Tag: Colossians

3 Reasons I Love The Book of Colossians

CHRIST OUR CORE

Colossae-Map

By Dr. David P. Craig

As I begin a new chapter of ministry in my life as a Senior Pastor at Valley Baptist Church in San Rafael, CA., it didn’t take long for me to make the book of Colossians my choice for my first exposition of Sermons. There are 3 primary reasons I chose to preach from the book of Colossians:

(1) An Upward Focus on the Sovereign Majesty and Saving Work of Jesus Christ – Perhaps of all the books of the Bible Colossians is arguably the most dense in its Christology. The Person and work of Christ as the Sovereign Redeemer for mankind is proclaimed loud and clear from the start to finish in this epistle.  Throughout the entire letter the apostle Paul redirects Christian’s distracted focus back to Jesus. He shows how focusing on Jesus builds a strong defense and forms a strategic offense against enemies both inside and outside the church. As clearly as any book of the Bible, Colossians rivets our attention on Christ and who He is and what He has done for us. Christ’s Person and work are the very motivation and power we need to live by faith, walk in obedience, and glorify God. As Scotty Smith has said, “The only cure for self-occupation is a preoccupation with the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(2) An Inward Focus That Helps Equip Us to Avoid The Dangers of False Teachings – The Colossian Church was being undermined by two types of heresies that had infiltrated the doctrinal beliefs of the Church: There was a combination of Jewish legalism (works salvation) and Eastern philosophy (gnosticism) that threatened the peace and unity of the Church. Today we have all kinds of heresies and false teachings that many long time conservative evangelical churches have succumbed too and have abandoned the faith that has been “delivered unto the saints.” We need to get back to the core teachings of Christ as reflected in the gospel – salvation by grace alone through Christ alone via faith and repentance.

(3) An Outward Missional Focus on How To Live For Christ Everywhere We Are – Paul shows us how Christ is at the center of all of our relationships (at home, work, and in the community with outsiders).

Bottom line – Colossians is all about Jesus – upward in worship, inward in equipping, and outward on mission. When we find our security and significance in Him we find that He’s really all we need and we want others to have what He’s given us – a personal relationship with Him through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Book Review: The Hope of Glory: 100 Daily Meditations on Colossians By Sam Storms

I chose the book of Colossians as the first book to preach through in the church where I am the pastor of preaching. A large part of the reason I chose to preach through the book of Colossians is because I read Storms’ book on Colossians and benefited from it so much, that I felt like I wanted my flock to benefit from the great truths to be mined from the book of Colossians.

Colossians’ bottom line is all about Christ being our sufficiency period. As a pastor there is no truth that I want to convey more in my preaching, counseling, coaching, discipleship, and any teaching situation I find myself in. I find that the older I get and the more I experience and see people struggle – that our greatest need is always more of Jesus. It’s not a cliché – it’s just true.

I find that this book is useful as both a commentary and a devotional. Dr. Storms is a gifted scholar, but he is also a pastor and wonderfully balances mining the depths of Christ to be found in the book of Colossians with profound wisdom always leading to personal encouragement and application.

I am reading this book for the second time, and if the return of Christ lingers, I believe this will be a book I return to again and again to be encouraged in the infinite treasures that are to be found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this book as one you will come to again and again to be encouraged in your walk with Jesus.

Book Review: Exegetical Guide to The Greek New Testament – Colossians and Philemon by Murray J. Harris

As a senior pastor who has been preaching for twenty years on a weekly basis this series is a welcome contribution for the preacher or teacher of God’s Word.  As I have preached through Colossians verse by verse this past year I have continually been helped and my people have been helped through the exegetical insights of Murray in this excellent commentary. For those who have had a year of more of Greek it will help bring to memory much that has been forgotten.

The Guide assumes the following:

1)    You have completed an introductory New Testament Greek Course

2)    You have learned the meanings of words occurring in the New Testament more than 25 times

3)    You have been introduced to New Testament Textual Criticism

4)    You own or have access to a copy of The Greek New Testament, fourth rev. ed. B. Aland, K. Aland, J. Karavidopoulos, C.M, Martini and B.M. Metzger (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, New York: United Bible Societies, 1993)

The stated purpose of this book (and the commentaries in this series) is “to close that gap between stranded student (or former student) and daunting text and to bridge that gulf between morphological analysis and exegesis.”

I found this commentary to be particularly helpful in helping me understand Paul’s logic, grammar, argumentation, and insights into the author’s original intentions in brining out the “big picture” of Colossians – The Supremacy of Christ Sufficient for All things. Along with a good devotional like Sam Storms, “The Hope of Glory”; a good English and Greek Based Commentary like Douglas Moo’s, or F. F. Bruce; and an application based commentary like David E. Garland’s – you should be set to study and teach Colossians with great effectiveness.