Kress Biblical Resources :: Instruction: Completeness in Christ Starts with Understanding the Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ (Col 1:15-2:5)

Detailed Outline of Colossians

Completeness in Christ Guards Against the Counterfeits of Mysticism, Legalism, and Traditionalism

3. Instruction: Completeness in Christ starts with understanding the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ (Col 1:15-25; Col 2:1-5)
   1. The supremacy and sufficiency of Christ’s Person and work (Col 1:15-23)
      1. The supremacy and sufficiency of Christ’s Person (Col 1:15-18)
         1. He is the visible manifestation of the invisible God (Col 1:15a)
         2. He holds the ownership rights over all creation (Col 1:15b-16)
            1. He is pre-eminent over all creation (Col 1:15b)
            2. He created all things (Col 1:16)
               1. In the heavens and on earth
               2. Visible and invisible
               3. Thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities
            3. He is the One for whom all things have been created (Col 1:16c)
         3. He is eternal, and sovereign over the universe (Col 1:17a)
            1. His eternality
            2. His sovereignty over the universe
         4. He is the sovereign Lord of the Church—so that He might come to have first place in everything (Col 1:18)
            1. He is the head of the body, the church (Col 1:18a)
            2. He is the beginning and pre-eminent One of the resurrection (Col 1:18b)
               1. He is the beginning
               2. He is the pre-eminent One of the resurrection
               3. He is to have the highest rank in everything
      2. The supremacy and sufficiency of Christ’s redemptive work (Col 1:19-23)
         1. God’s perspective of Christ’s redemptive work (Col 1:19-20)
            1. God was pleased to become incarnate in His Son (Col 1:19)
               1. A sovereign choice of “good pleasure”
               2. The fullness
               3. To dwell in Him
            2. God was reconciling all things to Himself in Christ (Col 1:20)
               1. Separation: Reconciliation
               2. Enmity/Wrath: Peace
               3. Atonement/propitiation: The blood of His cross
         2. The believer’s/Colossians’ perspective of Christ’s redemptive work (Col 1:21-23)
            1. Your standing before coming to Christ (Col 1:21)
               1. Alienated
               2. Hostile in mind
               3. Engaged in evil deeds
            2. Your reconciliation in Christ (Col 1:22)
               1. The substitution
               2. The purpose
            3. Your responsibility until the coming of Christ (Col 1:23)
   2. The supremacy and sufficiency of Christ in Paul’s ministry (Col 1:23c-29; Col 2:1-5)
      1. Paul’s ministry to the church in general (Col 1:23c-29)
         1. It was a ministry of salvation/good news in Christ (Col 1:23c)
         2. It was a ministry of joyful suffering for Christ and His church (Col 1:24)
         3. It was a ministry of service to Christ and His church (Col 1:25a)
         4. It was a ministry of revelation of the glory of Christ and the mystery of His church (Col 1:25b-27)
            1. The Word of God and the mystery hidden from past generations (Col 1:25b-26a)
            2. The sovereign revelation of that mystery (Col 1:26b-27)
            3. The riches of the glory of this mystery (Col 1:27b)
         5. It was a ministry of proclaiming Christ, and discipling His church (Col 1:28-29)
            1. The message of Paul’s ministry: Christ (Col 1:28a)
            2. The methods of Paul’s ministry: Admonishing and teaching concerning Christ (Col 1:28b)
            3. The purpose [motive] of Paul’s ministry: Worship through presenting men complete in Christ (Col 1:28c)
            4. The power [might] of Paul’s ministry: Christ’s power energizing Paul’s intense labor (Col 1:29)
      2. Paul’s ministry to the local church [Colossae and Laodicea] specifically (Col 2:1-5)
         1. It was a ministry of deep concern for the people of Christ (Col 2:1-2)
            1. The concern revealed (Col 2:1a)
            2. The reason for the concern (Col 2:1b-4)
         2. It was a ministry of prayer and teaching the sufficiency of Christ (Col 2:2-3)
            1. The sufficiency of Christ brings comfort/encouragement
            2. The sufficiency of Christ brings unity in love
            3. The sufficiency of Christ brings the experience of full assurance
            4. The sufficiency of Christ is bound to the true knowledge of Christ
            5. The sufficiency of Christ means, in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found (Col 2:3)
         3. It was a ministry of warning against error and errorists who denied the sufficiency of Christ (Col 2:4)
         4. It was a ministry of joyous fellowship because of the Colossians’ faith in Christ (Col 2:5)