Colossians recap: Fully Pleasing God

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

A link to each of the eight weeks in the Renew Women’s Bible Study, Fall 2014. Outline:

Week 1 » Colossians 1:1-14 » One all-encompassing purpose in prayer

Week 2 » Colossians 1:15-23 Who is Jesus?

Week 3 » Colossians 1:24–2:5 » Implications of this

Week 4 » Colossians 2:6-15 » What Christ has Done

Week 5 » Colossians 2:16-23 » Implications of this

Week 6 » Colossians 3:1-17 » The New Self

Week 7 » Colossians 3:18–4:1 » Practical Roles

Week 8 » Colossians 4:2-18 » Final Instructions


Audio for this teaching is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, listen to all Women’s Bible Study messages at Godrenews.us/women, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

Women’s Bible study: Colossians 4:2-18

Consider joining us for 40 days for 40 minutes, between now and Resurrection Sunday (April 20, Easter).

“We must be on the watch as we pray—on the watch against a wandering mind, against vain repetitions, against trite and meaningless expressions, against limited, selfish desires. And we should also watch for what is good. We should especially be alert to God’s guidance of our prayers in Scripture.” 1

While you’re praying, pray for your leaders (notice how the Apostle Paul asks for prayer).

“There are many things for which Paul might have asked them to pray — release from prison, a successful outcome to his coming trial, a little rest and peace at last. But Paul asks them only to pray that there may be given to him strength and opportunity to do the work which God had sent him into the world to do. When we pray for ourselves, and when we pray for others, we should not ask for them or for ourselves release from any task, but rather strength to complete the task which has been given us to do. Prayer should always be for power, and seldom for release; for not release but conquest must be the keynote of the Christian life.” 2

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 8 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 4:2-18
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 3/11/14

Listen or download:

things to think about …

  • Is there any area or issue that you were faithfully praying through, but have not continued? What do you think led to you no longer steadfastly continuing?
  • Is there anyone you know who, like Mark, like Onesimus, has had struggles, made poor choices, or made a mess of things somehow, but is trying to make things right? How can you welcome them, accept them, and help others accept them as well?
  • How would you characterize your conduct as you live around unbelievers? How is your speech? Is it wise, gracious, seasoned and appealing and not bland or repelling? How do people generally respond to you?

things to do …

  • Consider joining us for 40 days for 40 minutes. From now until Resurrection Sunday (April 20), consider devoting 40 minutes a day to prayer (or consider a “training plan,” working up to 40 minutes in incremental steps) for the next 40 days. Plan set times (as best as you can) that you will commit to prayer, and ask a friend for accountability, so we will stay awake and watchful in our prayer! Consider reading A Place at the Table by Chris Seay or Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson to fuel and encourage you along the way.
  • Who are those faithful people who stand beside you in this life of faith? Who comforts you, encourages you, inspires you, and helps you? Take some time to name them and notice them. Write a note of thanks or encouragement to acknowledge their presence in your life.

Verse to memorize:

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” —Colossians 4:2

Kids’ verse:

“Continue to pray! Watch and always give thanks!” —Colossians 4:2

Scriptures: Colossians 4:2-18

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God mayopen to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may standmature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say toArchippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

Continue reading “Women’s Bible study: Colossians 4:2-18”

  1. John Piper
  2. William Barclay, Colossians, 199.

Women’s Bible study: Colossians 3:18-4:1

All relationships take new form and shape as they are found and defined in the context of our relationship with Christ.

All earthly relationships reflect a heavenly relationship.  If you look through these pairs:  We are the bride of Christ and He is our heavenly husband.  We are God’s children and He is our father. We willingly devote ourselves to God as His slaves, He is our Master. So as we look at these pairs, we see not just the human responsibility of each, but we see how God perfectly does these things — He perfectly loves us and is never harsh with us. He perfectly raises us and does not provoke or discourage us. And he is the perfect master who always treats us justly and fairly. And so beyond the earthly relationships we see ourselves in all three of those on the right-hand side if you will.

We are wives, children, slaves — all of us.

