HCCWG | 02.08.26 | Bryan Vincent | Faith, Hope and Love

A direct challenge opens the gathering: Is Jesus first in life? From that question flows a sustained call to reorder every area of life around Christ. The service launches a series through Colossians titled "All of Life, All for Christ," emphasizing the supremacy and lordship of Jesus—not merely as doctrine but as the organizing reality that reshapes marriage, work, parenting, recreation, and daily habits. Attention is given to authorship and audience: the letter is attributed to Paul (with Timothy), written while Paul was imprisoned, and addressed to ordinary, faithful believers in Colossae. That context underscores the letter’s pastoral urgency—powerful teaching about Christ leads naturally into practical instruction for living under his rule.

The opening passage (Colossians 1:1–8) is read and unpacked under two movements: excitement and gratitude. Excitement arises from the good news that has taken root in Colossae and continues to bear fruit worldwide. Gratitude follows because God’s grace—received in the gospel—produces the spiritual marks of Christian life: faith that trusts the risen Christ, hope secured in heavenly inheritance, and love that reflects Christ’s own self-giving. Each virtue is treated not as abstract doctrine but as lived reality: faith as ongoing trust, hope as a future-oriented confidence grounded in resurrection, and love as concrete compassion expressed in humility and patience.

Clear boundaries are drawn around what the gospel is: not a collection of pious words but the person and work of Jesus—his death for sin, burial, and resurrection—offering forgiveness and new life to those who repent and believe. Epaphras is highlighted as an example: a faithful minister who carried the gospel back to his hometown, planted a church, and discipled others. The gathered assembly is urged to live as people formed by that good news and to share it faithfully with neighbors, friends, and the wider world. The session closes with an invitation to embrace Christ, an encouragement to cultivate gratitude and praise, and a promise that a life rearranged by Christ will bear faith, hope, and love in tangible ways.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. When Jesus is first, everything changes The claim that Jesus is Lord reshapes priorities, habits, and affections. Making Christ first isn’t a sentimental ideal; it requires practical rearrangement—work decisions, entertainment, family rhythms—so that daily choices flow from allegiance to him. When allegiance shifts, identity, purpose, and measure of success are reframed around Christ’s kingdom. [23:23]
• 2. Colossians centers on Christ's lordship The letter aims to fix attention on who Jesus is and what his supremacy means for life. Christ’s lordship answers false teaching by showing that all truth and practice must be judged by him, not by cultural trends or philosophies. Thus theology and ethics are inseparable: right doctrine produces right living. [30:26]
• 3. Gospel produces faith, hope, love The transformative work of the gospel is seen in sustained trust, a future-shaped confidence, and concrete love for others. These virtues are not optional extras but the evidence of genuine gospel reception and growth. They orient every vocation and relationship toward Christlike fruitfulness. [42:28]
• 4. The gospel is Jesus—share it The core of good news is the person and work of Christ; every clear presentation returns to him. Ordinary people—like Epaphras—are sufficient instruments to carry this news into neighborhoods, workplaces, and families. Sharing the gospel is an ordinary, faithful vocation that multiplies life and forms churches. [49:00]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [23:23] - Is Jesus first?
• [24:43] - "I Am Second" testimonies
• [25:27] - Series introduction: Colossians
• [26:12] - Prepare your Bible
• [27:40] - Reading: Colossians 1:1–8
• [29:25] - Opening prayer
• [31:23] - Authorship: Paul and Timothy
• [35:28] - Paul’s imprisonment context
• [38:13] - Excitement to gratitude
• [41:28] - Faith, hope, and love explained
• [49:00] - Gospel defined: Jesus
• [56:13] - Epaphras: faithful witness
• [59:01] - Invitation and closing prayer
• [68:43] - Dismissal and fellowship time

Bible reading
Colossians 1:1–8 (ESV)
*Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.*

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Observation questions

1. According to Colossians 1:4–5, what three qualities does Paul thank God for when he prays for the Colossians, and what is the source of these qualities?
2. How does Paul describe the gospel in verse 6, and what is it doing throughout the world?
3. Who brought the gospel to the Colossians, and how does Paul describe this person in verse 7?
4. The sermon emphasized that the gospel is not just words but power in action [27:04]. What evidence does Paul point to in the Colossians’ lives that shows the gospel is actively working?

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Interpretation questions

1. Why do you think Paul connects faith, hope, and love so closely together in verses 4–5? How do these three qualities depend on each other?
2. Paul says the gospel is “bearing fruit and growing” around the world and among the Colossians. What does “bearing fruit” look like in a person’s life or in a community?
3. The Colossian church was planted by Epaphras, an ordinary believer, not by Paul himself. What does this suggest about how God builds his church and spreads the gospel?
4. Paul writes this letter from prison, yet he begins with thanksgiving and excitement. How does his circumstance affect the way we understand his gratitude and the power of the gospel?

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Application questions

1. When Jesus is first, everything else gets rearranged [25:27]. What is one area of your life (schedule, relationships, spending, entertainment) that might need to be reordered to reflect that Jesus is Lord?
2. Faith, hope, and love are described as the marks of a true follower of Jesus [42:28]. Which of these three comes most naturally to you? Which one do you find most difficult to live out?
3. The gospel is all about Jesus—his death, burial, and resurrection for us [49:00]. When was the last time you shared this good news with someone? Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus this week?
4. Epaphras was a faithful minister who brought the gospel to his hometown [56:13]. How can you faithfully represent Jesus in your own neighborhood, workplace, or family?
5. Paul modeled gratitude to God even in difficult circumstances [40:01]. What is one situation in your life right now where you can choose thankfulness instead of complaint or worry?
6. The Christian life starts with faith but is meant to be marked by love [45:43]. Who has God placed in your life to love practically this week? What would it look like to show them compassion, humility, or patience?
7. The gospel is still changing lives today [56:55]. How has Jesus changed your life? What part of your story could you share with someone who doesn’t know Him?