The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
Commentary by Nick Boork
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October 5 – Colossians 1:18-2:7
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
2 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Scripture the apostle Paul covers some very important topics that we’re going to look at now:
The Preeminence of Christ
Paul says that Christ is the head of his body the church and that in all things he should have the preeminence. This means that Christ is the head or the first because he was the first to rise from the dead and he is the head meaning he has the authority over his body, his people the church. Preeminence means that Jesus Christ is to be recognized as our supreme ruler and Lord. Giving Christ preeminence means that we seek his mind and will first in our decisions and the direction of our lives, ministry and the local church. Leaders would do well to remember that the church does not belong to them but to Christ and we should always seek his will when it comes to the vision and Ministries that function in the local church. Religious politics should have no place in the church today. If Pastors would seek God to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within the local church they would be seeking the preeminence of Christ for his will in all things.
Our perfect redemption through Jesus Christ blood
The word teaches us that through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ all of our sins have been washed away through his blood and we have been reconciled to God. Now in the eyes of God we stand righteous being clothed in the righteousness that comes from God by faith all because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Through faith in Christ we have been reconciled to God and now have perfect peace with the father. Before coming to Christ we were enemies in our minds because of wicked works and our consciences condemned us because of our sins. The amazing thing about God’s love and redemption for us is that through Christ we stand before him blameless, this is true grace that saves us.
The mystery of the gospel revealed among the Gentiles
Paul teaches us that the mystery of God is that through the redemption of Christ he is now able to inhabit and live inside of his people not just the Jews but every person from all nations that believes in him throughout the entire world, including all the Gentiles. This is what it means when it says the mystery of God is revealed which is Christ in us and we have the eternal hope of glory, living forever in the kingdom of God. People from all nations will make up the eternal kingdom of God and that will be a glorious state in which the redeemed will enter forever.
The three phases of discipleship
Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ which brings a warning that there are only two eternal destiny’s for all of mankind and that is heaven or hell. Now that’s a serious warning we have to proclaim and lead people to make a decision and say yes to Jesus Christ to escape hell and make heaven our eternal home.
Teaching here represents discipleship of those that believe. Paul says he teaches believers in all wisdom. In other words the full counsel of God as far as faith in Christ and how to live and serve the Lord. Remember that Jesus said in the great commission that we are to teach everything that he taught in the gospels as we make disciples. Beware of those today that would try to deny the authority of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ as they pick and choose what they think in their opinion is important about what Jesus taught. Friends we need to teach everything that Jesus taught according to his commandment and explain the meaning of it and how to apply the principles of the word of God to our lives today because there are no words of Jesus Christ that are not relevant because they are eternal and guide our moral compass.
The goal of the apostle Paul was to be able to present every man perfect or mature in Christ Jesus on the day of judgment. One day all of our works will be exposed before God and we will see the kind of influence that we had while we lived on earth. The most important thing that we can do his influence other people to faith in Jesus Christ and help them to grow as followers of Christ becoming fully devoted disciples committed to Christ and his purposes.
The sufferings of the apostle Paul for the church
When Paul said that he filled up in his body the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his church he was not talking about paying for our sins but rather enduring persecution and hardships in order to fulfill the great commission. Christ called him to preach the gospel to the entire world. Only Christ was uniquely qualified to suffer and pay for the sins of all mankind but as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ sometimes we need to suffer through self-denial and persecution in order to minister to other people and build up the church, the body of Christ. I talk about this kind of suffering in a book that I wrote called “7 Crosses” Salvation to Martyrdom which is available on Amazon here at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Crosses-Salvation-Martyrdom-Nick-Boork/dp/1477549293
The prayer that Paul prayed for a group of people that he never met personally
Paul tells the believers that he was praying for them even though he had never met them in person. He prayed that their hearts would be encouraged and comforted as they discover the fullness of the revelation and mystery of Christ. Paul believed in the power of God to influence other people as he prayed in faith that the Holy Spirit would touch minds and hearts and cause these new believers to grasp the eternal truths that he was preaching. This is again a prayer that we can also personalize and pray for ourselves and others to grow up in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He prays specifically that we can attain the full riches of the understanding of the mystery and of the knowledge of God and of Christ. To me this represents a progressive development in our minds and hearts as we study the word of God and grow. When we first get saved we really don’t understand everything but as we apply ourselves to the word of God we begin to grow in understanding and the Holy Spirit brings great assurance and comfort to us concerning our salvation in Christ.
Three levels of faith
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Christ has the preeminence as the head of His body the church.
2) We have perfect redemption through the blood of Christ and are now reconciled with God and are declared blameless in his site by faith in Christ.
3) The mystery of God’s purpose is Christ in us the hope of glory.
4) The three phases of discipleship are preaching the gospel, teaching believers what it means to be in Christ and bringing them to a place of maturity ready for heaven!
5) We can never add to the redemptive sufferings of Christ but like Paul, we may need to suffer in order to fulfill the plans and purposes of God.
6) Prayer is perhaps the greatest spiritual power in the universe and we need to use it both for ourselves and others to grow up in Christ. Learn to personalize the prayers recorded in Scripture and you will be praying the perfect will of God.
7) The will of God for all of us is to be rooted in Christ, grounded in our relationship with him and established in our ministry serving him.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
2 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Scripture the apostle Paul covers some very important topics that we’re going to look at now:
The Preeminence of Christ
Paul says that Christ is the head of his body the church and that in all things he should have the preeminence. This means that Christ is the head or the first because he was the first to rise from the dead and he is the head meaning he has the authority over his body, his people the church. Preeminence means that Jesus Christ is to be recognized as our supreme ruler and Lord. Giving Christ preeminence means that we seek his mind and will first in our decisions and the direction of our lives, ministry and the local church. Leaders would do well to remember that the church does not belong to them but to Christ and we should always seek his will when it comes to the vision and Ministries that function in the local church. Religious politics should have no place in the church today. If Pastors would seek God to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within the local church they would be seeking the preeminence of Christ for his will in all things.
