The best way to explain the Christian way of life is not to give soundbites, but to give a story — because Christians have a story. It all hangs together. 

There’s been a transition, both in history and in the lives of the Colossians, that changes everything. And Paul speaks of this transition in terms of death and resurrection. 

Paul wants for the Colossians, and for you and me, to be mature in Christ, and that means not centering our lives on anything else. 

How does this passage speak to our doubt and anxiety?

If you want the real Jesus he must be the whole Jesus — the Jesus who is God become man, who suffered, and who was raised from the dead.

To be anxious is to experience a loss of security. It’s to be in a state of unease and dread and misgiving about something that you care about. Jesus understands.

The most important figure in history rides into the greatest city of his first-century milieu for the most important week that ever has been.

Paul struggles with the strength that God supplies to warn and teach so that the churches grow up into maturity. 

Paul rejoices in suffering as he reveals the gospel mystery in order to reach maturity by the power of Christ.

We are Bible-people and if the Bible continually holds out a theme, as it does with the gospel, than we know we are on solid ground to dwell on that theme. 

The point of this passage, in the words of Colossians 3:10, is “Christ is all, and in all.” 

The book of Colossians is relevant to all people at all times, but perhaps especially for those of us in the Twin Cities today.

It must have always seemed a little bit strange to Paul when he spelled out the first few words of his letters: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” 

The New Testament doesn’t merely tell us about the return of Jesus; instead, the New Testament was written because of the return of Jesus.