Prepare your heart for Sunday by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together.
You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and tangibly putting scripture to action in your personal life and in our corporate body.
Carefully Think
- Read Colossians 1:15-20. Take note of key words that are repeated and contrasts that are made.
- To whom does “he” refer? (Looking back at the previous few verses might be helpful.) What is directly stated about him in the following areas: his relationship with the world (creation), his relationship with the church, and his relationship with God?
- What powerful contrasts are made? What does each “all” refer to?
- What roles does he take in this passage? What has he done? Sum up this passage in your own words in one sentence.
- The Sermon Study equipping class notes are available online for anyone wanting to dig deeper. Please review this week's notes to help study this passage. Click here for the notes.
Prayerfully Meditate
- Consider the areas of life that are directly referenced in this passage. How has he affected these areas of your life? How have your recent prayers reflected or overlooked this?
- When you think of “the head of the body, the church”, what or who do you usually think of? How does that square with this passage?
- How has your life been affected by what is stated in vs. 19-20?
- Consider some objections that people you know might have with what is stated in this passage. How could you be prepared, from this passage or others, to answer those objections if they were to arise in conversation?
- Think through your own view of Christ during this season. How could this passage help form or redirect your thoughts in celebration of Christ’s birth?
Intentionally Act
- Use this passage as a template to pray in thankfulness for Christ and what he has accomplished for you.
- Consider committing this passage to memory; make a plan to do so over the next few days. What could this passage add to what you communicate regarding the gospel or the way in which you communicate it? Plan to incorporate truths from this passage in your opportunities to witness to others.
- Pray for our congregation, that as we gather this Sunday the Lord would use this passage to shape our souls, increase our appreciation for Christ, and make us more like him.
- Click the links below to find the lyrics and recordings of the songs planned for our gathering this Sunday; practice the songs, study the lyrics and sing together.
- Pray for those leading our corporate gathering this week and for the Holy Spirit’s work as the Word of God is further explained and applied: Dawson Bryant: music; Todd Arnold: Elders' prayer and Scripture reading; Bret Capranica: teaching.
Songs for Sunday
Lyrics
Lyrics Morning Gathering - December 18, 2016 by Summit Woods Baptist Church on Scribd