For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus] …
Summary: Imagining the fullness of God is a challenge. One way to picture this is to think about where we live.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:19 – Moving Day”Colossians 1:18c – A Picture of Life
… so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Summary: Paul finishes this verse with a statement that Jesus has supremacy in all things. What this means includes a picture of life and a portrait of death.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:18c – A Picture of Life”Colossians 1:18b – Dead Right
… he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead …
Summary: To fully understand the gift Jesus offers us, we must acknowledge death. The reality of death without Christ is terrifying. The blessing of Jesus is being filled with life and freed from death.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:18b – Dead Right”Colossians 1:18a – Heads and Tails
And he is the head of the body, the church …
Summary: Paul points us to an important fact about the church: Jesus is the head!
Continue reading “Colossians 1:18a – Heads and Tails”Colossians 1:17 – Letting Go
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Summary: Today’s passage presents us with an interesting proposition to ponder. If Jesus holds everything together, what happens if he let’s go? The answer is not pretty.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:17 – Letting Go”Colossians 1:16c – A Tale of Two Kings
… all things have been created through him and for him.
Summary: If Jesus is our king, why does it take so long for him to be recognized as king? The Bible answers this question with the story of King David.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:16c – A Tale of Two Kings”Colossians 1:15b – Things
… things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
Summary: Looking over Paul’s list of “things,” we discover that he has a firm grasp not only of our material world but of the spiritual realm as well.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:15b – Things”Colossians 1:16a – Swimming in Mystery
For in him all things were created:
Summary: Understanding what we don’t understand is a key concept to understand if we want to fully appreciate our lack of understanding.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:16a – Swimming in Mystery”Colossians 1:15b – Firstborn
… the firstborn over all creation.
Summary: Looking at the meaning of the word “firstborn” opens the door to a fascinating journey through the Bible.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:15b – Firstborn”Colossians 1:15a – A Life We Can’t See
The Son is the image of the invisible God …
Summary: The image of something invisible can be a difficult concept to grasp.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:15a – A Life We Can’t See”