The 4-week series, Resolute Together, explores the four core commitments of TBC membership: protecting the unity of the church, joining the mission of the church, supporting the life of the church, and serving the ministry of the church. The challenge for TBC is not whether we should be resolute, but how we can ensure we stand resolute together as a church family. This series opens with the crucial question, “Will we protect the unity of the church?”

Peter’s first letter to the Church concludes with a series of Church community commitments. These commitments set Christians apart from the world around us. This is a shared, resolute pursuit that requires mutual exhortation and encouragement and will receive God’s blessings and strength to persevere until Christ’s appearing.

1 Peter 5:6-14

In this passage, the Apostle Peter offers a direct and sobering charge to those entrusted with spiritual leadership. Elders are called to shepherd God’s people willingly, eagerly, and humbly. Not for personal gain or power, but as examples to the flock. It reminds us all that leadership church leadership isn’t about control or status, but care and service. At the same time, the congregation is called to respond with respect and humility, recognizing that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. This message challenges both leaders and members alike to embrace a posture of humility under Christ, the Chief Shepherd, who alone defines what faithful leadership looks like.

1 Peter 5:1–5

Our sorrows are not meant to be stuffed down deep inside or covered over with a facade of positivity. Unlamented pain and loss will inevitably surface in unhealthy or potentially harmful ways that affect us and those around us. God has graciously provided lament, a form of prayer that expresses our hurts as well as our trust in Him. We will look at a dangerous myth, a precious truth, and a helpful way to lament in the midst of our hurts and suffering.

1 Peter 4:19; Psalm 62:1-8

In 1 Peter 4:12-19, Peter provides believers with the essential perspective needed when facing suffering for our faith. While God rarely reveals the specific "why" behind our hardships, He has given us everything required to view our circumstances through His lens. Every trial permitted in the lives of God's people serves to prepare us for the moment we meet Jesus face-to-face. Knowing and recalling God's viewpoint on suffering for His Name empowers us to respond in faith, a response He will eternally reward.

God expects Christians to respond to life’s hardships in the same way Christ did. How we handle these difficulties matters. A Christlike attitude stands in stark contrast to the world. The more we look like Him in the midst of hardship, the more we are set apart from those around us. And that is the point! Our suffering is a platform to witness for Christ to a watching and hurting world.

1 Peter 4:1-11

Jesus Christ is risen! He, who was perfect and righteous, gave up his life for us, who are unrighteous before God in our sin. But because He conquered sin and death, we have a living hope that is ours through our faith in His Name. And now, He will preach through us to proclaim His salvation to those who remain dead in sin that they might be made alive. May God find us faithful!

1 Peter 3:18-22

Life is hard. Everyone suffers, and Christians are not exempt. Some suffering is deserved, but at times, it’s unjust and undeserved. When we suffer in those moments as believers, we are faced with a choice: we can respond like the world, or we can respond in a way that reveals the hope we have in Christ. This hope rises above the injustice and pain we endure. The Apostle Peter teaches that when we respond with gentleness and respect, setting Christ apart as Lord in our hearts, our lives become a witness. Christ is honored in us as we give a reason for the hope within us. And this hope is not wishful thinking or empty optimism. It’s real. It’s beautiful. And it’s reasonable, even when everything around us is not.

1 Peter 3:13-17

Peter gives instructions to Christians, beginning with how they should relate to fellow believers. He emphasizes heart-centered traits that should shape their relationships. He turns to how Christians should respond to those who mistreat them, commanding not retaliation, but blessing—repaying evil, abuse, and insults with kindness. This calling reflects Jesus Himself.  Peter draws from Psalm 34, showing that those who pursue righteousness and choose to bless even their enemies will experience God’s blessing. The psalm further affirms that believers who live this way can trust God to deliver them from trouble and affliction.

1 Peter 3:8-12

A transactional marriage is the opposite of God’s design. Unfortunately, “If you treat me that way, then I will treat you this way,” is more common than God’s best. It’s so easy to fall into this trap in our relationships, especially in marriage. Ephesians 4:29-32 provides the much-needed antidote to have and to hold to God’s best for our marriages.

