peace to live by

Paul's Struggle for the Church, Part 1 (TMF:2607)

Tuesday, May 06, 2025
Peace to Live By: Paul's Struggle for the Church, Part 1 (TMF:2607) - Daniel Litton
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       Beginning in Colossians 2 today, starting in verse 1: “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face” (ESV). We begin today with Paul’s acknowledgement of a struggle. A struggle in the work he is seeking to accomplish. The good news is that it’s a positive struggle. It’s not something that is negative or causing him and Timothy to be downtrodden. Where is the struggling coming from? Obviously, it’s coming from an inner love that Paul has toward the believers in Colossae. It seems safe to assume that no one would put that kind of effort in such an endeavor without love. And for the nearby city of Laodicea, Paul also shared that love. Notice he emphasized the work by noting “how great a struggle” it was. Paul was presenting the good news to world, and the believers in Colossae and Laodicea had believed that good news. And Paul wanted to make sure they continue down that path—away from the negative influence of the world from which they had escaped.