Category Archives: Meditation (on the Word)

“Adorned with the Word: Preaching” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.[1]

Greetings Sojourners!

As I said in our last Bible study, this is a passage that I interact with regularly. It is a part of my life as a pastor. This leads us to look at something unique about interacting with God’s Word that is different from interacting with literature or other writings: God’s Word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and, most importantly, is interacting with us.

This is something that Christians sometimes take for granted. We do not have a holy book that merely contains rules and guidelines. No, we have a holy God who breathed out the words of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) – a God who rules and gives guidance Himself through His Spirit and written word!

This is different than mere literature. I interact with literature every day in my job as an English teacher, but the literature does not interact with me. There are aspects of good literature that affect my life. There may even be times where something that I read has a functional impact on how I live my life or show compassion or think about certain issues, but the author is not interacting with me – the text is just words. God’s Word is different. To illustrate this more clearly, look at how Paul David Tripp explains it:

“Not only do we have the gift of God’s Word, but we also have the gift of the Holy Spirit, who guides us, teaches us, and illumines the Word for us so that we can know, understand, confess, and repent. I not only need the content of God’s Word, but I also need the help of the Holy Spirit to enable me to understand it, to assist me to apply it, to empower me to live it, and to equip me to take its message to others. God rescues me from my foolishness not just by handing me a book, but also by giving me Himself to open the wisdom of that book to me. I don’t do this as an author. I write a book and move on. It is then up to the reader to make sense of what I have written. I don’t travel to reader after reader, sitting with them as long as it takes, shining light on the things I have written, making sure they understand, and helping them to apply the content of the book to their everyday lives. But that is exactly what God does. He goes everywhere His Word goes. He patiently sits with readers every time they open His book.”[2]

God’s Word is something else!

When we take today’s passage in its correct context, it is good that God’s Word is so special – so powerfully and providentially given to us – and alive. We are still in the portion of Colossians where Paul is teaching the Colossian church (and us in our churches today) to put on Christ, to be adorned by Him in our real lives.

If God’s Word is not living and active, we have merely memorized some facts or learned some literature. Trust me that, as one who has memorized a lot of facts and read/taught a lot of literature, facts and stories are not enough to change people’s lives. More is needed. And more is exactly what we are given in God’s Word. The Bible is more than a book. It contains everything that can be known about God. Look at how Wayne Grudem explains the necessity of Scripture for the Christian Life:

“It is not only true that all things necessary to become a Christian, live as a Christian, and grow as a Christian are clearly presented in the Bible. It is also true that without the Bible we could not know these things. The necessity of Scripture means that it is necessary to read the Bible or have someone tell us what is in the Bible if we are going to know God personally, have our sins forgiven, and know with certainty what God wants us to do.”[3]

I will say it again: God’s Word is something else!

So, let us dive into Colossians 3:16 and see what it means for our churches to be adorned – dressed in, wearing – the Word of God.

The Word of God is Foundational to Christian Worship (v. 16)

It should be able to go without saying that God’s Word is part of the foundation of our worship, but throughout the millennia that Christianity has existed – and the examples from the millennia of God’s people in the Old Testament hearing “Thus saith the Lord” – it is clear that people are foolish and often do the opposite of what they should. Sometimes, sinful people – even sinful pastors (or “pastors”) – just want to teach what they want to teach, whether it is in the Bible or not. Sometimes, ignorance of what the Bible says leads to teaching wrongly. One of those is malicious, and the other is woefully dangerous, but the fact of the matter is that stepping off the foundation of God’s Word leads to trouble. We get off track. Our following Jesus is replaced too easily by personal sin and idolatry. God’s Word illumined by God’s Spirit prevents that.

As we said in our last Bible study, Colossians 3:15-17 telling us what our local churches are to be adorned in – what they are to be wearing. Just as the attributes of sin listed in Colossians 3:5-9 are treated as filthy garments that need to be taken off and the attributes of faith listed in Colossians 3:10, 12-15 are treated as clean garments that should be worn, peace, gratitude, the Word of God, and praise are garments that should adorn our churches. One could say that, rather than worrying about what folks are wearing to church, we should be worried about what our churches are wearing. One should be able to see peace, gratitude, the Word of God, and praise so clearly that it marks us like camouflage fatigues do a soldier.

Paul tells the Colossian church to let “the Word of Christ dwell in you richly”. This goes deeper than merely being clothed in the Word; we are talking about being saturated with the Word. That word that the ESV translates as “richly” can be translated “richly furnished”, describing the way a house or a room is filled or covered. It can be translated “in large amount” or “in abundance” meaning that there is a fullness or surplus. It can be translated “in full measure” meaning that there is a certain measurement that is to be given and that all of it should be put out. The Word of God is not supposed to be a mere decoration or the prooftext of a talk or what the music we like is loosely based on; it is supposed to extravagantly and abundantly saturate our churches and worship gatherings to the point where it consumes all else.

Visitors should be able to leave our gatherings and say that we only want to talk, sing, and proclaim the Word of God, pointing them to Jesus. People who want to “play church” or merely masquerade as a Christian should be so disgusted by the reality presented in God’s Word that they have to take their ball and play elsewhere. The measure of God’s Word in our preaching and singing should be such that we leave hungering for no less in our daily walk with Christ. To paraphrase an old church joke, the Word of God should be so prominent in our worship – dwell in us so richly – that if a mosquito were to bite us in the parking lot after church, it would have to sing “There’s Power in the Blood”!

The Colossian church needed to hear this because they had false teachers coming in and trying to supplement God’s Word with what is “really” needed. In truth, they were trying to replace the Word with the supplement. The gospel was all their pastor Epaphras had to offer. False teachers cried for gospel+, but Paul is calling for the Colossians to understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ is sufficient on its own!

If false teaching is to have no more place in our gatherings than Epaphras or Paul wanted in the Colossian church, the Word must be central – and not just on Sundays or Wednesdays. It needs to be central in our daily lives. If we are to long for God as a deer, exhausted from being hunted, pants for streams of water (Psalm 42:1), we should desire to hear from Him, which is what happens when we seek Him in His Word. The Spirit takes the words He breathed out and penned through human hands and lights our path (Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 6:23), convicts our hearts (John 8:46, John 16:8-9), and declare the Word in our hearts and minds (John 16:13-15, Psalm 25:5).

But, just as the Ethiopian eunuch responded to Phillip’s question of whether he understood what he was reading (Acts 8:30-31), we must ask, “How can we unless someone guides us?” We should echo Paul’s question to the church in Rome, as well: How are we to hear unless someone preaches?

Let us look and see what God’s Word says about preaching so that we can ensure we are seeking to be adorned with God’s Word and dwell in it richly in our worship gatherings.

The Word of God Tells Us What Preaching is Supposed to Be

As we look at this, we need to understand that almost no church or Christian preacher (or “preacher”) is going to really come out and say that God’s Word is not enough. In fact, I encounter people posting on social media or putting out church-related content that calls for folks to get back to preaching the whole Bible and what they are calling for is how the Bible was preached when their generation was growing up or what their denomination stands/once stood for or Republican values or Democratic values or this or that. It is rare that any cry for returning to Bible preaching hails from the Bible (which should really tell us something). The question we must ask ourselves today is whether the Bible, being sufficient, shows within its pages what it is to have the Bible central in our worship gatherings – not just the preaching, but especially in the preaching – to have it dwell in us richly.

Good news, sojourner: the Bible does tell us. So, let us briefly look at a few passages of Scripture – Old Testament and New – that show us how to have the Bible central in our worship gatherings and preaching.

1 Timothy 4:13 – Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

This is something that challenged us a few years ago at Christ Community. The pastors were reading a book and diving into God’s Word together and found ourselves convicted by this command from Paul to a young pastor named Timothy. We planned and discussed how to get the practice of being devoted to “public reading” of Scripture to be something that was natural and did not seem weird or like some kind of religious exercise. We came up empty and prayed for God to make this clear for us. He did! One Sunday, we were going to read Psalm 51 as part of our musical worship. When we said, “Let’s read”, the congregation took us literally and all began reading the passage aloud together. It has become one of my favorite parts of our worship gathering, and we have seen people begin to be as excited – clapping hands and cheering, even – when we read powerful sections of Scripture that make much of Jesus!

All that to say, do not overthink this. If you want the Word to dwell in you richly, read it. Read it aloud in your worship gatherings. Have one person read it, or all read it together. I have been in some churches where they read from a Psalm or portion of a Psalm every week. It is beautiful. It is good for us. It points us away from the world and exalts God. Do it.

Nehemiah 8:8 – They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

This passage takes place after the Israelite exiles return from Babylon to a war-ravaged Jerusalem. The temple is gone with nothing but the foundations left. They have been gone for seventy years, and some of them had never heard the Word – in their case, the Law or the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Ezra gathered up all the people and “opened the book in the sight of all the people” with them standing, and he blessed God and simply read it to them (Nehemiah 8:5-6). Listen to that again, he read them the first five books of the Bible with them standing there the whole time. Church folks would run a preacher out! But look at the hunger they had – the devotion! Wow! Not only did they read it, but Ezra and a number of others listed in Nehemiah 8:7 took the time and “helped the people understand the Law, while the people remained in their places”. Imagine a sermon on the first five books of the Bible. Again, church folks would run a preacher out (or would have already run out themselves)!

Ezra and company did more here than simply translate the Hebrew Scripture for people who spoke Aramaic or to relay what the book said; they broke it down for them. They made an “exposition or explanation of the meaning”.[4] This reflected Ezra’s heart and commitment to not only be impacted by the Scriptures himself (Ezra 7:10) but to share the Word with the people he had been called to serve.

This is a beautiful picture of what preaching – at its most simple and pure center – should be: a model for all who teach and preach the Word of God”.[5] We should read the Word – as much or as little as the Spirit prompts. We should read it clearly. If God lays a chapter on the pastor’s heart, he should not rush through it. It is the centerpiece. It is the meat at the meal. And he should give the sense. The sermon should seek to help people understand what is read and see Jesus in it! Understand that I am not talking about a lecture or a mere lesson. This is not a class – it is the Christ! There should be a passionate plea for people to look to Christ. There should be a fire inside the bones of the preacher (Jeremiah 20:9) to point people to the Lord!

