Rock Harbor Christian Fellowship
"The Gospel of Christ: Our Reference Point" Colossians 1:1-8
Join us as we discover The Joy of Good News as we study the book of Colossians!
Locations & Times
Rock Harbor Christian Fellowship
1475 Quintana Rd, Morro Bay, CA 93442, USA
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:00 AM
Big Idea: Keeping Jesus and His Gospel as our reference point keeps us on the right path, no matter what life throws at us.
I. The Reference Point of the Gospel (vv. 5-8)
A. The Colossian church is a vibrant, fruitful congregation dealing with the challenge of false teachers infiltrating the church. Despite this, Paul commends the Colossians for their faith, love, and hope rooted in the Good News of Messiah Jesus.
B. We are reminded to fix our eyes on:
1. The reference point of truth (vv. 5-6; cf. Jn. 14:6-7; Acts 4:12) – Paul’s day, much like our own, was a syncretic culture that often-relativized truth. The Bible, however, teaches that the truth is best seen in Messiah Jesus.
2. The reference point of the Gospel (v. 5; cf. Rom. 1:16-17) – The Gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and His victory over sin, Satan, and death.
3. The reference point of Jesus (vv. 3-4; cf. vv. 15-20) – God the Son is our supreme and sufficient Savior.
C. Throughout his letter to the Colossians, Paul reminds the church of the preeminence of Jesus and the spiritual freedom we have through His Gospel (cf. Jn. 8:31-36).
II. The Results of the Gospel (vv. 3-5)
A. Since Christ serves as our reference point for truth and salvation, it follows that His Word guides our beliefs, values, and actions. The result is a growing:
1. Faith in Christ (v. 4; cf. Rom. 5:1-2) – Faith is more than just an intellectual ascent; it is a trust in the sufficiency of Christ that bears fruit for God’s glory.
2. Love for God’s people (v. 4; cf. Jn. 13:34-35) – This love is not merely an emotional response, but a genuine concern for other’s welfare even at the expense of our own.
3. Hope (v. 5; cf. 1 Pet. 1:3-5) – Biblical hope is the confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises. Rather than a wistful, blind optimism, our hope is rooted in the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.