OV E RV I E WScripture

Colossians (selected Scriptures)

Bible TruthChristians can be susceptible to believing error once they’ve let their guard down.

Life Response AimTo identify specific warning signs that should keep us on the road of truth.

Key Verse“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditionof men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8, KJV

FOCUSWarning Signs

DISCOVERWarnings to Heed

RESPONDWarning Signs along Our Walk

M AT E R I A L S❑ Bibles, paper, pencils

FOCUS❑ Copies of sheet with traffic signals from

driver’s ed book, inexpensive prizes(optional)

DISCOVER❑ Bible lands map (optional)❑ Teach Sheet 1 (page 4 of the Zelos

Repro Pack); One copy made into anoverhead transparency or poster

❑ Overhead projector, transparency markers

RESPOND❑ Colored marking pens, paper❑ Zelos Journal for Student Disciples

Lesson 1

Beware : Contamination !

UNIT 1 - STUDIES IN COLOSSIANS

Preparing Your Heart to Teach

Read these Scripture passages throughout the week:Happy Mail (Col. 1:1-8): Paul was proud of the way the Colossian Christians showed their love toone another. Pray that your students will gain a reputation for showing genuine care for one another.Central Theme (Col. 1:9-20): Who is Jesus? The words of an ancient hymn that answers thisquestion are found in this passage. Our unique belief that Jesus is God sets us apart from other faiths.Pray that your students will better understand the doctrine of Jesus’ deity. Hold On (Col. 1:21-29): Paul encouraged the Colossian Christians to hold on to true faith in themidst of a lot of competing ideas–not a bad idea for Christians right now, either! Pray that your students will learn to discern the truth of Jesus Christ against the deception of worldly philosophies.4

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Before class, make copies of the sheet withtraffic signs on it—one for each student in

your class.Explain to your students that you are going to

involve them in a brief contest. Allow them oneminute to identify as many of the street signs asthey can. If you have a large class, let your studentswork in pairs or small groups to complete the sheet.When they are done, go over the answers. Award aninexpensive prize to the student or students whohad the most right.

Can you imagine rush hour on a busy beltwayin a big city without traffic warning signs? Itmakes me shudder just to think about it! Life isfull of warning signs. Even a simple thing likegetting to school or walking down the streetwould be chaos without them. As you know, ittakes only one person to ignore a warning signto throw everything into a state of disarray. Butwhen people follow the warning signs that arearound them, life tends to be orderly. Warningsigns are important to every one of us.

This morning we concentrated on trafficwarnings. But of course these are only

one kind of warnings that we encounter everyday. Can you think of any others?

Give your students a few moments to suggestsome. They might think of warning labels on medicines, signs by a pool that warn people toswim only when a lifeguard is on duty, “Keep Out”signs, “Beware of Dog”signs, seat belt signs onairplanes, home smokedetectors, etc.

I am curious. Haveany of you ever beenspared a disasterbecause of a warningsign?

Let one or two volunteers share theirexperiences. To triggertheir memories, shareone of your own if you can remember

an incident when you were able to avoid some difficulty because you heeded a sign.

Can any of you think of a situation in which a disaster occurred because someone ignored awarning sign?

Once again, allow a couple of volunteers to telltheir stories. Feel free to tell a true story of yourown. For example, recently a friend of mine nearlydied in a horrendous traffic accident because some-one ignored a stop sign.

TRANSITION ➔ Warning signs have beenplaced along our paths for some very good reasons. As you have already indicated, some of us may even owe our lives to the factthat someone thought of putting a well-placedwarning sign at a strategic location. I wouldhate to imagine the severe consequences wecould encounter if we chose to rush throughlife ignoring the warning signs placed aroundus.

There is one book in the Bible that could beconsidered a great big “warning sign.”Throughout its four short chapters Paul warned his readers about an imminent dangerlurking right around the corner.

The warnings he offered to them are alsovery timely for us today. Take your Bibles. Turn to the Book of Colossians, and let meshow you what I mean.

FOCUSPreparing the Heart for the Bible Truth

Warning S igns

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P O W E R ZO N EHow do you avoid spiritual deception? The

question was approached three different ways in thisweek’s “Z-Studies” in your students’ Zelos Journals forStudent Disciples. Students considered the importanceof living lives of genuine love, of recognizing Jesus asGod, and of focusing life on Jesus. Paul’s letter to theColossians provided the Bible basis. So ask, “Howwould you advise a friend to avoid spiritualdeception?”

PRAYER STUDENT RESPONSE BIBLE DISCUSSION STORY

ACTIVITY REFERENCE

I C O N K E Y :

D A I L Y B I B L E S T U D I E S • S T U D E N T P L A N N I N G C A L E N D A R

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DISCOVERExploring the Bible Truth

Warnings to Heed

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Of all the letters that Paul wrote, theBook of Colossians is probably more

shrouded in mystery than the others. This isreally unfortunate, since its message to us is sopractical and applicable. The reason for themystery might be that, in this letter, Paul dealswith some material that is quite foreign to ourculture.

