"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." (Colossians 3:16)
This week, Kevin will help us think about the fact that we connect, and therefore our fellowship expands (grows), as we study God's Word in order to become mature Christians together (belong). We connect through study and belonging to a small group which focuses on study, such as Sabbath School, both equips and gives us opportunity to teach, learn, admonish and build up one another as we apply God's Word to our lives.
"'Why were you searching for me?' he asked. 'Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?'" (Luke 2:49)
Although a boy, Jesus had already made a special connection with his heavenly Father. That connection led him to make his way to the temple courts, where he listened to the teaching and asked questions. He also provided his own insight and answers, much to the amazement of those gathered there. The discussion at the temple court was centered around the Word of God, and Jesus connected with the Father and with those around him through that Word. As he fellowshipped with those in the temple court, studying and discussing Scripture, they connected not only with one another, but also formed a deeper connection with God. That is what the study of the Word accomplishes.
It seems that the theme Expanding Fellowship involves sacrifice -- often extreme.
Hannah and Elkanah sacrificed, and supported a miracle son, to a lifetime service in the house of the Lord. They expanded their fellowship – sharing Samuel as a prophet to the nation of Israel.
Mary and Joseph sacrificed their role as parents to the Christ child when they found him at the Temple, and realized that he was no longer their boy. Yes, he returned and submitted to them – as a servant – but the relationship had changed significantly. They expanded their fellowship by full release of their "boy" to be the Savior of the world.
The Psalmist proclaims, “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation”. We are elsewhere in Scripture advised that giving praise is a sacrifice. How so? When we’re feeling down, it’s an effort to praise Him. And how many are willing to sacrifice a half hour sleep on Sabbath morning to join with “the assembly of the upright in the congregation” to exalt the Lord with the Praise Band? Should we not expand our fellowship with a more sacrifice?
Paul, to the Colossians, lists dozens of virtues that would be impossible for us to attain without sacrifice and the Holy Spirit’s enabling. In the “natural”, and in the world, we are required to swim upstream against a flow of worldly pursuits and godless attitudes that bombard us. Heavy sacrifice indeed!!
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)
The church is full of very unique individuals whose purpose to make up the body of Christ. As the Church we are called to be His hands and feet in the world. Sometimes because of our differences we struggle to get along we struggle to work together. Paul reminds us, that if we are to do the work laid out before us we need to be ready to bear with each other and to forgive each other...just as Christ is willing to bear with and forgave us everyday. We learn how to better do this when we meet together in fellowship and study of God's word. We gain insight and knowledge as we study together, no only from the Scriptures but from each other as well. And when we apply that knowledge to our lives we gain wisdom, which is all based on God's word. None of us are perfect but we all have a common goal and in order to achieve that goal forgiveness, grace and love are a requirement, not suggestion.
This is why you hear me going on and on about how important it is for us to worship together on a weekly basis. That is needed because the unique individuals who make up our church complete one another. When one of us is gone, it is as if part of the body is missing, and we are less effective than we could be when it comes to ministering to one another through forgiveness, grace and love.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved." (Colossians 3:12a)
This little blip in the scripture I think is all to often over looked. We read this verse and instantly jump right to the question, "What should we put on?" But I want to stop right there for a quick minute. We are God's Chosen ones. You were chosen by God. Not because of anything you did, not because of anything you will do, but solely because you are His beloved. God has made you the focus of His love, He has made you Holy (set apart). Not because of what you have done, but because of what HE has done. By taking your place on the Cross; accepting the punishment for your sins. We need to remember this every day and be reminded that, if you and I are all God's Chosen than we are bond to each other to grow together in Word and Deed. Amen.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;/all who follow his precepts have good understanding./To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10 For some reason this versr just fills my heart with joy. Not only are we God's chosen ones, he is there to hold us and lift us up every step of the way. I'm not sure there is anything on earth more powerful than words...or the absence of them, yet they are tossed around carelessly every single day like little nuclear bombs. As humans, we are just as likely to be flippant with them as any one else. I'm so thankful God will help us control our flaming tongues and that through him we can find forgiveness and unity with our Christian brothers and sisters who have hurt us. Not only did he take on our sins at the cross, but he is CONTINUOUSLY taking them on daily as we say stupid things that--often unintentionally--hurt others. And when we ask, he reaches in and changes our heart so we can forgive those around us. We couldn't be a unified church without his interference because we are just lame, ridiculous, overbearing, take-everything-personally humans. Thank God that he not only chose us, but gives us forgiveness, unity, and help in taming our retched tongues. I'm not sure if any of this made sense but this is where my brain went reading the passages and blog this morning. It just made me thankful for the human support system he gives and the interference he runs each day to help us maintain it.
