In this prologue to Colossians, Paul emphasizes prayer and the gospel. The gospel is the gospel of grace as well as of truth, of peace, of Christ and other such phrases. Paul expresses his thankfulness for the Lord's flock. Paul also mentions faith, hope and love. This sermon focuses on the gospe...

This sermon, preached at Gospel of Grace Fellowship, is about Paul’s prayer for the Colossians to be enlightened and empowered. We show how important Christian theology is and how foolish it is to divorce prayer from theology. We need to reject the idea that we can discover some secret will of Go...

Colossians 1:13, 14 describe four results of conversion. God’s rescue of Lot and God’s rescue of Israel during the Exodus are examples of how God rescues His own people. Being transferred from one kingdom to another means that we belong to Christ who is both the Son and the King. We underscore w...

Colossians 1:15, 16 are the first two verses of the “Christ Hymn” of Colossians 1. The important doctrine of “Christ alone” is grounded in the supremacy of Christ and His sufficiency for our salvation and sanctification. In this passage, “firstborn” means preeminent, not the first of many. Christ...

This difficult passage has often been misused by those who claim that the “merits of Christ” can be added to. We explain and defend the eschatological view that Christian suffering is necessary and eventually reaches the limit that God has set for it. What is lacking that is being filled up are s...

The great hope we have as Christians is described as “Christ in you.” God’s mystery is now revealed so it must be known and proclaimed. We discuss the meaning of “Christ in you” and reject mystical interpretation that prescribes a journey inward. God used gospel preaching, admonition and teaching...

This sermon is about the important doctrine of Christ alone. Christian unity is important and is facilitated by the gospel itself. Christ alone, logically, cannot mean Christ plus something else. In Mark 9:4-8, we see the truth of Christ alone clearly revealed. The 5 solas taken together constitu...

False teachers use persuasive arguments to beguile Christians. They question the sufficiency of Christ. Again we see the importance of Christ and preaching Christ alone. Colossians 2:6 is one of the most important verses in the Book of Colossians. We explain what it means to walk in Christ. Many ...

We are warned to beware of those who would plunder us, carrying us away for their own purposes. One of the key means of deception is human tradition. Another is the influence of hostile spiritual powers. One thing all deceptions have in common is that they are “not according to Christ.” We point ...

The theme of this message is that in Christ is God’s fullness and we lack nothing if we are in Christ by faith. These verses explain further was IS according to Christ and NOT according to human tradition and philosophy (Colossians 2:8). We must avoid the pitfall of thinking we have achieved th...

The Old Testament predicted that God would circumcise hearts and that promise is fulfilled as described in Colossians 2:11. We discuss the “circumcision of Christ” in this passage and defend the position that this means the circumcision Christ performs, which is that of the heart. Colossians 2:12...

This section of Colossians reminds us of what God has done for us. The term used for forgiveness in this section literally means “graced.” The forgiveness of sins is legal, not emotional. We need to know that our debt of sin is paid, whatever we feel like. Being made alive implies a supernatural ...

This message explains and defends the doctrine of Christian liberty. We are commanded by God not to listen to false law-givers. We also discuss the shadow/substance analogy that Paul used to explain this. The substance is Christ; we are not under OT law-works which are the shadow. James 4:11, 12 ...

This passage, difficult as it is, tells us to refuse to listen to those who claim a higher order spirituality and judge us to be disqualified. Their "spirituality" is in fact fleshly and not from God. We must cling to Christ who is the head. Being in Christ protects us from the hostile forces of ...

This sermon explores implications of the truth that Christians have died with Christ. This happens at conversion. The false teachings the troubled the Colossians came from the hostile spirits. Paul ironically asks why they submit to them. We must not listen to man-made laws given by human law-giv...

The wisdom of God is not contained in the traditions of men, but comes from Christ. Human tradition may appear pious, but leads us away from the sufficiency of Christ. Severe treatment of the body (asceticism) cannot deliver us from the flesh and its works and desires. We need to believe the prom...

Paul commands his readers to seek and think according to heavenly truth. The willingness to seek Christ and heavenly things shows that we have gospel priorities. We discuss the common claim that being heavenly minded will make us impractical. This does not follow. Also discussed is the nature of ...

The key issue in this section is that we are either dead in sin or dead to sin. We do not need human wisdom and people management techniques; we need Christ and His redemption. Those who trust in Christ will be revealed with Him when He comes and is revealed in His eternal glory. These verses pro...

This section of Colossians exhorts Christians to fully lay aside the sins of their pagan past. Our old ways are not suitable for our new lives in Christ. The passage lists specific sins that Christians must put away and avoid. The truth of Scripture reveals that God's wrath is real. We need the s...

Of all the religions and philosophies in the world, only the gospel of Jesus Christ gives us the opportunity to truly leave the past behind and to have new lives. We must not lie because as new people in Christ we are committed to truth. We are called to put off the old man like a set of old clot...

This sermon is about how the communicable attributes of Christ are virtues we are to "put on" as new creatures in Christ. What is important is not the details of our previous sinful self, but the reality of the new man who is being renewed into the image of Christ. We discuss specific communicabl...

In this message we learn how Christ centered our lives and Christian fellowship should be. The peace of Christ is to rule in the sense of "hold sway" in our hearts. We must have a full and robust doctrine of Christ. The word of Christ is to be preached and taught, being predominant in our worship...

This sermon deals with our fundamental attitudes as Christians. Are we thankful and not bitter? The call to be thankful as Christians is comprehensive. We are to live for Christ with a thankful attitude. We also warn about the danger of bitterness and why we cannot allow it in our lives. The cros...

Paul gives instructions to Christian households. Children are to obey parents and thus please the Lord. Rather than a long list of legal decisions about problems that arise, the New Testament gives us godly principles to live by. Everything is about serving the Lord with singleness of heart. We n...