Luke 24:25-27 – And He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

If there was ever a sermon I wished I could have been present for, this is it. Jesus, after His resurrection, met some men who were walking to Emmaus. They had no idea He was the Christ, and they were telling Him about what had just happened to Him on the cross. He sharply rebuked them, but what He did next is a beautiful picture of grace and the importance of Scripture. Jesus took the time with these guys and went through the Law and the Prophets to show them Him. Imagine having the Word interpret the Word for you! Remember: that is what the Spirit still does for us today!

If we want the Word to dwell richly in us, we must be content to soak in the Word – to have it drench our worship, both personal and corporate.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

As you know, I am a high school English teacher as well as a pastor. I can assure you that no one truly enjoys studying, at least not all the time. But think about this differently. When a young man begins courting his love, does he not study her? Does he not spend time getting to know her likes and dislikes? Does he not try to learn the desires of her heart, especially as they pertain to him? Now, think about how the level of study goes down once he passes the test and wins his bride. He should still study, but the yearning and desire has waned. It should not be so for those called to handle the Word of truth.

Study should be done to ensure that the preacher has been faithful to the Word – that it has been read clearly and the sense clearly given. Care should be taken so that God’s intentions are carried out and not man’s. To clarify, rightly handling the word of truth is to handle it correctly and straightforwardly, “not in a way that is shifty or shady” but in such a way that upholds the truth it contains.[6]

Acts 17:10-11 – The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Studying God’s Word is not limited to preachers and pastors. The Berean Christians set an example that was sorely needed during that time so that they could weed out the false teachers. It is needed even more today. TikTok theology and Facebook farces masquerading as preaching need to be evaluated by the Word of God. We need to be testing all preaching we hear by the Word – not because we should not be able to trust our pastors, but because we know God is trustworthy and infallible. You should be testing what you read in our Bible studies here.

Is this work? Yes. Is it worth it? He is worth it. Jesus is worth it. Just as we could judge the lazy husbands in the illustration above for waning in their wooing of their wives once they won them, we should take steps to ensure that our love for Christ, the bridegroom of the Church, is not waning, too! The way that Luke described the Bereans makes it clear that their interest was not waning. They were enthusiastic in receiving the Word. They simply were not going to let their enthusiasm get the better of them. The Spirit gives this example of “searching the Scriptures as a pattern for all believers” and supports the “idea that the Bible can be understood rightly, not only by scholars but also by ordinary people who read it eagerly and diligently, with conscious dependence on God for help”![7]

Wrapping Up

There was a time when God’s Word was kept out of reach for everyday people. Before the printing press, it was almost impossible for people to have or to even contemplate affording a copy of God’s Word for themselves. Hand copied scrolls in the Old Testament era and copies of letters in the era of the New Testament were accessible in major areas, but not to be held in one’s own hands outside of a synagogue, church, or library. Then, there were those throughout the medieval period who sought to keep the Word of God even out of people’s mouths. Whereas Ezra made sure a clear sense was given, priests preached in Latin and were able to make the sense whatever they wanted. But there were those, men like Jon Huss and John Wycliffe, who put their lives on the line to get the Word of God in Bohemian or English so that their flock could have access to the Scriptures.

Why is it that in the times and places where God’s Word is forbidden that people are willing to risk life and limb to have the Word dwell richly in them? Why is it that in 2024 the Word dwells more richly in churches in countries where, if the powers-that-be find them with even a page or section of Scripture (which may be all they have), believers face jail or death?

Well, firstly, we who think we are serving Christ in peacetime are fools. There is no peacetime. The war is waging all around the world (1 Peter 5:8-10, Ephesians 6:10-20). We are all too distracted by the symptoms of the Fall than in Him who has come and is going to crush the head of the ruler of this world (Genesis 3:15). And do you know why we are distracted? Sadly, it is because we do not allow the Word of Christ to dwell in us richly. It does not affect the way we teach and admonish one another. Thankfully, there is time for repentance to begin – “time for judgment to begin at the household of God” (1 Peter 4:17).

So, just as we illustrated what the Word dwelling richly in our churches with Scripture. We close with three passages.

Isaiah 28:13a – And the Word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept…, line upon line….

Acts 20:27 – …for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-4:4 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom; preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Dear sojourner, let it be that we find ourselves part of a local church that longs to have the Word dwell richly. Let it be that we find ourselves part of a local church that makes much of Jesus by preaching His Word faithfully. The world and the sinful bent of our idol-producing hearts gives us a longing to have our feelings and egos caressed rather than having God’s Word lay us out bare before a holy God (Hebrews 4:13), but God has more for us.

Find a church that is committed to preaching the whole counsel of God – literally, not just saying it but taking it “line upon line” and “precept upon precept”. You will not have to worry about worldly relevance because we are not made for this world. It is not our home (Philippians 3:20). God’s Word shows us His Kingdom and His ways. Our sinful heart’s desire to have someone make us feel better, but what we need is for Christ give us new life. We do not need our hearts lifted; we need them replaced with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26)!

And when we get in the Word together and see the world for what it is, may the Lord grant us repentance and get us busy in His Kingdom agenda rather than distracted by the world. May He give us the noble mind of the Bereans and the passion of Ezra to see our communities reached with the gospel. Oh, that our local churches would have the Word dwell so richly in them that it spills out into our streets, communities, towns, states, nation, and the world. Because, praise be to God, when the “gospel of the Kingdom” is “proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14) – then, our King will come!

If you find yourself in a local church that does not center on Jesus and His Word – or if you are not in a local church at all, it is my prayer that God will move upon your heart and move you to a place where much is made of Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible, and that He would help His Word to dwell in you richly and not to be satisfied with less. May we be adorned with God’s Word. May it take the lion’s share of our worship gatherings. May it abundantly, extravagantly, and in full measure be our focus and our driving force. May it point us to our King!

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 3:15–17.

[2] Paul David Tripp, Do You Believe? 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021), 37-38.

[3] Wayne A. Grudem, Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know, ed. Elliot Grudem (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 17.

[4] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ne 8:8.

[5] D. A. Carson, ed., NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 779.

[6] Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2181.

[7] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2121.

“Adorned with Thankfulness” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.[1]

Greetings Sojourners!

I am excited for our Refresh & Restore Bible studies to be back in 2024 (even though it sure took me long enough)!

This next section of Colossians has turned out to be quite a beast for me. It is the section, specifically verses 16-17, that led me to choose Colossians to study because of how often I look to it as a source of practical theology to inform what it is we do in corporate worship at Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS. It is the passage I come to with the question of “Can we do ___?” – often “Should be sing ___?” – or to assess whether we are doing what we are supposed to in our worship gatherings. But this passage is not a beast to be tamed; rather, I am finding that God has been taming me and molding me through the study of it.

I have written at least two whole devotions on this section and started two others on this passage since Thanksgiving. One of the full devotions was written out of painful memories and experiences from years of ministry struggle earlier in life. The other was too soft. It is almost as if I have been Goldilocks trying to fit myself for a rocker or to not burn my mouth on porridge. I’ve been trying to write something that is too hot or too cold, but now, I am setting out to do it just right – to walk through the passage as I typically try to, to do as Ezra did with the Word in Nehemiah 8:8: “read from the book…clearly, and [give] the sense, so that the people underst[and] the reading”.

What follows over the course of the next few Bible studies through this section are an attempt to show us what corporate worship – that is, worship as a gathered local church – is meant to be like for those who have put on Christ, those who are saved, born again, in Christ. Lord willing, that will flow into the end of Colossians and inform what all of life is to look like for those who have put on Christ. Essentially, it is to be a basic and simple practical theology for living a life that follows Christ as a church, as a family, and as individuals.

Thankfulness is an Earmark to Christian Worship (vv. 15b, 16b, 17b)

Thanksgiving is a subject that shows up a lot in this passage. In fact, it shows up three times, once in each verse. Just as believers are supposed to put on Christ and wear/bear the fruit that comes from that, thankfulness should be part of that fruit. It seems sometimes that “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness…, patience”, forgiveness, and “love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:13-14) are big fruit that can be seen and visible, but thankfulness, while not necessarily always being visible, is to be a part of the fruit of the new life in Christ – part that adorns everything. Thankfulness is supposed to be fruit that believers wear and bear that shows the impact of what Jesus has done for them, but it supposed to especially adorn the Church – our local churches being the branches where the fruit is most visible. And the Church is who today’s passage is addressing.

In diving into the way that thankfulness shows up in Colossians 3:15-17, we are going to be able to see that we are to be thankful for the Church because of Christ and thankful as a result of Jesus saving us and giving us new life. We are thankful for Christ, because of Christ, in Christ, and with those who are growing up into Him in the body – the Church.

Thankful for the Church Because of Christ

I am thankful for the Church. I am thankful for the local church, Christ Community in Grenada, MS, God has called me and my family to join. I am not talking about a building or traditions or religious rites. I am not even talking about worship services or gatherings at this point. No, the Church is more than all of that. You can have all those things without Christ, but there is no Church apart from Him. Without Christ, there is no body.

The parts, the people, that make up the Church would still be dead in their trespasses and sins without Christ (Ephesians 2:1-2), but “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). The “together” there in those verses is not talking about the Church but the way that God in Christ saves people, giving them new life – the life that comes from Jesus alone stemming from His resurrection. While the “together” in Ephesians 2:5 does not reference the Church, there is a sense of togetherness that comes from gathering in worship of the One who brought us from death in sin to life in Him. There is a certain togetherness that stems from the shared testimony of all believers. And that togetherness should resound in thanksgiving – a thanksgiving that produces unity.

