As Louie Giglio concludes our study through Colossians, he highlights three scriptures that we should tuck away in our hearts and then reveals the ultimate reason why. Let’s get started.
Summary
Colossians has four chapters containing 95 verses, and at their heart is a singular, eternity-defining purpose: the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus. So, as we wrap up our study, we would encourage you to write down and do your best to memorize these three key verses:
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.Colossians 1:13-14
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.Colossians 1:18
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:17
Why take the time to memorize scripture? Because there is a time coming when you will need these verses. There will absolutely be days when Jesus is working in your heart, and you will need to remind yourself that He is Supreme over all, so your self-desires have to be dealt with. There will be days when you feel the pull of some other form of false fulfillment and need to remind yourself that Jesus is sufficient and that all that you need He is and has already given to you.
And there will be days when you feel like leaving it all behind and settling for a lesser life, and in that moment, you will need the reminder that your life isn’t yours to do with as you please and how you please.
Read all of chapters three and four of Colossians, and you’ll find that Paul has something to say to all of us about how we are to live. Read far enough into chapter four, and you may start to find your attention waning as Paul lists 11 ordinary people who made sure to do everything they did in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Do you want to know how to make your life count? There’s your answer.
So why commit yourself to memorizing the scriptures? Because you will need them. Look no further than the 95th verse of this letter written by Paul.
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Even chained to a wall, even in prison, Paul understood that there is no circumstance in life that can stop almighty God from accomplishing through anyone’s life what He intends to accomplish through their life. If you are in the Son of God, and the hope of Glory is within you, then nothing can come against you that can stop you from proclaiming the story of Jesus who saved you and sustains you. Carry that truth with you everywhere you go.
Praise be to God.
Scripture References
6.So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7.rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8.For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9.not by works, so that no one can boast. 10.For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
12.and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you1:12 Some manuscripts us to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13.For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14.in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.15.The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16.For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17.He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
1.Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2.Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3.For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4.When Christ, who is your3:4 Some manuscripts our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5.Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6.Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient7.You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8.But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9.Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10.and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11.Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
6.So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7.rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.8.See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20 of this world rather than on Christ.
13.For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14.in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
18.And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
17.And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
3.His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
27.To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
3.For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
17.He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
3.We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4.because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5.the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6.that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7.You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,1:7 Or slave who is a faithful minister of Christ on our1:7 Some manuscripts your behalf, 8.and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
