1. What is your favorite worship song? Do you have a favorite hymn? What makes it your
favorite?
2. Read Colossians 1:15-20. Bible Scholars consider this section of Scripture a Hymn to Christ. This passage is a poetical description of the nature of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. As such, it reflects the worship of the early church.
Re-read this section of Scripture slowly. What words and phrases cause your heart to worship the Lord? Said in another way, if you wanted to “rave about God,” what words from this passage would you use?
3. According to the New American Commentary, “the criteria for determining the presence of hymns includes lyrical style and linguistic abnormalities.” There is a “certain rhythmical lilt” to the words. And, there are “distinctive theological expressions”. Thus, Hymns used in worship both express the love and honor in our hearts for God and articulate theology.
Name some reasons why it might be significant in the life of the Christian and life of the Church to use hymns as a part of our worship?
4. The Apostle Paul had some good reasons to use this opening Hymn to Christ at the beginning of this letter to the saints at Colosse. Whether Paul used or wrote this hymn, it certainly was a reflection of his theology. Or perhaps this hymn spoke specifically to the false teachers at Colosse.
Have the words of a song ever “spoken” to you and helped you to put into words something that you felt in your heart? How might the inclusion of this hymn counteract the false teachings of some who were seeking to steer the Colossian church into Gnosticism?
5. In the New Living Translation, Colossians 1:15 says, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.”
Read Genesis 1:26. Who is the “us”? Read John 1:1-5. Who is “the Word?.” Why might false teachers and cults attack the concept of the Trinity?
6. If Jesus is not God, but a lesser being as some cults claim, how would the significance of Christ’s death on the cross be altered? Why is the true identity of Christ so important to our belief system?
7. “Christ is the One through whom God created everything in heaven and earth.” Colossians 1:16a NLT What does this say about Christ’s position? What does this say about Christ’s power and authority?
8. The second part of verse 16 in the NLT states, “He made the things we can see and things we can’t see - kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through Him and for Him.”
Warren Wiersbe states, “If everything in creation exists for Him, then nothing can be evil of itself (except for Satan and fallen angels, even those God uses to accomplish His will.) How does this section of the Bible counteract the Gnostic belief that all matter is evil?
9. Verse 17 in the NLT states, ”He existed before everything else began, and He holds all creation together.” How does the fact that Christ holds all creation together give you hope and confidence for the future?
10. How, in this section of Colossians did Paul do battle with the false teachers trying to infiltrate the church at Colosse? What principles can you glean to fight against wrong thinking in your life? How can you grow in the area of becoming more knowledgeable of God’s Word, using your God-given intellect and worshiping with more focus and intentionality?
11. This week, in your life, what steps will you take so that Christ might be more preeminent in your life?
Colossians 1:15-20 (New American Standard); (New Living Translation)
John 1:1-5 (New American Standard)
Gaebelein, Frank E. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary 181-183
Genesis 1:26 (New American Standard)
Henry, Matthew Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible 1164
Melisck, Richard R. Jr., The New American Commentary - Philippians, Colossians, Philemon 210-221
Wiersbe, Warren The Bible Exposition Commentary 115-117
