Hebrews 1: Jesus- Name Above All Names!

TVCC Students,

We have finished our study in the book of Colossians and have now entered the book of Hebrews. It is always refreshing to worship with you all on Wednesday nights and to see your devotion to the Lord and one another. Last night we dove into Hebrews 1 and unpacked some great truths about Jesus and how He is greater than anyone/anything! Here is a recap...

Hebrews 1:1-14

~1:1-2: God is continually trying to speak to us. From the time of creation on, the Lord has desired a relationship with mankind and has spoken to His people. He is not a distant god that created us and then left man to himself. God pursues man. After hundreds of years speaking to His people through prophets and priests, the Lord came down Himself to speak to His creation in Christ. 

      ~John 1 goes into greater detail about who Jesus is. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's heart to be with His people. When we look at the life of Jesus, we see the character of the Father, Son and Spirit. It is so important for us to continually be meditating on the gospels which recorded the life and ministry of Jesus. This time of Christ's first coming is what the writer of Hebrews is referring to when he says "the last times." These "last times" are the years from the time of Christ's first coming until His second coming.

Q: Do you realize the lengths the Lord has gone through to have a relationship with mankind... with you? He sent His Son to live on earth and one day die in your place so that you could have an intimate relationship with Him. What is holding you back from enjoying your relationship with the Lord?

~1:2: The Father made Jesus "heir of all things." In Acts 2:36 we see that Jesus who was crucified is both Lord and Christ. He is Lord of all things and He made everything. The word that the writer uses here for "world" implies much more than just planet earth but means "ages." Jesus not only made our planet but He made time, space, the farthest galaxies that we cannot even fathom! Then, after all of this, He came to dwell among His creation!

Q: Have you lately meditated on how extravagant the Lord's creation is? How amazing is it that the Lord who made everything desires a relationship with you?

~1:3: Jesus is the radiance or the shining of the glory of God. Again, in Christ we see the Father. He shines light on the Father's character. Not only did Jesus shine light on the Father but He made purification for our sins once and for all (then sat down as it was finished!) 

~1:4-7: When coming into the world as flesh, the second person of the Trinity became the Son. Though He was on earth, Jesus is still more glorious than the angels and offers to share His inheritance with those who have trusted in His death and resurrection on their behalf. Romans 8:16 and Matthew 21:33 both demonstrate God's heart towards us- that He is offering us the inheritance of Christ through faith in what He has done on our behalf!

Q: Do you realize the riches of the inheritance that is offered to you in Christ? He is heir of all things... all things!

~1:8-11: The Trinity glorify each other. In these verses we see that the Father is glorifying the son and we often see in the gospels the Son glorifying the Father and the Spirit glorifying the Son. They are all equal and continually bring glory to one another.

~1:12: Everything on earth will one day fade, decay, and eventually come to an end... except Jesus (and our souls). Nothing but Jesus is worth our complete devotion and love because nothing else will last for all eternity!

Q: Are you living your life for things that are destined to fade and come to an end or are you living for the glory of Christ that will last forever? What does it look like to live for Christ on a daily basis?

~1:13-14: Jesus is better than angels... He is better than everything! He has come to reach out to us for us to enjoy a relationship with Him. Pursuing Him will never cease to bring us fulfillment and joy. His presence is never dull or unsatisfying! 

Q: Have you been "practicing the presence of Christ" lately? What does it look like for you to enjoy His presence?

Dear students,

We are so thankful for each one of you. We loved getting to worship with you at Heritage Assisted Living this past weekend. You all encourage us so much. We love getting to serve and worship the Lord alongside you all. We pray that this week you will meditate on Jesus- name above all names!! We encourage you to spend time meditating on the Gospels and unpack the character of the Lord through studying the life of Christ. Let your time in the Word lead you to more adoration and love for the God who became Man in order to restore relationship with His creation. What an amazing God we serve!! We love you guys!!

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi

Colossians 4:7-19: All In This Together...