In thinking about your thoughts on our words and speech, this comes to mind.
Yesterday, Joan reminded me of the time when I was teaching her to drive a car, making this point: When you get into drive a car, you have a deadly weapon in your hands.
It then occurred to us: When you open your lips, you have a deadly weapon to use.
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:12)
If we look at the group of people Paul is talking to we see why this statement is so perfect and so powerful. The Church in Colossae had such a diverse group of people I bet it was hard for them to see eye to eye on any subject. You have Greeks, Jews, rich, poor, slave, and free. All these people coming from a variety of different backgrounds. Love is the universal language they can all understand. That love was presented to them in the message, the Gospel of God's unwavering love for them, that He sent His son to die for their sins to pay the price for their transgressions. I am sure with such unique backgrounds, love was the key that bound them together as a group, striving to Grow in Christ. With out Love they are lost, with out love we will slowly unravel and a body that is not unified in its purpose, will surely die. What is preventing you from being unified with your Brothers or Sisters in Christ? How can Love help you to grow closer to those we worship with every week?
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)
Amen! As a church we should be embracing our different backgrounds and spiritual gifts; God uses them to reach and teach those around us. If we all shared a similar testimony or spiritual gift, we COULDN'T be as effective. God drew us together for one unified purpose: to share his love and salvation with the world and, because it doesn't stop there, to teach, ecourage, serve, and hold accountable those he reaches through us. We ARE the body of Christ and his love and salvation is our common purpose. He is the head and we are to respect each member and its purpose. A foot is awesome but without a hand it can't serve. Just because we have a disagreement with the foot doesn't mean the hand should chop it off; to do so would mean the rest of the body won't be as effective. Love (of God, the Word, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in Christ, etc.) is our common purpose and, because we are one body, we should love and respect every single witness and gift that God has been gracious enough to put in our midst because together we are better able to do the work God has put here for us. As we worship together, we should thank him for the gifts, testamonies, and talents he has given the people around us because they make us--the church--more effective, more powerful, and more able in doing his will. A chord with one strand is easily broken, but a chord with many is much more difficult to break.
It makes me think of something I heard on the radio this week, something I was going to ask the youth on the YF page. Jesus knew about his disciples: their thoughts, their fears, the strength of their faith, and the deeds they were going to do, yet he washed their feet. He served them. Why would Jesus wash the feet of Judas, the man who he KNEW was going to betray him? Why would Jesus serve him? Just some food for thought.
I hope I'm not being a pain, coming up with thoughts about your thoughts, and maybe this one isn't particularly appropriate.
Paul might have agreed to this, though he didn't say it exactly:
Or can the nose say, Because I cannot run, I am not a part of the body?
Or can the foot say, Because I cannot smell, I am not part of the body?
But, more seriously, isn't Paul's analogy of the human body compared to the Church Body so appropriate, and convicting? For we all still fall so far short of the ideal inner connections of perfect unity, as members of our Church.
"But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home." (1 Samuel 2:18-20)
One of the hardest things for us to learn (and to remember) is that we are called to let go of what we have in order to receive what the Lord has for us. For Hannah this must have been especially difficult, for she was letting go of an answer to prayer.
That lesson is especially hard to learn when outside of a community of believers who are themselves being reminded of this through God's Word. There are many, many things that I left behind when Christ called me. Perhaps none were as difficult as Hannah giving her son to the Lord, but they were all difficult in their own way. Many of them were painful to let go of. Old habits, old attitudes, even old friends were released over time and as the will of God was made clear to me both in His Scriptures and in His saints. Learning to let go is best done in a covenant community, where we are surrounded by people who are also being called to let things go, and who can share their experiences and provide encouragement as we go through the process. In that way the will of God is tested and approved as together we are conformed to His image.
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." (Colossians 3:16)
ReplyDeleteThis week, Kevin will help us think about the fact that we connect, and therefore our fellowship expands (grows), as we study God's Word in order to become mature Christians together (belong). We connect through study and belonging to a small group which focuses on study, such as Sabbath School, both equips and gives us opportunity to teach, learn, admonish and build up one another as we apply God's Word to our lives.
