One Verse at a Time

This episode looks at Colossians 1:19, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,”. The Son of God, in the fullness of time, took on human nature for us and for our salvation. Praise God!

This episode looks at Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” These are the last two truths of Colossians 1:15–18: Head over the church; firstborn from the dead. Jesus is the source of and authority over the church, and he was raised as the first fruits of the new creation. In him we shall also be raised to new life forevermore. All praise and glory and honor to him!

This episode looks at Colossians 1:17, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Though Jesus Christ was born in a manger in Bethlehem, the divine Son of God has existed co-eternally with the Father. He became flesh and dwelt among us, but he was before everything. Since the beginning all things have held together in him.

This episode looks at Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” We exist by means of the Son of God, and we exist for the Son of God. That holds true for all of creation!

This Episode looks at Colossians 1:15, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Jesus fully and truly reveals God to us because the fullness of God dwells in him. He is also above all created things because the Son is the means by which they were created in the first place.

This episode takes a look at Colossians 1:14, “in whole we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin.” We are united to Christ through faith, and so in him we die, rise again, ascend to heaven, and will return with him. In the words of my friend Nick Roen, “What’s mine is his, and what’s his is mine.” Praise God!

This episode looks at Colossians 1:13, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,”. God has taken us out of bondage to our flesh and now has brought us into the kingdom of his Son, where we now live according to the Spirit. Praise God!

This episode looks at Colossians 1:12, “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” We can give thanks with joy to God for the inheritance that he has made us worthy to receive by adopting us into his family through Jesus’s blood. May God fix our eyes on this eternal inheritance so that we can face present trials with joy.

This episode looks at Colossians 1:11, “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.” We need to stay connected to our power source in order to face trials! We need to fall on our news and ask God to keep us strengthened as we face the struggles in our lives.

This episode looks at Colossians 1:10, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We need God’s help to live in a way that pleases him! Paul’s prayer gives us an idea of what that looks like.