Context
- What did Paul want the Colossians to focus on instead of false teachings? [ Colossians 1:10, 2:6, 3:1-2 ]
- What have the Colossian Christians been delivered into? [ Colossians 1:13 ]
- What have they been saved from? [ Colossians 1:14 ]
Characters
- How is Jesus related to God? [ Colossians 1:15 ]
- How was Jesus first? (Careful with the word “firstborn” in this verse. Jesus was not created by God, but is the image of God. He is the “eldest”, in the same manner that God was before anything else.)
- What belongs to the firstborn? (Think in terms of the firstborn 2000 years ago, rather than now.)
- How was everything created? Why were they created? [ Colossians 1:16 ]
- How does Jesus maintain the creation? [ Colossians 1:17 ]
- Who does the Church belong to? [ Colossians 1:18 ]
- How is Jesus the firstborn from the dead?
- How is Jesus the expression of God? What does God think of Jesus? [ Colossians 1:19 ]
- How did Jesus reconcile sinners? [ Colossian 1:20 ]
- How is this similar to the original creation?
- What were the Colossians doing before Jesus saved them? [ Colossians 1:21 ]
- Why did Jesus die on the cross for the Colossians? [ Colossians 1:22 ]
- Knowing the truth, what does Paul hope the Colossians will do? [ Colossians 1:23 ]
Application
- What is significant about Jesus?
- What has Jesus done for us?
- What claim does Jesus have over us?
- Why should we focus on following Jesus?
- What should happen when someone becomes a Christian?
- What must we continue to do as Christians?