Colossians

Imagine this experience: Much to your surprise, rumors are flying around your workplace about your boss. The rumors keep growing and seem to be taking on a life of their own. Over time, you decide the rumors must be true, and you begin to lose confidence in your boss. He's not who you thought he was. In fact, you start to wonder if you should even work for him anymore. Perhaps you should try to get a job with his competitor. Then you get an email from someone who knows your boss really well. He insists the rumors aren't true and tells you great things you'd never known before about this man. It turns out he's more amazing than you'd ever imagined. Other people you respect start affirming the same thing. You're totally relieved and very grateful. You're certainly not going to leave your job, because you trust your boss more than ever before. In fact, you're all in!That modern-day scenario parallels what was happening in the first century in a city called Colosse. Rumors were flying around about Christianity and even about Christ Himself. Was He really who they thought He was? Had they been led astray? Should they keep following Him, or should they embrace a new religion that mixed Christianity, Judaism and a spiritual philosophy called Gnosticism? Lots of religious-seeming people were giving them doubts and making them wonder what to do. In the midst of that confusion, a man named Paul-the best known spiritual leader of their day-wrote them a letter. They'd never even met him, but they certainly knew all about him. In his letter, Paul told the Colossians more about Jesus Christ than they had ever understood. His descriptions of Jesus were dumbfounding, remarkable, breath-taking, inspiring. Not only was this Living Christ amazing, He offered them a whole new life-a life they could live with all the glorious power of Christ! Surely they would be all in, wouldn't they?