Summary:
Paul continues describing the Son as the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Paul says that all the fullness was pleased to dwell in Him, and through Him all things were reconciled to God. This reconciliation was made through the blood of His cross, bringing peace to things on earth and things in heaven.
Paul then reminds the believers that they were once alienated from God and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds. But now God has reconciled them in Christ’s body through death, in order to present them before Him as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach.
This remains connected to their continuing in the faith, firmly established and steadfast, not shifting away from the hope of the gospel they heard. Paul says this gospel was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and he became a minister of it.
Teaching:
Even though He cannot be seen with our physical eyes, the Word is the Word of Jesus, who became flesh. When we look into the Word, we can see Jesus. We must be able to see this, because only then can we truly live in Jesus.
A person who believes in Jesus dies to sin together with the death of Jesus on the cross. And because Jesus rose again, that person also becomes alive to God. Therefore, our faith must be genuine; we must be close to God.
If we believe in God, who is holy and without blemish, then we who are called to work out our salvation must also be shaped into people who are holy and without blemish. We must place ourselves in the hands of God and willingly receive every process that follows.
A person of God holds firmly to the Word—the Word that blesses our entire life. Therefore, let us also become servants of the gospel. To do this, we must first be in Jesus, who is the head, the foundation, and the first in all things. And in Him, we must live according to the gospel of the blood of the cross.
Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, June 8, 2026
Colossians 1:18-23