Colossians 4:7-18. Today we will wrap up our series on the book of Colossians. And as we’re about to see, Paul closes his letter to the Colossians by first updating them in verses 7 through 9. Second, he closes his letter by greeting the Colossians in verses 10 through 14. And lastly, he exhorts the Colossians in verses 15 through 18. With each section we will be answering the question, “What do we learn from this about the Christian life?”

Colossians 4:2–6. Paul comes with a very simple plan for believers to begin to engage in evangelism. The plan is summarized very simply like this: “Let us pray to God and pursue him in order that we could make the best use of our time with unbelievers.” Paul wants us to pray to God and he wants us to pursue God so that when we have opportunities with non-believers, we make the best use of that time. We don’t have to be professionals. God doesn’t need you to feel like you have the perfect plan for evangelism. He simply wants you to be reliant. 

Colossians 3:18–4:1. As we look at this section within the context of Colossians and Scripture as a whole, I pray you will see three main points (in one sentence) directly from our text:

• Your identity is in Christ regardless of the role you have.

• However, your identity in Christ doesn’t erase your role(s), rather

• Your identity in Christ defines how you engage your role(s).

Colossians 3:1–17. Those who are united to Christ will put sin to death and live like Christ. What can help us put our sin to death? Paul tells us to seek the things that are above, where Christ is, and to set our minds on things above.

Colossians 2:8–23. For those in Christ, there is no longer any condemnation, and with that, he defeated the enemy. No longer do we have a record of debt against us, so we no longer need to obtain right standing with God by following a set of rules. Instead all we need to do is live in Christ.

Colossians 2:6–7. The Lord creates in us deep roots and builds in us a strong trunk and thick branches, so that we can weather the storm. And not just in the sense of, “I survived,” but weather it in the way that a live oak does—when the storm has passed, the leaves on the tree remain green.

Colossians 1:24–2:5. Are we willing to be ridiculed by the world and our family for following Jesus? Will we give up sins—sins that admittedly have pleasure but it is only momentary—to pursue a life that draws us closer to our God? Is following Jesus worth the cost? And Paul is all but shouting at us in Colossians—Yes! Yes it is!

Colossians 1:1–23. We are beginning a new series through the book of Colossians, and as we will see throughout our study, Paul is making the point that Christ is supreme. Paul cannot contain himself. God’s plan in the good news of our salvation is the knowledge that the Colossians need and we need. You were apart from God. An alien and hostile. But Christian, remember this: you are now found holy and blameless in Jesus Christ! That is amazing. Every sin past and every sin future is paid for by Jesus on the cross that God might find you holy and blameless. But there is a caveat: If you don’t swerve from the gospel, your only hope. This is what has changed Paul and will change us!