False teachers were bothering the youngChristians at Colosse. Several issues wereraised by these teachers that caused confusionto the unsuspecting believers. Paul wrote thisletter to these believers as a warning, focusingon their need to detect and resist false teachersof every type.

Why is this so important to us today? We arebeing bombarded every day with false messagesfrom those who might easily lead us astray.Paul’s warning to the Colossians could havebeen written directly to us. Just like theColossians, we must beware of false teachers,lest we become contaminated by their falseteachings.

Before we get into the specifics of Paul’swarnings, it would help us a lot to understandsomething about the town of Colosse and thechurch there.

The Church at ColosseRephrase the following information in your own

words.Interestingly, Colosse was one of the few places

Paul never visited. The church was evidently found-ed by Epaphras and other believers who came toChrist through Paul’s missionary journeys. In asense, then, Paul was the spiritual “grandfather” ofthese believers. As such, he had a warm spot in hisheart for these dear saints.

The church had been infiltrated by teachers whowere communicating a deadly mixture of Biblicaltruth and worldly philosophies. Since theseColossians were new believers, they did not possessenough Biblical knowledge to identify and combatthis error. Consequently, the faith of some wasbeginning to falter, and Paul wrote this letter torefocus their sights on Jesus Christ and Him alone.

If possible, display a map of Bible lands andlocate Colosse. You might also refer to any maps inthe backs of your students’ Bibles in order to clarifythe destination of Paul’s letter.

Paul was troubled when he heard the report fromhis friend Epaphras about the heresies that werespreading in the church. During his imprisonmentin Rome, possibly around a.d. 60, Paul wrote thesebelievers a letter to combat the errors in their churchand to show that believers have every spiritualresource they could possibly need in Christ.

Warnings to the Colossian Church(Col. 1:9; 2:4, 8, 16; 3:2; 4:2-3)

If possible, make an overhead transparency fromTeach Sheet 1 (p. 4 of the Zelos Repro Pack) and useas the basis for your discussion of the warningsPaul gave to the Colossian believers.

Introduce the Teach Sheet. Next week we’ll getinto some of the specifics of the heresies thatbefuddled the Colossian believers. But fortoday, let’s note some of the warning signs thatPaul offered his readers in Colosse.

Use the following commentary to supplementyour discussion.

Colossians 1:9 Paul addressed their problemfrom a positive point of view by praying for them,even before mentioning the errors that had befallenthe Colossian believers. His continuous prayerswere motivated by a heart of sincere concern. Bymentioning his prayers, Paul reminded his readersof his love for them, while pointing out the urgencyof this matter.

The false teachers in Colosse were trumpeting asecret spiritual wisdom available only from them.Paul prayed that the Colossian believers would befilled with a knowledge of God’s will, with spiritual

Teach Sheet 1, Zelos Repro Pack

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1Alert: Only acknowledging God’s

will provides true spiritual wisdom.

Significance:We can

then identify error when we hear it.

Alert: Some may try to add to

the Ten Commandments.

Significance: Keep only

Christ’s commands.

Alert: Many smooth-talking

people try to deceive us.

Significance: Don’t be

deceived by “enticing words.”

Alert: Focus on how Christ

wants you to live.

Significance:The Bible is our

standard for beliefs and choices.

Alert: Beware of

worldly philosophies.

Significance:We can be

fooled by worldly philosophies.

Alert: We should pray daily for

God’s protection.

Significance: Be prayerfully

alert at all times.

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wisdom, and with understanding. Thus, in threeways, Paul highlighted the absolute priority that hisreaders immerse themselves in the knowledge ofGod’s will and His spiritual wisdom. Today we dothat by studying the Bible.

Use this warning to stimulate your students’thinking concerning the importance of SundaySchool. Since this is the first lesson in a brand-newfall quarter, encourage your students to set a goal ofattending their Sunday School class as faithfully aspossible.

It should be a vital priority in their lives. InSunday School they are systematically taught theBible week by week. Their Zelos Journals will helpthem prepare for the next Sunday’s lesson.Emphasize that their ability to identify and combat error is dependent upon knowing andunderstanding the Scriptures.

Colossians 2:4 Have your students identifysome of the potential false teachers they mayencounter daily. Their list might include some oftheir school teachers or someone they admire, likean actor or sports figure, a singer, a friend, etc. Pointout that these people may be very sincere in theirbeliefs and may even have noble motives. Whatthey say might, on the surface, sound good andmake sense. But when they teach about moral issuesthat impact our daily choices, their teachings mustbe held up to the standard of the Word of God, lestwe be deceived.