Dear TVCC Students,
We are so encouraged to see that so many of you have been willing to brave the cold weather lately and come to Life on Wednesdays! It really does encourage us so much to see you all devoted to fellowship, teaching & worship. We finished up the book of Colossians last night and it was such a wonderful reminder of how we are all the same under Christ. Here is a recap...

Colossians 4:7-19: Paul was continuing to take the gospel everywhere in the regions around the Mediterranean Sea and receiving much opposition from the Jewish faith. Most of the Jews rejected Christ in order to continue living under the law (their "check list" that made them feel that they could attain righteousness on their own)

~4:7-8: Paul begins with talking about Tychius. It is evident from his writing that Paul really view others as fellow workers and co-heirs with himself. He called Tychius a fellow bondservant for Christ. Paul knew that he was not better than anyone else and that all believers are "in this together..." Paul did not think of himself as great and everyone else as lesser Christians. He utilized the body of Christ to help get the gospel to as many people as possible.

Q: Do you think highly of yourself because maybe your story before Christ wasn't "that bad" or do you really believe that under Christ we are really all knew creations and are all seen as holy before the Lord? Ask the Lord to reveal any arrogance in your heart or self righteousness that you might be living in. Please read 2 Corinthians 5:17 and meditate on the truth in this scripture.

~4:9: Next, Paul moves on to Onesimus. Once again we see that Paul does not speak arrogantly about others who have had a rough past. Onesimus was a former slave who had run away from his master and then become a Christian. After becoming a believer, Paul had told him to go back to his owner and fulfill his earthly duty to his master. With all of this, Paul speaks so highly of Onesimus, calling him a faithful and beloved brother. Regardless of our past, we are called "beloved" in Christ.

Q: Do you realize that Christ redeems you from all of your past. There is no sin too grave or disgusting that still has a hold over you once you come to Jesus by faith in His death and resurrection on your behalf. He completely restores you and does not count your sins against you! He has canceled the debt against you by His blood. Please read Psalm 103:12 and Colossians 2:13-14 and meditate on the truths in these passages.

~4:10- This little snippet about Mark is quite interesting. Paul and Mark had at one time parted ways because of a fight and it seems as though Paul had held on to some bitterness against Mark for a while before reconciling with him. Even among the church there will be times where we are at odds with one another but we must remember that we are called to be at peace with one another as far as it depends on us (Romans 12:18). It is great to see that even Paul still struggled to always walk in obedience to the Lord but that he was willing to make amends for the sake of the gospel.

Q: Is there anyone that you are at odds with that you need to make peace with for the sake of the gospel? Remember that disunity hurts the body of Christ and we are called to be at peace with one another.

~4:11: Paul mentions here that few of the "circumcision" remained faithful friends of Paul. Once he began to preach the gospel, he was separated from his old life and from those that he was once very close to. The gospel will separate us from others who reject Christ. We must be ready for this. All who desire to live godly in Christ will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12)

Q: Have you experienced the loss of friends because of your devotion to the gospel?

~4:12: Paul goes on to talk about Epaphras and his amazing prayer life. Paul calls him someone who is struggling or "laboring" in prayer. The word he uses is one used of athletes competing in a competition. Paul is telling us that Epaphras really labors in prayer. Prayer is not something he comes to lightly but he is devoted to his brethren as an athlete is to his sport. How encouraging!

Q: Do you "labor" in prayer for others? What changes do you need to ask the Spirit to make in you so that you can join with Epaphras in "struggling" in prayer for your brothers and sisters in Christ?

~4:13-17: Paul goes on to continue speaking of other believers that have encouraged him and the churches around him. He then calls everyone to "see to it" or "take heed" that they fulfill the ministry that was given to them by the Lord. When reading Ephesians 2:8=10 we see that our salvation was not without purpose. Christ saved us and then calls us to go and complete the good works that he has prepared for us. Every Christian has a specific ministry given to them by Christ and should be investing in the lives of others so that the gospel will continue to go forth and bear fruit. We need to pay attention to our lives and make sure that we are embracing the opportunities that the Lord gives us to share His gospel with others.

