作者与书信背景
歌罗西书一章1至8节
1奉神旨意，作基督耶稣使徒的保罗和兄弟提摩太
2写信给歌罗西的圣徒，在基督里有忠心的弟兄。愿恩惠、平安从神我们的父归与你们！
3我们感谢神、我们主耶稣基督的父，常常为你们祷告；
4因听见你们在基督耶稣里的信心，并向众圣徒的爱心，
5是为那给你们存在天上的盼望；这盼望就是你们从前在福音真理的道上所听见的。
6这福音传到你们那里，也传到普天之下，并且结果，增长，如同在你们中间，自从你们听见福音，真知道神恩惠的日子一样。
7正如你们从我们所亲爱、一同作仆人的以巴弗所学的。他为我们（有古卷：你们）作了基督忠心的执事，
8也把你们因圣灵所存的爱心告诉了我们。
信息分享
照考证，保罗大概是在30岁信主，大约在40岁开始第一次宣教旅程。期间，他至少有5年时间被囚在监中；然而，不管他是在监中还是自由的时候，他都从不间断地事奉主。
他称自己是使徒，意即受差派的使者，也就是受耶稣基督特别差派的使者。这是无上荣耀的职事。
保罗加上「奉神旨意」这句话，是要强调他的使徒身分并非自己争取回来的，也不单是接受某个群体的差派作使徒的。他首先获得耶稣基督的呼召，再由安提阿教会推荐他作宣教的使徒。
保罗如何得知神的旨意呢？他是透过求问而得着答案的。当他在大马色的路上遇见基督的时候，就立即问基督是谁，基督在使徒行传九章6节给他的答复，就是「你所当作的事，必有人告诉你。」在他的一生中，他不断求问神的带领，神便一直带领他。这是我们的一大提醒。你想知道神的旨意吗？求问，就必知道。
经文提到的提摩太是谁？他是一位年青的信徒，也是保罗的好伙伴。保罗经常在书信中提及他，对他极其信任，经常派他传信给各地的教会。
保罗怎样形容歌罗西教会的信徒呢？他称他们是圣徒和忠心的弟兄。「圣徒」的意思，是指他们已因着相信基督，得以分别为圣归给神。除此之外，他们还忠心地事奉基督。能够从保罗口中听到「忠心的弟兄」这个称许，实在是极大的鼓舞。
「圣徒」和「忠心」这两个字词，对我们今天又有甚么提醒呢？
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?