Bible Study July 22, 2025

Colossians 1:15 – 18 (ESV)

“Above All There is No Other”

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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.”

Jesus is above all there was a heretical teaching in the church at Colossae that taught the denial of the deity of Jesus.

This portion of scripture establishes the supremacy of Jesus by declaring Him to be the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, and the one who sustains life. He is also the Creator, the head of the Church, and the one who holds all things together.

There are several things that come forward from this passage including Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He represented God the Father on earth revealing who God the Father is in doing so He revealed the nature of God almighty.

The firstborn of all creation tells us He had authority over all that was created. He is further the Creator of all things although He was not created he was the mastermind behind all created things and beings.

He is also Head of the church serving as the ultimate authority of His body. He is referred to as the groom for His church the bride of Christ.

He is the ultimate authority and leader of the Church, His body.

Being the firstborn of the dead signifies His resurrection and victory over death, securing our salvation. The phrase “firstborn of all creation” does not mean Jesus was created, but rather emphasizes His unique position and authority as the firstborn son.

Colossians 1:15-18 gives us a powerful affirmation of Jesus Christ’s divinity, His place in creation, and authority over all creation including His Church.

God Bless.

Bible Study July 21, 2025

Colossians 1:12- 14 (ESV)

“Qualified”

12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

“Qualified” is an interesting word used by Paul here. It means “to authorize.” Just imagine the depth of Paul’s writing that Jesus has  “authorized” us or “qualified” through Jesus. We are now able to receive our portion of the inheritance that has been won by Jesus’ death and resurrection.

We are here because He has delivered us from the domain of darkness. Have we ever really sat down and thought what Jesus’ death really did for us, the true impact of all that He undertook for each and every one of use?

Through His sacrifice we have been delivered or liberated from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. Our King is Jesus just as anyone who is a member of a kingdom has a king but ours is so much more.

John MacArthur writes, “The Father gave this kingdom to the Son He loves, as an expression of eternal love. That means that every person the Father calls and justifies is a love gift from Him to the Son.”

Christ has taken us from slavery to sin from bandage to freedom. Redeemed from the curse to redemption in the new world to come. We have redemption because of the forgiveness of our sin. We have been pardoned from the wrath of God to the love of God. Jesus died for everyone, just think of His death for the one who refuses to accept the offer of eternal life. Was Jesus’ death wasted on that person? I think we answer that question with a resounding “No.” His suffering was for the ones who chose to say “Yes” to His call.

God Bless.

Bible Study July 17, 2025

Colossians 1:9 – 11 (ESV)

“Spiritual Growth”

9 “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 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; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.”

Where do we get the knowledge of God’ will? It is not a feeling but a deep conviction of the heart that comes from His Word. In other words it is revealed to us as spiritual wisdom with understanding on how it is applied to our daily lives.

We can only attain this wisdom if we are to “walk worthy” which means we walk in the footsteps of the One who offered freedom in the first place. When we do this we will produce spiritual fruit which is mentioned often in the scriptures.

John MacArthur says it this way. “Spiritual fruit is the by-product of a righteous life. The Bible identifies spiritual fruit as leading people to Christ (1 Cor. 16:15, praising God (Heb. 13:16), giving money (Rom. 15:26 – 28), living a godly life (Heb. 12:11), and displaying holy attitudes (Gal. 5:22 -23).”

Spiritual growth cannot occur apart from knowledge.

MacArthur goes on to say, the evidences of spiritual growth include a deeper love for God’s Word (Ps. 119:97), a more perfect obedience (1 John 2:3 -5), a strong doctrinal foundation (1 John 2:12 -14), an expanding faith (2 Thess. 1:3), and a greater love for others (Phil. 1:90).

Lot’s to decipher. God Bless.

Bible Study July 15, 2025

Colossians 1:1-8 (ESV)

“Thanksgiving With Prayer”

1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.  3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”

Paul writes to the church in Colosse specifically addressing the “saints.’ Who are these “saints’ He is writing to? They are those (us) who have been set apart to God and free from sin. This word saints is used exclusively in the New Testament to refer to the faithful.

Paul uses a familiar greeting to the church he says, “Grace and Peace from God our Father.” In fact he uses this phrase in all the thirteen epistles he wrote to the churches. This Sunday I am focusing on Matthew five once again but from verse twenty-one forward. The theme is love and Paul mentions that here. Love is a fruit of the Spirit that separates us from other people.

“The hope laid up for you” that is the Good News it is a similar term used in battle when victory has been secured, it is the same as our victory over sin through the blood of Jesus. But is not only victory over sin it is victory over death.

The Good News is intended for everyone not just the Jews of Jesus line. When the Jewish people rejected Jesus He went to others in the hope they would find peace through Him.

Offer the Good News to someone with an act of kindness, or an expression of love.

God Bless.

Bible Study July 14, 2025

“Rising Waters”

Matthew 5:43 – 45 (ESV)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

At our worship service yesterday prior to communion I mentioned the flood waters in Texas on the Guadalupe River. My point was during the rising waters of that river and the lives that were lost  “God was there.” I do not know why these things happen in our world but I do know God is there for us when the waters rise in our lives. We can offer opinions on why things happen but they are only opinions.

When the waters rise in our lives we should also rest assured that God is there with us. After spending my career in the insurance field and in insurance polices we see the term “act of God” for catastrophes such as we saw in Texas. I always wondered why these are not labeled “acts of Satan” after all these types of occurrences are a result of the fall of man. True God is sovereign and allows all things to happen we still wonder – Why?

I have asked the “Why” questions in my life and I still do not know but I do know God is there with me in all that comes along. Along with the above verse He has also told us “I will never leave you nor forsake you”  which is a quote from the Bible, specifically Hebrews 13:5 and Deuteronomy 31:6. It’s a promise of God’s unwavering presence and support, assuring believers that He will not abandon them. The verse emphasizes that God’s faithfulness is a constant, even amidst life’s challenges and uncertainties.

Let’s put out trust in knowing He is always with us in both the good and bad and leave the outcome to Him. We may not like the outcome but we know He knows what is best for His children.

God Bless.