"'Why were you searching for me?' he asked. 'Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?'" (Luke 2:49)
ReplyDeleteAlthough a boy, Jesus had already made a special connection with his heavenly Father. That connection led him to make his way to the temple courts, where he listened to the teaching and asked questions. He also provided his own insight and answers, much to the amazement of those gathered there. The discussion at the temple court was centered around the Word of God, and Jesus connected with the Father and with those around him through that Word. As he fellowshipped with those in the temple court, studying and discussing Scripture, they connected not only with one another, but also formed a deeper connection with God. That is what the study of the Word accomplishes.
It seems that the theme Expanding Fellowship involves sacrifice -- often extreme.
ReplyDeleteHannah and Elkanah sacrificed, and supported a miracle son, to a lifetime service in the house of the Lord. They expanded their fellowship – sharing Samuel as a prophet to the nation of Israel.
Mary and Joseph sacrificed their role as parents to the Christ child when they found him at the Temple, and realized that he was no longer their boy. Yes, he returned and submitted to them – as a servant – but the relationship had changed significantly. They expanded their fellowship by full release of their "boy" to be the Savior of the world.
The Psalmist proclaims, “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation”. We are elsewhere in Scripture advised that giving praise is a sacrifice. How so? When we’re feeling down, it’s an effort to praise Him. And how many are willing to sacrifice a half hour sleep on Sabbath morning to join with “the assembly of the upright in the congregation” to exalt the Lord with the Praise Band? Should we not expand our fellowship with a more sacrifice?
Paul, to the Colossians, lists dozens of virtues that would be impossible for us to attain without sacrifice and the Holy Spirit’s enabling. In the “natural”, and in the world, we are required to swim upstream against a flow of worldly pursuits and godless attitudes that bombard us. Heavy sacrifice indeed!!
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)
ReplyDeleteThe church is full of very unique individuals whose purpose to make up the body of Christ. As the Church we are called to be His hands and feet in the world. Sometimes because of our differences we struggle to get along we struggle to work together. Paul reminds us, that if we are to do the work laid out before us we need to be ready to bear with each other and to forgive each other...just as Christ is willing to bear with and forgave us everyday. We learn how to better do this when we meet together in fellowship and study of God's word. We gain insight and knowledge as we study together, no only from the Scriptures but from each other as well. And when we apply that knowledge to our lives we gain wisdom, which is all based on God's word. None of us are perfect but we all have a common goal and in order to achieve that goal forgiveness, grace and love are a requirement, not suggestion.
Kevin -- expand on that, hit the "fellowship" thing, and you've got a powerful sermon. God bless your delivery.
DeleteThat's the plan...I hope
DeleteThis is why you hear me going on and on about how important it is for us to worship together on a weekly basis. That is needed because the unique individuals who make up our church complete one another. When one of us is gone, it is as if part of the body is missing, and we are less effective than we could be when it comes to ministering to one another through forgiveness, grace and love.
Delete"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved." (Colossians 3:12a)
ReplyDeleteThis little blip in the scripture I think is all to often over looked. We read this verse and instantly jump right to the question, "What should we put on?" But I want to stop right there for a quick minute. We are God's Chosen ones. You were chosen by God. Not because of anything you did, not because of anything you will do, but solely because you are His beloved. God has made you the focus of His love, He has made you Holy (set apart). Not because of what you have done, but because of what HE has done. By taking your place on the Cross; accepting the punishment for your sins. We need to remember this every day and be reminded that, if you and I are all God's Chosen than we are bond to each other to grow together in Word and Deed. Amen.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;/all who follow his precepts have good understanding./To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10 For some reason this versr just fills my heart with joy. Not only are we God's chosen ones, he is there to hold us and lift us up every step of the way. I'm not sure there is anything on earth more powerful than words...or the absence of them, yet they are tossed around carelessly every single day like little nuclear bombs. As humans, we are just as likely to be flippant with them as any one else. I'm so thankful God will help us control our flaming tongues and that through him we can find forgiveness and unity with our Christian brothers and sisters who have hurt us. Not only did he take on our sins at the cross, but he is CONTINUOUSLY taking them on daily as we say stupid things that--often unintentionally--hurt others. And when we ask, he reaches in and changes our heart so we can forgive those around us. We couldn't be a unified church without his interference because we are just lame, ridiculous, overbearing, take-everything-personally humans. Thank God that he not only chose us, but gives us forgiveness, unity, and help in taming our retched tongues. I'm not sure if any of this made sense but this is where my brain went reading the passages and blog this morning. It just made me thankful for the human support system he gives and the interference he runs each day to help us maintain it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Chantel,
DeleteIn thinking about your thoughts on our words and speech, this comes to mind.
