Today we are continuing in our study of Colossians, and are picking it up in vs 13. Last week we looked at the previous section which was Paul’s prayer for the church.  Today we might title this section Christ the Head of the Church. As I was studying this book, I was really taken with this particular passage in chapter one vs 13-20, and it’s theme of Jesus, the head of the church.  We should all understand by now that to become a member of Christ’s church we do not sign a paper, or submit to a vote by the

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I think it’s important to ask why we go to church, the reason for the church, and whether or not church is essential.  A few years ago, doing the pandemic, it seemed at the time that government had deemed the church was inessential.  But attending church is not an addendum to our faith, it is not entertainment, it is not merely a social gathering.  Church is not a building, or an organization, but a people, called out from the world unto Christ. I don’t think you can actually join a church, like you join a health club, but you must

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Last week I shared with you a message about overcoming anxiety and depression.  And in so doing I also ended up sharing with you some of my personal testimony.  I did so, not to try to elicit some sort of sympathy, but because I felt that having gone through these things, it qualified me to be able to speak to you not just from a theoretical point of view, or even a theological point of view, but from the voice of personal experience. As it turns out, I guess God wasn’t finished teaching me.  On Monday, following my message on

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I’ve titled today’s message “overcoming anxiety and depression.”  The Lord gave me the outline for today’s message about 30 years ago, quite some time before I was actually a pastor. During that time, I had a fairly successful antique business.   I thought I was living for the Lord, and I also thought that my job, my family and my finances were indicative of God’s blessings on my life and were the result of the fact that I was a born again Christian who was trying to serve God.  I had begun to get more involved in my church and was

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Paul says in verse one that the Philippians were his joy and crown.  And what he is referring to here with word crown is the crown of achievement, or the wreath that was given to the victor in a race.  This sentiment is the true passion of the pastor.  A pastor is crowned by his congregation.  If he is a true shepherd of the flock then their spiritual well being is his joy and crown.  Their spiritual maturity is what he is working for.  To see them mature, to come to completion, as we looked at last week.  To see

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The other day my wife and I got to see our grandchild for a little bit after not having seen him for almost a week. And it was amazing to see how much he seemed to have changed in just a few days time. He’s standing up on his own now, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until he’s walking.  It’s almost sad to see how quickly he’s growing and maturing. But I know that even though his parents love him as he is now in this infant stage, they are constantly encouraging him to grow, to

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How many times in your life have you heard yourself saying something to the effect…”if I could just have one thing in life, I would like….”  Or maybe it might be “if I could just do one thing in life, I would…”  And this morning, I would ask you to finish the sentence in your own mind.  If you were granted just one wish, if you could name just one thing and it would come to pass,  what would it be? I heard a man say once “Just do one thing right in your life and you’ll be way ahead of

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As we look at this passage today, Paul is giving us a picture of his own personal salvation.  We know the story of his conversion as recorded in Acts, being on the road to Damascus and having the light of the glory of the Lord fall upon him and blinding him, and hearing the voice of Jesus call out, “Paul, Paul, why are you persecuting me?”  And Paul answers, “Who are you?”  And the voice responds, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”  And for Paul in that moment, though he is blind, yet spiritually he now sees.  He believes

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In the previous chapter, Paul has been talking about the Christian life in terms of service and sacrifice.  And he gave us several examples of how we are to do that, starting with following in the footsteps of Christ, and then following the examples of Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus.  But there is an important point in our service and sacrifice that needs to be clarified, and  that is what Paul is emphasizing today.  And the point is that there is a real Christianity which is marked by righteousness accomplished by the Spirit working  through my flesh, and there is a

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We come upon this passage after being introduced by Paul to the principle in verse 5  that we are to have the same attitude, the same mind as Jesus Christ.  That although Jesus is our sacrifice and our substitute, and only He could atone for the sins of the world, yet at the same time, Christ is also supposed to be our example, our pattern for how we are to live.  As Christ humbled himself to be obedient to the Father’s will – so are we to be obedient to God’s will.  As Christ laid down His life on the

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