Complete in Christ
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Colossians Series –
Week 1: Where It All Begins
Intro:
Alright—quick question:
Do you know where the book of Colossians is?
Some of us might say, “Guys Eat Potato Chips…”(Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians… Colossians.)
Easy to say. No big deal.
But pause for a moment…
Having a Bible in your hands—being able to read it, study it, and understand it for yourself—
That hasn’t always been the case throughout history.
It’s a privilege.
And it’s something we shouldn’t take for granted.
Two Ways to Approach Scripture
When it comes to studying the Bible, there are generally two approaches:
1. Topical
“What does the Bible say about…?”
Fear
Finances
Relationships
2. Expositional
“What does the Bible say?”
Walking verse by verse, letting Scripture speak for itself.
That’s the approach for this series.
The Journey Ahead
The book of Colossians has:
4 chapters
95 verses
Over the next 18 weeks (126 days), we’re going deep.
If you read one chapter a day, you’ll go through Colossians 31 times.
By the end, you won’t just recognize it…
You’ll be fluent in it.
How We Study
Each week, we’ll walk through three questions:
What does the Bible say?
(What does the text actually say—independent of me?)
What does the Bible mean?
(What is God communicating?)
How do I apply it?
(How does this change my life?)
Because this isn’t about accumulating knowledge.
It’s about transformation.
The Theme: Complete in Christ
The entire book circles around one central truth:
You are complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
Everything comes back to Jesus.
As Charles Swindoll said:
“Your view of Jesus Christ will impact every area of your life.”
Setting the Scene
Let’s begin with Colossians 1:1–2.
But first—what about the city of Colosse?
(It’s pronounced either Coloss-ee or Coloss-ay… kind of like Boy-see or Boy-zee.)
Colosse was located in modern-day Turkey.
It wasn’t a major city anymore—its best days were behind it.
Nearby cities like Laodicea were bigger and more influential.
In fact, Colosse was relatively… insignificant.
And Paul?
He had never even visited.
A Quick Timeline
33 AD – Jesus’ resurrection
35 AD – Paul’s conversion
55 AD – Church established in Colosse (by Epaphras)
60–62 AD – Paul writes Colossians
67 AD – Paul is executed
Christianity was growing rapidly—even under pressure from leaders like Nero.
The Culture of Colosse
Colosse was filled with competing ideas:
Religious ritual – Old Testament laws and ceremonies
Mysticism – Worship of angels, “something more”
Philosophy – Human reasoning, asceticism, Gnosticism
Sound familiar?
Different time. Same lies.
Satan doesn’t need new tactics—just new packaging.
Paul’s Greeting
Colossians 1:1
Paul introduces himself as:
“An apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.”
This mattered—because Paul faced criticism.
He wasn’t one of the original twelve.
But his authority came from God—not himself.
Colossians 1:2
Paul writes to:
“The saints… and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Let’s pause there.
Saints
A saint simply means:
Set apart for God.
Not a title you earn.Not a status you achieve.
If you are in Christ—you are a saint.
Faithful
Paul describes them as:
Faithful.
Not perfect—but:
Steadfast
Trustworthy
Not easily shaken
Family
“Brothers and sisters” reminds us:
We belong to a family.
Because we are in Christ.
Grace and Peace
Paul closes his greeting with:
“Grace to you and peace…”
This wasn’t just a routine phrase.
It was essential.
Grace and Peace Explained
Grace
Grace is:
Everything—for nothing—to those who don’t deserve anything.
It’s how we are saved:
Ephesians 2:8–9 – “By grace you have been saved…”
And it’s what we need every single day.
Peace
Peace means:
No barrier between us and God.
No conflict.No separation.
And it only comes from Him.
Everything else is a counterfeit—temporary and empty.
How This Applies to Us
Even in just two verses, we see powerful truth.
1. No one is too insignificant for Jesus
Colosse was insignificant.
But not to Jesus.
And neither are you.
Sometimes we believe the lie:
“I don’t matter”
“I’m not important”
“No one notices”
But Jesus proves otherwise.
Romans 5:8 tells us:He died for you.
Your value is seen in the price He paid.
2. Our position in Christ matters more than our location
You may be in Boise. You may be in a hard season.
But your identity is not your location.
It’s your position:
In Christ.
That’s where grace and peace come from.
Not from circumstances.Not from quiet moments.
But from Him.
3. What describes your life?
Paul called them faithful.
So here’s the question:
The adjective someone would use to describe me in Christ is:____________?
Not what you hope it is. Not what others think.
But what is actually true?
What needs to change?
What needs to be let go?
What needs to grow?
Because people are watching.
And your life tells a story.
Closing Thought
Paul’s greeting ends with:
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
That’s not just a greeting.
That’s a promise.
What’s Next
This week, start reading:
One chapter of Colossians a day.
Next week, we’ll dive into Colossians 1:3–8.
Prayer
God, thank You for Your Word.Thank You that we are not insignificant to You.Help us understand what it means to be complete in Christ.Shape us, change us, and draw us closer to You as we study Your Word.Amen.
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