Sermon Ideas in Colossians Part 2

Sermons in Colossians based on observation notes

Day #2 Sermon Starters – Questions on the Text

Purpose:  On the second day of the study of Colossians, we have provided you with 15 questions that would be sufficient for at least a dozen sermons in the book of Colossians.  The reason for these questions were to help me understand, analyze, and summarize major thoughts in the epistle to the Colossians.  They will form the basis for other studies, including the yet future “30 Facts About Christ in Colossians”.

May the LORD see fit to use these questions to help you in your studies:

Questions on Colossians:

1.      What does the epistle teach about Christ?

2.      Why was the epistle written?

3.      To whom was the epistle written to?

4.      Do a word study on the concept of “stablished” (for instance, established in the faith)

5.      Do a word study on the word ‘walk’.  [Hint, Day 1 of Colossians included this outline.  You may make note to the hearers that the word walk appears once in every chapter of the letter to the Colossians.]

6.      Do a word study on the word ‘faith’.

7.      Do a word study on the concept “In Christ” or “In Him”

8.      Do a word study on the word “peace”.

9.      Do a word study on the word “thankful” or its derivatives.

10.  Do a phrase study on the concept “whatever you do, do to God’s glory.”

11.  Do a phrase/word study on the idea of the “will of God”.

12.  Do a word study on the concept of ‘love’.

13.  Do a character study on the person named “Epaphras”.

14.  Do a concept study on the idea of ‘prayer’ or praying.

15.  Do a study of forgiveness in Colossians.

B.     Bonus Material:  Subject Study on the idea of being taken away from Christ by worldliness and sin.  [Majority of verses on this subject seem to appear in chapter 2 and early in chapter 3, indicating a specific problem Paul wanted to deal with for these faithful disciples of the Lord:  getting easily beguiled by those who didn’t want them looking at Christ.]

a.       Colossians 2:4, “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.”

 

b.      Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

c.       Colossians 2:16-23, verse 20, “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,”

d.      Colossians 3:2, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Hint:  While taking verses that all deal on the same topic and stringing them together is helpful, it is even more helpful to see verses in the same epistle or book.  However, such valuable wisdom is only useful as you immerse yourself in the message of the epistle you are studying.  In this way, when you quote these verses at the appropriate time in your sermon, the Holy Spirit will bring back to your memory the context and arguments being used in the book or epistle so you do not un-necessarily misconstrue the Bible.  Trust that the Holy Spirit can use the background information you have studied to properly position topical verses to the needs of people today.  God Bless you.