The unity of the Church, the togetherness we are talking about here, comes from all believers of all of time being knit together into a body, a “spiritual house” made of “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5) – that is the Church. And Jesus loves the Church in such a way that He calls her His Bride (Ephesians 5:32, Revelation 21:9). A bride is someone special, someone to be treasured. I have a picture of my wife on our wedding day on my phone and in our home. I even have one at work. I officiated a wedding ceremony a couple months ago, and as the groom and I were standing in place waiting for the time when we would walk up to the front, I told him to look for the moment when his bride came out of the doors – I told him that would and should be a moment engrained in his memory for the rest of his life. I still remember the moment that the back doors of Duck Hill Baptist opened and showed me Candice adorned in her wedding dress. Now, I have a vivid memory of most things, but this is different. I can smell the flowers. I can remember the feeling of my breath catching in my chest, the heavy thumping of my heart rhythm. I can hear the creaking wood of the pews as people rose. But most of all, I remember our eyes meeting across the room and being afraid to blink because I was afraid, I would miss something. I am thankful for that memory – more so, I am thankful for my bride.

If that is such a powerful memory for a foolish and fallible husband, how much more powerfully does Christ feel about His Bride, the Church? How should we feel about her?

Thankfulness is Part of the New Life in Christ

I hope you can see how the gratitude in this passage is intended to be an earmark of our worship and flows out of the context of what we have seen in Colossians so far. It is in this passage that we see how real-life flows out of taking off our sin and putting it to death. This passage begins the life application part of the letter that flows out of what we as believers are to put on when we are putting on Christ – how the new life in Christ is meant to be part of real life. As I said above, being a part of the Church, even the local gatherings of the Church, is more than religion, more than ceremony. It really is meant to be part of real life.

Imagine being in a situation where you are facing down certain death, as if you were grabbed and robbed at gunpoint. Fear and realization flood over you all at once. You know you are in mortal danger. You know there are so many ways this can go badly. But all at once you see someone swoop in and take out your assailant. What you thought was a sure and terrifying death surprisingly became a rescue. How would you react to the rescuer? How would your brush with death affect the way you live your life? Surely, it would change things. Well, our sin captured and enslaved us. Our own sin earned us death. And Jesus came in defeating sin and death and offering life. Surely, that changes things. Surely, a group of people who share a Rescuer and the good news that He has saved you will have lives impacted by the experience.

Colossians 3:15-17 show us what life as part of the Church – life of the body of Christ who have been saved by Him, rescued by Him – is supposed to look like. Jesus, because He loves His Bride, tells us the best way to live in that aspect of our lives: thankful. This sort of thankfulness changes us. It alters the way we look at things. When tempted to rail at a brother or sister in Christ because of a wrong done to us, this sort of thankfulness reminds us that Jesus forgave us when we wronged Him in sin. When tempted to be prideful in a way that forgets where we came from and who we were when we were dead in sin, this sort of thankfulness reminds us of Him who made us alive and making our boast in Him alone. This sort of thankfulness is life-altering because of the One who altered our life – who gave us Life.

It is my prayer that this feeble attempt to show you this gives His Spirit the opportunity to work through the studying of His Word and your church life changes to what He would have rather than the traditions or treachery of sin that may plague us. He has a plan for us and for us together as His body. Part of that plan will be seen we begin to look at the essential elements of worship in next week’s Bible study. Part of it will be seen the following week when we look at how worship is not relegated to Sundays or Wednesdays but meant to be an everyday, every moment aspect of our lives. As we look at these things, remember the gratitude to which we are called. How does gratitude to Christ, for Christ, and for the local church He planted us in mark your worship gatherings?

I think back to last summer when a dear part of our church family was able to be with us in-person after being out due to a long and harrowing fight with cancer. There were many tears and more than a little bit of hugging and laughter. But every bit of it was rooted in pleading with Jesus to heal her and thanking Jesus that He had sustained her and given her the strength to be there gathered with us. The time in the Word was sweeter because we were reminded of the work Jesus had done in our lives and hers. The time singing was sweeter because of the same. It was not enhanced because of her. Our local body was fully connected and looking to Jesus like we should every week in good times or bad.

As we ponder that gratitude both for the church and as the church, we need to be reminded again that Jesus is the basis of our gratitude. Yes, we should be thankful for the Church and the local church to which we belong, but I hope you see and remember that all the thankfulness is due to Christ. We are to be thankful in our worship for what Christ has done for us. We should be thankful for the Church because Jesus made us a part of her ensuring we would never be alone in our pursuit of Christ, but Jesus saving us should be the ultimate source of our gratitude. Since He is alive, we should worshipfully show our gratitude directly to Him in our personal worship, corporate worship, and have thankfulness for and to Him marking all that we do!

Wrapping Up

I have no recollection of how my parents taught me to remember to say please and thank you and pair sirs or ma’ams with my yesses and no-s other than a few vague reminders of them telling me before I went somewhere or reminding me when I received a gift. But after having children of my own, I get the picture. I believe a conservative estimate of how many times Candice and I have told our kiddos to thank people would easily be in the tens of thousands. So, my parents must have told me several thousand times, too.

As I said at the beginning of today’s Bible study, we see the reminder to be thankful at the end of each of today’s verses, paired with the importance of keeping the Word central in our worship, paired with what types of songs we should be singing, paired to a clear command to ensure that worship is central to all that we do or say, but why? Well, it is simple: we forget easily because we are easily distracted.

I remember as a kid knowing that Thanksgiving (the holiday) must be getting close when we sang songs like “Count Your Blessings” in big church. Of course, that song was sung a time or two a year other than the holiday, but it was a surefire way to mark us and remind us that we have blessings because of Christ that, were we to count them, would surely move us to thanksgiving (the response). And we do have more blessings than we could probably count if we got started. However, life is not always pleasant. The results of sin and the Fall are seen everywhere. It is hard sometimes to be thankful when terror and sadness seem to reign. Sometimes it is easier to sing “This World is Not My Home” than “Count Your Blessings”. But it is in these times that we should be the most thankful if we belong to Christ. We can be thankful amid pain and suffering and terror and strife and heartache and heartbreak and the worst effects of this world because the King is coming.

I want to close with the words of the hymn “My Heart is Filled With Thankfulness” by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Listen to these words and see if your heart is not moved to worship and thankfulness:

Jesus bore our pain; He walks beside us in times of turmoil and pain; He reigns above; and He sustains us day by day.

May we meditate on Him and worship Him and be moved in gratitude to life a life that reflects Him and all He has done for us.

Hallelujah, and amen!

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 3:15–17.

Songs for Sunday, February 18, 2024 @ Christ Community Church

Tomorrow is Sunday, and I need to gather with my faith family.

Normally, I would describe my feelings toward the Lord’s Day as excitement or expectant anticipation, but I think need is a better descriptor.

I need to hear their voices lifted up and reading the Scripture passages that are pointing us to our “blessed hope, the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13) and how He saves and redeems us from sin and rescues us from this sin-sick and fallen world.

I need to hear their voices singing the “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Colossians 3:16), reminding me of the good news of Jesus in the midst of the truly bad news of the world.

I need to hear my pastor open up the Word of God for teaching, reproving, training, and correcting (2 Timothy 3:16).

I need to be reminded that this world is not my home (Philippians 3:20) and that there is coming a day when Jesus will return and end the tyrannical reign of Satan and of sin in this world forevermore (Revelation 21:1-4).

Over the past few months, it seems like members of our church family have faced tragedy after tragedy. Our town has been plagued with shootings. Our community has been wracked with grief over tragic loss of life that leaves deep rooted questions and sadness. Our families have received diagnoses and prognoses that paint a bleak future of sickness and pain. But in the midst of all of that sadness, all that tragedy, all that pain, God is sill “good, a stronghold in the day of trouble”, and He still “knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

Read that again. God is good despite the evil of this world. There would be no good apart from Him. God is a stronghold in the day of trouble. He is a mighty fortress in which we can retreat from pain and sorrow and discord and fear and danger and can know that He is able and willing to protect and comfort. God knows those who take refuge in Him. He is not an idle or passive fortress. He is active in comforting those who seek Him.

So, let us do that tomorrow. Let us seek Him in our sin and sadness and strife. Let us turn to Him and long for the Day that is coming when all things will be made new and all the sad things will come untrue (Revelation 21:5).

Tomorrow at Christ Community, we will not be ostriches who stick our heads in the sand and ignore the happenings of the world around us. No, we will lift our eyes to the hills and seek refuge with the God of the universe, the God who saves (Psalm 121:1, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 7:10).

Won’t you join us?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

  • Scripture | Isaiah 61:1-4 —

1 The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

  • Scripture | Romans 6:4-7 —

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

  • Scripture | 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 —

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Advent Reading for December 23, 2023 | “Because He is Love” from 1 John 4:9-10

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:9-10

“Because He is Love”
by Robert Morman

Certain words in Scripture carry a massive amount of weight. One of those words is mentioned in verse 10 of I John 4. Propitiation is, as a hero of mine would say, a twenty-five-dollar word. It is huge to us as believers. It shows the amount of love the God the Father has for us. Propitiation means “appeasement or satisfaction”. These verses are discussing how God loves us. God loved us so much that, to satisfy the wrath of God, because of His holy standard, He, God the Father, sent Jesus to be the sacrifice to meet that holy standard for us. Let that sit with you for a moment. God, out of love (because He is love), sent Jesus, perfect and sinless, to be the sacrifice for our sins so that the debt of sin is paid in full for all time and we can have a relationship with God the Father. 

We must talk a minute about God’s wrath. This is an uncomfortable subject for some people. Some people even refuse to discuss it because “God is love”. Yes. God is love. But there is a wrath that is holy and sovereign. It is wrath brought on by sin and the brokenness of the world that came through Adam in the garden. But the “Second Adam” (referencing Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47) brought salvation to the world and gave us hope to have a restored relationship with God. Jesus’ love for the Father drove him to live a life of obedience even to death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). This is why Jesus is Lord of all. 

There is no greater expression of love than this. The Christ child would one day suffer and die for us because of the love of the Father. He would be betrayed. He would be beaten. He would be flogged. He would have thorns shoved down on his head. He would be forced to carry His cross. He would be nailed to that cross. He would suffer tremendously and die. Why? God’s love. This Child would be the ultimate expression of that love. A love sealed with the holy blood of Christ. 

