Paul opens his letter to the Colossians with thanksgiving. He's heard wonderful things about this young church: their faith in Jesus Christ, their love for one another, and the hope they have received through the gospel. Though Paul hasn't personally visited them, he recognizes that God is already doing something amazing in their community. The gospel is bearing fruit.

But, Paul wants them to understand something about the new life they're experiencing. Their faith, love, and hope aren't the result of discovering a better religious philosophy or finding a more disciplined way to live. They are the work of Jesus Christ, who stands at the center of everything God is doing. And when Paul says everything, he means everything.

In verses 15–20, Paul gives us one of the most profound descriptions of Jesus in the New Testament. “He is the image of the invisible God, the one who is first over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, CEB). Paul goes on to describe Christ as the one through whom all things were created, the one in whom all things hold together, and the head of the church. Through Christ, God is reconciling all things, making peace through the blood of the cross.

Think about the scope of what Paul is declaring. The same Jesus who walked the roads of Galilee, welcomed sinners, healed the sick, and gave his life on the cross is the one through whom creation itself came into being. Nothing exists apart from him, and nothing lies beyond the reach of his authority.

Jesus isn't simply one important part of our faith. He is its very foundation. This is important because we can sometimes reduce Christianity to the things we're supposed to believe or do. We think about attending worship, studying Scripture, praying, serving others, and trying to live holy lives. Those are all important expressions of discipleship, but none of them is the center of our faith. Christ is. And Paul wants the Colossians to understand that everything else grows out of their relationship with him.

Notice how Paul connects this magnificent description of Christ to the ordinary lives of the believers in Colossae. Before describing Christ's supremacy, Paul prays that they will be filled with the knowledge of God's will, strengthened with God's power, and able to live lives that bear fruit in every good work.

Then, after describing the one who holds creation together, Paul reminds them that they were once estranged from God but have now been reconciled through Christ's death. He takes us from the vastness of creation to the intimate reality of our own reconciliation with God. The one who holds all things together is the same one who has made peace with us through the cross. And God's work doesn't end with reconciliation.

Paul writes that the purpose of his ministry is to proclaim Christ so that everyone might become mature in him (v. 28). Salvation is the beginning of a transformed life, not the completion of one.

We believe God's grace reaches us before we recognize our need for it, reconciles us through Christ, and continues working within us through the Holy Spirit. Holiness isn't something we manufacture through determination or religious effort. It is the transforming work of God's grace as we respond in faith and learn to become more like Jesus.

The Colossians were already demonstrating that transformation. Their love for one another was evidence of the gospel taking root. Paul prayed that they would continue growing in wisdom, endurance, gratitude, and faithful service. And at the heart of that continuing transformation is what Paul calls the glorious mystery now revealed among the Gentiles:
“Christ is in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27, CEB). Consider what that means.

The Christ who holds creation together is also present within the lives of those who belong to him. The power sustaining the universe is not distant from the ordinary struggles, relationships, and responsibilities of our lives.

This doesn't mean every difficulty disappears or that faithful Christians are somehow protected from suffering. Paul himself writes about the suffering he endures for the sake of the church. But even in those circumstances, he trusts the power of Christ working within him.

That same grace is at work in us. Sometimes our lives feel anything but held together. Responsibilities compete for our attention. Relationships become strained. Circumstances change in ways we can't control, and our own strength seems inadequate for what lies ahead.
Colossians 1 doesn't promise that everything in our lives will unfold the way we'd like. Instead, Paul directs our attention to the one who remains faithful through it all. Our hope rests in Jesus Christ, through whom God has created, reconciled, and begun renewing all things.

So as we begin reading Colossians, perhaps the most important invitation is to keep Christ at the center. Not because we have to hold everything together ourselves, but because our lives are being shaped by the one in whom all things already hold together. And as we remain rooted in him, his grace continues its work, producing the fruit of a life increasingly marked by his love.

Read Colossians 1:15–20 again slowly. As you consider everything Paul says about Jesus, identify one area of your life where you've been depending primarily on your own strength or understanding. Bring that concern to Christ in prayer, asking for the wisdom and grace to respond faithfully today.