Colossians: Christ Above All
A 9-day study through Paul's letter to the Colossians — the supremacy of Christ, the fullness we have in Him, and the freedom of a life hidden with God.
Select a Day
Day 1 · Faith, Love & Hope
The Hope of Glory
Colossians 1:1–14
Read the Scripture
Colossians 1:1–14Colossians 1:1-14
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,
5because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News,
6which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
7even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,
8who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
9For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy;
12giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;
14in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins;
Key Verse
"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." — Colossians 1:6
Today's Study
Paul had never met the Colossians face to face. He was in prison, and the church he wrote to was a small gathering in a city consumed by the worship of angels, mystical powers, and syncretistic spirituality. And yet his letter bursts with thanksgiving.
He thanks God for three things He had planted in them: faith in Christ Jesus, love for all the saints, and hope stored up for them in heaven. Faith reaches upward. Love reaches outward. Hope reaches forward. These are not three programs — they are the fruit of the gospel itself, "the word of truth," taking root in a human life.
And Paul doesn't stop at gratitude. He prays — asking God to fill them with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Not so they can be impressive, but "so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way."
Notice the trajectory of that life: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
The gospel does not merely forgive — it relocates. You were in the dominion of darkness. You have been brought into the Kingdom of the Son He loves. That is the hope of glory.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where is the gospel visibly bearing fruit in your life right now — and where does it seem stalled?
- 2.How would you describe the difference between faith, love, and hope in your own daily experience?
- 3.What does it mean that the Father has 'qualified you' for an inheritance you could never earn?
👉 Take a Step
Pray
Take 2 minutes right now. Talk to God about what you just read.
Act
Choose one thing to do today based on what God showed you.
Share
Tell someone — a friend, family member, or the community — what God is showing you.