Colossians – Page 2 – Three Minute Bible

March 19, 2025March 20, 2025

Colossians 3:18 – Finding Happy

Picture of John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Summary: To address this topic we have decided to step back and look at the larger picture. Why does God want an obedient wife for his Son, Jesus?

There are a lot of ways to address this text, and none of them will make everyone happy. This is a challenging topic because it has to do with God’s plan for families.

Since Paul has left very little to the imagination and just blurted out what he knows, I thought it might be helpful to step back and take a look at the larger picture.

March 18, 2025March 18, 2025

Colossians 3:17b – Giving Thanks

Heart shaped cloud floats against a blue sky.

… giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Summary: Giving thanks can be something we do to be polite, but with God, lip service doesn’t count. Thankfulness needs to come from the heart.

When do you give thanks to God? Is it often or just now and then?

Do you know what Paul means by giving thanks to the Father through Jesus?

March 17, 2025March 17, 2025

Colossians 3:17a – Eyes On Jesus

Cartoon picture of a young boy surrounded by eyes looking at him.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus …

Summary: In this passage, Paul lays down a challenge. He reminds us that God is everywhere, and our Lord Jesus is always with us. He suggests that maybe we should act like it.

Here is an interesting thought! What if everything you ever said or did was in the name of the Lord Jesus? Does that change anything?

As children of God and brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus, we actually have a responsibility to acknowledge God in our daily lives.

March 15, 2025March 16, 2025

Colossians 3:16e – Heavenly Music

… singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Summary: Understanding this passage leads us to ponder many things in the Bible that have to do with our five senses.

Have you ever wondered why God created singing?

The Old Testament includes many examples of animal sacrifice. (This may seem like a strange way to begin a meditation on singing, but bear with me!)

March 14, 2025March 14, 2025

Colossians 3:16d – How to Live

Picture of Paul and companions walking along the road singing.

[Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly] … through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit,

Summary: When Paul teaches us about Christ, he describes his personal experience with Jesus.

Years ago, I had a key fob with the words, “I sing because I’m happy!” written on it. It made me smile because it was true. Singing and happiness go together.

Of course, you can sing about sad things, too. That is why we have the “blues.”

Actually, both are appropriate for praising God.

March 13, 2025March 13, 2025

Colossians 3:16c – Something to Think About

… as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…

Summary: Paul’s words on teaching and admonishing lead us to reflect on what the Lord’s church was intended to be and to meditate on what it might become in the future.

When was the last time you attended a church where the Statement of Beliefs page included these words, “Members are expected to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom”?

I’m guessing the answer is, “Never.”

March 12, 2025March 12, 2025

Colossians 3:16b – Trust Jesus

A modern interpretation of Saul on the road to Damascus when he is confronted by the Lord

[Let the message of Christ dwell among you] … richly …

Summary: Experiencing Christ involves separating the wheat from the chaff, or as we say these days, the signal from the noise. Paul wants you to succeed and experience Christ richly.

Is it true that salvation is all about who we know rather than what we know?

Putting the burden of faith on what we know is a common misconception. We know this is true because so many people do it!

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025

Colossians 3:16a – Got it?

Let the message of Christ dwell among you …

Summary: Reading the Bible is fun. Even the simplest little thing seems to open the door to endless insights about our God and his Word.

Each of these meditations is an invitation to join in our journey of exploration. We embrace God’s written Word at face value. We believe that God is real and that if he could make the world and everything in it, he could get a book published, too.

Coming at the Bible this way, we seek to avoid arguments about what people believe about the Bible, and instead, we look to understand and enjoy the message of Christ as it has been handed down over the centuries.

March 10, 2025March 10, 2025

Colossians 3:15c – Eight Clues

And be thankful.

Summary: When Paul tells us to be thankful, it is easy to misunderstand his message. While there are many reasons to thank God in our daily lives, Paul’s list of eight reasons to be thankful helps us focus on what is really important.

In addition to all the things Paul has listed, clothing ourselves with virtues and letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, he adds this: “And be thankful.”

Thankful for what?

March 8, 2025March 9, 2025

Colossians 3:15b – Doing What is Good

A picture of a dove in flight against a sparkling blue background.

[Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,] since as members of one body you were called to peace.

Summary: Peace in the body of Christ is a beautiful thing. It is also a key indicator of spiritual wellbeing.

There is a reason Paul mentions God’s peace in our hearts first. Paul’s thoughts are racing ahead to the image of Christ’s body that Jesus has revealed to him (Galatians 1:12).

Think, for a moment, about the “body of Christ.” It is people. That is what the “body of Christ” is—just people.