As we approach Christmas Eve, remember that Jesus was the propitiation that settled the debt between you and God. The Christ Child would one day die and pay for our sins. He did this because only the perfect sacrifice could turn back the perfect wrath of God. Thank God today for His love for you. Thank Him for sending Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins. Thank God for His wrath turned back. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Reflecting on that beautiful Bible-word propitiation, how does understanding that Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath impact your perception on His love for His people?
  2. As Christmas approaches, how does understanding Jesus as the propitiation for our sins affect our gratitude and relationship with Him? How can you express your thankfulness for Him and to Him during this Christmas season?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)

Songs for Sunday, December 17, 2023 @ Christ Community Church

Tomorrow is Sunday, and I’m excited!

I love Christmas, but over recent years, I have grown to especially love Advent at Christ Community. It’s not about lighting the candles or tradition or, well, anything I can really put into words. It’s just been special – and is special.

Tomorrow, our Advent focus will be on Joy and Love.

In thinking of joy, it seems that this season – festivities and the hustle-and-bustle nature of our calendars – really shows how much people seek after joy amid life’s challenges. This is a season for some where joy seems to be out of place, or at least out of reach. It never will be in reach if we only seek joy here on earth.

Jesus’s birth was heralded by an angel army choir as “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10) to a group who understood difficult circumstances. I mean, not many of us will be camped out on a hillside working with a bunch of dumb sheep this Christmas. But this is exactly who Jesus came for – people like those shepherds, in fact those specific shepherds: people who need Him, sinners in need of a Savior. Amid our flaws and sins, the good news of great joy stands – a Savior born to rescue sinners from sin and death was born that day in Bethlehem, and even though He died on the cross to save us from our sins (Romans 5:8), He is alive and on His throne today (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)! That’s good news – of great joy!

In our world that seems to be plunging more and more quickly into the darkness, we sometimes let that joy be eclipsed. But just as the moon (that looks big to us but is infinitesimally smaller than our sun) cannot completely block out the light of our sun, darkness cannot block out the Light – Jesus. One thing that helps that Light shine so brightly is the power of His love. Just as darkness cannot withstand the flame of a single candle, the hatred and darkness of sin cannot stand in the light of His love (1 John 1:5).

The love of God in Christ offers hope amid chaos! And that love is truly a gift, epitomized by John 3:16, showing that God loved the world in such a way that He gave His only Son. The good news that brings great joy is that there is a Savior for sinners. God became flesh to live the life we cannot live (sinless) and die the death due our sin in our place (Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21). And anyone – all people – who confess Him as Lord and believe in Him shall be saved (Romans 10:9, 13) – those shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

If you seek joy and love from the glitz and glamour of the lights and presents around a Christmas tree, you will come up empty. No amount of gifts and trappings found on earth can satisfy – none can save. But Jesus can. He wants to save. So, amid the hustle and the bustle and the gifts and the goings, remember the gift of Christ – the Son of God offered for our salvation. May our hearts rejoice in His presence more than in presents. For Emmanuel – God with us – dispels the darkness, saves souls, produces joy, and freely gives of His love!

And if you need someone to talk to or to just listen to you or pray with you, we at Christ Community would love to point you to the One who can meet your needs. We would love to point you to Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30).

Won’t you gather with us and make much of Him?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

Advent Reading | JOY

  • Scripture | Luke 2:8-12 —

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Advent Reading | LOVE

  • Scripture | Romans 5:1-8 —

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)

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Advent Reading for December 9, 2023 | “Trusting Our Miraculous God: A Lesson in Faith” from Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”
          34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
          35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:26-38

“Trusting Our Miraculous God: A Lesson in Faith”
by Portia Weeks Collins

In these treasured verses of Luke, we encounter the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary in Nazareth. Gabriel brings a message of great joy. Specifically, Gabriel shares with Mary, a young, humble, virgin woman, that she will conceive and give birth to Jesus, who will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary’s reaction combines astonishment and faith, illustrating both an understandable human response to a divine revelation, but also a profound trust in God’s plan.

Gabriel’s announcement to Mary is not merely news for her, but it’s good news for all who will rest the full measure of their faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Gabriel’s message to Mary is, in essence, a revelation of God’s redemptive plan and marks the inauguration of God’s Kingdom. God’s intent to intersect the extraordinary with the ordinary is displayed through his choosing Mary to bear His only begotten Son. God chose an ordinary woman, to navigate an ordinary pregnancy, and ultimately give birth to an extraordinary Savior who would redeem the world. Mary’s response shows her readiness to accept God’s will, even without full comprehension.

As we enter the advent season, let’s reflect on Mary’s example. She embraced God’s plan with faith and humility even when she didn’t quite understand. This is a call we should heed, too. Let us be fully available and submissive to God’s workings, even when they are beyond our understanding. From studying and meditating on this passage, may we be encouraged to trust in the Lord’s greater plan, find joy in the ordinary, and willingly respond to the Lord (in all things), “May it happen to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38).

Reflection Questions:

  1. In what areas of your life do you need to exercise more faith and trust in God’s plan?
  2. How can you cultivate a heart that responds to God’s will with the same openness and humility as Mary?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)

Advent Reading for December 5, 2023 | “An Old Testament Portrait of Christ” from Isaiah 53:1-6

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him,
and no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed Him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with His wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned – every one – to His own way;
and the Lord has laid on Him
the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:1-6

“An Old Testament Portrait of Christ”
by Robert Morman

I remember going to various churches when I was in my teens, and it was always there. That one framed picture of Jesus. You know the one. I have jokingly called it the Swedish-Pageant-Sash Jesus. He is there with blue eyes and flowing hair. His robes are white, and he wears either a red or blue sash that goes from his shoulder across his chest and around his side. He looks like he is either in a pageant or in a commercial for some hair product. He looks amazing – almost heavenly. There is usually one other picture in most churches – Jesus on the cross. It is a sanitized picture of the crucifixion. It is usually Jesus nailed to the cross looking to Heaven. For the most part, he looks normal and in good physical condition, but when we read the words of Isaiah 53, we see a completely different Jesus described.

           Verse 2 says, “He [Jesus] had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” Appearance wise, there was nothing that stood out about Jesus. In His time, He would look exactly like most normal working class or even poor people in that area of the world. He wouldn’t have stood out in the marketplace. Isaiah 53 doesn’t stop there with Jesus. This is a prophecy about what would occur to the Messiah. He is called “a man of sorrows” and one “acquainted with grief”, so well acquainted with grief that it is recorded that He sweat drops of blood in the garden because of what He knew was going to occur to Him. He carried our sins. Verse 4 says it best, “he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Every sin was on Him. A sinless Savior feeling the weight of an eternity of sin. That is tremendous grief and sorrow. 

          Verse 5 foretells what would occur to him. “He was pierced for our transgressions.” From the flogging to the crown of thorns, to the nails, to the spear in his side, every piercing was caused by us. “He was crushed for our iniquities.” Jesus most likely would have fallen as he carried the crossbeam he would soon be nailed to. This piece of the device of torment and death would have fallen on him. Depending on the source, the beam would have weighed 75-125 lbs. Imagine falling multiple times with that weight on you, then getting up and doing it again. All of this combined with the beating Jesus would have received and his lack of sleep, food, and water would have made Him look almost inhuman in appearance. But why? Why would this occur? Verse 6,” The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Christ was sent to die because of what we have done. Every sin, big and small, was laid on Him by the Father. Jesus was mangled and marred for us at the will of the Father. This should drive us to adore Jesus more and more.

To close, let’s read the lyrics of the hymn “O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded”[i]:

“In thy most bitter passion
My heart to share doth cry.
With thee for my salvation
Upon the cross to die.
Ah, keep my heart thus moved
To stand thy cross beneath,
To mourn thee, well-beloved,
Yet thank thee for thy death.”

Reflection Questions:

  1. How do vv. 2-6 describe Jesus different than the pictures you are used to seeing of Him?
  2. How does reading through these verses in Isaiah 53 help us understand why Jesus came to earth and why He died for our sins on the cross?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)

[i]            F. L. Cross and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 670.

What to Wear — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)

Greetings Sojourners!

It seems that as I grow older (although not yet old), it seems that things take a little longer. As Indiana Jones says, “It ain’t the years; it’s the mileage.” This has been especially the case with our Bible studies. Essentially, I mean that I am getting to a stage of life where I am more convinced – maybe convicted – that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Part of that is, as I grow older and my responsibilities and opportunities grow, too, is that I do not have to get everything done. I do not have to check every box on my to-do list. The Lord knows what He wants me to do and how much time each task of His will take. So, I trust that as I spend my time each week nothing is wasted if I spend that time pursuing Him and looking to serve Him well in all areas of my life. Part of that is daily choosing to take off the old self and put on Christ. Just as each day starts with rising from bed, taking off the bed clothes, rinsing off the old in the shower, and putting on what I need for the day – deodorant, clothes, a decent volume of hairspray, bifocals – I must consciously lay out in my mind and meditate on what it means to put on Christ before heading out to meet the day.

My wife is a pro when it comes to laying out what needs to be put on the next day and how what is taken off is to be cleared away. The kids and I are blessed to have her remind us, more of them than me as their trainability leaves her more hopeful, to lay out our clothes for the next day and to remove the old to be washed or discarded as needed. When we do this, there are no distractions or detours when it comes to getting ready. When we listen to her and follow instructions, we can get up, take off the old, and put on the new. It just works. When we get off course, it seems like everything goes awry. Socks cannot be found. Shoes have been misplaced. Questions of whether we even have pants to wear or if homework is in the backpack instead of on the coffee table or if everyone’s teeth are brushed…. It never fails that precious time has been wasted, we are close to running late, or something has been left. It would all be so simple if we just laid out what we need to put on and take with us the next day. Could it be that walking with Christ is somehow similar?

Our past few Bible studies (The Tough Love of Colossians 3, Be Killing Sin & There’s No Such Thing as Imitation Fruit) have walked through the parts of Colossians 3 that tell us how we need to take off the old self and remove the sin that clings to us like dirt. We have also studied who we are supposed to be – “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved” (Colossians 3:12) — Who are You? parts one & two Now, we are getting to the practical part of walking with Christ: what to wear.