Q: Are you embracing the opportunities that the Lord has given you to spread the gospel to those around you? What ministry has the Lord called you to in this season of your life? What changes do you feel the Spirit calling you to in order that you might fulfill the ministry given to you in this season?

~4:18: Paul calls the believers to "remember his chains." When we feel the desire to walk in self pity, it is good for us to remember the sufferings of others in the faith who are laboring for the gospel and are being persecuted more harshly than us. Paul then prays for grace for the Colossian  church. We are saved by grace and called to share that grace with others!

Q: Have you been walking in self pity lately regarding a tough situation that you have been in? We encourage you to remember the persecution of others that are living for the gospel. We are all in this together. Life can be tough but Jesus really is enough.

Dear Students,
Again , we are so thankful to get to worship with you every Wednesday and love seeing you all growing in truth and love. Let us remember this week that there is nothing better than living in nearness to Jesus! Meditate on His grace this week and be ready to share it with others!! We love you and are praying for you this week!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Colossians 3:18-24: How we can represent Jesus well in our daily lives...

TVCC Students,
We are honored to continue meeting every Wednesday evening for fellowship, worship, and the studying of God's Word. It encourages us so much to see you all walking in truth and in genuine fellowship with one another. Last night we took our previous weeks message and learned how the Lord wanted those truths to work themselves out in our daily lives. Here is a recap...

Colossians 3:18-25
~3:12-17: Before anyone can read and meditate on the next section on "what" our lives should look like... we must do a refresher course on "how" and "why" we are to live this way. When Christians just attach a bunch of rules to one another without any explanation, the church gets exasperated and often gives up. It is crucial that we continually remember who we are and what that means for us. Believers are "chosen" of God... we are "holy and beloved" because of Christ and His work on the Cross. Because of Jesus, we have been given the Spirit of the Lord to overcome our flesh and grow into the image of Christ. As we let His Word dwell in us and let His Spirit lead us, we will be continually transformed... our old self will become less prevalent and we will look more like King Jesus- walking in selfless love for others and devotion to the will of the Father. We will be unable to keep a list of rules by sheer willpower. We must continually remind ourselves of these truths as we recognize that Jesus gives us the power to change and please the Father.

Q: Have you been trusting in your own willpower to have "Christ-like" character or are you continually embracing your own shortcomings and realizing your need for the Spirit and the Word to continue to transform your life?

~3:18: Once we embrace all of the above truths, we can take a look at the lives that bring glory to the Lord. Paul goes from a general attitude that pleases the Lord in verses (3:12-13) to more specific things in verses 18-25. The first relationship he addresses is wives. Wives are called to be submissive to their OWN husbands. This does not mean that women are less valuable or even less capable (Ephesians 5:21-25) than men but just that the Lord has given them a role to fulfill within the family. When a woman joyfully trusts the Lord to lead her husband and she honors him through submitting, the Lord is glorified! This is a representation of how the church should be submitting to Christ. The husband is to lead the family and the wife is called to submit to him and thus please the Lord in this way. Wives are not called to submit to every man but to their own husband. This implies that who we marry is a huge deal!! Also, submission is not based on the character of the man. Paul is letting women know that submitting to their husband is what the Lord wants. Even when their husband might not deserve it, it glorifies the Lord for wives to be subject to their husbands.

Q: Ladies- does this call of the Lord for women to be submissive to their husbands make you think a little more intensely about the kind of man that you will one day marry?

~3:19: After Paul gets done addressing the ladies, he speaks to the men. Husbands are to love their own wives and not be embittered against them. In Ephesians 5, we also see that a husband's love for his wife is to demonstrate the love that Christ had for His bride when He gave up His life for her. A husband is called by the Lord to have a selfless and sacrificial love for His wife that does not hold grudges or lash out. Regardless of how he is treated, a husband is to demonstrate the love of Christ to His wife. Men represent the Lord well when they love their wives with the love of Christ. We must all realize that others will fail us and our love for them should not be dependent on how well they measure up to our standards. We need to live lives of grace and mercy towards others.

