by Abram Kim

Pastor Patrick started his Singles ministry this past fall by going the book of Colossians. This study on Friday nights has been a great follow-up to our Singles Retreat last March, when Pastor Nam Park of Immanuel Bible Church spoke four wonderful messages on the preeminence of Christ through Colossians. I remember that retreat being a tremendous blessing because Pastor Nam’s preaching magnified the person, character, and worth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the Singles group saw a clearer and greater image of God very God, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Patrick’s teachings from Colossians have likewise been a tremendous blessing for our Singles Ministry. This study, I believe, has renewed our passion to live in light of the preeminence of Christ. We just finished chapter 1 this past Friday. I’ll highlight a few key thoughts from the messages in the following paragraphs below. I pray you will learn what we have been learning as a Singles Ministry Friday nights, but more so that your view of who Christ is will become deeper and richer and fuller.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” (Col. 1:2)

Paul starts his letters with this standard greeting, and Pastor Patrick started out the Colossians series. We took a closer look at the author of letter, Paul, the apostle, Roman citizen, and Jew of Jews. We examined the audience of the letter, the saints, i.e., true Christians, who are faithful to Christ and are in the world but not of it. And lastly, we studied Paul’s standard greeting with its focus on the grace of God for Christians, and the peace Christians have in Christ alone.

“… hope laid up for you in heaven.” (Col. 1:5)

As true Christians, we must not get satisfied with the temporal things of this world (i.e., appetizers) but seek the eternal heavenly reward yet to come (i.e., great feast). This hope in future glory is secured above in heaven, and is the reason, purpose, and motivation of the Colossians’ faith and love. The hope of future glory ought to also motivate our lives for godly living today.

“firstborn of all creation… firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:15, 18)

Christ is the firstborn (beginning point), and therefore, the prototype of all of creation, as well as recreation. Christ was the means for creation when God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1-2). Christ is now also the means for the resurrection, for though He wasn’t the first to rise from the dead chronologically, He is the first to rise to never die again (1 Corinthians 15:20f.).

“Him we proclaim…”  (Col. 1:28)

Verse 28 and 29 are Pastor Patrick’s life verse for ministry. Here is the heart of Paul’s ministry summed up in three concise words. There is no other message but this one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a stumbling block (scandal) to Jews and folly (moronic) to Gentiles, but this is Paul’s one message in his preaching ministry (1 Corinthians 1:20f.). Therefore, the goal from the pulpit must be to know and love Jesus better, and not anything else like knowledge that puffs up or something that tickles our ears. Thank God this is the desire of our pulpit as well!