Shadow and Substance: Colossians 2:16-23

Overview of Verses 16-23 Paul’s tone in this passage is urgent; the apostle wants to make it abundantly clear to the Colossian church that the false teachers among them have no connection to Christ or his body. The Colossians do not have to listen to those who would try to tell them they must observe […]

Running Away from God

Answering the Call with Conviction To be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, we must hear His call and pick up our cross and follow Him wherever He calls us to go.1 Let us hear His voice assuring us, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go […]

Who is Jesus?

The Identity of Jesus in the Scriptures Who is Jesus of Nazareth? This question has been starting heated debates since the days of Jesus’ ministry nearly two millennia ago. The Scriptures give us a surprising portrait of us Jesus as the one eternal God who has become human and show us that the earliest Christians […]

That You May Believe

John’s Invitation to Faith and Life Many Christians acknowledge the Gospel According to John as a major landmark in their journey toward personal faith in Jesus Christ. This is because the primary goal of the Gospel is to convince its audience to believe in Jesus. Near the end of his Gospel (20:30-31), John: 1. Acknowledges […]

In Word and Power

Pursuing the Living God Through the Written Word “…our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV). In the 20th and early 21st Centuries, orthodox American Protestantism has largely consisted of two camps: 1. Evangelical churches focused on […]

Let No One Take You Captive: Colossians 2:6-15

We have come to the fourth main section in Paul’s letter to the Colossians (2:6-23). In this part of the letter, Paul addresses the false teachings and cultural pressures that are attempting to infiltrate the church and take the Colossian Christians captive. We are going to look at this part of the letter in two […]

Knit Together: Colossians 2:1-5

Overview of Verses 1-5 We have arrived at the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the Colossians. It is important to note: when this letter was written in the middle of the 1st century AD, there were no chapter or verse numbers. In fact: 1. Chapters did not appear in biblical manuscripts until 1227 AD. […]

The Hope of Glory: Colossians 1:24-29

We have come to the third of Paul’s five major flows-of-thought in Colossians. In this part of the letter, Paul personally introduces himself to the Colossian church. We are going to look at this introduction in two sections: 1. Paul tells the Colossians about who he is, his mission, and his present circumstances (1:24-29) 2. […]

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

Claiming the Hope of the Psalmists for the Church. The Church has claimed Israel’s Scriptures, Israel’s story, and Israel’s God as its own. If, as we contended in the previous post in this series, the Church is to read Israel as our own “origin story,” then we would do best to also appropriate the hope […]

A Prayer for Power: Colossians 1:9-14

Overview of Verses 9-14 In this passage, Paul shares a prayer that he and his companions have been regularly praying for the Colossians. The apostle prays that the believers would increase in knowledge, fruitfulness, and strength and that they would give thanks to their Father (1:9-12). The prayer ends with a celebratory announcement that in […]