Mailbag: Colossians

What Does God Look Like?

Last Sunday, we explored Paul’s letter to the Colossian Christians living in the first century. In this letter, he shares the single most important truth in the world: The Son [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.(Colossians 1:15)

God is nothing like the angry, vengeful, petty stereotype portrayed in religion. God looks like Jesus! When we see the love, grace, and compassion Jesus brought to earth, we are looking at the very character of God.

This means the more we get to know Jesus, the closer we grow to our creator. He is the perfect portrait of God’s divine love and the absolute center of our faith.

—

Check out Sunday’s message above, then, continue the conversation with the reading plan and resources below.

This week, we’re reading Paul’s entire letter to the Colossians together. You might follow the plan below or simply read it through multiple times this week.

  • Monday: Colossians 1:1-29

  • Tuesday: Colossians 2:1-15

  • Wednesday: Colossians 2:16-23

  • Thursday: Colossians 3:1-11

  • Friday: Colossians 3:12-4:1

  • Saturday: Colossians 4:2-18

Check out the resources used in this week’s teaching, as well as books you can explore if you’d like to dive deeper into our conversation.

  • Colossians: One Jesus, One People, by Jay Y. Kim

  • Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters, by N.T Wright 

  • Colossians Remixed, by Brian J. Walsh & Sylvia C. Keesmaat

  • Colossians & Philemon, by N.T. Wright 

  • NIV Application Commentary Colossians & Philemon, by David E. Garland

  • Believers Church Bible Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, by Elmer A. Martens

  • Apostle of the Crucified Lord, by Michael J. Gorman* 

  • Paul And First-Century Letter Writing, by E. Randolph Richards* 

  • Paul: A Biography, by N.T. Wright* 

    *Used in all of the Mailbag series teachings

Also, check out this full video course on Colossians from the Bible Project. 

  1. When you look back over your life, what has your picture of God looked like?

  2. What experiences or people have shaped your image of God—for better or for worse?

  3. Why do you think many churches worship an idea of God that doesn’t look like Jesus?

  4. When you explore the story of Jesus’ life and teaching, what have you learned about God?

  5. When we live like Jesus, we show people who God is. What does that look like for you this year?