The Supremacy and Sufficiency of ChristSample

Welcome to the first day of our track, exploring the book of Colossians. Written by the Apostle Paul around 60-62AD, this small book from the New Testament is an incredibly revealing text about the true nature of Jesus Christ. Whenever we study the scriptures, it is of utmost importance that we start with a few questions.

Who was it written to?
At what time and amidst what culture?
What was its original purpose?

The book of Colossians deserves this same kind of study, and as Louie Giglio dives into our teaching today, here is what we are going to learn: Colossians has four chapters containing 95 verses, and at the heart of them is a single, eternity-defining purpose….

Are you ready to find out what it is? Let’s get started.

The Church at Colossae had a major problem. This small church, located about 100 miles from Ephesus, had been established as a result of the impact of Paul’s ministry in the area, and although we’re not sure that he ever visited Colossae himself, Paul’s voice no doubt carried major leverage there.

Notice the language of Chapter One, verses 3-8:
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

What do you see here? The Gospel is bearing fruit! Paul writes that ever since the birth of the church in Colossae, faith and love have been springing up as a result of the hope these people have gained from putting their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He even mentions Epaphras, who has been serving faithfully as a minister and teacher of the faith!

These are exactly the kinds of reports you would want to hear from a church. This is great news.

Except, another report had reached Paul. A report that troubled Paul deeply and should trouble us today. See, Colossians isn’t just about something that happened to them, Colossians is God’s way of speaking to all of us.

“Be careful someone doesn’t come into your story today and start threatening your pure faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ because I guarantee you it is happening all around you right now.”

So, what news from Colossae was so concerning that it inspired Paul to write to the burgeoning church?

The deity of Jesus was under attack in the Church at Colossae.

Fast forward to our world today, and these empty lies still exist. All over the world, people challenge the deity of Jesus with their words. They say that he was just a prophet or an excellent teacher of morality, or some just call him a liar. Even more plentiful are people who claim to know Jesus, but their actions betray that they don’t really consider him to be God. They turn a blind eye to his teachings or his character and then still publicly wear his name. Others claim a secret knowledge that would unlock a doorway into salvation outside of the redemptive power of Jesus, searching everywhere for a different thoroughfare into an eternity of enlightenment other than the clear teachings of Scripture.

In other words, not much has changed.

This is why Paul’s letter to the Colossians is so important to study today and why we’re so glad you’re joining us for this track.

“The doctrine of the Person of Christ is here stated with greater precision and fulness than in any other of St. Paul’s epistles.”-J.B. Lightfoot