Invitation to the New Testament 10: Paul's Prison Epistles

PAUL’S PRISON EPISTLES: 

PAUL’S PRISON EPISTLES

Introduction: 

Introduction Following his third missionary journey, Paul returned to Jerusalem where he was arrested and imprisoned. From there he was transported to Caesarea and eventually Rome. He spent approximately 2 years in Caesarea and 2 years in Rome as a prisoner (Acts 21 - 28). It was during his Roman imprisonment (60-62 A.D.) that he wrote letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon.

EPHESIANS: 

EPHESIANS

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Ephesus

Introduction: 

Introduction Ephesians and Colossians have been called “Twin Epistles" because the basic content of 78 of the 155 verses in Ephesians is restated in Colossians. Ephesians emphasizes the body of Christ, the church. Colossians emphasizes the head of the church, Christ.

Background: 

Background In New Testament times, Ephesus was famous as a political, commercial, and religious center. It boasted a 25,000-seat theater, a race course, and the temple of Diana which was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Paul visited Ephesus briefly at the end of his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18, 19). He left Aquila and Priscilla there at that time. Paul founded the Ephesian church on his third journey. Timothy ministered in Ephesus later (1 Tim. 1:3). Tradition teaches that the apostle John ministered there after Timothy. Revelation 2:1-7 was written to this particular church.

Purpose: 

Purpose Paul wrote Ephesians... to explain the nature of the universal church, including its great wealth (1:1 - 3:21) to exhort the members of the universal church to proper conduct toward each other, the world, God, and members of their own families (4:1 - 6:9) to appeal to the believer to be prepared for spiritual conflict (6:10-24).

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline Theme – the universal church is the body of Christ Key Verses – 1:22-23; 4:15-16 Outline Introduction (1:1,2) 1. The Wealth of the Church (1:3 - 3:21) 2. The Walk of the Church (4:1 - 6:9) 3. The Warfare of the Church (6:10-20) Conclusion (6:21-24)

Practical Insights: 

Practical Insights The letter Paul wrote to the Colossians was designed to correct the effects of false teaching. He writes Ephesians in an effort to inoculate his readers against becoming infected with that same heresy. When Paul speaks of holiness in Ephesians 4, he establishes the "put off - put on” principle. Holiness isn't just a matter of giving up certain things. It involves putting on certain things. For every negative trait you put off, you should replace it with a positive one (see, Luke 11:24-26).

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Every Spiritual Blessing Ephesians 1:3-14 Chose us in Him (4) • Special Predestined us (5) • Secure Adopted us (5) • Belong Redeemed us (7) • Released Forgiven us (7) • Pardoned Revealed His will (9) • Partners

COLOSSIANS: 

COLOSSIANS

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Colosse

Background: 

Background Paul had never visited the city of Colosse where these believers lived (1:4; 2:1). The Colossian church may have started while Paul was in Ephesus for 3 years during his third journey (Acts 19:10). 1. Some of Paul's associates could've evangelized Colosse while Paul was stationed in Ephesus; or... 2. Some of the Colossians who visited in Ephesus could've heard Paul preach and then carried that message back to Colosse .

Purpose: 

Purpose Paul wrote Colossians... to express his prayerful interest in their spiritual progress (1:1-12) to present Jesus as the exalted Christ (1:13-29) to warn against doctrinal errors (2:1-23) to exhort to holiness (3:1 - 4:6) to send personal greetings and remarks (4:7-18)

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline Theme – the pre-eminence of Christ Key Verse – 1:18 Outline Introduction (1:1-8) 1. The Preeminence of Christ (1:9-29) 2. The Warning against the Heresy of Gnosticism (2:1-23) 3. The Practice of True Christian Living (3:1 - 4:6) Conclusion (4:7-18)

Helpful Explanations: 

Helpful Explanations Colossians was written to combat the heresy of gnosticism . A gnostic was one who was said to have a special knowledge of God. Gnosticism emphasized wisdom and knowledge and the abasement of the body. Gnostics believed that everything material was evil. Therefore, they taught that to be spiritual you needed to abuse your body, that God did not create the universe directly, and that Jesus couldn't have had a real physical body.

