Doug Schorle - 11-19-2023 // The Hope Laid Up for You; Colossians 1:1-14

As Paul opens his letter to the church in Colossae, he begins by offering praise and thanksgiving for this local body of believers.  He writes, "We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven..." (Colossians 1:3-5a, LSB).  Their faith and love for the saints flow from the hope laid up for them in heaven.

What does hope mean to the Christian?  Do we understand hope in the wishful sense, as in, "I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow"?  Or is there something deeper?

As we consider our passage today, we will discover that the hope of which the Scriptures speak is at the very core of our being as believers in Jesus Christ.

Thank you for listening to today's teaching.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.