Rooted in Christ, Bearing Fruit: A Word to the Church from Colossians 1:1–14

Rooted in Christ

In the opening verses of Colossians, the Apostle Paul writes with deep gratitude and spiritual urgency. His prayer for the believers at Colossae—to be filled with wisdom, strengthened in endurance, and rooted in hope—echoes across centuries. These words are not only encouragement to an ancient congregation, but a powerful reminder to us today of who we are as the Church and what God continues to do in and through us.

In a world filled with uncertainty, division, and fatigue, Colossians 1:1–14 reminds us that the Church is called to live boldly, love deeply, and bear fruit that lasts.

Hope That Gives Life to Faith and Love

Paul celebrates the faith of the Colossians and the love they have for one another—love that springs from the hope stored up in heaven. This is no ordinary hope. It’s not wishful thinking or empty optimism. It’s a steady confidence in the promises of God.

The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary notes how faith, hope, and love form the foundation of Christian life. When hope is rooted in Christ, it nourishes faith and overflows into love for others.¹ This is the kind of vibrant hope that shapes communities like ours—where care for one another runs deep, and compassion extends beyond the walls of the church.

Are we letting our shared hope guide how we treat others? Are we loving because we trust the promises of God?

The Gospel Still Grows

Paul is filled with awe that the gospel is “bearing fruit and growing in the whole world.” That same gospel continues to move today—across borders, generations, and barriers. Whether through ministries like food pantries, Vacation Bible School, or hospital visits, the message of Christ finds ways to take root and flourish.

John Wesley, whose theology undergirds the United Methodist tradition, saw this fruit-bearing growth not just in terms of numbers, but in transformed lives. As the Wesley One Volume Commentary reminds us, true discipleship leads to sanctification—a growing likeness to Christ through the grace of God.²

How is the gospel growing in and around us? Are we planting seeds that will bear spiritual fruit?

Praying for Wisdom and Strength

One of the most beautiful parts of Paul’s letter is his prayer that the Colossians would be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” In a world that often prizes quick answers and easy solutions, this prayer invites the Church to pause, listen, and seek God’s direction.

Bishop Rueben P. Job’s Three Simple Rules gives us a modern framework for this wisdom: “Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.”³ These simple principles are grounded in spiritual discernment—an openness to God’s leading in everyday life.

Are we listening for God’s wisdom in our decisions? Are we asking God to show us how to love and serve well?

Vitality Through Sanctified Disruption

Dr. Ashley Boggan, in her compelling book Wesleyan Vile-tality, pushes us to think differently about what it means for the Church to be “vital.” Real vitality, she says, doesn’t come from nostalgia or institutional maintenance. It comes from sanctified disruption—the Spirit-led willingness to confront injustice, welcome the outsider, and embrace transformation.⁴

This aligns powerfully with Paul’s prayer in Colossians. To live “worthy of the Lord” isn’t a call to comfort—it’s a call to courage. It means being strengthened not for preservation, but for mission. As Boggan puts it, “The Church is not called to stability. The Church is called to sanctified disruption.”⁵

Are we open to the Spirit’s disruption in our lives and in our church? Are we willing to follow Jesus into places that stretch us and stir change?

Carried from Darkness Into Light

Paul ends this section with a reminder of who we are: people who have been rescued from darkness and brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is the foundation of everything we do. We are not who we used to be. We are redeemed. We belong.

And because we belong to Christ, we are called to shine His light. The Church becomes a beacon—not because of its size or programs, but because it reflects God’s grace to a world in need.

How is our church helping others move from darkness into light? Are we showing people what it means to live as those who have been set free?

Walking Worthy Today

Colossians 1:1–14 is more than a greeting. It’s a vision. A prayer. A challenge. As a congregation, we are called to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord—bearing fruit, growing in knowledge, and leaning into the Spirit’s work within and beyond us.

With faith rooted in Christ, love flowing outward, and hope guiding the way, we become a church that is not only alive—but vital.

Resources and Further Reading

• Boggan, Ashley. Wesleyan Vile-tality: Discipleship for the 21st Century Church. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2023.

• Collins, Kenneth J., and Robert W. Wall, eds. Wesley One Volume Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2020.

• The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. XI. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.

• Job, Rueben P. Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.

• NRSV Updated Edition (NRSVUE)