All Things Were Created Through Him and For Him

In one paragraph

Pastor Kyle opened with a personal story about emailing himself Colossians 1:9-20 the night before his candidating vote at First B, and he walked the congregation through that passage as both his ongoing prayer for the church and the theological ground beneath it. The message centered on Christ's preeminence over all created things and what it means, practically, to know God's will, do it, and...

Read together

1. Colossians 1:16-17 quoted at the opening to set the tone for worship
2. Colossians 1:9-20 the main passage preached, covering Paul's prayer and Christ's preeminence
3. 1 Corinthians 12 cited to show it is God who adds members to the body for the common good
4. James 4:17 paraphrased: to know to do good and do it not is sin
5. John 15:16 paraphrased: you did not choose me, I chose you to bear fruit that will last
6. John 1:1-18 referenced as the prologue about the divine logos, nothing created outside of Jesus
7. John 14:6 quoted: I am the way and the truth and the life
8. Matthew 7:24 paraphrased: anyone who listens to your teaching and follows it is wise, building on a solid foundation
9. 1 Corinthians 1:18 paraphrased: to those perishing the cross is foolishness, to those being saved it is the power of God
10. Colossians 1:20 closing focus: making peace by the blood of his cross

Talk about it

1. Paul's prayer for the Colossians was that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will. What does it look like practically to pursue that kind of knowledge in your own life right now?
2. The pastor described a cycle of knowing God's will, doing God's will, and then knowing God more deeply as a result. Has there been a time when obedience opened up a part of God's character you had not seen before? What happened?
3. The blind monks fable was used to describe how our society treats truth, with every perspective considered equally valid. Where do you feel the pressure of that view most in your everyday life, and how do you respond to it?
4. The pastor pointed to the stagnant peace fountain at the Buddhist temple and contrasted it with peace made by the blood of the cross. What is the difference, in your own words, between a peace that the world offers and the peace Paul is describing in this passage?
5. Near the end of the sermon, the pastor suggested finding someone who is a Christian but very different from you, whether a justice person or a mercy person, and getting closer to them. Who comes to mind, and what would it take for you to actually pursue that?