Colossians: Jesus Above All - Week 1
Colossians 1:1-8
Though we will not meet in house churches this week, we encourage you to engage with Colossians in your personal time with God or with your family.
Background
This is an epistle (or letter) written by Paul in the early 50’s while he was in prison. The letter was intended for the church in Colossae which was planted by Epaphras. This Colossian church plant was in the middle of a pagan city with a high population of Jews. The main purpose of this letter is found in chapter 2 verse 8, to protect the church from man-made philosophies and traditions.
Read and Reflect
Read Colossians 1:1-8
Don't be hesitant to use a dictionary or online resource (like Biblegateway.com) to look up any words you don't understand or names you are not familiar with. However, if you find yourself unsure of the message or lesson of a passage, we encourage you to bring this passage to God in prayer. Ask questions and sit with the biggest point of resistance while you rest, work, and commute. Bring your thoughts to your family or a trusted friend. Let God speak through his Word, through your meditations, and through the community of faith.
Go Deeper
Prayer
Remember to pray for the families in your house church and the people on your Top Five cards.
Announcements
Though we will not meet in house churches this week, we encourage you to engage with Colossians in your personal time with God or with your family.
Background
This is an epistle (or letter) written by Paul in the early 50’s while he was in prison. The letter was intended for the church in Colossae which was planted by Epaphras. This Colossian church plant was in the middle of a pagan city with a high population of Jews. The main purpose of this letter is found in chapter 2 verse 8, to protect the church from man-made philosophies and traditions.
Read and Reflect
Read Colossians 1:1-8
Don't be hesitant to use a dictionary or online resource (like Biblegateway.com) to look up any words you don't understand or names you are not familiar with. However, if you find yourself unsure of the message or lesson of a passage, we encourage you to bring this passage to God in prayer. Ask questions and sit with the biggest point of resistance while you rest, work, and commute. Bring your thoughts to your family or a trusted friend. Let God speak through his Word, through your meditations, and through the community of faith.
Go Deeper
- What is the passage saying? Try to restate it in your own words.
- Who is Paul? Read Acts 8-9 to find out. (This is about Paul’s conversion, before he was known as Paul he was called Saul.) What surprises you about Paul’s story? What do you think about God using a man like this to be the greatest missionary of the early church?
- Everyone knew about Paul’s past. Think about what he is saying in these first verses of Colossians. What kind of weight does his experience give to Paul’s urging for the church to remember where truth comes from?
- We cannot expect the world to lead us to Jesus. What is your gut reaction to that statement? If you believe it is true, then how do you remain part of the world while keeping your direction towards Jesus? If you don’t agree with the statement, where have you seen the world lead to Jesus?
Prayer
Remember to pray for the families in your house church and the people on your Top Five cards.
Announcements
- Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 7th. We will be worshiping with Grace Anglican in their worship space at 10:30am.
- House churches will resume meeting in the first week of August.
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