Don’t Miss ______.

The letter to the Colossians opens in a steady and encouraging way. Paul is not writing to a church in crisis. He is not addressing scandal or collapse. He is writing to believers who are faithful, growing, and bearing fruit.

And yet he writes.

That alone tells us something important. You can be faithful. You can be growing. You can be doing well and still be in danger of missing something if you are not paying attention.

The Setting Matters

Paul introduces himself in Colossians 1:1 as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. His authority does not come from popularity or position. It comes from Jesus.

What makes this even more powerful is where the letter is written from. Paul writes Colossians from prison. He is not there because of failure. He is there because he refused to stop preaching that Jesus is Lord.

Prison does not silence him.

He continues to pray. He continues to teach. He continues to shepherd the church from a distance.

One of the first lessons we see in this letter is simple but strong. Do not miss your assignment.

Hard seasons do not cancel calling. The presence of pressure does not mean you stop doing what God asked you to do.

A Healthy Church Still Needs Warning

The church in Colossae was faithful. Paul says the gospel was bearing fruit and increasing among them in Colossians 1:6. The message of Jesus was working in their lives.

But they were surrounded by cultural influences that were slowly attempting to reshape what faith should look like. There were voices encouraging additions to the gospel. There was subtle pressure to drift.

So Paul writes what feels both protective and corrective.

He is not rebuking them harshly. He is helping them see clearly. He is saying you are walking well, just make sure you do not drift.

That message still applies today.

Don’t Miss Prayer

Paul’s response to cultural pressure is not strategy first. It is prayer.

In Colossians 1:3 he says we always thank God when we pray for you. Thanksgiving comes first. That posture matters.

Philippians 4:6 and 7 reinforces this truth

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is not a weekly rhythm. It is meant to be a daily encounter with God.

It is not always easy. You will not always feel like doing it. Time will not always feel available. That is why Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing.

Prayer keeps us aligned. It keeps our thinking clear. It keeps our hearts anchored when culture gets loud.

If you cease praying, you begin drifting.

Don’t Miss Your Calling

In Colossians 1:12 Paul reminds believers that the Father has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Qualified for what

Not simply success. Not comfort. Not personal advancement.

We are qualified to live out and proclaim the gospel.

Later in the chapter Paul writes in Colossians 1:22 and 23

He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard.

There is assurance in this passage. You are reconciled. You are called holy. You are presented blameless because of Christ.

There is also responsibility. You must remain rooted. You must continue in the faith. You must not shift from the hope of the gospel.

Our calling is not simply to build a life that looks successful. It is to present the gospel through how we live. That includes ordinary moments, quiet conversations, and daily decisions.

If you are wondering about direction in your life, ask whether this opportunity helps you reflect Christ. Ask whether it allows the gospel to be visible through your life.

Fruit grows where the gospel remains central.

Don’t Miss It

Don’t Miss It

Paul’s message throughout this chapter is steady.

Do not miss your assignment.
Do not miss prayer.
Do not miss your calling.

The gospel is still bearing fruit. God is still at work. The question is whether we will remain anchored in what matters most.

Colossians 1 is not a letter of panic. It is a letter of protection. It reminds us that even a faithful church must stay attentive.

You can be growing and still drift.

Stay rooted. Pray consistently. Live the gospel daily.

Do not miss it.