Ephesians 4:29-32

We continue our study of God's ideal standards for godly marriages. Godly wives submit to their own husbands. God husbands lay their lives down for their wives in love and honor. God's standard is directly opposed to our default wiring. To meet His standard, we must devote ourselves first to the Lord and then to our spouse. We have the opportunity to deepen love and honor in our marriages. Let's take it.

1 Peter 3:7

The biblical concept of a wife’s submission to her husband is often misunderstood and misapplied. What God intended to be a blessing for both spouses is labeled as a curse by many people in the world, as well as in the Church. This week, we will dive into the tumultuous waters of biblical submission in marriage and see the power and blessing of God’s calling when godly wives submit to their husbands, even those who do not follow Christ.

1 Peter 3:1-6

People are going to people… We are around people all the time, whether we are at home, school, or our workplace. We often consider our places of work as mundane—a place we have to go to earn a paycheck. When it comes to the people in these spaces, we can be passive in how we engage our coworkers or bosses. Passivity can breed contempt in us, and we can begin to speak and act toward those around us as if they are “the problem.” What if we viewed our workplace as an opportunity to show the work of Christ in our lives? What if, instead of responding passively to our work and our bosses, we sought to live in a way that glorifies Christ and generates gospel conversations among the people around us? We have been called into this good gospel work, so let’s be people who don’t simply view work as work, but rather see our workplaces as opportunities to show Christ.

1 Peter 2:18-25

As a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9), the Church has an incredible identity! We are also called “servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16). This Sunday, we will explore what this means for us. We will discover that the Christian life is a constrained life; a life lived in submission to God, regardless of our circumstances or the government authorities over us.

1 Peter 2:13-17

The Christian life is a journey. A journey full of ups, downs, beautiful meadows, rocky mountains, gorgeous sunrises, and storms that shake the very fabric of life. The Christian walks this journey though from a position of victory, hope, and deep purpose. We have been called, chosen, set apart, and made new to show the excellencies of the one who has rescued us. We walk through this journey knowing we are loved by the Father, secure in Christ, and kept by the Spirit. Therefore, as we journey through this world we must not become like this world but rather show the world who the Lord is. We are to journey faithfully in obedience to Christ and be anchored in the only hope that actually gives life, Christ Jesus risen from the dead. Embrace your sojourning through this world, for the one who called you is guiding you home.

1 Peter 2:9-12

Edmund Clowney wrote, “The church is found where the saints are found, and where they are fulfilling their calling from Christ.” (The Church. p. 114) On Sunday’s it’s common to say, “We are going to ‘church.’” But where is the church on Monday or any other day? All believers share in a high and holy calling as priests to God. Not feeling very priestly? Let’s dive into 1 Peter 2:1-8 to explore this special calling for all who are in Christ. 

God’s people are loved by the greatest and most unconditional love, His own. The love of God, demonstrated by Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for sin, has caused believers to be born again. We have already seen that we have been born anew to a living hope. Now in 1 Pt 1:22-25, we are born again into a deep, mutual, and genuine love, starting with our relationships in the Church, then radiating out to a world in desperate need for love.

1 Peter 1:22-25

The standard of living for a Christian is holiness, a life set apart from sinful ways, devoted and obedient to God. Holiness is the primary theme of 1 Peter 1:13-2:10. A holy life begins with a mindset, a made-up mind that is determined to reject ungodly ways and pursue God’s best in all circumstances.

1 Peter 1:13-21

Our hope of salvation through Christ is marvelous; even the angels are swept up in wonder! In the past, God spoke through the prophets to indicate what the Messiah would do and what He would be like. Isaiah prophesied about a Suffering Servant who would also rule as Judge over all things. We now see fully what the prophets only saw in part. Yet, are we as mindful of our salvation and new life in Christ as they were?!  

1 Peter 1:10-12

Exiles! Aliens! Foreigners! These titles reflect the reality that Christians are, firstly, citizens of God’s kingdom. While Christians faced suffering for their faith, Peter reminded the churches that it was their very faith in Christ that would produce hope and joy in the midst of mistreatment and persecution in their daily lives.

