Gathering to hear the good news of Jesus and scattering to share it
Do you enjoy building jigsaw puzzles?
There is something satisfying about seeing a jumble of pieces come together to form a beautiful picture. And that is a helpful way of thinking about the closing verses of Colossians.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 12”Imagine you are a medic on the front line during the Second World War. You have a tiny bottle of medicine that can save a wounded soldier’s life, but it is the only bottle you have. As you move through the battlefield, you come across wounded men everywhere.
Would you casually open the bottle and start pouring?
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 11”Have you ever been separated from someone you love? Perhaps they are away for work or studies. Perhaps you simply cannot get hold of them. Their phone is off. You try again. And again. It’s very difficult when you cannot speak to someone you love. Being able to speak with someone who is absent keeps the connection alive. It brings joy.
As we wait for the appearance of Christ, we have the wonderful privilege of an open channel to heaven—prayer. In Colossians 4:2–6, Paul reminds us of this privilege and how to make the most of it.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 10”
It was a strange scene.
A group of twelve Jewish men in a house in Jerusalem. The house filled with the sound of rushing wind. A tongue of fire resting on each one. Each one speaking in a different language he had never learned. Passers-by stand there, stunned. These devout Jews from all over the world were each hearing these Galileans speaking to them in the language of their home country.
A rugged man, a fisherman, steps forward to address the crowd.
Continue reading “The Jesus You Must Respond To”If you were a slave sitting in a church in Paul’s day, what would you expect to hear from the Apostle as he addressed Christian slaves and masters? The injustice of slavery, perhaps? Maybe a call for the freedom of slaves?
But in his letter to the Colossian church, his words are directed to something deeper than the slaves’ social condition.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 9”We often think of childhood as preparation for adulthood. Children must learn, grow, become responsible, and eventually make their own way in the world. But Colossians 3:20–21 gives us a much bigger vision. Even the ordinary obedience of a child can magnify the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 8”It is relatively easy to preach and sing about the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ. It is another thing entirely to live under Christ’s lordship when two sinners share a home, a bed, a bank account, disagreements and expectations.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 7”Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt that you didn’t belong? Perhaps everyone seemed more educated, wealthier, or culturally different from you. We naturally notice the things that divide us.
Yet Colossians 3:11–17 gives us a remarkable picture of a community where those divisions no longer have the final word.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 6”How does lasting change happen? We all know how to change behaviour temporarily. We can make resolutions, use positive affirmations, or try various techniques to break unwanted habits. But the harder question is this: How does a person change the desires, loves and identity underneath the behaviour?
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 5”Every journey begins with a single step. Sadly, a journey in the wrong direction begins exactly the same way. That is the danger Paul addresses in Colossians 2:16–23.
The Colossian believers were being bombarded by voices insisting that Christ alone was not enough.
Continue reading “Thoughts on Colossians – Part 4”