Colossians 3:18-4:1
All of us want thriving relationships in our life and yet many of our marriages, homes, and work places are full of conflict, strife, and struggle. The gospel offers hope and true transformation to all of these relationships. If Jesus is more than enough in our lives then we can rightly view and experience the fullness that God has for us in each of these areas. As Paul closes out his letter to the Colossians he provides some very practical and direct gospel application for marriages, parenting, and work.
Colossians 3:1-17
Here in chapter three, the book of Colossians takes a bit of a turn. Paul is now giving clear instructions on what holy living for the Christian should look like. In Colossians 3:1-17 the Apostle Paul shows us the marks of a transformed life. What are the visible signs of a Christian life and godly character? Here in this text we are called to “put off” the old self and walk in a new direction by “putting on” the characteristics of Christ. But how is this possible?! Paul shows us in this passage that for those in Christ, we have been given everything needed to live a transformed life.
Colossians 2:6-23
Any parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle knows the exciting AND terrifying feeling of watching a child learn how to walk. It’s exhilarating seeing that child take his first steps. But it’s also nerve racking as you realize all the potential dangers that lie in her path as she begins to walk. Walking is the subject to which Paul turns next in the book of Colossians. Paul wants to teach these followers of Jesus what “walking in the faith” looks like (or should look like). Thus this section is really a synopsis of the entire letter as Paul explains what the journey of a follower of Jesus looks like.
Colossians 1:24-2:5
What is success in the Christian life? At the end of Colossians 1, Paul says that he has endured a great deal of difficulty in order that others might know Jesus. Paul is saying that all of the pain, toil, trouble, and sacrifice was totally worth it in order to see others encounter Jesus and follow his way. We exist to know Jesus and make him known and faithfulness to that endeavour is how we measure success in the Christian life.
Colossians 1:15-23
Blaise Pascal famously said, “All men seek happiness. This is without exception.” We are all on a fulfillment quest. We are searching for the thing or the things in our life that we think will bring us fulfillment. So we look to our career, or status, or marriage, or finances, or relationships to find this fulfillment. The problem is that the only way to have a truly fulfilling life is if Jesus is first and foremost. If Jesus is merely a sliver or a square of our life then we are on a frustrating and ultimately fruitless quest. So the simple and yet life altering question of Colossians 1:15-23 is this…is Jesus first and foremost in your life? Asked another way: is Jesus more than enough?
Colossians 1:1-14
What does it mean to be gospel-centred? In Christian circles we may hear this term used, without understanding what it means. The Book of Colossians is intended to show us that to be gospel-centred is to be Jesus-centred, and that in Him is fullness. Jesus Christ is more than enough for us to give our whole lives to. The gospel is the fullness of God to you and through you in Christ.
As we look at Colossians 1:1-14, Paul approaches to the Colossian church (a seemingly unlikely group of people) for the purpose of affirming their faith in Christ and encouraging their advancement in the gospel. All who come to Christ find in Him the fullness of God, worthy to be our Savior and Lord.