1 Peter 1:1-9

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, Psalm 1 invites us to pause and consider the path we are walking. Scripture presents two ways before us—the way of the righteous, rooted in God’s truth and flourishing like a tree planted by streams of water, and the way of the wicked, unstable and ultimately empty. This psalm calls us to examine our desires, choices, and direction as we look ahead, urging us to choose the way that leads to life, endurance, and lasting fruit in the year to come.

Psalm 1:1-6

As Christmas arrives in a few sleeps, we are reminded of the deep, abiding, and perfect love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus. God’s love came at an incredible price, but it was one that Jesus gladly paid. This love of God that abides in us is the very love that should overflow into our love for one another. We were born in Christ for this!

1 John 4:7-12

“Joy to the World” is what is proclaimed at the birth of Christ. Christ ushers in a joy that is not made or fueled by human invention. His joy transcends all people, circumstances, and materials. Jesus says in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” The key here is knowing what Jesus spoke to them: abide… To engulf ourselves in Christ and through the Spirit see how marvelous Jesus Christ is through the Scriptures and in the created world. The joy that we are given in Christ is one that has the condition of abiding in Him. For the joy of Christ to transcend people, circumstances, and materials, all of which are good gifts that can make us joyful, yet they are intended to point us back to the one who IS joy for us. 

John 15:1-11

Oftentimes, the word peace is associated with war or conflict, and rightfully so. We often don’t think of ourselves or others as being at war with God or with one another, yet for the person who is not in Christ, they are indeed at war against God and others. But Christ, such a beautiful conjunction, has come and fought the war for us, and in his victory, he births in us his peace. Peace first with God and with those who are found in Christ. Our response, both individually and as the whole body of Christ, is to cherish Christ’s peace so that we may glorify God and not ourselves. Born in us is a peace that isn’t temporary for just the Christmas season, but one that brings deep and eternal satisfaction in Christ. It is a peace that tears down the walls of hostility between people from every tribe and tongue and builds a kingdom full of people who have one means of being at peace with one another, King Jesus. 

Ephesians 2:11-22

The advent of Jesus has brought eternal hope to the world. Hope has been born in all those who trust in Christ as their Savior and Lord through the Holy Spirit. Hope is born in us today, Church! From Romans 15:1-13, we will see that our hope in Christ is directly linked to how we treat one another as His people and representatives in the world. 

Romans 15:1-13

The final verses of the Bible hold Christ’s incredible promise for His people. He is coming soon! Every generation of believers must live in light of our Savior’s imminent return. We must also pay close attention to living faithful lives and sharing His message of hope and salvation. Take heart, Church, our King is coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Read Revelation 22:6-21

All believers in Christ have an eternal home, the City of God. This special section of Scripture gives us a glimpse into what dwelling in God’s presence will be like. It is in our eternal home where we “will see His face, and His name will be on our foreheads. And night will be no more. We will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be our light, and we will reign forever and ever.” What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Revelation 21:8-22:5

At the end of Christ’s 1,000 year reign, everyone will come before the Lord for final judgment. For those who rejected Christ, they will enter eternal punishment in hell. For those who believed in Christ, righteous and unrighteous deeds will be judged as they receive their eternal rewards. Faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior is the difference between eternal outcomes. How will this future reality shape the choices we make today?

Revelation 20:11-21:8

Christ is returning! This event will usher in a 1,000 year time of peace and righteousness on the earth as Jesus Christ personally and physically reigns on the earth. Satan will be imprisoned for the majority of this time, and redeemed saints will reign with Christ in various ways. Our future reign with our Savior should powerfully motivate our faithfulness and pursuit of a holy life.

Revelation 20:1-15

The Apostle John describes his vision of the Second Coming of Jesus, the future event when Jesus will return to earth, conquer His enemies, and reign as King of the world. Every Christian on earth and in heaven is united in anticipating this climactic event. It is the culmination of the Book of Revelation and the highlight of the history of the world. At the end of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist's army will march to Israel to fight a “winner-takes-all” battle against Jesus, commonly called the Battle of Armageddon. Then Jesus will return to earth, destroy the Antichrist’s army with a word, cast the Antichrist and his false prophet into the lake of fire, and establish His Kingdom on earth. A decisive victory.