Q: Men- does this call of the Lord for you to love your wives sacrificially make you think more intensely about the kind of woman that you will one day marry?

~3:20: After talking with husbands and wives, Paul addresses children and their relationship to their parents. If we take a look at Romans 1:29 we see that part of the Lord giving man over to sin is when children live in disobedience to their parents. Our fleshly nature wants us to rebel against the authorities the Lord has placed over to us- especially children to their parents. It pleases the Lord and makes Him look great when children obey their parents in all things- especially when they don't "deserve" it. Just as with husbands and wives, the call of God is not a conditional one. He does not say... "children obey your parents WHEN they are godly and making right decisions" ... Parents are going to mess up and it pleases the Lord when children obey their parents. This pleases Him. If a parent is walking in continual disobedience to Lord, there are biblical steps that a child can take (Matthew 18) but this still needs to be done with honor and respect.

Q: Students- how are you doing at obeying your parents? Would you say that your relationship with your parents brings the Lord glory or dishonor? What steps can you take to strengthen your relationship with your parents?

~3:21: Paul moves on to the roll of father. He calls fathers not to exasperate their children. This will look different for every father/child relationship. What exasperates one child will not affect the other at all. Fathers must be continually seeking the Lord in order to gain wisdom in how to lead his wife and children in a way that pleases the Lord.

Q: Students- how often are you praying for your father? Being a father and husband is a huge role that requires so much diligence and wisdom. Are you praying for your dad often- that he would be seeking the Lord as he leads your family?

~3:22: Though we do not have the role of slave/master in our culture... we do have the role of boss/employee. It honors God when we obey our bosses and seek to please the Lord through working hard at all times. We should not just be working hard when people are watching but at all times as this pleases the Lord.

~3:23-25: These few verse go into more detail about how we are to live in all situations. In every relationship and in every job (whether one is a student, parent, boss, employee, child, friend, etc)- this is the goal: remember that we are the Lord's representatives and He is the one that ultimately rewards the good works of His children. Our salvation is a free gift from Him but there are rewards that He gives to His children that walk obediently to Him.

Q: Do you realize that your life is continually on display and you can either bring glory or shame to the Lord by the way that you live? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make so that you can better represent Him... not out of fear but because of the gratitude and love you have for Him and His magnificent love for you displayed on the Cross and through the whole redemption process?

Dear Students,
We are so thankful to be able to walk alongside of you guys in our striving to glorify Jesus. We know that we all fail on a daily basis to love Him and please Him. Thankfully His love for us is not conditional. He loves us unconditionally and we are seen as His "holy and beloved" children because of the righteousness that was given to us through the death and resurrection of Christ on our behalf. Thank Jesus for second, third, fourth chances! Let us repent this week of our failures to represent Him well and seek to be led by His Spirit this next week as we are His ambassadors to the world around us. We love you all and are praying for you!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Colossians 3:12-25: Love and Forgiveness...

TVCC Students,
It is always a joy to be worshipping with you all on Wednesday evenings. We are so encouraged to see you all building each other up and growing in your love for the Lord. We are still cruising through the book of Colossians and we are continually encouraged as we meditate on Paul's words to the Colossian church and what implications that has for us today. Here is a recap from last night...

Colossians 3:12-17
~3:12: God has chosen His believers. This is not something that usually sits well in our culture but this truth is spread all throughout the Word of God. We were dead and He chose to make us alive through Jesus. We were orphans and He chose to adopt us through Jesus. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, the Lord calls us "holy and beloved." What a great truth to meditate on. We are a new creation and in Christ we are no longer seen in light of our sin but in light of the righteousness of Christ; Paul calls the church to "put on a heart of..." This really meant for them to go into the "largest part" of their insides and let these heavenly things flow out.

Q: Have you spent time lately meditating lately on the fact that you are seen as Holy and Beloved by God through His Son Jesus? What does your life look like when you are really living in light of this truth?

