Welcome to week 37 of Weekly Word and a new series in our church-wide Bible reading resource! For the next 9-weeks, we’ll study through the books of Colossians and Romans.
As we walk through our new sermon series (beginning this upcoming Sunday), our weekly readings, devotionals, and reflection questions will ground us in the supreme sufficiency of Jesus and the power of the gospel, so that our lives are transformed by His grace from the inside out.
Below, you’ll find your readings for this week, a short devotional to enjoy at the end of the week, along with reflection questions for your own time with the Lord or group discussion.
Readings:
- Romans 1 & 2
- Colossians 1:1–14
Devotional:
It’s easy to measure our spiritual health by our outward behavior, but Paul reminds us at the start of Romans that every one of us stands in equal need of God’s grace. For us to rightly appreciate the rich, hope-filled inheritance Paul prays for in Colossians 1, we must acknowledge where we would be without Christ. Left to ourselves, our hearts are prone to wander—we trade truth for lies, and we often rely on our own merits and righteousness, though we have none apart from Christ.
Yet the message of the gospel, the good news, changes everything! God’s grace doesn’t meet us when we finally get our lives sorted out; it meets us right in our mess! And by Christ’s righteousness alone, we are made righteous.
With the Holy Spirit’s help, may our hearts and minds understand the depths of our need for this grace, and may we stand in awe and humility, with joy and thanksgiving, at the rescue of Jesus!
Reflection Questions:
- In what areas of your life are you tempted to rely on self-righteousness or performance rather than resting in Christ’s grace?
- How does recognizing the depth of God’s rescue change the way you extend patience and grace toward others this week?
Dig Deeper
Want to dig deeper into the big picture of Romans? To get more context on how the book is structured, specifically chapters 1–4, check out this animated short video from BibleProject that breaks down the main themes!
We are praying for you as you dig into God’s Word this week!