Pulpit Curriculum
September 24th – September 30th, 2023
Sermon Summary
The letter to Colossians was written at a time when the church was grappling with Jewish legalisms, and certain other religious rituals which were a challenge to their calling in Christ. The thrust of the sermon is to challenge these erroneous and harmful doctrines, and at the same time to establish and reinforce to believers the necessity of whole-heartedly embracing the supremacy of Christ above all else.
Verse of the Week
Colossians 1: 19 – 20
19 “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
Going Deeper
Review Colossians 1: 15 – 23
1) God’s invisibility means that His total essence, all of his spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet God still shows himself to us through visible, created things”.
Identify and discuss two situations in Scripture where God revealed himself through visible, created things
2) Pastor referred to the “hypostatic union” (the teaching that the two natures of Christ are inseparably united without mixture or loss of separate identity). It’s the concept that Christ is at once “100% God, and 100% man”.
a) Highlight in Scripture, and discuss, one instance each of this fully divine and fully human nature of Christ.
b) In what ways does this understanding impact your faith in Christ?
3) Write a candid personal diary entry detailing the current status of your commitment to serving Christ as your Lord and saviour
4) Colossians 1: 22-23 suggests that a believer should ‘continue in the faith, stable and steadfast’. What are some of the practical, scriptural, means you may pursue to facilitate this objective?
5) Highlight and discuss one notable instance of spiritual complacency in Scripture. What life lessons can you learn from this situation?
Assess Your Life
1) How would you rate your view of Christ?
a) I grew up knowing about Christ, but I honestly don’t have a relationship with Him.
b) I believe that Jesus died for my sins and I am thankful for that.
c) I am beginning to see Jesus as more than just a saviour but there is room for growth in my view.
d) The more I get into the scriptures, the more I am appreciating Jesus as the Supreme Christ.
e) I am fully persuaded that Jesus is far greater than all things, both visible and invisible.
2) What is the one thing that can be challenging your view of Christ?
Application
1) List three things you can commit to doing to elevate your view of Christ.
a)
b)
c)
2) Of the list above, which one(s) will you be intentional about working on this week?
I will ask
Sermon Main Points
Christ is supreme over everything else. Believers are warned to avoid the seemingly inevitable threat of complacency undermining our relationship with Christ. To do so, we are challenged to be intentional, and:
1) Cultivate and maintain a high view of Christ
Christ is above all and holds everything together
2) Value the eternal gift within us.
Don’t let the busyness of life take priority over the blessedness of a relationship with God and his people
Sermon Reflection
Faith in Christ is not simply a way of entering God’s kingdom – it is the way of life within the kingdom.
Good morals don’t change our spiritual condition.
Reconciliation with God has been made possible through his substitutionary death.
The darkness we walked in could not be overpowered by our mere strength or ability. It took a sinless sacrifice that could only be found in Christ.
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 - Philippians 2: 1-11
Day 2 - Acts 4:10-12
Day 3 - Hebrews 7:24–25
Day 4 - John 5:17–18
Day 5 - Hebrews 1:1-4
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.
Harvest Bible Chapel Barbados - 2023