12th March 2026

One of the most profound sections in the whole of scripture is Colossians 1:11-20, where the apostle Paul powerfully sets before us the divinity, majesty, and pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily.

The apostle is in prison in Rome as he writes to the church at Colossae, a church he has never visited, but for which he has a great love and affection. As he pens his letter, he is aware of the issues facing this fragile faith community. Heretical ideas have crept into the church and there are some now advocating the worship of angels, perceiving that they might act as effective intermediaries in their relationship with God and neglecting the High Priestly office of Christ himself. Others promote a need for special knowledge, above and beyond the gospel witness, as a means of gaining greater insight into the divine mysteries, without which knowledge, a Christian cannot know true Christian experience. This form of incipient Gnosticism was distracting many believers from the power and purity of the gospel message. And so, Paul parades before them the glories of the Lord Jesus Christ, assuring them that, in him alone they are complete, lacking nothing. The very fact that in this pagan city, where sin and licentiousness were widespread, there existed this significant Godly minority, was a witness to the power inherent in the gospel, which faithful Epaphras had first brought to them (Colossians 1:7), and by which gospel they were saved.

The apostle begins by explaining who Jesus is in himself, his relationship to the Father, to the creation, to all other authorities and powers, and to the church. In Jesus, God is fully declared, and, in all things Jesus has the pre-eminence. He is before all things, and all things were created by him and for him (vv.15-18). Everything in heaven, in the heavens, and on earth is for his glory, and all things are subservient to the purposes of God in Christ (v.18). The saints at Colossae must understand how all of this has consequences for the church and for them personally: Jesus is the head of the church, which is the body of Christ on earth. The head not only directs the body, but the spiritual body shares the very life of its risen Lord. Here is the secret of the church’s unity: we must, as members of the body of Christ, submit to him in all things and walk in the newness and power of the resurrected life that is ours in him, through the Spirit (vv.21-23).

If all this is true, why would there be any need for a new experience, for secret knowledge or other privileges? Why, when Jesus is the one true mediator between mankind and God, would you ever want to worship angels, who, like mortal humans, are part of the created order? How can Jesus be treated as secondary when all the fullness of the deity dwells in him?  

The Colossian brethren had a great hope (v.5) and it was that hope that had inspired the faith and love that marked them out as God’s holy people (v.2), and this is true of us also, ‘…if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven…’ (v.23). 

Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall                             
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN

Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am

Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email:  richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church