Revelation 19:11-21

Revelation 19:1-10 is rich in reasons why God alone deserves the praises of heaven and earth. Once again we are transported to the courts of heaven where our One, True God receives all glory and honor. Come and worship together, Church, for our God is worthy of all praise.

This week, Pastor Morris Ogenga from Mbale, Uganda brings a message from Isaiah 6:1-8. This text captures the holiness of God and the holy calling given to His prophet, Isaiah. In Christ, we share in a high and holy calling to the Lord. May we, like Isaiah, take up our call with humility and faithfulness.

Isaiah 6:1-8

John’s vision of the final fall of the Antichrist’s empire culminates in the destruction of his commercial hold over the world. This week, our focus is on God’s judgment against the empty pursuits of wealth, power, and sexual immorality. Until this time of judgment, these vices stand as threats to the world and God’s people in every generation.

Revelation 18:1-24

Before John is given the glorious vision of Christ’s Second Coming, he sees and hears of the final fall of Babylon, the false, global religious system used by the Antichrist to lead the world against Christ and His people. This week, our focus is on the dangerous, alluring appeal false religion holds over the hearts of humanity, and if we’re not alert, the Church as well.

Revelation 17:1-18

Revelation 15 and 16 provide the final outpouring of God’s justice against the Antichrist and all who follow him. The scene begins in heaven as the courts of heaven glorify God for His justice. Then, the scene changes to the earth as the seven bowls of wrath are poured out. With the judgment of the wicked a certainty, believers are called to stay awake, clothed in righteousness, ready to witness to the Lamb who is the only One who can save people from God’s justice.

Revelation 15:1-16:21

Revelation 14 serves as an interlude, previewing the remaining events of the Great Tribulation. A series of vignettes sets the stage for God's vengeance against His enemies. Our patient and merciful God will display His swift and severe wrath, as His justice "will roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24).

Revelation 14:1-20

In the latter half of the Great Tribulation, two prominent world leaders, one political and one religious, will rise in opposition to God’s people. How should God’s people respond when evil is permitted to thrive and even appear to triumph in the world? Through the Apostle John, the Church receives a difficult yet vital perspective, one that remains timeless and instructive for Christians in every generation.

Revelation 13:1-18

Revelation 12 is often called the most symbolic chapter in the most symbolic book of the Bible. This chapter unveils the primary enemy of God, Satan, along with his plan to destroy God’s covenant promises to redeem His people for His glory. While our enemy has a battle plan, his ultimate defeat is certain. Until that time, God has revealed how His people will always overcome through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:1-17

Revelation 11 opens and closes with a vision of two temples. The first is a Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and the second is a holy temple in Heaven. The first is a temple where the Messiah is hoped for. The second is a temple where the Messiah reigns over all things. In the midst of the temple in Jerusalem, two witnesses proclaim Jesus Christ as the Messiah to the Jewish worshipers who will become the 144,000 witnesses for Christ through the Great Tribulation. These temples represent the truth that, left to themselves, people turn to what is false and empty while salvation and full hope comes from God to man in the person of Jesus Christ. 

Revelation 11:1-19

As God’s people, we are called to take His Word  into our hearts and minds, apply it, and declare it to others. The Bible is a living and active book that has the power to teach, convict, and correct us about our God and our lives before Him. Our ministry is to proclaim His Word even when it isn’t popular or safe to do so. Our God has called us to be faithful, which requires that we trust Him to accomplish His will, especially in difficult circumstances or when we must deliver difficult truths.

Revelation 10:1-11

The first six trumpet judgments contain catastrophic consequences for humanity’s rebellion against God. These judgments will result in the wide destruction of earth’s resources and the deaths of many people through diseases and plagues that ravage the earth. Those who survive these judgments would rather die than to continue suffering. Yet, they will not yield before God. They will only double-down in stubborn unrepentance. We will explore this danger that lurks in every human heart and consider the way out that God has provided through His Son.

