Sabbath School Lesson for February 28-March 6, 2026
Introduction of Lesson 10, Complete in Christ
Memory Text: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” Colossians 2:16, 17 NKJV
Paul tenderly began his letter to the Colossians with an appeal for them to remain united in Christ. His desire was for them to grow up as mature followers of God, not listening to false teachings that would lead them astray.
The second chapter of Colossians elaborated on how knowing and trusting Christ would make it possible for them to escape false teachers, and instead focus on growing their faith and love for God and each other. This would make them complete and mature Christians, knowing the word of God enough to be able to recognize falsehoods when they came.
Paul warned them that certain Jews would unnecessarily try to require them to obey all the ordinances that pointed to the Messiah. Such things as circumcision, ritual cleansings, and ceremonial sabbaths had been made even more burdensome by the rabbis over the centuries. The temple curtain was torn from top to bottom immediately after the death of Jesus, which indicated that the animal sacrifices and many of the rituals were no longer needed. Christ’s death made it possible for them to be complete in Christ without them.
- Sunday: The Wisdom and Knowledge of God
- Monday: Rooted and Growing in Christ
- Tuesday: Nailed to the Cross
- Wednesday: Shadow or Substance?
- Thursday: Commandments of Men
Sunday: The Wisdom and Knowledge of God
Paul did not hesitate to point the Colossians to Christ as the source of all wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2, 3). They would be wise to get to know Jesus, their Lord and Savior. The mysteries of God can be deciphered best by understanding the plan of salvation which comes from God.
Having a solid foundational knowledge of the Scriptures would fortify their minds against any false teaching that might reach their ears. Paul commended them also on their steadfast faith and good order (Colossians 2:5). This order most likely meant proper decorum in conducting worship services, which included choosing elders and deacons to help preserve such order.
Paul compared the Colossians to the Laodiceans though (a lukewarm church that had its counterpart in God’s last remnant church in Revelation). He may have been concerned that their love for God would also grow lukewarm, if they failed to continue their search for truth. He longed that they have enough faith to withstand the attractions of the world that would lead to a lukewarm, watered-down spirituality.
Verses and questions:
Colossians 2:1-7
- What do you sense were some of the concerns Paul had for the Colossians, a church he had never visited in person?
Monday: Rooted and Growing in Christ
We are not left without instruction from Paul as to how we are to stay united and free from false teachings in the church. Colossians 2:6-10 describes:
- “rooting”/justification–how we receive Christ by faith, asking forgiveness and surrendering our lives to Him
- “growing”/sanctification–how we walk as He walked, striving to know and be more like Him each day
Similar to the situation in Colossae, there have been false teachers all through Christian church history who have promoted human philosophies and traditions, as opposed to the simple “thus saith the Lord” commands that are in God’s moral law. Church authority should never circumvent God’s authority, especially as found in His holy Ten Commandments, which was written with His own finger, making them permanent and binding for all humanity.
Let’s therefore remember that God’s Written Word (the Bible) must not be separated from the Living Word (Jesus Christ). Being rooted in God’s authoritative word will help us be growing, thriving believers of God, without the many yokes of bondage Satan puts on us.
Verses and questions:
Colossians 2:6-10
- What does it mean to be complete in Him (Christ)?
- How is this completeness achieved and what happens when we are not complete?
Isaiah 61:3 and Matthew 3:10
- What makes plant metaphors (such as Jesus’ parable about sowing seeds) good symbols of believers?
Tuesday: Nailed to the Cross
Many have mistakenly used Colossians 2:14 as evidence that Sabbath observance is no longer required. Although some have interpreted the “handwriting” that was nailed to the cross as the sins, or charges, that are against us (similar to Pilate’s writing of Jesus’ charge that was nailed to His cross), there is reason to believe it was something else, or at least something more.
Read in context with other verses in Colossians, the “handwriting” referred to is most likely the ceremonial laws and sabbath festivals that pointed to the coming Messiah. This included circumcision and other purity requirements that many Jews thought were necessary for Gentile Christian converts.
However, Paul supported the decision reached by a leadership council several years before in Jerusalem (Acts 15), which no longer required the observance of former Jewish ceremonial laws established by Moses. Paul, living among Gentile converts, was fully aware of the burden these had become for new Christians, and was glad they were no longer needed, even though some Jews were still promoting them.
Verses and questions:
Colossians 2:11-15
- What were the issues that concerned Paul and why were they thought to be what he was referring to as the “handwriting of requirements that was against us” in verse 14?
Wednesday: Shadow or Substance?
We aren’t supposed to judge others by their worship practices, according to Paul (Colossians 2:16). If Jews wished to continue all their previous rituals, they were free to do so. But they shouldn’t demand their Gentile brothers and sisters do the same. Things became divisive for the early Christians when Jewish “shadows” of things to come were made a requirement for all believers.
“Shadows of things to come”, as Paul referred to these symbolic ceremonies, were not nearly as important as having and knowing Christ, the “substance” of their faith (Colossians 2:17). Many ceremonial days, festivals, and rituals pointed forward to the Messiah, and weren’t necessary after His work on earth was complete.
This, however, wasn’t the case for the seventh-day Sabbath, which originated in the Garden of Eden. The Sabbath was not the same as the “sabbaths” that Paul mentioned in verse 16. Instead, the weekly seventh-day was given to mankind to remind us of God’s creative and eternal power. It’s a day many believe we’ll observe even when we get to heaven (Isaiah 66:23).
Verses and questions:
Colossians 2:16, 17
- Why did Paul believe some of the Jewish practices weren’t necessary for new Gentile converts?
- When did Christ become the “substance” and not the “shadow”?
Colossians 2:18, 19
- How are false humility and pride related, and which do you think is more dangerous?
- How and why should we hold fast to the Head of the church? What does “holding fast” mean?
Thursday: Commandments of Men
When faced with the dilemma of whether to worship a certain way or in a certain place, we must remember that these concerns are temporal, worldly things that won’t last for eternity. They shouldn’t be our main focus, and in some cases, our focus at all.
Instead of being watchful of commandments required by men, let’s make sure we are not neglecting the things that God has commanded. Things like loving our neighbor, and putting God first in everything we do.
Some things pertaining to Jewish worship merely foreshadowed the reality. The function of these regulations now is no longer needed, and we can safely do without them. The temple curtain being torn in two, from top to bottom (indicating it was done supernaturally by God), confirms the temporary nature of many of the symbolic rituals performed there.
Jesus supported Sabbath worship on the seventh-day (He was in the synagogue every week, and even rested in the grave over the sacred hours of the Sabbath). Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were also institutions that He approved while on earth.
Verses and questions:
Colossians 2:20-23
- How do these unnecessary regulations lead to false humility?
- How is false humility the same as pride, making it necessary for Paul to mention it again?
Friday: Final Thoughts
It’s been said that the conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime. It’s important for us to complete our journey with God and not get discouraged along the way. We must learn all we can about the salvation His Son made possible, and allow the Holy Spirit to change us to become more like our Lord. It’s a slow process, but we must remain faithful and true to our calling every day for the rest of our lives.
Paul was delighted that his friend Epaphras had shared his faith with his friends back in Colossae. He was at the same time concerned enough about them to encourage them to continue their relationship with the Lord, and not be distracted by the enticements of false teachers. If they stayed the course by continuing to learn about Christ, they would be complete in Him–fully forgiven and fully transformed.
The antidote against false teachings is to know God–not just know about Him, but to know Him as a friend. Having the Bible, God’s written word, and Jesus, the living Word, are both helpful in making us complete Christians.
Next Week: Complete in Christ
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