Yesterday, Joan reminded me of the time when I was teaching her to drive a car, making this point: When you get into drive a car, you have a deadly weapon in your hands.
It then occurred to us: When you open your lips, you have a deadly weapon to use.
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:12)
ReplyDeleteIf we look at the group of people Paul is talking to we see why this statement is so perfect and so powerful. The Church in Colossae had such a diverse group of people I bet it was hard for them to see eye to eye on any subject. You have Greeks, Jews, rich, poor, slave, and free. All these people coming from a variety of different backgrounds. Love is the universal language they can all understand. That love was presented to them in the message, the Gospel of God's unwavering love for them, that He sent His son to die for their sins to pay the price for their transgressions. I am sure with such unique backgrounds, love was the key that bound them together as a group, striving to Grow in Christ. With out Love they are lost, with out love we will slowly unravel and a body that is not unified in its purpose, will surely die. What is preventing you from being unified with your Brothers or Sisters in Christ? How can Love help you to grow closer to those we worship with every week?
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)
Amen! As a church we should be embracing our different backgrounds and spiritual gifts; God uses them to reach and teach those around us. If we all shared a similar testimony or spiritual gift, we COULDN'T be as effective. God drew us together for one unified purpose: to share his love and salvation with the world and, because it doesn't stop there, to teach, ecourage, serve, and hold accountable those he reaches through us. We ARE the body of Christ and his love and salvation is our common purpose. He is the head and we are to respect each member and its purpose. A foot is awesome but without a hand it can't serve. Just because we have a disagreement with the foot doesn't mean the hand should chop it off; to do so would mean the rest of the body won't be as effective. Love (of God, the Word, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in Christ, etc.) is our common purpose and, because we are one body, we should love and respect every single witness and gift that God has been gracious enough to put in our midst because together we are better able to do the work God has put here for us. As we worship together, we should thank him for the gifts, testamonies, and talents he has given the people around us because they make us--the church--more effective, more powerful, and more able in doing his will. A chord with one strand is easily broken, but a chord with many is much more difficult to break.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think of something I heard on the radio this week, something I was going to ask the youth on the YF page. Jesus knew about his disciples: their thoughts, their fears, the strength of their faith, and the deeds they were going to do, yet he washed their feet. He served them. Why would Jesus wash the feet of Judas, the man who he KNEW was going to betray him? Why would Jesus serve him? Just some food for thought.
Again, Hi, Chantel,
DeleteI hope I'm not being a pain, coming up with thoughts about your thoughts, and maybe this one isn't particularly appropriate.
Paul might have agreed to this, though he didn't say it exactly:
Or can the nose say, Because I cannot run, I am not a part of the body?
Or can the foot say, Because I cannot smell, I am not part of the body?
But, more seriously, isn't Paul's analogy of the human body compared to the Church Body so appropriate, and convicting? For we all still fall so far short of the ideal inner connections of perfect unity, as members of our Church.
"But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home." (1 Samuel 2:18-20)
ReplyDeleteOne of the hardest things for us to learn (and to remember) is that we are called to let go of what we have in order to receive what the Lord has for us. For Hannah this must have been especially difficult, for she was letting go of an answer to prayer.
That lesson is especially hard to learn when outside of a community of believers who are themselves being reminded of this through God's Word. There are many, many things that I left behind when Christ called me. Perhaps none were as difficult as Hannah giving her son to the Lord, but they were all difficult in their own way. Many of them were painful to let go of. Old habits, old attitudes, even old friends were released over time and as the will of God was made clear to me both in His Scriptures and in His saints. Learning to let go is best done in a covenant community, where we are surrounded by people who are also being called to let things go, and who can share their experiences and provide encouragement as we go through the process. In that way the will of God is tested and approved as together we are conformed to His image.