Colossae was a city Paul had only heard of.
Why did Paul write?
False teaching was on the horizon.
What was it?
2:16 A legalism creeping in. A mystical strand. The gospel plus something else.
Jesus plus nothing is everything; Jesus plus something is not the gospel.
What is Paul's message?
Be confident in the gospel.

Much of the passage is a prayer - first thanksgiving, then intercession.

1. The Gospel alone has the power to rescue and redeem. They have been rescued from darkness. We have been redeemed from slavery to sin. We are subject to a new king.
2. The Gospel has the power to bear fruit in our lives. The key is the knowledge of God's will. We should grasp the Gospel more deeply.
3. The Gospel is growing throughout the world. It is unstoppable. It changes the hearts of all who believe.
How does this apply to us?
1. The danger of adding to the Gospel.
2. Nothing is more important in our lives than understanding the Bible.
3. We are to have confidence in the Gospel when it comes to evangelism.