作者與書信背景
歌羅西書一章1至8節
1奉神旨意，作基督耶穌使徒的保羅和兄弟提摩太
2寫信給歌羅西的聖徒，在基督裡有忠心的弟兄。願恩惠、平安從神我們的父歸與你們！
3我們感謝神、我們主耶穌基督的父，常常為你們禱告；
4因聽見你們在基督耶穌裡的信心，並向眾聖徒的愛心，
5是為那給你們存在天上的盼望；這盼望就是你們從前在福音真理的道上所聽見的。
6這福音傳到你們那裡，也傳到普天之下，並且結果，增長，如同在你們中間，自從你們聽見福音，真知道神恩惠的日子一樣。
7正如你們從我們所親愛、一同作僕人的以巴弗所學的。他為我們（有古卷：你們）作了基督忠心的執事，
8也把你們因聖靈所存的愛心告訴了我們。
信息分享
照考證，保羅大概是在30歲信主，大約在40歲開始第一次宣教旅程。期間，他至少有5年時間被囚在監中；然而，不管他是在監中還是自由的時候，他都從不間斷地事奉主。
他稱自己是使徒，意即受差派的使者，也就是受耶穌基督特別差派的使者。這是無上榮耀的職事。
保羅加上「奉神旨意」這句話，是要強調他的使徒身分並非自己爭取回來的，也不單是接受某個群體的差派作使徒的。他首先獲得耶穌基督的呼召，再由安提阿教會推薦他作宣教的使徒。
保羅如何得知神的旨意呢？他是透過求問而得著答案的。當他在大馬色的路上遇見基督的時候，就立即問基督是誰，基督在使徒行傳九章6節給他的答覆，就是「你所當作的事，必有人告訴你。」在他的一生中，他不斷求問神的帶領，神便一直帶領他。這是我們的一大提醒。你想知道神的旨意嗎？求問，就必知道。
經文提到的提摩太是誰？他是一位年青的信徒，也是保羅的好伙伴。保羅經常在書信中提及他，對他極其信任，經常派他傳信給各地的教會。
保羅怎樣形容歌羅西教會的信徒呢？他稱他們是聖徒和忠心的弟兄。「聖徒」的意思，是指他們已因著相信基督，得以分別為聖歸給神。除此之外，他們還忠心地事奉基督。能夠從保羅口中聽到「忠心的弟兄」這個稱許，實在是極大的鼓舞。
「聖徒」和「忠心」這兩個字詞，對我們今天又有甚麼提醒呢？
THE APOSTLE AND THE EPISTLE
Colossians 1:1-8
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,
8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
Message
Was he about 40 when he had started on his first missionary journey? He had spent at least 4 or 5 years in prison, yet what a tremendous ministry he had, both in prison and out.
He calls himself an apostle, meaning a missionary, a sent messenger, in this case a special messenger of Jesus Christ. That is the highest service of all.
Paul adds the phrase 'by the will of God'. Paul was not self-appointed or merely sent out by a group. He was first called by Jesus Christ and then commended to this ministry by the church at Antioch.
How had Paul discovered God's will? By asking to be told. That was his first response to Christ as told in Acts 9:6 and it was also his continuing attitude throughout his life of service. There could be a strong reminder to each of us here in these words. Do we want to know God's will? Ask and you will receive.
Who was Timothy? He was Paul's younger partner. His name is linked with Paul's in a number of the epistles. Paul had great confidence in him and used him frequently as his own messenger to churches.
How does Paul describe the Colossian Christians? He calls them saints and faithful brethren. As believers in Christ, they were set apart unto God. That is the meaning of the word saint. But they were also faithful in their service for Christ. This was a great compliment Paul could say about them.
What do these two words 'saints' and 'faithful' have to say to us today?