Pastor Trent zooms out to show the missionary identity of the Apostle Paul. The gospel globe trotter teaches: (1) every Christian is a missionary and (2) every church is called into Christ's mission. Praying for open doors for the gospel is not optional, but essential for every follower of Jesus. What moves the mission of God forward? It moves forward when the mission of God ceases to be a problem “out there” and becomes a passion “in here.”

How far does the Easter reach? Surely, the gospel affects the mind. It affects the heart. We may even say that it affects the body. The answer of Colossians is that the gospel reaches to all your relationships. To live resurrected, Christ does not reach just to you -- but through you to others. With this context, Pastor Trent teaches through the Apostle Paul's words to the first century Christian Household about marriage, parenting, and slavery.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is more than a historical event and more than doctrinal truth. Christians have been raised to live resurrected! In other words, the good news of Easter brings not just new content -- but a new culture. The "clothing of Christ" produces new, humane ways of relating to one another. As such, the Apostle Paul urges the church to put on (like clothing) the love, peace, word, and name of their Lord Jesus Christ.

New seasons of life are often accompanied with a change of clothes. Being raised with Christ, is a new season, a new era -- even a new humanity. Pastor Trent continues teaching chapter 3 to show us how Easter brings Christians to new creation, new clothes, and new center.

On Easter Sunday, Pastor Trent names two common objections to Christianity: believing the resurrection and the behavior of Christians. Colossians shows how the resurrection matters not merely for an after-life, but your present life. Because Jesus was raised to new life, you can walk in newness of life.

In chapter two, Paul reminds this young church that “Christ is the fullness.” By faith, these Christians are united to Christ in life, death, resurrection, and glory. They have everything needed for growth in godliness and into the likeness of Jesus. Now, Paul says of three things: “That’s not growth.”

The summary of the whole letter: (1) Receive Christ and (2) Walk in Christ. Jesus has all the nutrients. He is the right environment. The Apostle Paul speaks of Christ like a physical place in which one can live and "walk about." Paul repeats what Jesus revealed: “Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.” Not merely the entrance, but the entirety of the Christian life.

Immanuel Fellowship has (finally) arrived in chapter 2! Here, the Apostle lays out what is needed to grow toward maturity. Put simply: we need more of Christ, to grow mature in Christ. Pastor Trent shows three ways we get "more" of Christ in Colossians 2:1-5.

In this episode, we see the very heart of the Apostle Paul. In everything and in every place, Paul's team aims to present everyone "mature in Christ." To that end, Pastor Trent unpacks the what, where, and how of gospel maturity.

We apologize for audio quality on this episode. Through these verses, the readers of Colossians are (finally) introduced to Paul. Pastor Trent teaches on the suffering, the stewardship, and the summary of the great gospel globe trotter — the Apostle Paul.