Growth

Our Gospel Realizations: Devastation and Delight

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21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him… Colossians 1:21-22

For those who have received Jesus as Lord two states of mind are held in the same hand.

Once we were alienated from God, hostile in our thinking, and doing evil. That’s devastating!

But now through the very body of Jesus Christ and His crucifixion,

we are presented before Him, the King of Creation,

as reconciled to God, holy, blameless, and above accusation. That’s delightful!

Our motivations are to be progressively shaped by the truth and grace of the Gospel. God wants us to set aside the controlling condemnation that accompanies guilt, shame, and fear in order to live a life in the company of Jesus.

Self-righteousness self-justifies to convince us that we are doing pretty good on our own without God and of course that we are doing better than those “other” people. When this illusion is threatened we become caustic, prickly, and accusatory. Jesus’ righteousness ushers us into a confession of our common condition in sin’s brokenness and into a warm strong humility crafted by His love. Only Jesus’ Gospel-grace can keep devastation and delight together and create abundant life.

A view that will blow your mind.

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15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Colossians 1:15-18

Scholars are not sure exactly what kind of “heresy” was shaking up the church in Colossea. The teaching they encountered put in doubt the sufficiency of Christ Jesus for their salvation and lives. They were knocking Jesus off His throne. Rather than attack the teaching, Paul seeks to expand their vision of Jesus. It’s a view that will blow your mind.

Jesus, the beloved Son of God, is the King of Creation.

He is the image of the invisible God.

He is the firstborn of all creation, having preeminence over all things, and powers.

He is the creator of all things; of they have their origin through Him and for Him.

He is before all things.

He is the glue that holds all things together.

When I walk through the UBC campus, I delight in this knowledge: here is a place dedicated to the study of all that Jesus has made and what we have done with it, and what we could do with it. That may not be your default position. It may not have been the Colossians’ default position. But it is the reset they needed in order to fulfill their purpose as His people. For all of creation, and we are part of it, has its purpose inseparably rooted in the person of Jesus Christ.

When You Want to Give Up: Gospel Grit

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Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

Do you ever wonder if doing good is worth it? Do you ever start comparing yourself to others? Are you tempted to take a shortcut to the success you desire? Are you wanting to give up? Has a disappointment cast a shadow of your ideals? Are you intimidated by the threats of those who want you to cut corners? Do you lose hope when those without scruples succeed? Do you wonder if following Jesus is worth it?

The Gospel provokes determination and persistence. Every morning for years as my father reached for his suit, he reached past these words printed on a small piece of paper and posted on the inside frame of his closet. He lived the grit of the Gospel.

LET US NOT BECOME WEARY
IN DOING GOOD,
FOR AT THE PROPER TIME
WE WILL REAP A HARVEST
IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.
GALATIANS 6:9

These are words of faith, hope, and love. These are the words of the hardworking person whose future has been claimed by Jesus. These are the words of the grace-filled follower of Jesus who is determined to be the neighbour. These are the words of God.

You can claim them as your own.

Prayer Templates from the Bible

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9And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  Colossians 1:9-12

Ever wonder what to pray when you intercede for a another follower of Jesus. Use the prayers of Paul as a template and write out a prayer. Pray it for a few days and then share it with them.
Dear _________,

From the day I heard about your life of faith, hope, and love in Jesus Christ, I have been praying for you. It goes something like this:

Our Heavenly Father, please fill ____________ with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so ______________ can walk in a manner worthy of Jesus, fully pleasing him, and bearing fruit in every good work, and all the while increasing in the knowledge of you.  Strengthen _________ with all power according to your glorious might, so ___________ will have joyful endurance and patience. May your Spirit stir up gratitude in ___________ toward our Heavenly Father who has qualified ___________ to share in the glorious inheritance of the followers of Jesus.

I’m so thankful for what you have done in ___________ life!

AMEN.

Three Virtues Nurtured in the Fellowship of the King

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3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.  Colossians 1:3-7

Often when the Apostle Paul uses the terms faith, hope, and love, he is using small words to gather up large amounts of information and cast a vision for the character of God’s people. Saved by grace we now are participatory creatures in God’s Kingdom and our growth. God wants us to become people of faith, hope, and love on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
Here are some questions to consider.

Faith: Who are you trusting?
Who do you know?
Who are you into?

Hope: What vision pulls you forward?
What promises create expectation?
What are you looking forward to?

Love: How are you adjusting your life to serve, honour,
and celebrate God and people?

Growth in faith, hope, and love is not automatic, nor is it quick and easy. Faith, hope, and love are not categories that can be divorced from Christ Jesus to serve as self-righteous forms of salvation and personal improvement. Christian faith has its object and the “object” is Jesus Christ our Lord. The Church is the fellowship of the King and we are nurturing and noticing Gospel-shaped growth as people of faith, hope, and love.