Our perfect redemption through Jesus Christ blood
The word teaches us that through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ all of our sins have been washed away through his blood and we have been reconciled to God. Now in the eyes of God we stand righteous being clothed in the righteousness that comes from God by faith all because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Through faith in Christ we have been reconciled to God and now have perfect peace with the father. Before coming to Christ we were enemies in our minds because of wicked works and our consciences condemned us because of our sins. The amazing thing about God’s love and redemption for us is that through Christ we stand before him blameless, this is true grace that saves us.
The mystery of the gospel revealed among the Gentiles
Paul teaches us that the mystery of God is that through the redemption of Christ he is now able to inhabit and live inside of his people not just the Jews but every person from all nations that believes in him throughout the entire world, including all the Gentiles. This is what it means when it says the mystery of God is revealed which is Christ in us and we have the eternal hope of glory, living forever in the kingdom of God. People from all nations will make up the eternal kingdom of God and that will be a glorious state in which the redeemed will enter forever.
The three phases of discipleship
Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ which brings a warning that there are only two eternal destiny’s for all of mankind and that is heaven or hell. Now that’s a serious warning we have to proclaim and lead people to make a decision and say yes to Jesus Christ to escape hell and make heaven our eternal home.
Teaching here represents discipleship of those that believe. Paul says he teaches believers in all wisdom. In other words the full counsel of God as far as faith in Christ and how to live and serve the Lord. Remember that Jesus said in the great commission that we are to teach everything that he taught in the gospels as we make disciples. Beware of those today that would try to deny the authority of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ as they pick and choose what they think in their opinion is important about what Jesus taught. Friends we need to teach everything that Jesus taught according to his commandment and explain the meaning of it and how to apply the principles of the word of God to our lives today because there are no words of Jesus Christ that are not relevant because they are eternal and guide our moral compass.
The goal of the apostle Paul was to be able to present every man perfect or mature in Christ Jesus on the day of judgment. One day all of our works will be exposed before God and we will see the kind of influence that we had while we lived on earth. The most important thing that we can do his influence other people to faith in Jesus Christ and help them to grow as followers of Christ becoming fully devoted disciples committed to Christ and his purposes.
The sufferings of the apostle Paul for the church
When Paul said that he filled up in his body the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his church he was not talking about paying for our sins but rather enduring persecution and hardships in order to fulfill the great commission. Christ called him to preach the gospel to the entire world. Only Christ was uniquely qualified to suffer and pay for the sins of all mankind but as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ sometimes we need to suffer through self-denial and persecution in order to minister to other people and build up the church, the body of Christ. I talk about this kind of suffering in a book that I wrote called “7 Crosses” Salvation to Martyrdom which is available on Amazon here at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Crosses-Salvation-Martyrdom-Nick-Boork/dp/1477549293
The prayer that Paul prayed for a group of people that he never met personally
Paul tells the believers that he was praying for them even though he had never met them in person. He prayed that their hearts would be encouraged and comforted as they discover the fullness of the revelation and mystery of Christ. Paul believed in the power of God to influence other people as he prayed in faith that the Holy Spirit would touch minds and hearts and cause these new believers to grasp the eternal truths that he was preaching. This is again a prayer that we can also personalize and pray for ourselves and others to grow up in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He prays specifically that we can attain the full riches of the understanding of the mystery and of the knowledge of God and of Christ. To me this represents a progressive development in our minds and hearts as we study the word of God and grow. When we first get saved we really don’t understand everything but as we apply ourselves to the word of God we begin to grow in understanding and the Holy Spirit brings great assurance and comfort to us concerning our salvation in Christ.
Three levels of faith
- Rooted in Christ represents the source of life that we have connected to which is Christ himself. Remember the parable of the sower how Jesus said that some seed fell on good ground and grew up and produced fruit? The seed had to be rooted in order to grow. After we repent of our sins and have faith in Christ for salvation we are born again and learn the basics of the word of God. Our faith grows as we know that we are saved and so we become rooted in Christ.
- Built up in Christ represents us growing in our faith and developing our spiritual muscles so to speak. We become built up in Christ through the word of God and the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Our faith and love grows to a new level. Our understanding becomes more full knowing and experiencing the presence of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. During the building up process many times the Lord tears things down in our lives, sinful ways are purged and we experience inner healing and deliverance leading to practical sanctification. This is a long-term process that the Lord takes us through until he perfects his image and character with in us.
- Established in Christ represents us walking with the Lord and overcoming the trials and temptations of this life. Being established in Christ also represents Christians coming to understand the spiritual gifts and the ministries that God has given them to serve in the Body of Christ. Being established is a great place to be because you know you’re saved and you know the Lord and are strong in the word of God and are now able to turn around and minister to other people in Jesus name.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Christ has the preeminence as the head of His body the church.
2) We have perfect redemption through the blood of Christ and are now reconciled with God and are declared blameless in his site by faith in Christ.
3) The mystery of God’s purpose is Christ in us the hope of glory.
4) The three phases of discipleship are preaching the gospel, teaching believers what it means to be in Christ and bringing them to a place of maturity ready for heaven!
5) We can never add to the redemptive sufferings of Christ but like Paul, we may need to suffer in order to fulfill the plans and purposes of God.
6) Prayer is perhaps the greatest spiritual power in the universe and we need to use it both for ourselves and others to grow up in Christ. Learn to personalize the prayers recorded in Scripture and you will be praying the perfect will of God.
7) The will of God for all of us is to be rooted in Christ, grounded in our relationship with him and established in our ministry serving him.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll