Colossians, Day 3
Rejoicing (Colossians 1:24 – 2:5)
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28 – 29).
In this passage, Paul lets his readers know why he suffers so much for the cause of Christ. He is not doing it to gain recognition or to show others how “spiritual” he is. Paul’s desire is that Christians everywhere do what they can to lead others to the Lord, but that is not all. Telling others about what Jesus has done for them is extremely important, but that is just the beginning. Paul is not just thinking about the present — he is also thinking about the future, when we pass on from this life to the next, and when we will finally meet our Lord and Savior face-to-face. Paul desires all Christians to be mature Christians!
How does that happen? How does a Christian go from being a new believer to someone who is mature? Well, it takes time for one thing. Mature Christians take time to grow. It does not happen overnight. Here are some daily “exercises” for Christians who want to mature:
1. Go to church and spend time with other believers who also desire to grow. There have been periods in my life when I have exercised and periods when I have not. I have discovered that if I plan to exercise with someone else who desires to exercise, then I am much more likely to follow through and go to the gym. If I try to go it alone, I will start out strong, but it is not long before I find an excuse to not go and I stop growing physically. Soon afterward, all of the progress that I have made is gone. Growing Christians stay together.
2. Read your Bible and spend time with the Lord every day. There are several ways to do this, but the best way is the way that works best for you. It may be spending time with God in the morning before you get ready for the day. It may be in the evening before going to sleep so your last thoughts are on God’s Word and reflecting on who He is. When I was younger, I had a motorcycle and I rode that thing everywhere I went. Because I did not have a radio, I would spend my riding time just praying to God. I would even go on prayer walks in the middle of the night on a quiet dirt road with nothing but me and the stars. Daniel in the Bible spent time with God at least 3 specific times throughout the day (Daniel 6:10 – 13). For reading God’s Word regularly, there are several reading plans on BibleGateway.com and on the YouVersion Bible App for your phone. Find what works for you and do it.
3. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” After spending time with God’s people and in His Word, do what it says. Knowledge is good to have but putting it into practice is what is necessary for us as believers. Do you know anybody who knows what God’s Word says but does not do it? Don’t be that person.
4. Share your faith with others. Tell people you know about what God has done for you and for them. This is probably the hardest and scariest thing for a Christian to do, but it is also commanded by God in Matthew 28:19. Aren’t you glad that someone cared enough about you to tell you about Jesus? Now, go do the same with someone else!
Again, I encourage you to exercise daily and grow into a mature Christian. Don’t settle for anything less. Mature Christians rejoice!
Pastor David Guenin