Why Does the Church Exist?

Readings for the Day
1 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 15-16, Colossians 1

Verses for the Day
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

As Paul closes up his 1st chapter of his letter to the Colossians, he summarizes his calling to the church of Jesus Christ.

1. He proclaims Christ. Early in chapter 1 he says, "He is the image of the invisible God". He makes it unmistakeably clear that Jesus came in the flesh and is fully God. So Paul's first goal is to proclaim who Jesus really is in all his fullnes. Jesus' mission was to reconcile all of mankind to God by his death on the cross. This is what we call evangelism, announcing the Good News of what God has done in Christ for all people.

2. The other major aim of his ministry is to admonish and teach everyone with all wisdom. Once someone comes to know who Jesus is, they are taught how to live in Him. Once someone acknowledges Jesus as their Savior, they begin a lifelong journey of being formed in His image and character. This is what we call discipleship, being an apprentice of Jesus learning how to live your life as he would live if he were you.

3. Paul has a goal. He has a measure to gauge whether or not he has been effective in his mission. His main goal is that he might present everyone "mature in Christ". We often talk about maturity in human terms as a person moves through each stage of life. Paul points to a similar maturity for a Christian. Just like maturity in a person doesn't always mirror their age, so too just being a Christian for a long time doesn't automatically equal being a mature Christian.

Why is this so important to Paul? Because he knew the church could not grow beyond the maturity of its members. Paul knew this would not be an easy task to carry out but vows to pour all of his energy into this end goal. Finally, he makes it clear it is not just his energy at his disposal, but the energy of Christ working in and through him. What Jesus has called him to do, he has given him the power to carry out.

These are the same three great goals for every church of every time. God invites us to pour our energy into this same mission. It is not easy but he will give us his power to carry it out.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why are you persecuting me!"  Paul thought he was serving the Lord, but he was persecuting him b
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the
Read more