Because of its practical nature, this Bible study has been hard for me to complete. I want it to be clear. I need to be clear, especially considering that this list of things to “put on” is not a list of practical tips for a better life. In fact, they cannot truly be put on if one is not saved. I do not say this to exclude people. I also do not say that to include. I say it to invite people to come to Christ. I also say that to hopefully help you understand that the Christian life – a life that has been taken from dead in sin to alive in Christ – cannot, hear me canNOT be lived apart from Christ. The commandments will beat you down, suffocate, and smother you because they are meant to be accomplished through God’s power given by His Spirit to those who have put their faith in the Son. So, a big part of this study is helping you understand again what it is to be in Christ. If you find you are not in Him, I would love to help you come to know Him! And if you are in Christ, dear Sojourner, I want to help you lay out what you need to put on, namely Christ, so that you can build helpful habits (not self-help but continual parts of your relationship with Him) that will strengthen your walk with Christ and fulfill what Paul prayed for the Colossians (and I for you) in Colossians 1:10, that you may “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”. So, what to wear?

What to Wear (vv. 12-14)

Those three words – what to wear – can be either a question (as in what should I wear? or what I am supposed to wear?) or an instruction telling us what we need to wear for a certain occasion or for a certain event or activity. This ain’t that, but the analogy is helpful. Our righteousness (because of our sin) is the equivalent of putting on dress clothes after wallowing in mud – without taking a shower or so much as hosing off. The dress clothing will obviously be made dirty because we ourselves are unclean. We can compare putting on Christ then, at least to a small degree, to putting on fresh clothes after being cleaned by Him. In this analogy, Jesus is the one who cleans us and provides us with the clothing to cover us. Jesus justifies those whom He saves and covers their sin and shame with His blood, making them clean.

Paul explained to the church at Ephesus that learning and being taught in Christ helps us learn what it is “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, …and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:21-24). That is the image Paul is trying to get across to us throughout Colossians 3:5-14. Our sinful flesh belongs to the way we used to be before Jesus saved us. We need to take it off. That old life is our grave clothes. Think about it like this: do you think Lazarus (who had been dead in his tomb long enough that his decomposing body had begun to stink – John 11:39) kept on wearing his grave clothes? That would have surely been lovely and appetizing at Martha’s dinner party the week before Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection (John 12:1-2). Nothing says, “Let’s eat”, like the smell of something dead. No, the grave clothes had been discarded – Lazarus went from death to life and came out of his tomb at Jesus’s command (John 11:43-44)! Grave clothes are for the dead. The old self and its former manner of life are products of the wages of our sin – death (Romans 6:23). It is time for those who are alive (Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 2:4-5) to put on Christ. But what does that even mean?

First, we need to understand that putting on Christ is not something that we take on and off. Salvation and the new life that comes from Jesus saving us – from Him taking us who were dead in our sins and making us alive in Him – are reality. They are more than change in status; they are change of nature and our state of existence. Salvation is not something that can be lost because it was not accomplished by us. I know it sounds weird, but salvation is kind of a paradox. Those who are born again have been saved, are being saved, and will be saved by Jesus. There is the moment of salvation when the Spirit convicted of sin, and we repented of that sin and confessed Jesus as Lord. He is continually sanctifying us (a Bible word that the Holy Spirit is supernaturally making us more like Jesus in the new self and less like the old self) and saving us in our daily lives. And He will ultimately save us by taking us from this life into His presence!

Second, putting on Christ means that there will be evidence – fruit – of a relationship with Jesus. This is something that we have looked at in earlier sections of Colossians. In Colossians 1:10, Paul spoke to the Colossian church telling them what he had been praying for them, namely that they “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” and bear “fruit in every good work”. Their continual walk with Him grows them, provides them opportunities to serve Him, and produces fruit in their lives. In Colossians 2:6, Paul told them that they are to walk in Christ as they received Him. Again, the walk – the life – bears fruit that proves it. This is like our talking about putting on Christ and taking off the grave clothes. Dead people have no sign of life. They are dead. Think about what we refer to as vital signs: pulse, respiration, etc. They are vital to life because without them we are dead. In that same way, the fruit of Jesus changing our lives is the vital signs of our walking with Him. He took our heart of stone and gave us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). His works are not written on stone tablets but on and through our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3). James made this clear by saying that our faith will be proven – not earned – by works (James 2:14-26). There are outward signs of inward change, or we are dead.

This is important, and I do not want you to be able to miss this. Putting on Christ is not putting on a show. As I have already told you, trying to do the things that come from new life in Christ will weigh you down and beat you down if you have not been saved. That is what religion is and can be. Nothing will burn you out and make you want to quit quicker than trying to accomplish what only God’s Spirit can accomplish. If there is no fruit, there is no life. Jesus told His disciples a parable about a fruitless tree in Luke 13:6-9. A man owning a vineyard had a fig tree that was of fruit-bearing age for three years, yet it never produced a single fig. The vineyard owner told the worker in charge of the fig tree to cut it down because it was a waste of space and soil. The worker convinced the owner to give it one more year, a year where he would try all he could to make the tree healthy and produce fruit, but if at the end of that year there was no fruit, the tree would be cut down because it was dead. So, it is with us. Those connected to Christ – connected to the Vine – produce fruit because of the life He gives (John 15:5). But any who profess to be alive in Christ who are altogether fruitless, they are still dead in their sins (John 15:6).

I know this might sound harsh and judgmental. This section in particular is most of what has taken so long for this Bible study to develop because I do not want you to be beat down with a religious argument. I do not want you to think that I am putting qualifications on you that you cannot meet – or thinking that I am able to give you things to do in and of myself. So, if you are looking at your life and do not see any fruit of Jesus saving you, this is not me trying to hurt your feelings; it is a gift from God if you can come to realize that you are dead in your sins. Turn to Jesus and be saved (Isaiah 45:22)! Behold, “now is the favorable time”, “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2)! Religion can beat you down, but the mighty hand of God can lift you up (1 Peter 5:6). If you see no fruit of Christ in your life – if you see none of His life and only yours, I beg and plead with you to look to Him, repent of your sin, confess Him as Lord, and believe on Him. He will surely save you.

If you look at your life and see fruit, no matter how small, let us look and see what He would have us wear.

What We Put on When We Put on Christ (vv. 12-14)

This is our wardrobe if we put on Christ: compassion, kindness, humility, patience, enduring care, forgiveness, and love. They stem from what we see in Jesus. Each can be clearly associated with Him, just as the sins of Colossians 3:5-9 are clearly associated with us in our sin. So, I want to treat these words – these articles of clothing as they are presented here – similarly to how we walked through the sins. In those verses, and today’s, I used the same lexicon and Greek dictionary for all the words to present their definitions fairly and not whitling the context to fit any agenda. Even when there are not quotations in the definitions, the information comes from Spiros Zodhiates’ The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament[1]. More importantly, I want to show you every verse in the New Testament (and a few from the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament from the 3rd century b.c.) that contains these words. As I said in that earlier section, this may seem nerdy and/or boring, but I want you to see what the fruit is supposed to look like. I want you to see what the new life in Christ is supposed to be. I want to show you Him:

  • “compassionate hearts” οἰκτιρμός (oiktirmós) —
    This word is “the pity or compassion which one shows for the suffering of others”. It is not as strong as the word usually used to describe God’s mercy, ultimately because we are not capable of such. But it is a result of having received mercy! The word for hearts here is essentially the word for our insides, meaning that this compassion is not just something we show. As above in mentioning compassion because of receiving mercy from Jesus, this compassion comes from inside of us – out of the new life in Jesus. It is fruit.
    • Romans 12:1 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
    • 2 Corinthians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort….
    • Philippians 2:1 – So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy….
    • Hebrews 10:28 – Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
    • 1 Chronicles 21:13 (Septuagint[2]) – Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of a man.”
    • 2 Chronicles 30:9 (Septuagint) – For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him.”
    • Psalm 50:3 (Septuagint) – Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
    • Zechariah 7:9 (Septuagint) – “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another….

  • “kindness” χρηστότης (chrēstótēs) —
    This word is translated as “good”, “kindness”, and “gentleness”. It is kind of hard to explain this word with a simple definition. This word is a byproduct of having received grace. The grace of God spreads through one’s whole self, softening the sharp edges of our personalities and mellowing out what was once harsh. It is the word used in Luke 5:39 to talk about why the old wine is better – because it has mellowed with age. This word is not really describing actions but is a description of character. It is fruit.
    • Romans 2:4 – Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
    • Romans 3:2 – All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
    • Romans 11:22 – Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
    • 2 Corinthians 6:6 – …by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love….
    • Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness….
    • Ephesians 2:7 – …so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
    • Titus 3:4 – But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared….

  • “humility” ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosúnē) —
    We all think we understand humility or being humble, but sometimes we are falsely humble. Zodhiates does a good job with this explanation by saying this word is the “esteeming of ourselves small, inasmuch as we are so, the correct estimate of ourselves”. To illustrate, this sort of humility is seen in the sinner who realizes he or she is unworthy of the grace of God, confesses that sin to God, and repents of it. This word is especially important to the Colossian church because a fake religious version of this was already mentioned in Colossians 2:18 and 2:23 with the word “asceticism”. This was a fake humility that was meant to make people look holier than they were. The genuine form of this humility cannot be faked. It is fruit.
    • Acts 20:19 – …serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews….
    • Ephesians 4:2 – …with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love….
    • 1 Peter 5:5 – Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

  • “meekness” πραΰτης (praǘtēs) —
    There really is not a good translation of this word since “meekness” in English is usually associated with being weak or coming from a position of weakness. This ain’t that. Prautes comes from a position of power. It is a heart and mind that demonstrates gentleness and grace because the person knows who they are – more importantly whose they are. It is a confident action. It is fruit.
    • 1 Corinthians 4:21 – What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
    • 2 Corinthians 10:1 – I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ – I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!
    • Galatians 5:23 – …gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
    • Ephesians 4:2 – …with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love….
    • 2 Timothy 2:25 – …correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth….
    • Titus 3:2 – …to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
    • James 1:21 – Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
    • James 3:13 – Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
    • 1 Peter 3:15 – …but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect….

