the first chunk of colossians 2

Last Sunday I walked the Senior High through the first chunk of Colossians 2 (I'll be going over the same thing with the Junior High this coming Sunday.)

Colossians 2

(1)For I want you to know how great struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, (2) that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (4) I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. (5) For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ
(6) Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, (7) rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

(8) See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (9) For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, (10) and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (11) In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, (12) having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. (13) And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him having forgiven us all our trespasses (14) by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (15) He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.


Questions to consider:
1. What is Paul's hope for people?
(Knit together for the purpose of knowing the Gospel more intimately.)

2. Why does he have this hope?
(So that they aren't falsely persuaded.)

3. What is the "good order" and "firmness of faith" that Paul is talking about?
(Behavior that evidences their faith and grounding in Christ.)

4. What does it mean to "walk" in Christ?
(To show a growing change of attitude and behavior as you know Christ more.)

5. What is the overriding mark that Paul desires to mark the Colossians?
(Abounding in thanksgiving.)

6. What does it mean to be "filled in him"?
(That nothing else can ever satisfy our longing for complete joy except Christ.)

7. What is the relationship between baptism and circumcision?
(Baptism of the Spirit is something that happens to us and not something we can perform.)

8. What did Christ accomplish on the cross? Why is it important?
(Fulfilled the legal demands. He reconciled us from enemies at war to friends at peace with God.)

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Application
1. How can you apply this to your prayer life (for yourself and others)?
(Praying for others to love one another with no ultimate purpose is hard. To pray for someone to be knit together for the purpose of knowing Christ and making Him look glorious gives weight to our prayers.)

2. What will this do to your obedience to Christ?
(Realize that obedience isn't done to earn favor but is done in joy and as evidence to sincere faith. If you're not showing signs of obedience over a long course of time then it is likely that you are not firm in the faith and are still enemies of God.)

3. Relating back to Chapter 1, what are the things that we need to jealously guard about Christ and his image?
(The transactions occurring at the cross, penal substitutionary atonement.)


-joe