1. Was there anything confusing, challenging, or encouraging from Colossians 1:1-8?
2. What things do you give thanks to God and/or pray for the most?[1]
3. How is Christ central in Paul’s prayer? How can He be more central in your own prayers?
4. Our cultural understanding of a ‘saint’ is someone who is particularly wholesome or Christlike. However, Scripture refers to believers in Christ as saints (someone who is set apart by God for God) because they have trusted in Christ for salvation. This is a designation you cannot earn. It is given to you. Why is it hard for us to remember and think of ourselves as saints?
5. Paul offers sincere thanks to God for the faith and love he sees in the Colossian Christians. Whose example of faith and love are you thankful for?
6. How can believers grow in seeing themselves as “in Christ”? How does resting in Christ’s work for us empower us to live for Him?
7. Faith, hope and love: In what ways can our hope for heaven motivate both our love and our faith now (v 5)? Which of these three areas of Christian believing and living do you think you are weakest on? Why might that be?^[2]
8. Paul says the Gospel is powerful and effective. He believes that God will continue to powerfully work through His Word to bring salvation and life-change. What areas is it easy for you trust in God’s Word to be powerful and effective? What areas is it less easy?

[1] Mark Meynell, Colossians: Confident Christianity, (THe Good Book Company, 2016), 38. ^[2] Mark Meynell, Colossians & Philemon for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2018), 17.