3. Colossians shows how union with Christ shapes all of life.
In Colossians 1, Paul writes, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (1:28). If chapter 2 proclaims Christ by “warning,” then chapter 3 proclaims Christ by “teaching” (1:28).
If rules and regulations don’t work for a vital Christian life, then what does? The rule and reign of Jesus does, which has sway over those united to him. He is the firstborn from the dead, and we have been raised with him (3:1). Even now we are hidden with him, and when he comes we will gloriously appear with him (3:3, 4). Where is the power to deal with our anger, grow in our compassion, put off sexual immorality, love our wives, and parent our children without provoking them? It’s right here: united to Jesus, we can put away what is earthly because we “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (3:1).
Through “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” we teach one another of Christ and Christ’s word dwells within us. Which means one crucial way we grow in the “full assurance” of Christ is to go to church. Don’t just read your Bible. Listen to your brothers and sisters sing and speak the Bible to you.
Preach Colossians 3 and you’ll get the privilege to preach all that.
A final reason to preach the book of Colossians emerges from a theme that undergirds the whole book, stretching from the first verses to the last chapter.
4. Colossians fills us with thanksgiving and prayer.
A church filled with self-appointed spiritual umpires will struggle with thankfulness. She will be too occupied with the opinions of man to enjoy God.
Paul’s strategy for stirring thankfulness is so wise. He models thankful prayer when he opens, “We always thank God … when we pray for you” (1:3). He prays that they would “[give] thanks to the Father who has qualified you” for salvation (1:12). He defines Christian maturity as a life “abounding in thanksgiving” (2:6–7). Only then does he offer the command: “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (4:2). Indeed, “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (3:16–17). Thankfulness is the overflow of fullness in Christ. When we preach Colossians, Paul’s strategy for stirring this church to thankfulness becomes ours.
Thankfulness sounds easy. But we know this is the real struggle of ministry. Thankfully, prison chains and pesky legalists only have so much power. And, thankfully, as we struggle, we do so “with all his energy that he powerfully works” within us (1:29). That reminder is yet another reason to preach this letter.
This article originally appeared at the 9 Marks website, and is used by their kind permission.
