Paul, An Apostle/From Colosse to Kitchener

Instead of a sermon with a particular text, this service had two brief meditations on the book of Colossians in general.

The first meditation deals with the controversy regarding who wrote the letter to the church in Colossae.  Some biblical scholars claim that this letter was not acutally written by Paul, since it is quite different than his other letters.  Other scholars say that Colossians was indeed written by Paul, and that he simply changed his writing style to make the letter more comprehensible to the Colossians.  In one sense, though, it doesn't really matter who wrote the book, since the author was still inspired by the Holy Spirit; the letter may or may not be the words of Paul, but it is indeed the Word of God.

The second meditation deals with the disconnect that many modern people feel when they read Colossians, or any other New Testament letter.  The ancient world is so very different from the modern world that many people don't see how the letters written by the apostles could be relevant to them.  Despite how many things have changed over the millenia, though, three things have not changed:  (a) the world is still dominated by the power of sin and death, (b) humanity is still in need of a Saviour, and (c) Jesus Christ is that Saviour, the one who is overthrowing the power of sin and death, and making all things new.    

To see this sermon in the context of the larger entire worship service, please open this bulletin.