Issue: Resisting authority Sin: Abusing authority
Wives: Submit to your husbands Husbands: Love wives, don’t be harsh
Children: Obey parents in everything Fathers: Don’t provoke or discourage
Slaves: Obey all, work as unto God Master: Treat justly and fairly
Us God
Bride of Christ, wife Bridegroom, Heavenly Husband
Children of God Heavenly Father
Bondslaves (doulos) of God Heavenly Master (Lord, Kurios)

And then, on the other hand—we see this larger issue also at play here:

All the left side are addressing our sinful tendency to resist authority, and all the ones on the right side are addressing our sinful tendency to abuse authority. 

The essence of the sin on the left is our prideful and arrogant resistance to the order and authority that God has placed on humans. And the essence of sin on the right is our pride and corrupt use of power for our own selfish gain. All of us are prone to the sins of both sides.

It is so much bigger than a battle of the sexes issue. It is so much bigger than what parenting method you use. What the heart of the issue is, is allowing “what is earthly”  to reign in our hearts, to live according to our own passions and desires and authority, to let all the list we studied last week live in our relationships.

The essence of the sin on the left is our prideful and arrogant resistance to the order and authority that God has placed on humans. And the essence of sin on the right is our pride and corrupt use of power for our own selfish gain. All of us are prone to the sins of both sides.

We are most tempted to abuse our authority when we have authority over someone we don’t like. That’s a dangerous combination:

  • Power + ill-will = abuse.
  • Power + love = lifting others and using all authority as a way to elevate, bless, and help others.

Power and authority without love, or even mixed with hate or dislike, turns into misused authority, or abuse.

So we must be very careful how we treat those who we have power over. This is why God warns us over and over in scripture–be careful how you treat the poor, the alien, the widow, the orphan. The vulnerable are those who we have power over, right? And so without a true heart of love, we will all fall prey to an abuse of power, using our rights and authority for our own good instead of theirs.

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 7 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 3:18-4:1
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 3/4/14

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things to think about …

  • Which of these three pairs of commands challenges you most? Are you usually more tempted to selfishly resist authority or selfishly misuse your authority? Spend some time confessing & praying through which conviction you feel.
  • In response to what we studied here, write out a “plan” for how you can be more intentional in these challenging relationships. How can you choose submission, encourage obedience, and work as unto the Lord in all things? Be specific.

Verse to memorize:

“Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.” —Colossians 3:23

Kids’ verse:

“Children obey your parents all the time! For this makes God happy!” —Colossians 3:20

Scriptures: Colossians 3:18-4:1

3:18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

4:1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Continue reading “Women’s Bible study: Colossians 3:18-4:1”

Women’s Bible study: Colossians 3:1-17

Maturity isn’t so much climbing ladder of spiritual expertise, it’s the wholehearted desire for things above, it’s a mind that’s wholly fixed on things above, it’s finding one’s life solely in Jesus Christ, it’s death to the world and the things of the world.

The goal is not to become elite in Christ, the goal is to become mature in Christ. THAT is the big difference between the Gnostic leaders and Paul. Paul was encouraging the Colossians to become mature; Gnostics wanted to to make them strive toward elitism (which only served to reinforce their own elitism).  We can fall into this same trap too — we can become so addicted to more information, the latest books, the latest conferences, the latest tweet trends and podcasts, and who’s who in the Christian world. Next thing we know we can find ourselves striving to be elite in Christ rather than mature in Christ. Elitism means you climbed some status ladder based on talent or head knowledge or fame or following some steps, etc.

Maturity means you have grown. No ladder climbing necessary.

Even if you don’t feel it, dress the part (3:12-17)In our day we are so used to just wearing whatever we feel like (which I love!) so what I wear is usually nothing more than a reflection of how I feel that day. But He’s saying, don’t just wear whatever you feel like, PUT ON the right thing! No matter what you feel like, PUT ON these things. 

Notice how people constantly self-justify, “I just need to let this out” or “I just need to be honest about this” or “I just need to be real.” Ok that is fine, yes it does say “Do not lie to one another” so certainly we are to be truthful, but that doesn’t mean we just let every negative feeling and emotion “out.” He’s saying, DON’t let these things out, put the away and put something else on! Put away the ratty sweatpants and put on something beautiful, not because you feel like it but because you want to be a gift to the people around you. Not in a fake way but in a faith way.

