Paul’s closing line in Colossians is “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” Sam Storms on Colossians 4:18 ….But why call on them to “remember” his “chains”? Certainly he’s not asking for pity. The last thing he wanted was for them to shift their focus from … More Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Colossians, where we are in our reading this week, highlights a tension we see repeatedly in the Bible….a statement of our newness, and yet a command to become new. Which is it? John Piper helps us understand in a Taste and See article, August 28, 2001, What we have learned from Romans 6 and 7 is that when … More Fight to become what you ARE
John Piper says, Imagine for a moment that your city is surrounded by enemy forces who aimed to destroy you. And you are aware that enemy sympathizers live and work in the city with a view to undermining the city’s defenses. And suppose you discover that there is a song which the enemy and their … More Piper: The Weapon of Thanksgiving
The Most Concentrated Description of Christ’s Glories (Colossians 1) Paul has just prayed for the Colossians that they would “be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and … More The Glories of Jesus
Colossians 1:3-6 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in … More Piper: It is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love on this earth
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 John Piper relates this story in a sermon, “Devote Yourselves to Prayer” There is a story about D. L. Moody making a visit to Scotland in the 1800’s and opening one of his talks at a local grade school with the rhetorical question, … More Piper: God Loves to Be Asked For Things
John Piper on worship: So you can see what is happening in the New Testament. Worship is being significantly de-institutionalized, de-localized, de-ritualized. The whole thrust is being taken off of ceremony and seasons and places and forms; and is being shifted to what is happening in the heart – not just on Sunday, but every … More Piper: De-ritualization of worship
John Piper, August 28, 2001, Taste and See article Colossians, where we are in our reading this week, highlights a tension we see repeatedly in the Bible….a statement of our newness, and yet a command to become new. Which is it? What we have learned from Romans 6 and 7 is that when we trusted in Christ … More Piper: Fixed in newness and fighting to become new
Colossians 2:12 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. “ John Piper, in a sermon, “What is Baptism, and How Important is It?” Second, baptism “expresses union with Christ in His death and … More Faith unites to Christ; baptism symbolizes the union.
The Most Concentrated Description of Christ’s Glories (Colossians 1) Paul has just prayed for the Colossians that they would “be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and … More John Piper: “This is worth memorizing.”
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 