Check out the full audio of the message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Intro

Today we begin a new series, walking together through the little letter of Colossians. At only four chapters long, you might think it would take just four Sundays. But this book is so rich, so full of Christ, that it will take us much longer.

Colossians is one of my favorite writings in the New Testament. It is absolutely saturated with Jesus. Everywhere you turn, you encounter Him. You can’t hide from Christ in this letter—He is the central figure on every page.

After spending the last year and a half journeying through much of the Old and New Testaments, it seemed right to pause and focus on one letter in particular. And so, we begin at the beginning:

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.”
(Colossians 1:1–2)

At first glance, these verses might not seem like much. But before we can dive into the heart of the letter, we need to place it in its historical and spiritual context.

The City of Colossae

Colossae was once a cosmopolitan city at a major crossroads, filled with shops, artisans, philosophers, and ideas. Imagine a place like Ann Arbor—bustling with trade, intellectual energy, and cultural exchange. But shortly after Paul’s letter arrived, the city was devastated by an earthquake and never rebuilt. Its ruins still lie mostly unexcavated.

The False Teaching

So why did Paul write? Epaphras, a local believer who had planted the church, reported troubling developments. There was some kind of false teaching creeping in. It was a confusing blend:

  • Jewish traditions (rules, circumcision, holy days).

  • Ecstatic practices (angel worship, mystical experiences).

  • Philosophical ideas that sound a bit like Gnosticism (though Gnosticism itself developed later).

The best guess is that Colossae, being such a melting pot, had people combining elements of Judaism, early Christianity, and local philosophies—offering believers a supposed “fuller experience” of God.

The pitch was compelling: “If you really want to be close to God, if you want more than the basics, come to us. We have the secret. We can show you how to worship with angels and experience the divine fully.”

Enticing, isn’t it? Who doesn’t want more of God?

Paul’s Response: Christ Is Enough

Paul’s answer is strikingly simple:
You don’t need any of that. You already have Christ.

Your life is hidden with Him. He surrounds you, indwells you, and sustains you. You don’t need intermediaries. You don’t need secret rituals. You don’t need extra steps.

The risen Christ has already come to you. He has died for you, risen for you, ascended for you, and now draws you into His presence through the Spirit.

Paul’s message may not sound as exciting as angelic visions or mystical experiences. It almost sounds too good to be true. But that’s the reality of the gospel: Christ is enough.

Paul’s Authority

Before Paul dives into this message, he establishes why the Colossians should listen to him. He introduces himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.

The word “apostle” means messenger. But for Paul, it means more: one chosen by God to speak with authority on Christ’s behalf.

Paul didn’t walk with Jesus during His earthly ministry. In fact, Paul was an enemy of the church. Yet Christ appeared to him, called him, and sent him as the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul’s authority rests not on human appointment but on God’s will.

A Gentle Beginning

What’s striking about Colossians is Paul’s tone. Some of his letters are sharp (like 1 Corinthians) or dense (like Romans). But here, Paul addresses the believers in Colossae as:

“Faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.”

What a compliment. Wouldn’t it be beautiful for someone to describe our church that way? To be known as faithful—people who love Jesus and walk with Him?

That’s who the Colossians were, and it sets the tone for the whole letter. Paul writes not with a hammer but with encouragement, reminding them of the sufficiency of Christ.

Our Challenge Today

So what does this mean for us?

Like the Colossians, we are tempted to add things to the gospel. We make mental checklists of what a “real Christian” must do or believe. We sometimes think faith requires Jesus plus something else.

But Paul’s message is clear:
Our lives are hidden with Christ. Nothing more is needed.

The challenge for us as we walk through this letter is to examine our hearts and ask:

  • What “extras” have we added to following Jesus?
  • Where have we believed that Christ alone is not enough?
  • Are we living out the reality that our lives are hidden in Him?

A Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for calling Paul and making him an apostle, a messenger of Christ. Thank You for preserving his words so that even now, two thousand years later, they still speak with power and authority.

As we read this letter, give us eyes to see, hearts to understand, and the courage to live as people hidden in Christ. Help us to rest in His sufficiency and to be known as faithful brothers and sisters in Him.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.