It takes a whole community to grow people into Christ’s image. Real Christocentric community should be (Colossians 3:15-17):

  1. A culture of peace (v. 15)
  2. A culture of thankfulness (v. 15)
  3. A culture rich with the gospel (v. 16)
  4. A culture of teaching and admonishing (v. 16)
  5. A happy culture (v. 16)
  6. A culture supremely conscious of Jesus (v. 17)

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 6 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 2/25/14

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things to think about …

  • What “things on earth” still carry the greatest weight or present the greatest lure to you? Where are you most prone to still seek and set your mind on earthly things?
  • Which “earthly” behaviors are still most prevalent in your life: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander or obscene talk? Spend some time asking God to reveal what these look like in real time, and if/how they are present in your heart and daily life. 
  • What does it look like to “put off” your old-self tendencies and “put on” your new self ways? (Be specific.) How can you talk to yourself more than listen to yourself? How can you be intentional to act out of faith rather than follow the way your flesh feels? 

Verse to memorize:

“Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on earth.” —Colossians 3:2

Kids’ verse:

“Think about the things above, not the stuff down here!” —Colossians 3:2

Scriptures: Colossians 3:1-17

3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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Women’s Bible study: Colossians 2:16-23

All legalistic, man-made religions and cultures detract away from the centrality of Christ. It’s the focus all on angels, or all on Mary, or all on the Pope, or all on Joseph Smith, or all on Oprah, or WHOEVER.

ANYTHING THAT DETRACTS FROM JESUS CHRIST IS GARBAGE.  Don’t go there!

In Colossians 2:16-23, Paul takes on Gnosticism, an ancient false religious system that still creeps into our lives today. Four gnostic practices:

  1. AsceticismIf the body is evil, then it must be beaten down, starved, its every need refused and its every impulse chained down.
  2. Observation of Days. Feasts and new moons and sabbaths. If you’ve been set free from this, why do you want to go back? (These just point us to the real thing, we don’t need those once the real thing is here!)
  3. Special Visions (“making a parade of the things he has seen”). The Gnostics prided themselves on special visions and special revelation of secret knowledge. There is always a danger when a man begins to think he has attained a height of holiness which enables him to see what “Common men” cannot. This led to a “spiritual snobbery.”
  4. Worship of Angels. Jews had a highly-developed doctrine of angels, and the Gnostics believed in all kinds of intermediaries. They worshipped these.

Paul makes four criticisms of this:

  1. All this is just a shadow of the truth — the real truth is Christ. 
  2. This promotes a sort of false humility because it acts as though God is so high and holy that we must bear all these rules and engage in all this asceticism in order to please Him. But Christianity says the opposite, God is open to the humblest and the simplest person. (Childlike)
  3. This sort of religious observance leads to pride. It is the basic truth of Christianity that no man who thinks himself good is good, least of all the man (or woman) who thinks himself (or herself) better than other people.
  4. All this is a return to unChristian slavery instead of Christian freedom. It does not free a man from earthly lusts. Christian freedom comes not by rules and regulations, but by death of evil desires (death to self) and the springing to life of good desires, as God changes us from the inside out (changing what we want). (Changed)

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 5 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 2:16-23
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 2/18/14

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things to think about …

  • Where are you susceptible to letting others “pass judgment” on you regarding your decisions to follow Christ? Is there anyone in your life who you tend to fear their judgment about your family, lifestyle, choices? Why do you think that is?
  • In what ways do we take things that were meant to point us to and draw us to Christ and we let them become the end-all? Do any holidays, traditions, or religious activities become the end instead of the means to the end of worshipping Christ?
  • Why do you think rules and regulations are so appealing to our culture? How do we measure “success” in our culture and what part does this play in legalism?

Verse to memorize:

“These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” —Colossians 2:17

Kids’ verse:

“Rules and religion are shadows — the real thing is Christ!” —Colossians 2:17

Scriptures: Colossians 2:16-23

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no onedisqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

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Women’s Bible study: Colossians 2:6-15

You don’t grow up in the faith by following rules. You grow up by being connected, by faith, to the source of life.

You don’t receive Jesus, the helper. Jesus the friend. Jesus the religious guru. Jesus the good teacher.  You must have received Jesus the Lord.

The Lord is a ruler, master, king. There are many who give intellectual assent to Jesus, call themselves Christians, go to church.