~3:13: Paul calls the church to bear with one another. This is not an easy thing. So often in our culture these days we get rid of friends when they cause us to "bear" with them even in the slightest way. The body of Christ should go through hard times WITH one another and be able to lean on one another in times of weakness. Along with this, Paul also calls them to forgive as they have been forgiven. We have been forgiven completely and generously in Christ and we should forgive others in that same way.

Q: Are there any people in your life that you have not forgiven? We pray that you will meditate this week on how generously and completely the Lord has forgiven you and pray that His love for you would fuel your love for others.

~3:14: Paul doesn't just stop with forgiveness but then calls the church to put on love. When we look back in the gospels (Luke 7:40) we see such a great example of how forgiveness and love go hand in hand. A person who understands the depths of their forgiveness is much more inclined to have a heart of love and forgiveness towards others. We have all failed so much to love the Lord and yet Romans 8 gives us so much hope and peace. If God is for us (through Jesus)... who can be against us!!?? Let the truth of your forgiveness and God's great love lead you to love and forgive others?

Q: Are you someone who loves well? If not, maybe you have not spent a lot of time meditating on the magnitude of the forgiveness that you have been given in Christ...

~3:15: The truths in Romans 8 should not only lead us to love and forgive others well but should also lead us to peace! As we meditate on our forgiveness through Christ, an overwhelming peace should come to us. NOthing can separate us from the love of God that is ours through Christ! Rest in that truth!! Let this truth "rule you" or "control you." Remember that what you find your identity in will determine how you live. Let us obey the Lord because we love Him and are thankful for the richness of His love that was given to us through Jesus while we were yet sinners!

Q: What causes you anxiety? When you are feeling anxious this week we ask that you read through Romans 8 again slowly and ask the Lord to let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

~3:16: Paul has told the church over and over that the Lord wants a relationship with us. Relationships involve speaking to each other and listening to one another. The Lord wants us to speak constantly to HIm and let Him speak to us through His Word. The more we let His Words dwell in us, the more we will come to know and adore Him.

Q: Are you in a habit of letting the Lord speak to you often through His Word?

~3:17: As we spend time with Him, growing in our love for Him, we should grow in thankfulness. As we behold His glorious character it will lead us to be in awe of how He could love us. As we do this, we are representing the name of Christ. Everyone is watching how we live and our words and deeds should demonstrate our thankful hearts that are secure in the Lord.

Q: When people see you live your life and hear you speak, would they say that you are living "in the name of the Lord Jesus?" Why or why not?

Dear Students,
We pray that this week you would really be able to meditate on God's great love for you through the death and resurrection of Christ on your behalf. We did not deserve His love and yet He loved us anyway. We pray that this will lead your hearts to peace and lead you to love others as you have been loved. We are praying for you!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Colossians 3:1-10: Seek heavenly things... God's renovation process!

Dear TVCC Students,
We love getting to worship with you guys on Wednesday night and to see you all growing in truth and love. Last night we spent time going through Colossians 3:1-10 and talking about what fuels us to think on heavenly things. Here is a recap...

Colossians 3:1-10
~3:1: The word "if" in this sentence is actually a word better translated as "since." Since we have been raised with Christ, let us keep seeking the things above. Our goal, as was Jesus' goal, is to glorify the Father. Jesus prayed in Matthew 6 (the "Lord's prayer") a prayer that showed us how we are to live. We are to be living with our hope set on the Lord's coming kingdom, not this fleeting earthly one.

Q: When you look at your life, do you spend more time thinking and dwelling on things here that are passing away or are you continually thinking about heavenly things and the coming Kingdom of the Lord?

~3:2: Paul calls the church to "set" their mind on things above. This word implies a "dwelling on" of heavenly things. We are to think heavily on what is pleasing to the Lord. Philippians 4 goes into greater detail about what "things" we are to dwell on. We also know, just through life experience, that the things we dwell on fuel our excitement. If we dwell continually on sports or fame, those things will fuel our excitement. If we dwell on heavenly things- these things will fuel our excitement for the Lord and His return. We were made to enjoy Jesus and walk in a fulfilling relationship with Him!