Colossians 2:8 Paul warned against an emptyphilosophy based on human thinking without reference to God’s wisdom. It is so deceptive thatpeople do not realize they are being held captive bythat way of thinking. Students may give examplesfrom the media.

Colossians 2:16 This verse may be a bit moredifficult to explain. It hints at some of the specificsregarding the Colossian heresy. Avoid gettingbogged down in the details. Simply explain thatthere were those teachers who were trying to makethe Colossian believers feel guilty by teaching thema different brand of religion that included many religious observances that were not necessary forsalvation. The Bible is our authority. God’s will isexpressed through its pages alone.

Colossians 3:2 According to this verse, the consuming desire of a Christian ought to be toplease Jesus Christ. Christ is the focus of our devotion. His will ought to be the central motivation of our lives. Explain that the remainderof chapter 3 and into chapter 4 defines what God’swill is relative to specific issues in our lives. Thesestand in stark contrast to the kind of teaching thatthe Colossians were hearing from the false teacherswho had come their way.

Colossians 4:2-3 The Colossians were beingexposed to mystery religions that claimed specialknowledge. Paul reminded them that the mystery ofChrist is the only valid message. One sure antidoteto false teaching is for us to pray daily, asking Godto help us stay alert to possible deceptions that maycome our way. Ask your students to list some of thecommon deceptions that young people face today,such as New Age ideas, evolution, safe sex, theglamorizing of drinking and smoking, etc.

TRANSITION ➔ Things aren’t much differenttoday than they were in Paul’s day. We arebombarded daily by media messages aimed atderailing our commitment to Christ. We aresurrounded by many voices clamoring for ourattention.

Many want to exploit us for their own endsby selling us something we don’t need just tomake a buck. How do we even begin to siftthrough all this information and decide what is right and what is wrong? Now you canunderstand why Paul wrote a letter filled with“warning signs” to these people he loved.

If Paul were going to write you a letter todayand include in it some actual “warning signs,”kind of like the traffic signs we looked at earlier, what kinds of signs would he draw?

DISCOVER

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Applying the Bible TruthRESPOND Warning S igns

along Our WalkHand each of your students paper and severalcolored markers. Quickly review the warnings

you considered in Discover. Have each studentchoose the one that is most applicable to his or her life. Using the traffic signs as their guide, havestudents design “warning signs” of their own thatportray the warnings they chose.

After your students have completed their signs,ask two or three volunteers to display them to theclass and explain the significance of their drawings.(If you have a large class, group students togetheraccording to the warnings they chose. Have themwork together to design and draw their signs.)

As your students finish their designs, drawthem into a discussion with the following

questions:• Why did you choose to warn others about

this particular subject?• What do you think might tempt someone to

ignore this warning sign?• What are some possible consequences for

the people who ignore this warning sign?• What do you do to avoid the temptation to

ignore this warning sign?Suppose a friend came to you and said, “I

think what you’re warning me about here isn’ta big deal at all. Why shouldn’t I go ahead anddo what you’re warning me about?” How wouldyou convince that friend to heed your warning?

Read Colossians 2:8together as a class.

This will serve as an over-arching summary of theentire lesson. Pick it apartphrase by phrase as you helpyour students understandthat they could fall prey tosuch deception and even be held captive by the consequences of such thinking.

Invite your students to sit together in a prayercircle. Remind them that a brand-new school

year is just beginning. They can be sure that for the next nine months they will be encountering avariety of opinions and influences from many people concerning the many choices they mustmake in the days ahead. This can lead to confusionand frustration. Therefore, put Colossians 4:2 intopractice by praying together for God’s protectionand for their eyes to be opened to error when itcomes their way.

On Their OwnAs preparation for next week’s lesson, encourage

your students to use the “Z-Studies” in their ZelosJournals for Student Disciples as part of their regulardevotions. Make sure each student has a copy of the journal, and quickly run through how to use a“Z-Study.”

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E N R I C H M E N T I D E A SWarning Signs (for Discover)

Divide your class into three to six pairs or small groups. Assign each group oneor two of the warnings listed in the “Warning Signs” chart. Provide them withbutcher paper and colored markers. Have them letter their warnings on the paperin the form of a banner. Display these six banners around the room throughout thisunit as reminders of the theme of Colossians.

Magazine Search (for Respond)Select and distribute a variety of current teen-oriented magazines. Have students

scan the titles of the articles and the different ads that appear in these periodicals.Have them apply the six warnings they learned in Discover by identifying thosearticles or ads that would seek to take them captive through a hollow belief or adeceptive philosophy.

Home LinkEncourage your students to ask their parents how they know true teaching from

false teaching. How do their parents make decisions about which path to follow?about what’s a lie and what’s real?

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Colossians

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• The Writer

Paul wrote the Book of Colossians

from his prison cell in Rome around A.D.

60. He was in jail for preaching about

Jesus. He wrote the letter to a group of

people, the church in Colosse, whom he’d

likely never met before. He’d heard about

them from his friends—and decided he

needed to write them a letter to correct

some of the things they were being taught.

Paul was an apostle of Jesus (meaning

that he’d met Jesus and been given a mis-

sion by Him to spread the Good News

that all people can be saved by trusting in

Christ as Saviour). He traveled all over his

part of the world preaching about Jesus

and starting churches.

• The Book

Paul had heard that the Colossian

Christians were being taught some false

things about what it means to be a

Christian and how to live like one. For

one thing, they were being told by

some that they still needed to

follow the old Jewish laws.

Another

teaching was that Christ

wasn’t necessarily God.

Obviously, these

were dangerous lies.

As you read Colossians, you’ll see Paul’s

responses to this false teaching, as well as

his encouragements on how Christians

should really live.

• Things to Look for

Pay attention to what Paul taught about

who Jesus is and how we should respond

to Him. Also notice how our trust in

Christ changes us. Look for what Paul

taught we should do with our minds, what

to do with sinful actions and attitudes, and

how to access new, right attitudes.

How many times did Paul give thanks

for someone or something in this book?

How many times did he tell his readers

to give thanks? How did he pray for his

readers? How did he ask them to pray

for him?

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Read: Colossians 1:1-8

Think About: How cool it must havebeen to receive a letter from Paul and Timothy!The Christians in Colosse who received thisletter were part of a church planted byEpaphras, whom Paul had trained. Epaphras hadbeen very faithful in how he told the truth ofJesus to these people.

The people of Colosse had responded tothe Gospel. Their lives showed that theybelieved in the Truth (v. 4)—they loved andcared for each other. Paul had heard this reportfrom Epaphras, and he couldn’t wait to tellthem how proud he was of the way they wereliving.

It’s important to lead lives of love—andimportant to encourage each other to continueloving.

Write: If someone were writing you a letter,what encouraging words would they say aboutyour life?

Pray: Ask God to help you encourage afriend this week and to help you lead a lifeworth commending.

Digging Deeper: Read some moreencouraging words in Hebrews 10:23-25.

Read: Colossians 1:9-20

Think About: What you have just read inverses 15-20 is thought to be one of the earliestChristian hymns, sung when the new believersgathered together. Those few short verses containa lot of important doctrine that set this newchurch apart from more established churches. Itclaimed Jesus was completely God; God theCreator and God the Saviour.

How would you feel to know that the onewho wrote the words you were singing in yourchurch services was praying for you continually(v. 9)? Paul’s fame as an evangelist and churchplanter did not stop him from spending time inprayer for new churches he was in contact with.

Write: What would you include in a hymn ifyou wanted others to know what you believed?

Pray: Pick one friend who needs encouragingand pray for him or her the specific things men-tioned in verses 9-12.

Digging Deeper: Paul prayed other thingsfor his readers. Read Ephesians 1:15-21.

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Read: Colossians 1:21-29

Think About: Paul had a mission—to tellpeople that the only real way to be complete wasin Jesus (v. 27). Paul spent his energy proclaimingthis truth to people he didn’t even know.

Paul gave hope. Even though they were onceoutsiders, God made the people of Colosse part ofthe “inner circle.” But Paul told them that this priv-ileged position brought with it serious responsibili-ty. They needed to continue in their faith (v. 23).

We, too, must watch ourselves to make surewe are holding on to the hope of the Gospel.

Write: List some things that would show you’dstopped “holding on to your faith.” What wouldcorrect the situation?

Pray: Ask God to help you notice if you start tomove away from your faith—and to help you moveright back into it!

Digging Deeper: As you write the memoryverse (Col. 2:8) in the box to the right, ask God tohelp you not to believe anything that’s a deception.

Memory Verse

F R I S A T S U N Prayer Requests

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HIGH SCHOOLCompliment your teaching with these in-depth and easy to use classroom resources designed to make every lesson memorable.

Zelos Teaching GuideRelate the Bible to everyday circumstances and needs. This manual will provide you with the tools to do just that. Teaching tips, interest items, food for thought, and easy-to-follow lesson plans all serve to impact your students for our Lord.

One per teacher recommended.

Zelos Repro PackGenerate discussion and in-class participation with this reproducible booklet. The booklet includes weekly discussion starters and activities, planning calendar, postcards, and newsletter templates.

One per class recommended.

Zelos Student JournalThis student book is designed to help students apply biblical truths in class as well as in their daily lives. Included are articles on specific topics or on the Bible, in-depth Bible studies and journaling activities, and a calendar to keep track of teens’ busy schedules.

One per student recommended.

Teacher’s Classroom KitSave money with this all in one package. Includes one Zelos Teaching Guide, Zelos Repro Pack, and Zelos Student Journal.

One per class recommended.