Billy Graham says, “No man can be said to be truly converted to Christ who has not bent his will to Christ. He may give intellectual assent to the claims of Christ and may have had emotional religious experiences; however he is not truly converted until he has surrendered his will to Christ as Lord, Savior, and Master.”

Charles Spurgeon says, “It is interesting to notice that the Apostles preached the Lordship of Christ. The word Savior occurs only twice in the Acts of the Apostles. On the other hand, it is amazing to notice the title Lord is mentioned 92 times.”

They clearly emphasized Lordship.

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 4 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 2:6-15
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 2/11/14

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things to think about …

  • When and how did you receive Christ? How does this inform the way that you are to continue walking in Him? (Think specifically.)
  • What would it look like to be “abounding in thanksgiving”? To be overflowing with gratitude in your daily life? What practical changes will help you grow in this grace?
  • Have you ever been faced with false teaching or human tradition or suggested doctrines or beliefs you weren’t sure were true? What did you do? How do you decide whether something is true or not?
  • How do you interact with “non-Christian” books, media, messages? What is your approach and how do you wisely interact with Hollywood, psychology and pop culture? (If you don’t have an intentional approach, let’s make one!)

Verse to memorize:

Therefore as you have received Christ the Lord, so walk in Him.” —Colossians 2:6

Kids’ verse:

“Continue with Jesus the same way you began!” —Colossians 2:6

Scriptures: Colossians 2:6-15

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to theelemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 andyou have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

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Women’s Bible study: Colossians 1:24-2:5

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings …”
—The Apostle Paul

Are you willing to endure sufferings for the sake of others? To actually take on physical loss, so others can gain?  Will you give yourself to serve others?

That’s what ministry is. We serve to God’s glory and for other’s good.

What’s convicting is how hard we will work for something for self, and how quickly we don’t have enough energy for something that solely benefits others.

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 3 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 1:24-2:5
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 2/4/14

Listen or download:

things to think about …

  • Are there any ways you are currently suffering? What is your natural response or tendency to this struggle? How will you rejoice IN (not for) this situation NOW?
  • What relationship, ministry, or service is currently costly for you? Ask God for His supernatural resources, for all His energy to powerfully work within you.
  • Knowing that we ALL have a tendency to consider “what’s in it for us” when serving others, spend time confessing this sin to God, specifically, and ask Him to work His supernatural selfless love in your heart, to minister to and serve others. 
  • Who in your life right now can you help to “present mature in Christ”? Children, friends, sisters in Christ? How will you invest in them this year?

Verse to memorize:

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” —Colossians 1:28

Kids’ verse:

“We teach everyone about Jesus, to help them all grow up in Him!” —Colossians 1:28

Scriptures: Colossians 1:24-2:5

1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. Forthough I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

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Women’s Bible study: Colossians 1:15-23

It’s all about Jesus this week. 

If last week was all about prayer, this week is all about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Colossians is chock-full of practical instruction, things to do, concrete commands, etc. But first comes the foundation, the truth that sets the framework for everything that comes after. And without THIS week, this foundation, the rest of the book would just be more religious duties, more dos and don’ts.

The big question everyone must answer is, Who is Jesus and why did He come?

That’s the question we must all answer. And we do well to think about this and really know, not just the Sunday school answer, but the real answer that we believe. Who is Jesus and why did He come?

Colossians 1:15-23 answers exactly that. Who He is:

  1. Verse 15a: He is the image of the invisible God.
  2. Verse 15b: He is the firstborn of all creation—that is, the specially honored, first and only Son over all creation.
  3. Verse 16a: He is the one By whom all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. (We will come back to verse 16.)
  4. Verse 16b: He is the one through whom all things were created.
  5. Verse 16c: He is the one FOR whom All things were created.
  6. Verse 17a: He is before all things.
  7. Verse 17b: He is the One who holds all things together.
  8. Verse 18a: He is the head of the body, the church.
  9. Verse 18b: He is the beginning.
  10. Verse 18c: He is the firstborn from the dead.
  11. Verse 18d: He is preeminent.
  12. Verse 19: He is the one in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 2 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 1/28/14

Listen or download:

things to think about …

  • How do you typically respond when someone is skeptical of Christianity? Do you feel comfortable discussing and interacting? How does your response/demeanor/attitude reflect your confidence and faith in Jesus Christ? How do you discern the difference between a genuine seeker and someone who just wants to argue?
  • In our daily lives and as we teach our children, how often do we emphasize Who Jesus is and what He’s done?  Are there ways we tend to slide into moralistic religion (emphasizing dos and don’ts) instead of centering our faith continually and daily on Jesus?