Q: What things do you dwell on? What encourages you to dwell on heavenly things? What discourages you from dwelling on heavenly things?

~3:3: When a person comes to believe in Jesus, they  have been united with Him in both His death and resurrection. A believer now has the ability (by the Spirit) to be "dead" to the things of this world and "alive" to heavenly things (something that was not possible before being born again). As believers, our life is no longer about us but we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. Our future is solid and imperishable (1 Peter 1) and we are not called to live for this world anymore.

Q: What does it look like for us to really live with our life "hidden" in Christ?

~3:4: Christ is our life. He is our everything. As believers, we should be longing for His return. He is our glory and we will share in that glory when He returns! What a glorious thing to look forward too!

Q: What consumes your life? Is Christ your whole life? If the answer is NO, we encourage you to spend time praying that the Lord would make that true of you. Only Christ will fully satisfy you. Only Christ offers complete fulfillment here and an unshakable future in eternity!

~3:5-9: Paul is calling the church to put off the old self. He is calling them to remember that God has so much more for them to live for! He spent the first part of this section basically giving them a "how to" that would give them the tools necessary for overcoming their fleshly desires. We cannot overcome our flesh by sheer willpower or trying to follow a rigid list of rules that we set for ourselves. We might be able to fake it for a little while but it will never last. In order to overcome our fleshly desires, we MUST live in light of verses 3:1-4. We must continually come back to the gospel. We were lost and without hope. Christ died in our place and now we are untied with Him in his death and resurrection- and able to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). He has given us His Spirit that allows us to seek heavenly things. The more we walk dependent on the Spirit by renewing our minds through His Word, the easier it will be for us to dwell on heavenly things and not live for the temporal lusts of this world.

Q: Have you felt yourself falling back into the lifestyle that you lived prior to Christ? If so, we encourage you to sit down and think about the Gospel again. Preach the Gospel to yourself. You were lost and dead. Christ made you alive through His death and resurrection on your behalf. You can walk in new life because of His Spirit that was given to you through faith. Let this truth encourage and strengthen you!

~3:10: In the last part of this section, Paul is calling them to put on the "new self" that is being "renewed" after the image of the Creator. This "renewed" implies a type of renovation. As we all know, renovations are slow processes that take time and diligence. Being molded into the image of Christ is a life-long renovation process that requires us to walk dependent on the Spirit. His Word fuels this renovation process and His Spirit gives us the ability to be transformed little by little into the people that the Lord calls us to be (full transformation will be complete when Christ returns).

Q: When you look at your life, do you see little renovations happening where you are (by the power of the Spirit) overcoming fleshly desires and becoming more like Christ? What encourages this renovation process in your life?

Dear Students,
We are so thankful to be able to walk this walk of faith alongside you all. We pray that this week you will embrace God's renovation process through meditating on His Word and just enjoying time with your Savior. We love you all and are so encouraged to see you growing in your faith!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Colossians 2:8-3:1: Relationship not Religion

TVCC Students,
We are glad to be getting back "into the swing of things" as far as having a regular schedule and less chaos because of the holidays. It was so wonderful to worship with you all last night. We are so encouraged to see you all worship Jesus and soak in His word. Last night we did a review from last week and moved a little further in our study of Colossians. Here is a recap from last night...

Colossians 2:8-3:1

~2:8: When Paul encourages them to "see to it" that they are not taken captive, his command is more along the lines of "always be seeing to it..." We must all be on our guard against being taken captive through philosophy and empty deception. The people in the Colossian church were in danger of being held captive to philosophy (the love of wisdom) and the tradition of men. While both tradition and philosophy can be good things- they alone are not the source of life. Jesus is the source of life. We are all in danger at times of loving "wisdom" and "tradition" apart from Christ. We all must continue to be on guard against this just as the Colossian church was called to be on guard.