Revelation  8:1-9:21

Chapter 7 stands out as a deeply hope-filled passage in the book of Revelation. God shows His power by controlling the chaos and rescuing a remnant for Himself. We see God fulfilling his promise to Abraham by numbering his descendants greater than the stars. Yet, the cry of all these people is not how great they are or what they did to get there, but “Salvation belongs to the Lamb that was slain.” All of heaven knows that One is famous there, and that is Jesus. We see the nations, from every tribe, tongue, and language, shouting together their worship and praise to Jesus. This is what we long for in the “already but not yet” world we live in. 

Revelation 7:1-17

TBC-supported missionary Patrick McGinty shares from Acts 18:1–11, encouraging all believers to actively participate in God's Kingdom work. He also testifies to the Lord’s faithfulness in Japan, celebrating His provision and presence even amid the challenges of overseas church planting.

Acts 18:1-11

God’s wrath and judgment are central to the book of Revelation. Chapters 6-18 detail the events unfolded as Christ opens the seals of the scroll. Revelation 6 specifically describes the opening of the first six seals, revealing the conditions and judgments on earth during the Great Tribulation. The outcome of these six seals confirms God's supremacy and demonstrates that no one can withstand His holy wrath and judgment.

Revelation 6: 1-17

John’s vision of heaven continues as he sees a seven-sealed scroll in God the Father’s right hand. Within that scroll is the fulfillment of God’s covenant and the final completion of all that was promised for all of God’s people including the yet-to-be-fulfilled promises for Israel. John’s tears over this unfulfillment were stilled as he saw the glorified Christ, the one One worthy to take, open, and fulfill what was written. We worship Christ for He is our Worthy Redeemer.

Revelation 5:1-14

John’s vision of heaven continues as he sees a seven-sealed scroll in God the Father’s right hand. Within that scroll is the fulfillment of God’s covenant and the final completion of all that was promised for all of God’s people including the yet-to-be-fulfilled promises for Israel. John’s tears over this unfulfillment were stilled as he saw the glorified Christ, the one One worthy to take, open, and fulfill what was written. We worship Christ for He is our Worthy Redeemer.

Revelation 5:1-14

Laodicea is the last of the seven churches to receive a direct word from Christ—and it’s not a commendation, but a rebuke. With nothing to praise, Jesus exposed their root issue: self-reliance. He delivered a startling warning—He would spit them out of His mouth unless they repented. Yet even in rebuke, Christ’s love shines through as He calls them to repentance and renewed zeal and fellowship with Him. Every believer must honestly examine their spiritual condition, because self-reliance is dangerously deceptive. Christ is knocking—do you have ears to hear and a heart to respond?

Revelation 3:14-22

Revelation 3:7–13 is Jesus’ message to the church in Philadelphia, commending their faithfulness despite having little strength. He assures them that He has placed an open door before them—an opportunity for gospel impact and spiritual reward that no one can shut. This door is open because of their obedience and perseverance, not their power. Yet the message carries urgency: the door is open for now. What is now open will one day be shut by Jesus. He calls the church to hold fast, promising eternal security and honor to those who overcome.

Jesus’ letter to Sardis Church must have been difficult to receive for almost all of its members.  Sardis Church had a reputation in the community for being alive, but Jesus knew this was inaccurate, a result of people looking at their outward appearances.  He rebuked them and called them “dead”, meaning almost all of them were apathetic Christians: half-hearted, complacent, going through the motions.  Furthermore, their works were displeasing to God.  They were a church with dead people, and dead works.  Jesus commanded them to wake up, strengthen one another, remember and obey what they had received (and forgotten), and repent, or else Jesus would come against them unexpectedly, and discipline them.  Fortunately for Sardis Church, all was not lost.  Jesus knew there were “a few” (not many at all) vibrant Christians in Sardis Church that had remained spiritually alive, devoted followers of Jesus.  Jesus praised these few for resisting the pull to follow the sinful culture of the city, and He considered them worthy.  Jesus promised to walk with them, clothe them in white, protect their names in the book of life, and claim them as His own.  The timeless theological principle:  Jesus desires and blesses vibrant Christians, and will discipline apathetic Christians who do not wake up and repent.  The application for us today is straightforward:  strive to be a vibrant Christian, and ensure your firm commitment to Jesus is contagious.

