This is a traditional greeting for letters in the time of Paul.  It tells the readers who the letter is from, who it is addressed to and gives the initial greeting.  This one tells us that the letter is from Paul and it gives us Paul's credentials.  These are not Paul's credentials in the sight of the world, but those he sees as important in the sight of God. He is called by God to be an apostle, a person who is sent by God to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  These credentials give him authority to write to the people of Colosse,  Paul also includes Timothy in the greeting as being one of the 'senders'.  He calls Timothy 'our brother', inferring the close relationship between all Christians and perhaps providing Timothy with some authority for future ministry amongst the Colossians.

The letter is addressed to the Christian community at Colosse, in what we now know as Turkey.  Paul calls the Colossians 'saints' and 'faithful brothers and sisters in Christ' ['holy and faithful brothers in Christ' (NIV), 'God's holy people' (NLT)]    'Saints' in Paul's eyes are not people who are specially pious or 'religious', but are all Christians, who are a holy people, set apart by God for God's service.  In describing the Colossians as holy and faithful, Paul builds up the people by commenting on their strengths.  It is important that Christian communities are encouraged to think of themselves as set apart by God, not because they are particularly 'good' or religious people, but because God has a particular work for them to do in building up the Kingdom of God.  We are to be faithful in discovering what is the particular ministry that God has prepared for each church and individual and then to be faithful in working in that ministry to bring about God's purposes for our world.

Paul calls the Colossians 'brothers and sisters' in Christ, emphasising the closeness of the Christian community, like a family.  Each church is meant to function as 'family' for its members, caring for each other and working closely together in God's service.  As human beings, we are going to disagree at times.  What family doesn't have its squabbles?  But in the Christian family, love must be foremost in all our dealings with each other, because this is God's family.

3

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 

Paul lets the Colossians know he gives thanks to God for them; that they are appreciated and treasured. This is a great example of leadership (and diplomacy).  Churches need to know that their leaders are praying for them and that the people are genuinely appreciated.  False praise is destructive, but giving thanks to God for the strengths of the church gives genuine encouragement.  It also reminds the people that, however effective they might be, it is because of the power of God working in and through them and encourages them to rely on God's grace.

4, 5.

for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, 

Paul spells out the specific qualities of the Colossian Christian community that he gives thanks for: their faith in Christ, their love towards other Christians, both of which come from their Christian hope, their certainty of their place in God's Kingdom which was the good news that converted them.

6

the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.

Paul lets them know that the gospel they received is the same gospel being preached all over the known  world (a little exaggeration on Paul's part? but Paul's ambition was that it would be preached all over the world.)  He reminds them that wherever the gospel is preached it 'bears fruit' in the same way as it has done in Colosse.  In this way Paul reminds them that they are a part of a much wider people of God.  He also reminds them that the normal result of the preaching of the gospel is fruitfulness.

The Colossians were being undermined by people who taught that they needed to have some kind of secret knowledge, to live lives strictly by rules and rituals to keep themselves pure.  These heretics were teaching that faith in Christ was not enough.  Paul reminded the Colossians of the 'fruits' that became evident in people's lives when the true gospel is preached.  We can use the same kind of guidelines in evaluating messages that are given to us from many sources today.  When we look at different kinds of faiths and spiritualities, we need to ask, do they result in lives filled with faith, hope and love for other people?

7, 8.

This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Paul commends Epaphras, the Christian evangelist from Ephesus who had brought the gospel to Colosse.  He reminds them that Epaphras is a faithful servant of Christ who had brought them the true gospel.  This is another example of Paul's leadership: building up his fellow workers in the eyes of the Christian community.  

In a similar way we can evaluate the truth of what is taught to us by looking at those who teach it.  Are they people whose lives show the results ('fruits') of faithful service to Christ? 

9, 10.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.

Paul prays for wisdom and spiritual understanding for the Colossians so their lives will be acceptable to God, will bring honour to God, and will bear fruit for Christ.  He prays that they will grow in their faith and in their knowledge of God's will.  In the end, Paul knew that it was not who brought the  message that was really important, but that the community would be clear on what was God's will for them, that God's message was proclaimed and that it was God who was honoured

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vv.  11 - 14 ( the rest of Paul's prayer for the Colossians)