Q: What are some areas of your life where you might be in danger of being held captive to the traditions of men or the worlds philosophies apart from Christ? What are some practical steps that you can take to guard against these things?

~2:9-12: In Christ is all the fullness of God! Traditions and philosophies will never satisfy us! Nothing but Jesus will ever fully satisfy. Philosophies and traditions can often lead Christians to have their "spiritual check- lists" that they cling to thinking that by completing those certain things they can keep right standing before God. This is a lie. We are nothing on our own and can never sustain a right standing before the Lord. Only in Christ are we complete and able to stand forgiven and fully acceptable before the Lord. Christ, who has been given all authority by the Father, declares a believer cleansed and pure by His blood through faith. Only His sacrifice makes us pure and declares us right before the Father.

Q: What are you trusting in to be declared righteous before the Lord?

~2:13-15: Christ made us alive! And not only did He make us alive (bringing us from spiritual death to life) but He made us alive TOGETHER with Him. Jesus brings us back to the original relationship the the Lord had with man in the garden before the fall in Genesis! Through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are able to have a pure and intimate relationship with the Lord. We can walk with Him and be near to Him without condemnation. Jesus died to bring us back to the Father (1 Peter 3:18). Let us stop trying to obtain right standing with God on our own. Jesus died so we could have a relationship with Him and the Father! Jesus canceled our debt! Jesus wants us to walk in an intimate relationship with Him through the power He has given to us through His death and resurrection!

Q: Are you walking in an intimate relationship with the Lord? Do you fully realize the lengths that Jesus went through to have a relationship with you? What is holding you back from walking intimately with Him?

~2:16-19: Paul was encouraging the Colossian church not let their own "check list" or the "check list" of others discourage them or keep them held captive. Paul wanted them to enjoy the fullness of intimacy with Jesus and this cannot be obtained through human efforts. Intimacy with Jesus comes through His work on our behalf and us surrendering to Him. Jesus is our great reward! All else compares in comparison to knowing and loving Him.

Q: Have you spent time lately just meditating on the greatness of Jesus and how wonderful it is that He wants a relationship with you?

~2:20-23: Again we see that Paul is warning them against basically becoming Christian Pharisees. So many things we can do have the "appearance" of wisdom but are not rooted in a love for Christ. Paul is basically calling them to examine their lives to see if they are just doing Christian "things" or if they are living lives full of the Lord Jesus. God wants a relationship with us- not people who have a rigid religion.

Q: When you examine your life would you say that you are walking in a relationship with Jesus or do you just have a "religion?"

~3:1: Paul is circling back around to his original statement in 2:8. He wants them to "see to it" that they are not held captive to philosophies and traditions of man and to "see to it" that they seek Christ filled things. Christ is the goal... He is our prize! He is seated with the Father. His purifying work on our behalf is complete and we are now free to enjoy an intimate relationship with Him. Let us enjoy Him!

Q: What does it look like to seek Christ on a daily basis? Are you doing this?

Dear students,
Again, we are so thankful for you all. We love having the opportunity to seek Christ alongside of you. We encourage you this week to spend time meditating on Jesus this week and what great love He has shown you through His death and resurrection. He did this so that you could walk near to Him. We pray that you will enjoy Jesus this week. We love you all!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Colossians 2:1-7: Rooted in Christ

TVCC Students,
We hope that you are all relaxing now that finals are finished! You did it! Great job! We love getting to worship the Lord with you every Wednesday. Last night we spent time in Colossians 2 being reminded of our identity in Christ. Here is a recap...

Colossians 1:13-20: Even though this was part of a previous message, it is crucial for us to go back to this section before moving on. This passage is so rich. It is good for us to remember constantly that life is about Christ. All things were created by Him and for Him. He holds everything together. He gets the glory in everything!

Colossians 2:1-2: Paul lets the church know that he has been struggling on their behalf. Letting them know this was not meant to discourage them but to let the church know how valuable they were to Paul and to Christ. We will fight and struggle for things that are valuable and important. Paul was seeking to encourage them by letting them know that they were valued and loved.