Revelation 3:1-6

Thyatira was a small community with a big problem in the church. The church leaders had become tolerant of false teaching and practices that were coming from within the church, right under their noses. Christ delivered a warning of severe judgment against this influencer/false teacher, the church leaders allowing this, and all those who were putting the false ideas into practice. Yet, some remained faithful, and there is a reward guaranteed for those found faithful within the limits of what God will tolerate.  

Revelation 2:18-29

Every church is called to meet God’s uncompromised standard of holiness. The church in Pergamum had held fast to the Name of Christ in the face of persecution. Yet, many of them embraced the idolatrous and immoral practices that surrounded them on every side. Life in the literal shadow of Roman paganism tempted many to live in shady, compromised ways while also bearing the name, Christian. Repentance was the way out of the shadows for them and remains true for us today.

Revelation 2:12-17

In the 2nd letter to the churches in Rev 2-3, Christ acknowledges the tribulation and slander that the Church in Smyrna has already endured. Jesus then encourages the Church to stay strong in the faith during upcoming persecution, and upon death, they will surely receive the crown of life.

Revelation 2:8-11

In the letters to the churches in Rev 2-3, Christ corrects and commends churches. These real churches also represent what is true of churches in every generation. In this first letter, the Ephesians church was commended for faithful service and defending the faith, but Jesus confronted the Church for having lost the greatest thing: keeping Him as their greatest love.

Revelation 2:1-7

Since His first coming, every generation of artists of every medium have produced their “visions” of Christ. Paintings, sculptures, and representations in film/TV all seek to capture qualities associated with Him. In Rev 1:9-20, the Apostle John was given a vision of Jesus in all of His unveiled glory which left the elderly apostle on his face. What do our lives reveal about our vision of Christ? Do we see Him with the clarity that has now been revealed? 

Revelation 1:9-20

The book of Revelation is a special word to the Church about the future fulfillment of God’s plan for eternity. The book opens with a promised blessing for all who read and seek to live according to the truths contained in it. Chapter 1 also emphasizes the person and work of Christ on behalf of His Church. Christ, our Lord and Savior, is coming back!

Revelation 1:1-8

A lot of people know the saying, "I'll believe it when I see it." But faith in Christ doesn't work that way. None of us have ever seen Jesus, but many of us believe in Him, that Jesus is God's Son who died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead. When we believe in Jesus, then, through God's help by His Spirit, we see Jesus for Who He really is: our Savior and our God! This is the way of faith. Faith precedes sight, and when we do believe, then our eyes are opened beyond what we could have ever envisioned or imagined. This Easter we will be reminded of the truth that believing is seeing.

John 20:19-31

Jesus is uniquely different from all of us. This is something we can universally agree on but when it comes to even how we understand concepts or culture it becomes even more apparent of just how unique and different he really is. Think about the idea of bringing justice to a circumstance, we typically think of a courtroom setting with lawyers, judges, bailiffs, and those accused. Justice is served via a gavel, arguments, opinions being heard, personalities taking shape. Yet, justice in the kingdom is done so by a servant who doesn’t raise his voice but instead serves the accused. Justice in the kingdom is accomplished no matter what the circumstances are because the servant doesn’t grow tired or weary. The greatest part of the servant is bringing justice to the weak is also the King of this kingdom. In a society where pomp and circumstance is given to the elite, the one who is actually elite among us chose to serve us so that we could enjoy him and his kingdom forever.

Isaiah 42:1-9

Every local church wants harmony and connection among its members. The local church is made up of redeemed yet flawed people, and, inevitably, our flaws surface through misunderstandings, missed expectations, or messy, sometimes sinful, circumstances.  How do we respond when our flaws disrupt our fellowship? Philemon contains the truths we need to walk in wholehearted fellowship with one another.

Philemon 1-25

Jack Arrington, the longest-serving Senior Pastor of Tomball Bible Church, returns to preach as TBC celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Reflecting on Paul's exhortations from Philippians 1, Jack encourages the church to continue in faith no matter the circumstance and trust God to complete the good work that he began.

