Today’s culture gives significance to that which is large, big or great. Big Malls, Big airports, Big hotels, Big cities, Big business, and so are the Mega churches. It is painful to listen to some Christians who dismiss small churches as insignificant. It is foolishness to despise small or humble things or beginnings. (Zechariah 4:10)
A small town: Colossae was one of the prominent cities, which is near the Lycus River valley in modern Turkey. When the Romans took power, they built a road passing through Laodicea, and Colossae was ignored or sidelined. The trade routes were important for any city to become magnificent. The decision of the Roman Empire ended the economic significance of Colossae, and the city began to diminish. During Paul’s time, it was a small market town. Smallness does not limit God’s mighty and great works. Bethlehem also was an insignificant town, and so was Nazareth. Israel was a tiny nation compared to other nations.
Philemon’s House: According to scholars, the Roman architecture for wealthy houses with a natural ceiling could be sufficient for about forty people to gather.
Church at Colossae: It was a small town; it was the house of a wealthy person, where the church gathered. It is estimated that twenty-five to a maximum of fifty people gathered in that church.
Letter to a tiny congregation: God inspired Paul to write a letter to this church that gathered in an insignificant, neglected, and even forgotten town. And to this Church, God revealed the significant Scriptural portion that describes Christology, that is being studied, meditated on, and preached for two thousand years. Perhaps there were only 30 people who listened when it was first read.
Rich content: This letter of Paul contains the highest Christological passage, confronts false teaching, provide practical instruction for the Christian household. The preeminence of Christ over all things – thrones, dominions, principalities and powers. God did not discriminate against this small congregation; indeed, they got a great treatise like that of other larger congregations in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, etc.
Do I realize God is working in all congregations for His glory?