5 Life Lessons From Colossians
Lesson 1: Chapter 1 – Christ is everything.
Colossians 1:17-20, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And 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. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
It's easy to get overwhelmed in this world with which we live. It seems like there are competing philosophies and views about almost everything. But the words in the above passage hold amazing and transforming words. Jesus Christ means everything and as his followers we need to reflect that.
Lesson 2: Chapter 2 – Live in Christ.
Colossians 2:6-10 – “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
Being a Christian means more than just assenting to a creed, or a particular moment in faith, or a public confession. We are to live in Christ.
Our lives are established and experienced in a daily commitment to follow the way of Jesus. He alone is the authority of our lives and he directs our path. Worldly “religion” and philosophy have no place in the lives of believers.
Lesson 3: Chapter 3 – Set your mind on Christ.
Colossians 3:1-3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
I don't want to be misinformed or uninformed so I try to keep up with the news reports of what's going on around me. However, in today's world that can still happen if you watch the news. We can get overwhelmed, confused, and at times thrown in despair. Too much of this world's information can take our minds off of things from above. Focusing on Christ, his mission, his priorities and his values helps us get things right.
Lesson 4: Chapter 4 – Walk wisely as witnesses for Christ.
Colossians 4:2-6, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
I’ve seen two extremes in witnessing. Many say, “I don’t have the gift of evangelism and I’m not good at talking with people, so I’ll just live the Christian life, be an example.” That's a good start, but if that's all you do you’re going to have to live the Christian life better than Jesus because he not only lived the life (perfectly), he also spoke to sinners about salvation.
On the other hand, some Christians come across as what I call “throat crammers for Jesus.” These are the types who work in telemarketing and love it or just stand on a street corner screaming that everyone's going to hell. They have no problem accosting total strangers and shoving their message down the person's throat. And then the person who gets accosted makes sure they never go near another religious fanatic again. And unfortunately, those who are “silent” witnesses gain another excuse for why they don’t talk to others about Christ: They don’t want to be like those rude, insensitive “throat crammers for Jesus.”
There are two things here: First, there is the content of the gospel itself; then, there is how we share and discuss that content.
The Lord doesn’t want us to be “silent witnesses” or “throat crammers for Jesus.” He wants us to be wise witnesses who live godly lives and who take advantage of every opportunity to talk graciously to lost people about the Savior.
When Paul says that we are to walk with wisdom toward outsiders, he means that we are to live in line with God’s Word so that those who are not Christians will see the beauty of our lives and relationships that reflect Jesus Christ. They ought to be able to see the fruit of the Spirit in us, which should draw them to the Savior.
It should be noted that Paul asked for prayer so that when God opened the door, he would SPEAK the gospel. He was confined in prison, but he was still looking for ways to both live as an example of the gospel AND speak the gospel. That should be our mindset as well.
Jeff Hagan
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Tony Francis is from the Middle East. He is grounded in the scriptures and has a licensed degree in biblical studies from MTI, the school of ministry, and a certificate in EPL (effective personal leadership) from LMI. He has authored many books and is the founder of Healed Nations Ministries (www.healednations.com). Tony mentors people in the prophetic and served as the prophetic leader of Patricia King's ministries. Tony is studying to be a mental health coach.
www.healednations.com