Philippians 1:1-30

Paul concludes his letter to the Colossians with the most essential instructions for the Church: call on the Lord in prayer and walk in wisdom. We will look at the aspects of prayer and wisdom Paul calls out that will ensure that we live effectively as a church (a group of believers called out to represent Christ in the world). Ironically, devotion to prayer is one of our greatest difficulties in sustaining. We will find both a challenge and help in the concluding passage of Colossians if we heed Paul’s clarion call.

Colossians 4:2-18

The home is the first place where God’s will should be done on earth as it is in heaven. Paul gave instructions to every household member that reflect God’s perfect standard for family relationships. Love, submission, obedience, and fairness are the hallmarks of a godly household. This week we will look closely at clear definitions of these marks and make applications to help every TBC household walk in faithfulness.

Colossians 3:18-4:1

Colossians 3:12-17 calls us to put on the character of Christ. As God’s chosen people, we are to live with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love. When the peace of Christ rules our hearts and His Word fills our lives, we grow together in unity and gratitude. By the Grace of Jesus, we live out who we are in Christ for God’s glory.

Colossians chapter 3 calls the church to set our lives on Christ. Verses 1-11 call us to throw off sinful practices and verses 12-17 instruct us to “put on” the new self in Christ. Both actions, putting away sin and putting on Christ, take personal responsibility, reliance on the Holy Spirit, and encouragement from one another. If we do this, we will be sure to have lives set on Christ, resulting in us becoming more like Jesus and God glorified.
Colossians 3:1-11

Christ has filled us with himself. His identity is now ours, we are kept in Christ, and are to mature more into the image of Christ. Yet so often in our world we face the pressure of “performance Christianity" and can get caught up in things that have no value in helping us to become more like Christ but rather place value in how we appear to others. The easy thing is to care more about how we appear rather than caring about our hearts and yet what Christ knows about us is that from our hearts comes the external appearance. Paul is warning the church in Colossae and he is warning us to not give way to this thinking or allow someone else to have an influence on you to pull you away from what Christ has already said about you. Paul calls us to live our lives fully in Christ and trust more of what he says about us, that we are righteous, forgiven, and loved.

Clossians 2:16-23

In Colossians 2:6-15, we have Paul's first two of 27 commands in this letter. We are called to walk in Christ and not succumb to empty philosophy and deceitful ideologies. This passage also contains one of the clearest teachings on what Jesus did to secure our salvation and fill us completely. In Him, we lack nothing!

Colossians 2:6-15

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most famous passages in the entire Bible. Sections of it are often quoted or used in motivational speeches or critiques from the world to Christians, yet so many people don’t actually know the one who delivered this sermon or why he gave it at all. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus ushers in a new kingdom, one that is upside down from what this world and culture is like. He says things like, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” or “if you look at a woman with lustful intent you have committed adultery in your heart,” and “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where they will last forever.” These words and others in his sermon are so countercultural to our everyday life that at face value it seems strange and impossible. But Jesus doesn’t intend for his audience to live this sermon out on their own, rather the entire sermon isn’t about living in your own strength but living in the one who is giving the sermon, Jesus. In ushering in this new kingdom Jesus provides a way for us to live in his kingdom, by believing in his work on our behalf. In doing so and living the way our king has lived we will be “like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Let’s be citizens of the upside down kingdom and make much of our King, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 7:24-29

A united church is a beautiful sight. Like a singular rose, a united church has beauty, value, and a sweet aroma. How much more so is the sight and fragrant smell when the Church walks in unity!? This is the vision cast by Paul for his readers which includes not only the Colossians but believers from the whole region! Come and hear what God holds in store for churches of unbroken ranks in Colossians 2:1-5.

For us we have a natural ebb and flow to our lives, what I call the ordinary days, and yet we never know within those ordinary days that God will use us to do something extraordinary, but for us to be ready for those extraordinary days we have to be faithful in the ordinary days. Praying, reading God’s word, meditating on his word, and pursuing unity among our body for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. For us to experience God using us in extraordinary ways we have to practice being faithful to him in our ordinary days. 

Acts 13:1-12

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

John 18:13-27