Helpful Explanations: 

Helpful Explanations C. Colossians 1 - Gnostics believed that God created angels, which were less than God, and that they created the world. They considered Jesus to be one of these angels. (Sounds like the Jehovah's Witnesses, doesn't it?) Colossians 1 was written to show Jesus' preeminence. D. Colossians 2 - The false teachers were saying that Jesus wasn't unique and that it was necessary to add some things to Christ to make their religion complete. These things included: philosophy/traditions (v. 8), circumcision (v. 11), ordinances (v. 16, 20-23), and angel worship (v. 18).

Helpful Explanations: 

Helpful Explanations E. Colossians 3 shows where real spiritual fullness is found. F. The errors Paul denounced in Colossians are still around today. The Jehovah Witnesses teach that Jesus was not fully God and that man is a little god himself. They promote the worship of angels and the careful control of diet due to the idea of matter being evil. The Mormons are heavily into angel worship and teach an unknowable God. Jesus was only God in a lesser sense they believe. Roman Catholicism emphasizes the keeping of laws to gain a full salvation, much like the Gnostics.

PHILIPPIANS: 

PHILIPPIANS

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Philippi

Background: 

Background The Philippian Church was the first church Paul founded in Europe. This was done during his second missionary journey (Acts 16). The charter members of this church were Lydia, a young woman who had been demon possessed, a jailor, and perhaps a few prisoners.

Purpose: 

Purpose To report on the circumstances of his imprisonment (1:1-30) To exhort them to be humble (2:1-30) To warn against Judaizers (3:1-21) To admonish Euodias and Syntche to maintain unity (4:1-3) To admonish the people to joyfulness and prayerfulness (4:4-9) To thank them for their financial assistance (4:10-20) T o send greetings (4:21-23)

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline Theme – Christian joy Key Verse – 4:4 Outline Introduction (1:1,2) 1. The Single Mind (1:3-30) 2. The Submissive Mind (2:1-30) 3. The Spiritual Mind (3:1-21) 4. The Secure Mind (4:1-20) Conclusion (4:21-23)

Distinctive Features: 

Distinctive Features Paul's letter to the Philippians has been commonly referred to as his epistle of joy. The words "joy" or "rejoice" are found 18 times in the book. Philippians is a very personal letter. Paul uses the words "I" or "me" 120 times in this letter. Because Paul could speak of joy while he was under house arrest in Rome, it shows that joy is not dictated by external circumstances. It flows from above and within. Happiness is a by-product of pleasant circumstances. Joy is a deep-seated product of the assurance of grace. Happiness is produced by the external. Joy is produced by the eternal and is internal.

PHILEMON: 

PHILEMON

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Colosse

Background: 

Background Four of Paul's letters to individual believers are recorded in the Bible. They are 1- 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Philemon has the distinction of being the only layman in the group. Philemon was a slave owner who likely lived in or around Colosse . His house was a meeting place for the early church in his area (v. 2). Philemon's slave Onesimus had escaped and met Paul in Rome. (Since Paul was a prisoner there, some believe Onesimus must have been a prisoner himself.) Paul led Onesimus to Christ, and now Onesimus was ready to return to Philemon and make amends for his running away.

Purpose: 

Purpose Paul writes this letter... to bring about the reconciliation of Philemon and Onesimus to procure the possible release of Onesimus to picture the reconciliation of the sinner to God through Christ

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse , Outline Theme – reconciliation between a slave and his owner Key Verses – 1:10, 17-18 Outline Introduction (vv. 1-3) 1. Praise of Philemon (vv. 4-7) 2. Plea to Philemon (vv. 8-17) 3. Promise to Philemon (vv. 18-21) Conclusion (vv. 22-25)