Last week we began the study “Colossians: Rooted in Him” by The Daily Grace Co. In these challenging times we are living, we truly need our roots to down deep into the Word of God. It is the only way to keep our faith strong and our lives steady.
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Memory Verse: “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)
We began the study with reading Colossians, Chapters 1-4 to get a quick introduction or overview of the book.
Some things were noticed with some help from the subtitles in my Bible:
- Paul prays for the believers in Colossae.
- Paul reminds them of who Christ is.
- Paul warns them of false teachers and this is a warning we’d be wise to take note of.
- Paul describes Christian living at its best – in abundance.
- Paul explains to them how to live and to live well with one another.
- Paul emphasizes the importance of prayer.
“The book of Colossians fills our hearts with awe in the presence of the preeminent Christ, and it urges us to live our lives in the light of our glorious union with Christ.”
(from Colossians: Rooted in Him, page 7)
The study asks: What do you think Paul wants us to take away from this letter?
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In Colossians 1:3-5a, Paul points to three traits which should be on display in our lives: Faith, Love, and Hope. We will never be able to muster any of these up on our own. They only develop as the Holy Spirit works in us.
- Faith – This is not about having faith in anything. It is faith in Christ. And Christ alone.
- Love – as in, love for the saints. This can be a challenge as not everyone is lovable. Amen?
- Hope – This is hope as in the expectation of what lies ahead for us all.
The study asks: How is faith demonstrated in Jesus and in the life of the believer? How is love demonstrated in Jesus and in the life of the believer? How is hope demonstrated in Jesus and in the life of the believer?
“Our hope is in Jesus. And it is on Him that we fix our gaze … And we look to Him for the strength to help us to walk in His ways. Because the call to discipleship is the call to be like Jesus.”
(from Colossians: Rooted in Him, page 16)
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If we are going to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, we are going to need to do a few things. The study points out that Paul’s words are both “intensely practical” and “transformative for our thoughts.”
- Practical –> designed for actual use; fitted for actual work or activities.
- Transformative –> to cause a radical and positive change in outlook, form or condition.
This practical and transformative change in our lives occurs as we come to know God through His Word more and more.
As we know Him through His Word, we live in a manner pleasing to Him, our lives bear fruit, and we come to know God more. The cycle keeps repeating itself in our lives.
“The call for us is to abide in Christ, cling to Him, and bear fruit for His glory.
As we come to God’s Word, we are to be compelled to action and transformation through the power of the Spirit in us.”
(from Colossians: Rooted in Him, page 24)
There are those words again – God’s Word is practical, meaning it can be put into action in our lives. And God’s Word is transformative, meaning it can bring about change in our lives.
But for these things to take place, we must be in God’s Word.
Paul’s prayer is a prayer for the Colossian church. It is also a prayer for us and can guide us as we pray for others.
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May we let the book of Colossians urge us to live worthy,
and follow the call to discipleship,
as we daily stay in God’s Word.
Photo 1: by Debby Hudson on Unsplash
Photo 2: by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Photo 3:Â by Anika Huizinga on Unsplash
Amen. We must stay in His Word daily. Drawing close to the Father brings peace and comfort to my soul.
I love the book of Colossians! Such good stuff in there! I’m currently reading Francis Chan’s Letter to the Churches and it is also stressing loving our church family. I do love my church family; but I also see where I can do a better job. Your post is a timely word for me!
For me, the key take-away from Colossians is how important it is as Christians to keep our eyes and focus on God. We do that through His word. It’s become vitally important in my life to validate all that I hear from the pulpit with the crucible of God’s word. If I can’t validate the claim made there with God’s word, then I will discount it. I understand we can have differences of opinion/interpretation, but I also know that the Holy Spirit will shine the light of understanding to help us resolve these differences. When that fails to happen, I become suspect. Eventually, that person or group loses all credibility with me and I’ll respectfully move on. Great post ma’am. Thank you!
“God’s Word is practical, meaning it can be put into action in our lives. And God’s Word is transformative, meaning it can bring about change in our lives.” Yes, Amen to this, Joanne. I love Colossians. If we are to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, then there has to be a way to accomplish it. God’s Word. We can never separate our personal lives from our Christian walk and the Bible. They are one in the same.