  • “patience” μακροθυμία (makrothumía) —
    This word is different than we might typically think of regarding patience. Or at least it differs from how we mean patience sometimes. It is less about endurance – just getting through something – than it is about faith or respect for others. It is what the KJV translators called long-suffering – a sense of “self-restraint before proceeding to action”. It is the quality one would have if they were able to avenge themselves after being done wrong but instead refraining to do so. It is fruit.
    • Romans 2:4 – Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
    • Romans 9:22 – What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction….
    • 2 Corinthians 6:6 – …by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love….
    • Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness….
    • Ephesians 4:2 – …with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love….
    • Colossians 1:11 – …being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy….
    • 1 Timothy 1:16 – But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.
    • 2 Timothy 3:10 – You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness….
    • 2 Timothy 4:2 – …preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
    • Hebrews 6:12 – …so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
    • James 5:10 – As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
    • 1 Peter 3:20 – …because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
    • 2 Peter 3:15 – And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him….

Flowing out of these qualities or attributes are some that are written out in phrases or sentences rather than in words we can break down easily and define. The first of those is “bearing with one another” (Colossians 3:13). The compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience are to be shown to others, especially to your brothers and sisters in Christ, and especially in the context of the local church. There are so many factors and factions in this world competing with and antagonizing the local church. May it not be so that we are warring against one another inside the local church (or that we claim Christ and are not a part of a local church). Yes, churches are made up of people – sinners saved by grace, but sometimes we live and act as if we have never received the grace and mercy of Christ ourselves. This is part of what Paul is talking about here. The fruit of receiving grace and mercy is extending it to others. Oh, what our faith families would be like if we showed grace to one another regularly instead of just when there are extraordinary burdens that need bearing!

Part of bearing with one another is the next quality: “if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other” (Colossians 3:13). This one is tough! So often, we want to look at how we are to confront people (biblically or sinfully), but it is clear here that is more fruitful to just forgive. I think about times, especially a few of recent that I find myself suddenly convicted of, when I wanted to confront someone over some slight or hurt against me. How arrogant and selfish I am sometimes! What gives me the right to confront and call folks to the carpet when Jesus has been so forgiving – so merciful to me? That is part of forbearance: passing over sins. But to do that means that we must “in humility count others more significant than” ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Forgiveness is not easy. It is not meant to be. It is meant to be fruit of Jesus forgiving us – “as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13). That kind of tears down our selfish and prideful arguments of who deserves better or who needs to know ___. Paul tells the Colossian church, and us today, that we must forgive, not should forgive, or could forgive if ___. This is imperative. This is fruit.

Wrapping Up

The last item of clothing or last part or quality of putting on Christ really brings the whole outfit together. It is kind of like how my school kids pick at me when I am dressed well (which is not very often). They tell me I need to do a “fit check”. It is usually when I wear a sport coat or a vest that draws attention to my clothing – that item takes the clothes and makes an outfit (again, as I am told by knowledgeable and well-meaning sophomores). Love, Paul tells us, should be “put on” above all the others (Colossians 3:14). The Greek word translated “love” here is one you are likely familiar with: agape. This is the love with which God loves. We only know it and can show it if we have received God’s love – that John 3:16 sort of love where God “gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” This is the love that God demonstrated “in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). It is unexplainable. But, then again, isn’t all love too complex to put into words? Thankfully, those who are putting on Christ have His Word to depend on and explain Him to us and others. Just as John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 show us some aspects of God’s agape toward those He saves, it serves us well to look at the Word to see how His love bears fruit in our lives and helps us to love others. I am tempted here, because I have gone longer than originally planned, to snip at some verses, but as Dane Ortlund rightly says, “the safest way to theological fidelity is sticking close to the biblical text.”[3] So, we will take a good-sized chunk of 1 John 4 – not to break apart for more Bible study but to build us up to see why agape “binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14). Look at 1 John 4:7-19:

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

Love, complex and simple. But in the context of putting on Christ, it is fruit. 1 John 4:19 sums that up aptly. We are capable of agape only if we have received agape. Those who are chosen of God, holy and beloved (Colossians 3:12) can have compassion welling up within them because God has had compassion on them because He loves them. They can be kind because God, in His love, has been kind to them. They can humbly look at themselves for who they are because who they are is loved by God. They can demonstrate grace and mercy appropriately because God in love pours grace and mercy in immeasurable proportions into their lives. They can patiently endure ___ because God has been, is, and will be patient with them because that is what He does for His beloved. We can bear with others and forgive them because Jesus loved us enough to forgive us and continues to do so as we need it.

Putting on Christ, then, is taking the love He gave us and turning it back toward others. Putting on Christ is showing the love and care Christ has for His Bride, the Church, toward our own local churches. Putting on Christ is showing His gospel love to the world by sharing His gospel so that people will come to know Him. Putting on Christ is more of Him and less of us until we get to the point where we see Him face-to-face – the point where we will not need to put on Christ because He will be right there with us!

Oh, what a day that will be!

[1] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

[2] The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old Testament in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC by Jewish scholars who understood Hebrew (and Greek) better than anyone who has lived in the last 1,800 years.

[3] Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020), 14.

“Set Your Mind on Christ” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.[1]

Colossians 3:1-4

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Love" (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  4. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  5. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)

Greetings Sojourners!

I love the way that Paul’s letter to the Colossian church builds and builds and builds. I think our overviews of the larger chunks of chapters one and two help us to see how it builds, but also how it fits together as an epistle or letter. Remember, where we see chapters, sections, passages, and verses there was just a letter from the apostle Paul to a church that needed help. Paragraph by paragraph the help he offers them is pointing them to Jesus. And since Paul’s letter to the Colossians was “Scripture…breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16), it is important for us to remember that these words apply to us and the local churches we belong to as well!

Even though we have spent several weeks reviewing the initial chapters of Colossians, it is important that we keep our passage today in correct context:

  • In chapter 1, we saw Paul presenting Jesus in a beautiful hymn highlighting how Jesus, God incarnate, is preeminent over all and yet cares for them enough to deliver and redeem them (and us) “from the domain of darkness” to His Kingdom (ch 1:13-14).
  • Chapter 2 saw Paul helping them to understand what it is to be alive in Christ and helped them understand that receiving Christ and walking in Him (ch 2:6-7) is necessary to combat the false teaching attacking their church.

As we begin chapter 3 where Paul lays out for the Colossian church – and again, the church today – what new life in Christ is and is not, the final verse from last week’s passage (ch 2:23) strikes me a bit stronger: “These (human precepts and teaching) have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

We looked at Colossians 2:23 in the context of last week’s passage, and we need to now see it as the hinge that opens the door between last week’s passage and ours today because, contextually, it fits with both passages. The “human precepts and teaching” (ch 2:22) were spoken of in the context of the false teaching plaguing the Colossian church – that people were trying to tack on additional religious practices to the gospel and distract from it. But, as we are about to begin looking at precepts and teaching given by Paul, it is fitting that we clarify the difference between human precepts and those “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Sins are going to be listed – not Paul’s interpretation of a religion but speaking from God as He was “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). We must be careful to focus on and look at what God is saying to the church – then and now – through Paul. We must be careful to recognize the authority of Scripture to teach us what to believe and correct us when we are wrong – to teach us how to live and correct us when we sin – to give us everything we need to live this new life in Him (2 Timothy 3:17).

There is temptation to blunt what God makes sharp regarding sin – to call good what God called evil (Isaiah 5:20). There is also a temptation to take God’s Word and use it to hurt people rather than to point them to Him. Both are dangerous. Both are trying for “human precepts” instead of the divine. God’s Word says what it says, and it has power. But the former, the man-made or man-twisted have “no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh”. Thankfully, Paul’s answer to both – the answer that has been consistent throughout Colossians and will continue to be through the end is Jesus – is clear in our passage today.

If You Have Been Raised (vv. 1, 3)

The first word of today’s passage is “if”. As a parent and a high school teacher, I understand this word with unique clarity.

Daddy, can I go to __’s house Friday? Yes, if, you clean your room. Mr. Harris, if we all make __ or above on the assessment, you should buy us donuts. I sure will if you hold up your end of the bargain. When Friday comes or the assessment is over both sides play the parts of expert lawyer explaining how I am bound to do this or how I should change my mind because of how close they got to the agreement. Yet if leaves extraordinarily little wiggle room. If is conditional. Any agreement containing if means that its completion is contingent upon whatever in-the-event-that occurs.

In the case of today’s passage – “If then you have been raised with Christ”, the condition is if someone is in Christ, whether or not they have been “raised with Christ”. One either is or is not. Think back to the way that Paul has presented this state of being in Christ throughout the letter: either in “the domain of darkness” or “the kingdom of His beloved Son” (ch 1:13), either reconciled to Him through “the blood of His cross” or “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (ch 1:20-21), either “dead in your trespasses” or “made alive together with Him” (ch 2:13). So, to say “If then you have been raised with Christ” is to say you are either dead in your sins or raised to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) – in Christ or not knowing Him at all (Matthew 7:21-23[2]).

It is important to the message Paul is communicating because the teachings in Colossians 3-4 are for those who have been “made alive…with Christ”, saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:5). These are not principles for a good or successful life. They are not suggestions or even a how-to manual for faith or practice. If one is not in Christ – saved, born again, these teachings are of no value and will only end in discouragement and disappointment because they are contingent on the Spirit’s power only available to those who are His.

This is illustrated through the rest of that conditional statement: “seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”. Basically, if you are in Christ, seek Him. Verse 3 clarifies it even further because, once one is saved, the former pre-salvation life is over and life is “hidden with Christ in God” – eternal life is contingent upon His life, our being brought from death to life is contingent upon His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-16).

This is why the new life that comes from being in Christ is not simply a how-to manual or list of instructions – it is real and lasting transformation, life change that occurs when one goes from the “wages of sin”, which is death, to “the free gift of eternal life” (Romans 6:23). Think back to the time spent earlier on the context of ch. 2:23: only new life in Jesus is of value “in stopping the indulgence of the flesh”! Seeking Christ is more than reading His Word or praying to Him as a religious exercise, it is seeking the One who rescued you and redeemed you – who saved you. If you have been raised with Christ, why would you not seek Him?

