second was Onesimus. Onesimus had been a slave in Colossae and had escaped from his master, Philemon. Onesimus had ended up in Rome and had been converted and disciple by Paul himself (Philemon 10-14). Paul was sending Onesimus back to Philemon to set matters right, and was sending with him both the personal letter to Philemon and this letter to the whole congregation at Colossae.
Even though Paul had never been to Colossae, the people there were quite aware of who he was and what he had done in spreading the gospel to the vast majority of their province. So, Paul gave only a brief introduction of himself in his greeting, simply identifying himself as an apostle, a man personally sent by Jesus to proclaim the gospel to those who hadn’t heard it. He also indicates that it was not his intention to become an apostle, but that he had been called by God himself to be one.
Even though there were many other Christians with Paul in Rome, he singled out Timothy to be identified as the co-author of this letter, as he did in his personal letter to Philemon (Philemon 1).
The letter is addressed to the saints of God in Colossae, or God’s holy people in Colossae. However you choose to translate it, the meaning is the same. Paul is addressing the Christians: those who had been saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and who had had their hearts cleansed, transformed and purified by their encounter and by their continual relationship with Him. This meaning is amplified in the next phrase. These holy men and women of God had now become faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, faithful in their obedience to the commands of Jesus, and faithful in telling others about the Lord and Savior whom they now served, and thus growing God’s Kingdom.
Father, it is amazing to see how your kingdom was growing in Paul’s day. Epaphras had been transformed by the gospel, so when he went back home to Colossae he couldn’t help telling more people about the Savior and the salvation he had found in Him. So, a church was begun in Colossae and had continued to grow. Lord, that has been your design from the beginning, that Churches start and grow from the seeds of people already transformed, who then tell others. Help us, Lord, those of us who already know you, to be faithful in telling others the good news that has already come to us, so that Your kingdom continues to grow. Amen.