Pulpit Curriculum
November 26th – December 3rd, 2023
Sermon Summary
The correct view of Christ impacts every aspect of the believer’s life; it informs and transforms their identity! In this short letter, written to the church at Colossae, where the saints were under attack from false teachers, Paul’s continual prayer was that these saints be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. For this to become a reality, Paul launched his teaching of the undeniable truths of the person and work of Christ - His preeminence and sufficiency - and the believer’s total dependency on Him, both for their salvation and sanctification.
In these ten sermons of this study, listeners have been taught with clarity, that the believer’s life is a life of submission to Christ, who is over all; these teachings cement the truth that the believer’s faith in Jesus transforms all his/her relationships. As the book quietly comes to an end, Paul gives a glimpse into the relational dynamics of living in the reality of Christ’s supremacy, this we see evidenced in the restoration of both Onesimus and John Mark as well as Paul’s dependency on others such as Tychicus and Epaphras.
Verse of the Week
Colossians 4: 17
17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
Going Deeper
Review Colossians 4:7–18
1) Paul describes Onesimus, in glowing terms - faithful, beloved and ‘one of you’ - yet we also know Onesimus as a runaway slave (Philemon 10-19). Evaluate and discuss this based on Paul’s instructions in Col 3:22-4:1
2a Tychicus demonstrated traits that caused Paul to consider him worthy of the task of delivering this vital letter to the church at Colossae. Using Scripture and reflecting on Paul’s description of Tychicus (v7), list five traits that could have led Paul to this determination.
2b The Preacher stated that “when we live in the supremacy of Christ, we recognize that all of us are called to ministry”, what specific bible reference(s), bears out this truth.
3) The Preacher emphasized the need for unity in the Body, this is a consistent focus for Paul, as he addressed the various churches in his letters. Discuss at least one Scripture passage, where Paul commanded the saints to be unified.
4) From this ten-part series, what doctrinal truth, challenged you the most; and what has been your response to the challenge?
Assess Your Life
1) In this study, we see the eloquent words Paul used when he spoke of Epaphras, Onesimus, Tychicus and others; in honest reflection, in a short sentence, script the words that you believe others would use to describe you.
2) In response, script what you would desire men to say of you AND list below the steps you are committed to taking to direct your life in this way. SIDE NOTE: this exercise is not a concept to win men’s praises, rather this is to encourage the believer to live out their identity in Christ.
Application
1) ) List three applications from this series that you will continue, in faithful devotion to Christ.
1
2
3
I will ask
Sermon Main Points
Those who live in the Supremacy of Christ, that is those who are born again, must show themselves to be:
Faithful Ministers
Faithfulness isn’t a title that is bestowed because of favour, it is a characteristic that is consistently developed over time.
Christ-centred Labourers
All believers are called to the ministry of making disciples, regardless of where we serve, the mission remains the same.
Demonstrating Unity in the Church
When believers embrace unity in the church, the supremacy of Christ is reflected.
Sermon Reflection
What stood out for me in this sermon?
What is something I can do to remember this?
Quotes
• The goal of preaching is change; changed lives, which result in changed churches and changed societies and as such we must seek to embrace that change as a result of the sermons.
• Faithful ministers prioritize the Gospel, they preach and model the message with integrity.
• Christ’s preeminence is not a theological concept, rather it is the transformative reality that touches every aspect of the believers’ life.
5 Day Study Plan
Use the Inductive Bible Study method to study these scriptures this week and remember to share with someone else.
Follow these steps
1. Observe the text.
(What do you see in the text? Look for answers to questions like: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?)
2. Interpret the text.
(What did God and the human author of the text want the original people reading this text to understand/do? Why?)
3. Apply the text.
(How do I need to change in my thinking, my affections, my attitudes, and/or my actions?)
Day 1 - Hebrews 1:1-5
Day 2 - Philemon 1:10-19
Day 3 - Hebrews 10:23-24
Day 4 - 1 Corinthians 15:58
Day 5 - 2 Timothy 1:3-7
For best results, this content should be read and prepared privately and then discussed in your small group or with family / friends. We were not created to do life alone - get connected with a small group and grow together.