Week 1: The Supremacy of Christ, Colossians 1:1–2:5 While imprisoned in Rome awaiting trial before Caesar, Paul wrote to the believers in Colossae, a group he had never met but who respected his authority. His coworker Epaphras, a native of Colossae, had brought the gospel there and to nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis after working with Paul in Ephesus. When Epaphras was later imprisoned in Rome, he told Paul about the situation in those cities. The mostly Gentile Colossians were being pressured to follow Jewish laws and drawn into false teachings that emphasized visions and secret knowledge. In response, Paul reminded them that Jesus is all they need: all creation was made through Him, and through His death all things are reconciled to God. Christ fully embodies God’s nature, and believers, now part of His kingdom of light, are called to live out their new life and await His glorious return. November 2, 2025 Speaker: Lead Pastor Steve Atkins