Aug 09, 2024 Let’s Begin the Letter of Colossians – Words of Grace Blog – August 9, 2024
This Sunday at Grace Community Church we will begin a series of sermons from the letter to the Colossians. This weekend, I encourage you to begin well and press on in the months to come in this New Testament book that will lead us to Christ.
Begin Colossians by reading it. It takes less than fifteen minutes to read Colossians aloud and at a conversational pace. Of course, you will slow down at places to ponder what you read, so give yourself a half-hour this weekend to get oriented to Colossians.
When we come together on Sunday, we will begin Colossians by asking three questions.
What are we holding in our hands?
Colossians is an apostolic letter from Christ through Paul to a congregation in the first century. Its message is for the church throughout history. We will unpack each part of this description of Colossians on Sunday, but for now, think about what a gift this letter is to us.
We are holding in our hands a message from Jesus Christ. Colossians is a gift of grace, a priceless treasure, the words of life.
Ask the Lord to increase our appreciation for Colossians and all the Bible.
What is the message of Colossians?
This letter contains the truth that by the grace of God and faith in Jesus we are united to him. We are saved by what he has done for us on the cross and in the resurrection, and we are one with Jesus Christ the person. We live in a life-giving relationship with Christ that Colossians describes as, “Christ in you.”
The mystery of the reality of union with Christ often causes us to read it and move on with little hope of understanding or experiencing it. We plan to read about union with Christ, to meditate on it, and to ask the Lord to make it understandable to us so we can live from its power.
Pray this weekend that the Lord will engage our attention on the truth of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
What should we anticipate in the months ahead?
From Colossians we can expect the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ to us, to open our spiritual eyes to see him, to give us clarity on what it means to be united to him, and to lead us in the paths of right living from this union with him.
We can expect to be called, challenged, and convicted. We will be taught, encouraged, and filled with a new vision of Christ and the Christian life. We hope to be changed.
Set your intention to seek Christ who is seated at the right hand of God.
This Sunday let’s begin Colossians together.
-Scott