Set Your Minds (vv. 2, 4)

There is good news in the command to seek Jesus, namely that He will be found! Look at this beautiful passage in Isaiah 55:6-7:

Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call upon Him while He is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord,
that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

This is often viewed as an invitation – and it is – for those who do not know Christ but let us look at what it means for those who do know Him. If you have been raised with Christ, He will be found when sought and near when He is called upon. But also, if one’s wicked ways have been forsaken and unrighteous thoughts laid aside, one surely has sought the Lord and received His compassion and forgiveness – received His life – because human beings do not lay aside their wickedness of choice easily. The latter proves the former. The fruit proves the tree[3].

The command here moves from seeking Him, though, to setting one’s mind on Him. That word “set” means be mindful of, to be devoted to”[4]. Think about it like how one would set a thermostat or an alarm. A thermostat ensures that a house stays within the confines of temperatures that will keep us comfortable – that is comfortable to the one who sets the temperature. An alarm ensures that appointments are kept and things that one really does not want to miss. As a resident of Mississippi in June, I am devoted to making sure my thermostat is set correctly as the humidity and heat would quickly overtake my home. Alarms are necessities for things I want to make sure I do not miss and things I must do and are set as needed – as often as needed, as often as I need to be mindful of a time or date. How does this pertain to Jesus?

Paul tells the Colossian church to “set” their minds “on things that are above” – the same thing that he just commanded them to “seek”. The mind of the church, its members, should be set on Jesus “not on things that are on earth”. Set – like a thermostat – to keep one’s mind consistently where it needs to be, on Jesus. Set – like we would an alarm to remind us of where we need to be. Set.

Now, I have heard people say that there is a danger of being so heavenly minded that one is no earthly good, meaning that one can be so focused on “things that are above” that things below are forgotten about. That warning assumes that these heavenly minded people would have a sort of monastery view that would isolate them from the world.

I would argue that I am of no earthly good if my mind is not set on Christ. When we look at the rest of the larger section that today’s passage begins (Colossians 3:1-17), what follows comes from setting one’s mind on Jesus. The sins that are crucified are because of focusing on Jesus and the life He gives. The behaviors that characterize the new life follow in the way that He lived – and lives!

This leads to the ultimate goal: meeting Jesus. If we look at verse 4, this is the goal – the expectation of seeking and setting one’s mind on Christ – “When Christ who is your life appears”.

This is the sort of expectant devotion that reminds me of my son. The first day I spent alone with him was when he was barely a month old on my wife’s first day back at work. He screamed. He cried. He was upset. But everything changed when his mama called to see how everything had gone. He heard her voice over the phone and began to be soothed. For the first time that day (except when a bottle was in his mouth) he was quiet. As soon as he hit her arms when she got home, he was at rest. Now, I know it would be hard to say that as an infant he was thinking this or that. Yet on rare occasions when my wife is gone for a long while, every audible car noise from the street brings questions of whether his mom is back. When my wife and daughter were on a mission trip without us a year ago, every buzz on my phone brought questions whether it was his mama on the other end. And, as hard as he tried to play it cool when we picked them up at the church when they got back, everything was right in his world once his mama was home.

Expectantly setting one’s mind on Christ shows that kind of devotion. While Jesus is away, setting our minds on Him operates on the belief that He really is returning for us and has prepared a place for us (John 14:2). But, more than that, it is a connection between the one you confessed as Lord (Romans 10:9) and the life you actually live (Galatians 2:20). And when He appears – when He returns, He comes to take you with Him. Those who are His will be ready because their minds are set.

Wrapping Up

It is so easy to regiment our lives to fit everything that we want. We can schedule and plan. There are immovable commitments in our lives that will trump anything that comes up. I can be in the middle of something that has everything else in my schedule detouring around it and have it all upended with a single emergency call or text from my wife or kids. In that moment, everything else pales in comparison. The immovable appointment suddenly becomes movable.

But how does God fit in my life? Is time with Him immovable in my schedule? I learned – sadly later than I should have – that there are times that, if I do not schedule time with my wife I will run out of time – the same with my kids. I felt bad when I initially began scheduling this time because it seems so impersonal to schedule things as important as time with my wife and kids. Then, I realized that it is better to schedule than miss something important, which is the reason I had a calendar in the first place: to ensure that important things do not get missed. If I fix my schedule around gathering with my church family so that it is an immovable commitment, why should I be so foolish as to think the precious time I get with my wife and kids should be less of an immovable commitment.

I must do the same with my time with the Lord – in His Word and praying. It has become part of my daily routine (which I know also sounds impersonal). And, if I do not start my day in His Word and in prayer – if I do not set my mind on Him at the very beginning of my day, I will be off. I will be more like the old self than the new.

Important things are set. They are fixed.

And so, it must be for the minds of those who claim to be saved.

If you are reading this and find that you have no desire to set your mind on Christ or that you can make it through days or weeks or months or years without caring about spending time with Him in His Word or praying to Him, there is a problem. If you claim to be a part of His body – the church – and have left it dismembered in your absence, there is a problem. Remember that conditional if. If you are His, you will seek Him. If you are His, you will desire to spend time with Him. If you are His, there will have to come a time when you are set – fixed – on Him. It is conditional. And per His Word, the conditions are set – fixed, immovable.

Maybe there is an issue with repentance that needs to be taken care of so that you can fix your mind on Him. Or maybe, just maybe, you are not in Christ. If you have not truly been born again, it is like I said earlier: these actions are not for you. They will drain you because you do not have the Spirit’s power. They will make you feel empty and dead because those who have not been made alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5) are still dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). If this is you, then there is hope. The Bible is clear on this:

…because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:9-13

If this is you, I hope you take these words to heart. If there is no fruit of life in Christ, then there is no life. But this does not have to be bad news. The words from Romans 10:9-13 tell us how to be in Christ. To confess Him as Lord is to submit to Him as the Master of your life, trusting that His ways are better than yours. To believe that God raised Him from the dead is more than mere information; it is trusting that only Him who raised from the dead can give life to those who are dead in their sin. If you call out to Him and tell Him these things, then He will save you just as He promised. Know this, whether you are in Christ or out: I am praying for you. I am praying for you to have a desire to meet God in His Word and talk to Him. I am praying for His Spirit to help you set your mind on Him and seek Him while He may be found. And, if you come to realize that you are not in Him, know that I would love to talk with you and pray for you. I would love to introduce you to Jesus.

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[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 3:1–4.

[2] The context of Matthew 7:21-23 is interesting here because just prior to that paragraph in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:15-20) is a paragraph where Jesus describes the danger of “false prophets” who appear to be part of the sheepfold but are “ravenous wolves”. The context helps us here because Jesus clarifies that one’s fruit defines what type of tree they are. Those who are in Christ bear His fruit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit thrives because those who are in Christ are connected to Him (John 15:5-6). So, based on Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, no fruit means no Christ. This is very frightening and damning illustration – or it is assurance.

[3] See the note in footnote 2.

[4] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

Refresh & Restore Bible Study — May 25, 2023

Greetings Sojourners!

Early in 2022, we began a study on the epistle of Colossians but were unable to complete it at that time due to my schedule. Over the next month or so, we will finish that study: Jesus Over All!

Rather than diving in right where we left off, it is important that we refresh our memories – definitely necessary for me – so that we keep our study in context. We will revisit Colossians 1[1] today, Colossians 2 next week, and then revisit each of the two sections of Colossians 3 after that. This will poise us to be able to finish the study and to grow by God’s Spirit in the study of His Word as He intended when Colossians was written – to the church then, now, and until the return of Christ. Furthermore, I will be including the biblical cross references[2] in the footnotes so that those who are interested can see what the Bible says about itself.

Colossians 1 is important for understanding Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae not only because it is the first chapter but because it contains the beautiful Christological hymn (vv. 1:15-20) which illustrates Jesus’ preeminent position over everything that is – over all creation, and especially over us. God has graciously revealed this to us so that we can see Jesus appropriately – high above us and worthy of all worship. Yet, despite our own sinfulness and unworthiness, He offers us “redemption” (v. 1:14) and the opportunity to be delivered “from the domain of darkness” and to be transferred to His Kingdom (v. 1:13). What a beautiful opportunity to recognize Jesus is Lord and above all else and to move our hearts to believe in Him (Romans 10:9-10)!

Introduction (vv. 1:1-2)

1 Paul, [3]an apostle of Christ Jesus [4]by the will of God, and Timothy [5]our brother,

2 To the [6]saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
[7]Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2

The book of Colossians is an epistle written by the apostle Paul to the church in Colossae, which was established by their pastor, Epaphras. It highlights the importance of everyday individuals like Epaphras in spreading the gospel and emphasizes the significance of Jesus in our lives and churches.

One of the main themes in Colossians is the preeminence of Jesus Christ over everything. Paul teaches the Colossians deeper truths about Jesus to build upon the gospel they received from Epaphras. The whole epistle highlights various aspects of Jesus and warns against false teachings that damage His church.

False teachers and distractions continue to challenge the Church today, but the good news is that Jesus is our shepherd who offers abundant life and eternal security. His grace and love – the opposite of what we deserve – provide us with peace. The goal of studying Colossians is to recognize Jesus’ supremacy, deepen our faith, and display Him as sufficient in the face of all difficulties, those that come from within and from without.

Throughout this epistle, Paul urges us to focus on Jesus, trust in His work, and guard ourselves against false teachings. Jesus is the center of our faith, offering hope and salvation to all who believe.

For more, check out the original Bible studies from this section:

Thankfulness and Prayer for the Church at Colossae (vv. 1:3-14)

3 [8]We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of [9]your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of [10]the hope [11]laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in [12]the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed [13]in the whole world it is [14]bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you [15]heard it and understood [16]the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from [17]Epaphras our beloved [18]fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your [19]love in the Spirit.

