Posts that reference the book of Colossians

Key Ingredients for Growth: Protection

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18

Today we come to the final post in our series about the things plants need to grow and thinking about how that applies to us. We started off with the good, rich dirt and how our church can be that nurturing environment. But if the dirt isn’t regularly infused with water, that is the word of God, we will dry out very quickly. That’s not all we need. If the rich dirt is well-watered but shaded, the plant will lose strength and die. So we also need light in the form of understanding and righteousness.

One last thing we need is protection.

Where we live, any number of varmints can wreak havoc on our gardens. Deer, rabbits, crows, and bugs begin their attacks as soon as things begin to get green and they don’t let up for the entire season. They prevent the plants from growing and thriving but they also destroy the fruit and vegetables before we have a chance to pick them.

As believers, we have to protect ourselves from a host of varmints like the ones Paul warned the Colossians about. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (Colossians 3:8) If those critters see an opportunity, they will eat away at us, preventing us from growing and from having any fruit.

But in Colossians 3:12-17, Paul lists what we need to keep those pests out. Compassionate hearts
Kindness
Humility
Meekness
Patience
Bearing with one another
Forgiving each other
Love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Then here’s how you put those to use.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
Be thankful.
Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Things like anger, malice and slander can’t get through defenses like these.

At the beginning and end of the season and as the plant is just getting started, we also have to protect it from the environment. Frost and strong winds can damage the plant or ruin the fruit. We have to pay close attention to the weather forecast and be ready to put in some extra work to prevent a loss in the garden.

Our culture presents a challenging environment to try to grow believers. Not only is immorality celebrated, but spiritual laziness, materialism, and distraction are constant threats. We have to be prepared to do a little extra work to protect ourselves. Paul advises, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) We must actively, consistently choose activities and relationships that will help us grow. Spiritual disciplines (hmmm, that might be a good series) and seeking out mentors can protect us from a harsh environment.

So as we think back across the series, take a moment and evaluate your life as a believer. Are you growing? If not, why not? Are you getting plenty of water and light? Are you in good soil? Are you protected from environmental dangers and threats?

Remember Peter’s last recorded words in Scripture. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” That was his great desire for the people he shepherded. Let it be our great desire and prayer for each other.

Hello My Name Is Tychicus

By Paula

Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, Colossians 4:7-8

When you read Paul’s letters, he often sends greetings back and forth or mentions people who would have been known to his first-century readers but whose identities are lost to history. However, there are a few people, that with a careful reading a more detailed picture emerges. Tychicus is one of those guys. His first mention with Paul is in Acts 20:4 when Paul was in Ephesus. That leads many to suspect he was from Ephesus or at least the area nearby. Paul had been warned that trouble was waiting for him on his planned journey to Jerusalem. That didn’t deter Paul or any of his party from making the trip.

Now let’s be honest, we fuss if a flight gets canceled or if there are construction delays. We have no idea what an undertaking it was in to agree to accompany someone on a trip in the first century. Tychicus stayed with Paul throughout his arrest, through three trials and through the voyage to Rome which included a shipwreck.

He delivered the letters to Colossae and Ephesus and maybe the one to Philemon. This involved walking across Italy AND Greece AND another hundred miles across Asia Minor (with passage by ship across the Adriatic and Aegean Seas in between, of course). Finally, he was sent back to Ephesus to fill in as pastor for Timothy so Timothy could visit Paul in prison one last time. (2 Timothy 4:12)

All of those qualities made Tychicus the kind of guy worth emulating, but Paul’s own words about him are worth a closer look.

A beloved brother – Not only was he a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, but he was a beloved one. Tychicus had a heart and an attitude that endeared him to the apostle. Do we have that kind of heart and attitude?

A faithful minister – Tychicus was entrusted with difficult, yet critical tasks and he faithfully completed them. He demonstrated his faithfulness not only to the Lord who called him but the one he served with. Are we that loyal and determined?

A fellow servant – Tychicus was first and foremost a servant. He clearly didn’t seek attention or prominence or even recognition. He willingly worked to do whatever was needed. Do we exhibit that same selflessness and humility?

Hardly as well-known as Timothy or even Barnabas or Silas, Tychicus stands as an example of a beloved, faithful servant who served not only his Lord but devoted his life to serving the body of Christ. He’s certainly worth knowing and emulating.

What are some ways you serve or can serve?
Would others use Paul’s words about Tychicus to describe you?

Read the Hello My Name Is series

Isn’t there someone I can show the kindness of God to?

By Paula

And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” 2 Samuel 9:3

This was a risky, even ill-advised move on David’s part.
He had replaced Saul’s dynasty and it wasn’t a completely smooth transition.
In fact, it took seven years for David’s rule to be solidified.

But kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
It is the mark of a follower of Christ. (Colossians 3:12)
It is an act of grace.
It is an imitation of God Himself.
And it is extremely rare these days.

Which makes it all the more remarkable
When we follow David’s lead.
So today, every day, ask yourself

Isn’t there someone I can show the kindness of God to?

The Christian Life in Two Verses

By Paula

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

Sometimes we make things more complicated than they have to be. However, simple doesn’t always mean easy. Take the Christian life, for example. Paul spent a good portion of his ministry instructing and encouraging believers in the hows and whys of new life. In the letter to Colossians, he gave a two-verse summary that is worth a closer look.

Why does it matter?
Paul builds on what he has written previously with “as you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord.” In this case, the ‘as’ is used like ‘since.’ So, since you have received Christ Jesus the Lord. Not His doctrine. Not a membership in His church. You have received Him, the anointed sovereign of the universe living in you. This was not a decision entered into lightly. (Hopefully.) The implications are staggering. But because of that decision, everything going forward must be different.

It is active.
Walk in Him. It is a way of life, a manner of living. Receiving Jesus is not an intellectual exercise or an emotional experience primarily, although emotions and intellect are involved. In fact, we’ll talk about intellect later in this post. But Christ saved to do things, to do His kingdom work. We do that each day, patterning our lives after His. We maintain close communion with the Father. We tell people about the hope in the gospel. We serve others. We show compassion and mercy. We treat people with dignity.

It is as much unseen as seen.
We usually don’t see a tree’s roots. But there is often as much below ground as above ground, anchoring and nourishing the tree. A good deal of our Christian life, especially the growing happens behind the scenes. This means our growth is going to happen in private moments, in quiet times, when we are alone with God, studying, praying, listening, learning. If we don’t invest effort here, we will not be sufficiently anchored or nourished.

It’s a process.
In the Greek, built up is a continuous action. The Christian life is an immediate reality as soon as we believe, but it is also a process. We are built up in Him day by day, step by step, experience by experience. Since it’s a process, it requires time and patience. But the end result is that we are established in the faith. Solid. Mature. Unshakable.

It involves intellect.
God didn’t save us to be robots, marked by mindless obedience. He reveals His precepts, His character, and His purposes. That revelation engages our minds. We think about what He’s told us. We consider the implications. We meditate on that truth.

It requires the right attitude.
With thanksgiving. Not pride. Not with an agenda to advance. Not with entitlement. With thanksgiving.

Known By Our Conversation

By Paula

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6

I’ve been blogging a little over 5 years now and my software has an interesting feature that lets me generate a word cloud. A word cloud takes the most used words and displays them so that each word’s size corresponds to how often it’s used. Here’s what it looked like:

Not too many revelations, I suppose, considering my chosen topics. But really, we are all known by our speech (or writing). You could easily tell the difference between Abraham Lincoln, Will Rogers and Gloria Steinem just from tone and topic. So too, as followers of Christ, we should be easily distinguished by the tone and topic of our conversation. This verse gives us three key tips.

Grace – The tone and content of our words should be gracious, conveying a love and kindness to the person to whom we are speaking, even if that kindness is undeserved.

Seasoned with salt – If our words are just feel-good platitudes, slogans or sermonettes, they will easily be dismissed. Instead, our speech should be marked by authenticity and compassion.

Knowing how to answer – This requires active listening and hearing, not jumping to an immediate solution to someone’s else’s problem.
Underlying all of these principles is the idea that we follow the Holy Spirit’s prompting. He leads into conversations, guides us during them and ensures their lasting effects.

What was the last good conversation you had? What made it memorable?

Peace and Thanksgiving

By Paula

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:15

There is rarely a mention of the body of Christ without the mention of unity.
Here, unity is achieved through two things: peace and thanksgiving.

When we have peace,
When we are assured that our salvation is secure and can never be taken away,
When we know we have a place and a purpose …
We won’t be jockeying for position,
Or working to protect our turf,
Or trying to make ourselves look good.

When we are thankful,
When we receive with open hands and humble hearts,
When we understand that without the grace and mercy of God we would have nothing …
We won’t be overcome by a sense of entitlement,
Or distracted by our discontent,
Or rendered useless to the Kingdom by our envy.

Peace. Thanksgiving. Unity.

Key Ingredients for Growth: Protection

Hello My Name Is Tychicus

Isn’t there someone I can show the kindness of God to?

The Christian Life in Two Verses

Known By Our Conversation

Peace and Thanksgiving

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series