The Surprising God

This post exegetes Colossians 2:4-23, providing context for the Epistle reading on 7/27/25. the seventh Sunday after Pentecost. Insights are drawn from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Peter T. O’Brien ("New Bible Commentary"). Christ — King of Kings (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction  The church at Colosse is falling prey to false teachers and Paul is deeply concerned and so he writes to  warn about these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Acts 20:29)! In Col 2:4-15, Paul gives warning in the form of an admonition to remember the true gospel and reject the esoteric knowledge offered by the false teachers. All we need is Christ, for the fullness of God dwells in him and that fullness is ours because we are in union with Christ. Then in Col 2:16-23, Paul proclaims Jesus to be the fullness of God and declares that we are full in him. In short, Jesus is all we need—we certainly don’t need the esoteric religious system and knowledge offered ...

This post exegetes Luke chapter 10, providing context for the Gospel reading on 7/13 and 7/20/25. the fifth and sixth Sundays after Pentecost. Insights are drawn from from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and I. Howard Marshall ("New Bible Commentary"). "He Sent Them Out Two-By-Two" by Tissot (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction Luke chapter 10 has three scenes that explore our calling to share actively in who Jesus is and what he does—his living, relating and communing. We’ll see how this sharing was expressed in the lives of Jesus’ first followers and take note of how it may be expressed in and through our lives today. Sharing in Jesus living  Luke 10:1–24 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers int...