Q: Do you realize that you are so valuable to Christ and to His body? People are striving daily in prayer for you and working hard to make sure that you are led in the truth of the Lord! You are valuable!

2:2-3: While also reminding them that they were valuable, Paul also wanted to encourage them to have full assurance in Christ. He wanted to remind the church that their security was not in themselves and what they could accomplish- it was in Christ. Christ keeps us secure just like He did for them. Our salvation and sanctification do not depend on us but on Christ and what He did on our behalf. He secured for us an eternity with Him through His blood and NOTHING can take that away (Romans 8).

Q: Do you realize that if you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Redeemer that you are forever secure in Him? No matter what may happen in this life, you are HIs. You will be spending eternity in His presence!

2:3: In Christ are hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Again, all good things are in Christ. We are valuable because He is valuable. If we want to grow in eternal wisdom and knowledge, we must pursue Christ. "Wisdom" and "knowledge" that are apart from Christ will never last but if we seek to know Jesus, we will grow in the eternal knowledge and wisdom that are in Him.

Q: Are you seeking to grow in Christ? What does it look like for you to be growing in eternal wisdom and knowledge?

2:4-5: The people in Colosse had been discouraged by people telling them that they had to be good enough to earn Christ's favor. Paul encouraged them that what mattered was the stability of their faith in Christ. We cannot say it enough. Christ sustains us. Yes, we should pursue Him and seek to be disciplined in Him BUT NOT out of fear. We should pursue Christ because we LOVE Him and are thankful for our redemption. Just as in a marriage, service to one another should not come out of fear or duty but should flow from LOVE. The Lord wants us to seek Him because we enjoy our relationship with Him, not because we are fearful of Him leaving. He is staying! Nothing can separate a believer from the Lord!

Q: Do you find yourself doing "Christian" things more out of a sense of fear and duty or out of love? What motivates you to pursue Christ from love?

2:6: Paul encourages them to remember that the process of growing in Christ is just like our salvation- it is dependent on the mercy of God. Just as we received Christ by grace through faith, so we continue to walk by grace through faith! We cannot make ourselves into the image of Christ. We must be coming to Him daily asking for the grace and faith to be made more into His image. The gospel saves us. The gospel sanctifies us! It's all about Jesus!

Q: Do you find yourself trying to muster up fruits of the Spirit within your life without being fully dependent on Christ? Who are you trusting in to grow you.... your works or Jesus?

2:7: Paul uses a great life example to explain what our growth in Christ is like. He wanted the Colossian church to be "rooted" in Christ. Roots are so interesting. When things get difficult (when it gets to hot or too try), the roots of a tree grow deeper into the ground to find strength so that they can face difficult times in the future. The same is true for Christians. In both good times and bad, we should be seeking to be more rooted in Christ. Though this is by His grace, we should be seeking to know more of His character through things like reading the Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship and trust that He will grow us as we do these things. The more time we spend growing our relationship with Him, the more ready we will be for the adversities that life will bring us. Deep roots help us weather the storms of life and will help us live lives of thankful love towards the Lord.

Q: How are you seeking to be rooted in Christ?

Dear Students,
We love getting to see you all growing in Christ. It is our joy to worship with you and see the Lord growing all of us. We pray that you will meditate this week on what Christ has done on your behalf. He is our security. Let us seek to have "deeper" roots in Him by spending time in His presence. We love you and are praying for you!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Announcements:
~Girls gingerbread house making night/sleepover is this Friday night at Haley Dills house. More information here.
~We can use volunteers to help with drop off and pick up of sacks for the food drive we are doing. We could use help today at 4 and on Saturday. Contact Brian to help: 281-733-9362
~Small groups this Sunday will be at our house (the Howards) at 7pm. Our address is 21731 Winsome Rose Court, Cypress.
~After this Sunday night, we will be taking a break from small groups and will resume after the New Year (January 5th)