Rooted in the Gospel

I opened with a simple confession: buying kale doesn’t make me healthy if I’m still rooted in late-night cravings. Whatever you’re rooted in will shape you. That’s true of our lives and it’s true of a church. Colossians 1:1–8 shows a church that’s healthy because it is rooted in the gospel. Paul gives us three marks: grounded in the gospel, growing in the gospel, and governed by the gospel.

Grounded in the gospel means direction comes from God’s call, not our preferences. Paul begins “by the will of God,” reminding us that when God isn’t setting the course, something else will. It also means living from our gospel identity. Paul calls ordinary believers “saints,” not because they’ve arrived, but because they’re in Christ. Identity drives behavior. We don’t change to become new; we change because in Christ we already are new. And Paul’s greeting—“grace and peace”—tells us the atmosphere of a healthy church: grace received, then peace enjoyed. When grace is forgotten, control and anxiety rush in; when grace is believed, peace steadies us.

Growing in the gospel looks like faith in Jesus and love for all the saints, fueled by hope laid up in heaven. Paul is thankful, not frantic, because true growth produces praise, not pressure. The gospel is “bearing fruit and increasing” wherever it’s planted. Our job is faithfulness—planting and watering—while God gives the growth. We don’t need a new technique; we need deeper roots in the same good news we first heard and believed.

Governed by the gospel means leadership and community life are shaped by the Spirit, not by hurry or hype. Paul points to Epaphras—a faithful servant, not a celebrity—and to “your love in the Spirit.” Faithful leadership serves people rather than managing outcomes. Spirit-produced love becomes the atmosphere, not a tactic. We don’t stuff socks in people’s shoes to make them look taller; we trust God’s timing and protect what He’s forming.

So here’s the invitation: check your roots. Come back to grace. Live from who you are in Christ. As a church, let’s choose faithfulness over speed, peace over pressure, and trust the Spirit to do the deep work only He can do.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Live from your gospel identity Identity is not a reward for performance; it’s the soil growth rises from. In Christ you are already set apart, already adopted, already new. When you believe that, striving shifts into steady obedience. Behavior finally has a foundation strong enough to carry it.
• 2. Follow calling, not personal control Paul’s “by the will of God” frees us from building a life God never asked us to carry. Control masquerades as care but quietly breeds anxiety and exhaustion. Calling gives limits and clarity—what to do and just as importantly, what to release. Peace grows when obedience, not outcomes, becomes the measure.
• 3. Let grace produce durable peace Grace always comes before peace because pardon must come before calm. When grace is assumed, we start managing image and results; when grace is treasured, we can wait, repent, and rest. Peace is not the absence of pressure but the presence of a settled relationship with God. That security steadies a church in uncertain seasons.
• 4. Trust God for slow, real growth Gospel fruit doesn’t need hype; it needs depth. Faith keeps leaning on Jesus; love keeps moving toward imperfect people; hope keeps us patient when change is invisible. God gives the growth—our task is to be faithful with planting, watering, and waiting. Praise replaces pressure when we remember who’s actually producing the fruit.
• 5. Lead with faithfulness over flash Epaphras isn’t impressive; he’s faithful—and that’s the point. Gospel-shaped leadership serves “on your behalf,” protecting people from hurry and trusting the Spirit’s pace. When leaders prioritize presence and clarity over speed and spotlight, love becomes the culture. That kind of leadership lasts longer than momentum and builds deeper than metrics.

1. In verses 1–2 Paul uses three phrases about identity and origin: “an apostle… by the will of God,” “Timothy our brother,” and “to the saints… in Christ.” Which words or phrases stand out about where authority and identity come from?
2. Verse 2 is greeted “Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” What does Paul put first, and what does the passage connect that first thing (grace) to afterward (peace)?
3. Verses 3–6 list three visible signs the gospel is working among the Colossians (faith, love, hope) and then say the gospel is “bearing fruit and increasing.” Where in the passage does Paul connect those signs to the gospel itself, and how does he describe the timing of that growth?
4. Verses 7–8 name a person (Epaphras) and describe “your love in the Spirit.” What two qualities are used to describe Epaphras and what does Paul indicate is the Spirit’s role in the church’s love?

1. What does Paul mean by introducing his apostleship “by the will of God” (v.1), and how would that change the way a church or an individual names its direction and decisions?
2. Paul calls the Colossians “saints… in Christ” rather than describing their behaviors. What does this ordering suggest about identity versus performance, and what confusion might arise if a church reverses that order?
3. When Paul says the gospel “is bearing fruit and increasing” (v.6), whose responsibility and whose work does he portray in the growth process? How should that shape a church’s attitude toward results and methods?
4. Paul links leadership and spiritual life to a faithful person (Epaphras) and to “love in the Spirit.” What does that suggest about the kind of leadership and the source of unity a church needs?

1. Identity: In what area of life (work, family, spouse, past mistakes, status) are you acting like you need to earn approval rather than living from “in Christ”? Name one specific behavior you will change this week to act out of your gospel identity (for example: replace a self-criticism pattern with a short truth you’ll say each morning).
2. Calling vs. control: Identify one responsibility or project you are carrying that feels like it came from your preference, fear, or people-pleasing rather than God’s call. What is one concrete step you will take this week to test and either release or align that responsibility with God’s will (e.g., ask a trusted friend to help discern, pause a next step, pray a focused prayer)?
3. Grace before peace: When have you found yourself managing image, outcomes, or performance instead of trusting grace? Name a recent situation and one practical action you will take this week to choose grace first (for example: confess to someone, stop a defensive response, or pray for God’s peace before acting).
4. Planting, watering, waiting: Think of one person or one ministry you want to see grow spiritually. What planting or watering step can you commit to in the next 14 days (e.g., invite them to a meal, start a weekly short Bible reading together, send an encouraging note), and how will you intentionally practice patience while God gives the growth?
5. Leadership and faithfulness: If you are in a leadership role (formal or informal), name one habit that looks like “flash” rather than faithfulness (seeking quick wins, public metrics, constant novelty). What specific change will you make in the next month to prioritize presence and steady faithfulness instead (for example: reduce one public initiative, schedule regular pastoral conversations, or keep a private spiritual accountability check)?
6. Love in the Spirit: Identify one person inside the church family whom you find hard to love consistently. What is one small, concrete action you can take this week to show Spirit-produced love toward them (a short phone call, a thoughtful question, an act of service), and what prayer will you pray before doing it?
7. Re-rooting: If you sense you need to re-root your life in the gospel, what is one personal step you will take this week to begin that re-rooting (examples: memorize or meditate on Romans 6:11 or Philippians 1:6, attend a prayer time, meet with a leader for prayer)? Share that step with the group or one accountability partner.