Series: Greater Than
Message: What Only Jesus Can Do
Passage: Colossians 1:15-23
INTRODUCTION
What is something what is the one thing in your life or family only you can do?
OBSERVATION
Before starting questions, read Colossians 10-14. This is what God wants for you (Paul’s prayer):
Read Colossians 1:15-23. What do you learn about Jesus and his unique ability to reconcile?
UNDERSTANDING
Where have you seen Jesus reconcile relationships of people to each other?
Where have you seen Jesus reconcile relationships of people to God?
APPLICATION
Where in your life have you seen Jesus reconcile relationships? Between you and God? You and others?
Where are you resisting Jesus reconciling relationships in your life?
What do you have to believe about Jesus to let him do what only he can in reconciling this relationship?
LIVE IT OUT
What would it look like if we trusted Jesus to do what only he can do? To our families? To our friends? Our community?
Flow Questions with Leader Notes and Commentary
INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES
What is something what is the one thing in your life or family only you can do?
Leader note: This is something you have always done that you would not think of not doing, or that your family would not think of you not doing. It could be building all the furniture or toy kits, it could be a recipe, doing the organizing of events, vacations, maybe it’s the dinner prayer or tucking kids in. Be creative!
OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES
Before starting questions, read Colossians 10-14. This is what God wants for you (Paul’s prayer):
Commentary:
- · To bear fruit
- · Strengthened with all power
- · Growing in the knowledge of God
- · Share in the inheritance of Jesus
- · Joyful thanksgiving
- · Great endurance and patience
Read Colossians 1:15-23. What do you learn about Jesus and his unique ability to reconcile?
Leader note: Consider as you read, what qualifies Jesus to reconcile us to God, us to each other, and us to Creation. What are the qualities that uniquely qualify Him?
Commentary:
- · He is the visible expression of the invisible God – I can see and know God through Jesus
- · He is creator, firstborn of all creation – eternal, before all things
- · Holds all things together – sustains everything, He is the source of life
- · Firstborn among the dead – resurrected
- · Head of the body/church/over all in the Body of Christ
- · makes peace (Shalom)
- o Through his incarnation, sacrifice on the cross
- o Reconciles all things
- Us to Creation
- Us to each other
- Us to God Reconciles relationships
- · Has sovereign control over everything, In/through/for Him – both visible and invisible (thrones, principalities, rulers, elections, leaders)
UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES
Where have you seen Jesus reconcile relationships of people to each other?
Leader note: Consider marriages that were crumbling and Jesus brought reconciliation through forgiveness, mercy, unexplained change of heart. Think of those who have had issues with parents, those who were estranged and found a way back to each other.
Where have you seen Jesus reconcile relationships of people to God?
Leader note: Jesus reconciled people to God through His death on the cross, before we knew Him, we were forever separated from God, except for the atoning sacrifice on our behalf, a gift of grace we received. Because we are reconciled, we have the power from Jesus to break through darkness, break strongholds, eliminate fear, overcome sin.
APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES
Where in your life have you seen Jesus reconcile relationships? Between you and God? You and others?
Leader note: If you have been freed of an addiction and through the power of Jesus broke that stronghold, you have been reconciled to God. Perhaps you and a loved one were at odds, and through the forgiveness and Jesus interceding in the situation, you were reconciled.
Where are you resisting Jesus reconciling relationships in your life?
Leader note: Consider relationships you could let Jesus reconcile – parents, siblings, coworkers – but instead choose not to. It may be because you are afraid of additional hurt, or feel you are protecting your family from abuse.
What do you have to believe about Jesus to let him do what only he can in reconciling this relationship?
Leader note: It may be that you have to trust that if Jesus reconciles he can also sustain. He can give you the strength to endure temptation, someone speaking against you, the possibility of a broken relationship happening again. This is not a command to continue to enter into an abusive relationship, this is an invitation to reconcile what only Jesus can. And then to trust Him to be bigger than, greater than, the brokenness, the troubled relationship, the addiction until such a time you are reconciled forever. If Jesus gives you the power to break a stronghold, He can give you the power to stand strong against it.
LIVE IT OUT
What would it look like if we trusted Jesus to do what only he can do? To our families? To our friends? Our community?
PRAY: End your time together praising Jesus for His unique power of reconciling you – first to your Creator, then to each other, giving you the ability to create unity within His family. Pray God will give you wisdom in your relationships to know where you are not reconciled, where forgiveness and the qualities of Jesus need to be called upon to right the relationship.