Colossians - No one like Jesus

New sermon series for Sunday mornings (11:30)

Paul, under house arrest in Rome, wrote two letters which were both sent to Colosse at the same time and by the same messenger, a man named Tychicus.
One of the letters we know as the epistle to the Colossians. It is packed with good things. Not a word is wasted. There was a problem in the church at Colosse, and it was this that prompted Paul to write. It seemed that there was a real danger that an impressionable young church might be seduced away from uncomplicated and straightforward devotion to Christ. There was a new mood in the church, a worrying tendency to be influenced by currents of thought from outside, from society at large
a danger that is still present in our own day.
The most important consequence of the new teachings was that they would wean people away from Christ-in subtle ways by making them preoccupied with other things in addition to him. In order to counter this emphasis, Paul wrote a letter that is full of Christ. Read it, and it will work wonders for your confidence. In a variety of ways it makes the point that Christ is magnificent, that nothing can compare with him, and if we have Jesus, we have enough.

(taken from the pre-face to 'Christ all sufficient', by J. Philip Arthur)

As we study Colossians together, pray for...

• a deeper understanding of Jesus' majesty as Creator, Lord and the One who is preeminent
• a passionate love for Jesus as Saviour
• a desire to worship him at home, church, work and every second in between
• a greater dependance on Jesus for all of life

Some recommended books

Christ All Sufficient: Colossians & Philemon - Welwyn Commentary

Author:Arthur J P

Publisher:Evangelical Press

Paul, under house arrest in Rome, wrote two letters which were both sent to Colosse at the same time and by the same messenger, a man named Tychicus. One of the letters we know as the epistle to the Colossians. It is packed with good things. Not a word is wasted. There was a problem in the church at Colosse, and it was this that prompted Paul to write. It seemed that there was a real danger that an impressionable young church might be seduced away from uncomplicated and straightforward devotion to Christ. There was a new mood in the church, a worrying tendency to be influenced by currents of thought from outside, from society at large - a danger that is still present in our own day. The most important consequence of the new teachings was that they would wean people away from Christ in subtle ways by making them preoccupied with other things in addition to him. In order to counter this emphasis, Paul wrote a letter that is full of Christ. Read it, and it will work wonders for your confidence. In a variety of ways it makes the point that Christ is magnificent, that nothing can compare with him, and if we have Jesus, we have enough. The second letter, the epistle to Philemon, was addressed to one of the members of the church in Colosse and related to another person from the same town. It is a highly personal letter, written from one Christian to another, and it has a fascination all its own. At its heart is a theme that is vital for all Christians - that of forgiveness. Christians are, by definition, a forgiven people, and forgiveness is an ongoing necessity in all our relationships. Few things bring the cause of God into more disrepute than Christians who begrudge reconciliation.

Colossians commentary

Author:Macarthur John

Publisher:Moody

The theme of Paul's letter to the Colossians is the complete adequacy of Christ in contrast to the emptiness of mere human philosophy---a timely message in the face of the do-it-yourself, anything-goes New Age movement. MacArthur expounds on Paul's themes as he moves passage-by-passage through the text of Colossians and Philemon. His careful exegesis and life-changing applications---expressed in a clear style and easily understandable language---will appeal to both pastors and laypeople.

Hope of Glory

Author:Storms Sam

Publisher:Crossway Books

In The Hope of Glory author Sam Storms provides an aid to a careful reading of Colossians. Combining stylistic simplicity and theological substance, Storms writes for all Christians who are passionate to know Christ better. The 100 daily meditations can each be read in five to ten minutes so that even the busiest believer can take time to read and digest them. The result is a thorough analysis of the entire book of Colossians, broken down into manageable meditations that encourage, instruct, and uplift.

Jesus among other gods

Author:Zacharias Ravi

Publisher:Nelson

There is a rising belief in the world today that there is truth in all religions - that there are many ways up the mountain to God and Christianity is just one of those many ways. But how do you convince people that there are not many, but only one way? Ravi Zacharias in this book compares Jesus Christ with the founders of the other main religions in the world and by doing that reveals Christ's supremacy and how He equips the believer with the "blue-print" for life. What this book does for Christians (and non Christians alike) that the "other religions and gods" just don't compare or measure up to the Lord God of heaven.

Vintage Jesus

Author:Driscoll Mark

Publisher:Crossway Books

Some two thousand years after he walked the earth, Jesus Christ is still a hot topic. And for all the ridiculous, twisted, Da Vinci Code-esque conspiracy theories and lies about Jesus that have permeated popular culture and even the academy over the years, the truth about his character, nature, and work has not changed. So what exactly is the truth about Jesus Christ? That's the question the authors of Vintage Jesus seek to answer by breaking it down into a number of sub-questions about Jesus, including Is Jesus the only God? Why did Jesus come to earth? Did Jesus rise from death? Why should we worship Jesus? and others. Nonbelievers and new Christians looking to sit down and delve into the topic of Jesus, asking the toughest, most confounding questions they can think of, will find solid, biblical answers presented in a relevant, accessible way.