9 And so, [20]from the day we heard, [21]we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that [22]you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all [23]spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as [24]to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, [25]fully pleasing to him: [26]bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 [27]being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for [28]all endurance and patience [29]with joy; 12 [30]giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in [31]the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He [32]has delivered us from [33]the domain of darkness and transferred us to [34]the kingdom of [35]his beloved Son, 14 [36]in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:3-14

In this section, Paul offers a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the church at Colossae. He expresses gratitude for their faith in Christ, their love for one another, and the hope they have that comes from Christ. Despite facing false teachings, Paul prays for their continued growth in knowing God and walking with Him. He highlights the significance of faith, love, and hope within the church, emphasizing that faith in Christ is the foundation, love for fellow believers comes from God’s Spirit, and their hope is centered on Jesus and their eternal inheritance.

Paul also celebrates the effectiveness of the gospel, the Word of Truth, which is bearing fruit and growing. He emphasizes the importance of continually embracing and sharing the gospel message, which centers on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Despite his own circumstances, Paul finds encouragement in knowing that the gospel is still being preached and producing faith, love, and hope. He recognizes that the gospel’s power lies in Jesus, who is living and active.

Paul expresses admiration for Epaphras, who has shared about the Colossian church and its faith, love, and understanding of God’s grace. Both Paul and Epaphras celebrate what God is accomplishing through the gospel and the Holy Spirit’s power. They demonstrate humility and joy, desiring Christ to be exalted above themselves. Paul refers to Epaphras as a fellow servant and faithful minister of Christ.

This section concludes with a call to reflection and prayer. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their relationship with Christ and to offer prayers of thanksgiving for hearing the gospel, having faith in Christ, and the hope of eternity. They are also urged to express gratitude for their faith community, the impact of the gospel, and the opportunity to be part of God’s work. Additionally, there is a call to thank God for the privilege of sharing the good news and to pray for those who have not yet heard and need the opportunity to embrace faith in Christ. Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers encompasses their faith, love, and hope, and he prays for their growth, endurance, and thankfulness for their salvation and inheritance in Christ.

For more, check out the original Bible studies from this section:

The Preeminence of Christ (vv. 1:15-20)

15 [37]He is the image of [38]the invisible God, [39]the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, [40]in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether [41]thrones or [42]dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created [43]through him and for him. 17 And [44]he is before all things, and in him all things [45]hold together. 18 And [46]he is the head of the body, the church. He is [47]the beginning, [48]the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For [49]in him all the [50]fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and [51]through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, [52]making peace [53]by the blood of his cross.

This section is a hymn that exalts and explains the identity of Jesus Christ. Throughout these six verses, the importance of understanding the true nature of Jesus in response to false teachings that had infiltrated the early church is clearly emphasized. Jesus, God in flesh and the Truth, is the only way to salvation and surpasses any distorted versions of the gospel presented by false teachers. This section points to the historical context of heresies and the recurring need to affirm the biblical understanding of Jesus throughout church history.

This passage presents scriptural evidence for Jesus being fully God and fully man, emphasizing his divine nature and his humanity. Jesus is described as the “image of the invisible God,” representing the visible representation of God and embodying His glory and nature. It needs to be clarified that the term “firstborn of all creation” does not imply that Jesus is a created being, but rather emphasizes His authority and position as the King of kings.

The passage further establishes Jesus as the creator of all things, both visible and invisible, in heaven and on earth. Jesus is credited with the power to bring everything into being and sustain the universe. He is described as being before all things and encompasses the entirety of existence. These verses highlight the divinity, authority, and creative power of Jesus, establishing Him as the preeminent and sovereign ruler over all creation.

The significance of Jesus and the beliefs surrounding Him for believers and non-believers is consistently emphasized here. This stresses the importance of recognizing Jesus as the ultimate authority and helps one not be swayed by false teachings or idolatry. Jesus is clearly shown to be the head of the Church, guiding and leading believers through His Word and Spirit. Furthermore, there is also an emphasis on Jesus’ role in reconciliation. Jesus is referred to as “the firstborn from the dead,” signifying His role as the origin of everything and the one who has conquered death. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus made a way for humanity to be reconciled with God. His sacrifice on the cross and subsequent reconciliation of all things to God demonstrate God’s grace, mercy, and love.

The significance of understanding the true nature of Jesus Christ and the importance of holding onto the biblical depiction of Him cannot be emphasized enough – His divinity, authority, and creative power, as well as His role in reconciliation between God and humanity. Let us reflect on the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice and the love of God in reconciling humanity to Himself and worship Him!

For more, check out the original Bible studies from this section:

Wrapping Up (vv. 1:21-23)

21 [54]And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, [55]doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled [56]in his body of flesh by his death, [57]in order to present you holy and blameless and [58]above reproach before him, 23 [59]if indeed you continue in the faith, [60]stable and steadfast, not shifting from [61]the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed [62]in all creation under heaven, [63]and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Colossians 1:21-23

The way Colossians 1 wraps up gives an invitation from God to the readers and hearers of the epistle – the original audience and even today – to respond to His Word and Spirit. Throughout the Bible, there are invitations extended by God to humanity. Examples include God inviting Noah and his family into the ark, inviting Israel through His prophets, and Jesus inviting all who labor and are heavy laden to find rest in Him. Through the work of His Spirit through the reading, hearing, and preaching of His Word, God offers the same to us today.

Reconciliation is offered by God through Jesus, an offer that acknowledges that humanity, due to sin, was alienated and hostile toward God, described as being dead in trespasses and sins. This challenges the notion that all people are inherently good and highlights the need for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. God, in His love and mercy, reconciled humanity through Jesus’ death, offering salvation and presenting believers as holy and blameless.

It is my prayer that all of us recognize our need reconciliation with God, and that if any have not that they respond by repenting of their sins and believe in Jesus. Remember, this invitation emphasizes that salvation is by grace through faith, not based on deserving it. It is also an invitation for those who believe to continue in the faith, remaining stable, steadfast, and rooted in the hope of the gospel. Re-reading Colossians 1 has led me to examine my own life. I pray it does you, too.

[1] All Scripture references unless otherwise noted are from the English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 1:1–2.

[2] Cross references show what the Bible says about a particular verse, section, or word. I use the cross references heavily in my study of the Word, especially when preaching and/or teaching the Word. Cross references that parallel the verse, section, or word but do not directly reference it are marked by brackets, for example [1 Peter 2:9-12]. Cross references of similar themes will be designated by the word “See”.

[3] See 2 Corinthians 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia….

[4] See 1 Corinthians 1:1 – Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes….

[5] See 1 Thessalonians 3:2 – …and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith….

[6] Ephesians 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus…. | See Philippians 1:1 – Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons…..

[7] Romans 1:7 – To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 1 Corinthians 1:3 – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

[8] Ephesians 1:15-16 – For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…. | Philemon 4 – I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers….

[9] See 1 Thessalonians 1:3 – …remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

[10] v. 23 | See Acts 23:6 – Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” | Titus 1:2 – …in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began…. | Hebrews 3:6 – …but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

[11] 2 Timothy 4:8 – Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. | 1 Peter 1:4 – …to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you….

[12] See Ephesians 1:13 – In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit….

[13] [v. 23] | [Psalm 98:3] – He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. | See Matthew 24:14 – And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

[14] John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. | John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. | [Philippians 1:11] – …filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

[15] [Romans 16:26] – …but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith…. | [Ephesians 4:21] – …assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus….

[16] See Acts 11:23 – When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose….

[17] ch. 4:12 – Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. | Philemon 23 – Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you….

[18] ch. 4:7 – Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

[19] [Romans 15:30] – I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf….

[20] v. 4

[21] 2 Thessalonians 1:11 – To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power….

[22] [Ephesians 1:17] – …that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him….

[23] ch. 4:5 – Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. | Ephesians 1:8 – …which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight…. | [1 Corinthians 12:8] – For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit….

[24] [Psalm 1:1-3] – Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. | See Ephesians 4:1 – I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called….

[25] [2 Corinthians 5:9] – So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. | [Ephesians 5:10] – …and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. | [1 Thessalonians 4:1] – Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

[26] v. 6

[27] See Ephesians 3:16 – …that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being….

[28] Ephesians 4:2 – …with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love….

[29] See Matthew 5:12 – Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

[30] ch. 3:15 – And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. | Ephesians 5:20 – …giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ….

[31] See Acts 26:18 – …to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

[32] 1 Thessalonians 1:10 – …and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

[33] Luke 22:53 – When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” | Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

[34] 2 Peter 1:11 – For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[35] [Ephesians 1:6] – …to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

[36] See Ephesians 1:7 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace….

[37] See 2 Corinthians 4:4 – In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel for the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

[38] See 1 Timothy 1:17 – To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

[39] [Psalm 89:27] – And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. | See Romans 8:29 – For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

[40] Ephesians 1:10 – …as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

[41] [Ezekiel 10:1] – Then I looked, and behold, on the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire, in appearance like a throne.

[42] Ephesians 1:21 – …far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

[43] Romans 11:36 – For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. | 1 Corinthians 8:6 – …yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

[44] [John 8:58] – Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” | See John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[45] [Hebrews 1:3] – He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

[46] See Ephesians 1:22-23 – And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

[47] Revelation 3:14 – “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write, ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

[48] Acts 26:23 – …that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” |                     1 Corinthians 15:20 – But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. | Revelation 1:5 – …and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood….

[49] ch. 2:9 – For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily….

[50] See John 1:16 – For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

[51] See 2 Corinthians 5:18 – All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…. | See Ephesians 1:10 – …as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

[52] See Ephesians 2:14 – For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility….

[53] [Ephesians 2:13] – But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

[54] See Ephesians 2:1-2 – And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience…. | See Ephesians 2:12 – …remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

[55] [Titus 1:16] – They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

[56] [Romans 7:4] – Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

[57] Jude 24 – Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy…. | See Ephesians 1:4 – …even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. | See Ephesians 5:27 – …so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

[58] 1 Corinthians 1:8 – …who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[59] See John 15:4 – Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

[60] ch. 2:7 – …rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. | Ephesians 3:17 – …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love….

[61] vv. 5-6

[62] Mark 16:15 – And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. | [Acts 2:5]

[63] See 2 Corinthians 3:6 – …who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.