Verse to memorize:

For in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” —Colossians 1:19

Kids’ verse:

“ALL of God came down to us … in Jesus!” —Colossians 1:19

Scriptures: Colossians 1:15-23

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Continue reading “Women’s Bible study: Colossians 1:15-23”

Women’s Bible study: Colossians 1:1-14

Colossae, the unimportant city. Not notable for any particular reason. It had been prominent, but then wasn’t, and at the time of Paul’s writing, it was “the most unimportant town to which Paul ever wrote a letter.” He never visited there. It could have easily just sunken down into oblivion, impacted by heresy and unimportant by worldly standards.

But of course today we know the name Colossae; it is prominent and important.

Why?

Because Paul, from afar, invested in it.

Colossians: Fully Pleasing God

Week 1 of Colossians: Fully Pleasing God
Scripture: Colossians 1:1-14
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 1/21/14

Listen or download:

“A Christian always moves in two spheres. He is in the town, the place, the society where he happens to stay in this world, but he is also in Christ. The Christian lives in two dimensions. He lives in this world, and he does not take the duties and relationships of this world lightly; he fulfills his every obligation to the world in which he lives. But above and beyond that he lives in Christ. In this world he may move from place to place, so that now he is in one place and now in another; but wherever he is, He is in Christ. That is why outward circumstances will make very little difference to the Christian; His happiness and his peace and his joy are not dependent on them, these things can chance, but the fact that he is in Christ can never change. That is why the Christian will do any job and any task with all his heart. It may be menial, it may be unpleasant, it may be painful, it may be far less distinguished than he might expect to have; its rewards may be small, and its praise may be non-existent; nevertheless the Christian does it diligently, uncomplainingly and cheerfully, for he is in Christ and does all things to the Lord.” 1

6 brief observations about the gospel in Colossians 1:6-8

  1. The gospel is the gospel. (“Good news.” The gospel is GOOD news.) We are the ones who mess it all up and make it a heavy burden. First and foremost, is the good declaration of what God has done to reconcile us to Himself, and invitation for us to receive this offer and enter an eternal relationship with Him.
  2. The gospel is truth. The “word of truth.” This is not a guess about God. Or one way to get to God. Is it THE word of truth. The way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Jesus Christ and His gospel.
  3. The gospel is universal. The true gospel is not an American gospel. This is why we must preach the pure and true and beautiful gospel of grace, and not some health wealth garbage that gives gives a low and earthly hope. A hope of temporal blessing and temporal happiness. And gospel that promises what it was never meant to deliver. The true gospel is cross-cultural, universal. It is true in every age, for every socioeconomic class, every race and gender and age. The true gospel is absolutely universal.
  4. The gospel is productive. (It bears fruit and increases.) “It is a plain fact of history and experience that the gospel has power to change the individual lives of men and the society in which men live. The power of the gospel can change the sinner into a good man, and the power of the gospel can slowly take the selfishness and the cruelty out of society.”2 Our only hope is not in political reform, education, our true hope is in the power and effectiveness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  5. The gospel is grace. (“Grace of God in truth.”) It is not just another list of things to do. Another religion. It does not just tell of God’s demands from men, but also of God’s gift to men. God offers what He demands.
  6. The gospel is humanly transmitted. Sometimes, God intervenes supernaturally and reveals the gospel to people (like Paul), but the normative mode of transferring the gospel, is by people. Romans 10:14 says, “How are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ANd how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news.” … Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. 

 

Verse to memorize:

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.” —Colossians 1:11

Kids’ verse:

“ May you be strong with His strength, for all endurance with joy!” —Colossians 1:11

Scriptures: Colossians 1:1-14

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it isbearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalfand has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him,bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Continue reading “Women’s Bible study: Colossians 1:1-14”

  1. William Barclay, commentary on Colossians
  2. William Barclay