The Nature of Ministry

 

“For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 ESV

 

We tend to think that ministry means giving to people what they want. We think that it means telling people what they want to hear.  And we think that it means telling them what they want to hear in the way they want to hear it.

 

We also think that it means seeking our own gain from it. We think of it as a job or a profession. We think of it as a means that we can use to gain for ourselves the things that we desire.

 

And we tend to think that it means growing and building our own influence.  We think that it means building a following for ourselves. We think that it means encouraging a devotion in others to ourself.

 

This, we believe, is how we build the church. This, we believe, is how we reach people for Christ. It’s all a numbers game. As someone once told me, it’s all about butts in the pews.

 

These things, however, completely contradict the true nature of ministry. We can see this above, in the words of Paul. He tells us that neither he nor his companions came with words of flattery. They did not come with a pretext for greed. And they did not come to the Thessalonians seeking glory from people.

 

Even though they did have a measure of authority, as apostles, they did not use that for their own advantage. Instead, their reason for coming was to serve. And the way that they conducted their ministry was in love.

 

Paul says that he and his companions were gentle among them. He compared their ministry to that of a nursing mother, taking care of her own children. They lovingly nurtured and tended to the people.

 

Because they affectionately desired the people of Thessalonica, they shared with them not only the gospel, but their very selves. They shared with them their very lives. In other words, ministry happened in the context of relationships.

 

This is something that’s largely missing in the church of America today. Church, for most of us, is about fulfilling our obligation. It’s about attending worship, but getting out of there as quickly as we can and interacting with as few people as we can. There is little, if any, desire for relationship with the other members of the church.

 

We, then, wonder why we leave church feeling so empty. We wonder why our attendance at church seems so meaningless. And it becomes easy for us to remain absent from the church.

 

Yes, it is by our faith that we are saved. Our forgiveness isn’t dependent upon church attendance. However, that being said, we both receive ministry and minister to others only in the context of relationship. We both receive ministry and minister to others only in the context of love.

The Source of Our Message

 

“For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 ESV

 

Although we like to think of it as a peaceful work, the simple reality is that ministry often brings conflict along with it. It can be conflict from the outside, from unbelievers to whom we seek to minister. But it can also be conflict from within, among the church itself.

 

Although we hate to admit it, this conflict can change the way in which we seek to minister. And it tends to do so not for the better, but the worse. What I mean is that we begin to neglect or even forsake our God-given duties in an effort to avoid conflict.

 

If anyone had reason to do so, it was Paul. We see in the above passage that he had suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi. And it stands to reason that this could cause him to be a bit gun-shy as he stepped into the next community. 

 

However, Paul said, he and his co-workers had boldness as they came to Thessalonica. They had boldness in God to declare the gospel even in the face of conflict. And they had this boldness due to the source of their appeal.

 

Their appeal, he explains, did not spring from error or impurity. Nor did it spring from any attempt to deceive. It came from the fact that they had been entrusted with the gospel by God.

 

For this reason, they spoke not in an effort to please man. They rather spoke to please God who tests our hearts. In other words, regardless of the response they received, they sought only to faithfully carry out their calling which had been given to them by God.

 

What an example this is for us. After all, like Paul, we too have been entrusted with the gospel. And we too have been commissioned to proclaim this message to the world.

 

However, that being said, as we face conflict, we often tend to modify either our approach, our message, or both. We often approach ministry for our own sake, seeking to gain from it personally. And, in this way, the gospel and our ministry are corrupted.

 

As God is the source of this message, as well as our hope, we must not waver even in the face of conflict. We must deliver this message not in an effort to please man. We must seek only to please God who entrusted to us this great work.

A Sincere Faith

 

“For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 ESV

 

One of the primary accusations thrown at believers today is that of hypocrisy. And while we sometimes dismiss these accusations, citing our sinful nature, while we often write them off because it’s impossible to live a perfect life, they are not unfounded. It’s true that many of us, who profess to be believers in Jesus, are hypocrites.

 

It’s true that we are actors. It’s true that we are posers. It’s true that we don’t sincerely believe the faith that we proclaim.

 

Those making these accusations do not expect perfection. Believers and non-believers alike understand that no one is perfect. They do, however, expect to see evidence of the faith we confess.

 

If we proclaim the Word of God, it should be evident that we receive the Word of God. If we proclaim the Word of God, it should be clear that we’ve turned from the false gods we once served and that we now serve the Lord. And if we proclaim the Word of God, it should be clear that we are sincerely awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promises, that we’re awaiting the return of Jesus along with the blessings this will bring.

 

When our life fails to align with the faith that we confess, it affects our witness in a negative way. However, when the two match up, it has the opposite effect. It creates a strong witness that can have a powerful impact.

 

This is exactly what was going on among the believers in Thessalonica. Paul says that the word of the Lord had sounded forth from them. In other words, they were faithfully proclaiming the Word of God.

 

However, in addition to this, their reputation was known everywhere. The faith of the Thessalonian Church was well known. It was reported how they had received Paul. It was reported how they had turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. And it was reported how they awaited the return of Jesus.

 

In the same way, when our life matches the message we proclaim, it will certainly have this effect. It becomes clear that our confession is not empty or hollow.  It is clearly seen that our faith is genuine. It’s clearly known that we believe and hold to the faith that we declare to the world.

 

That being said, if it becomes clear that we are hypocrites, the answer is not for us to try harder. The answer is not for us to conform our life to the message we proclaim. We must, rather, trust in the message we proclaim. We must receive the salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus, and offered to us in the gospel. And the rest will come naturally. The evidence of our faith will flow naturally from our belief.

Chosen

 

“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”

1 Thessalonians 1:1-7 ESV

 

I’ve often heard that adoptees struggle with feelings of being less than. They feel that, because they aren’t the natural child of their parents, they are less important or less loved. They feel that, because they aren’t natural siblings of their brothers and sisters, they are less accepted.

 

I love the response of their adoptive parents to these feelings. They tell their adopted children that, although they aren’t natural children, they were chosen. I love this because the word “chosen” elevates them. It tells them that their parents, indeed, love them. It tells them that their parents desire them. And it tells them that their parents love and accept them not because they have to, but because they want to.

 

The same is true, I believe, when it comes to marriage. I don’t believe in the whole soul-mates philosophy that permeates society. And some believe that eliminating this belief lessens a person’s value in the relationship.

 

I, however, beg to differ. I believe that being chosen is what elevates our value in the relationship. It tells us that we are loved not because it was ordained. It tells us that we are loved by choice. It tells us that our spouse, it tells us that our romantic partner, desires us above everyone else.

 

However, that being said, many of us struggle with the word “chosen” when it comes to our relationship with God. We struggle with it because it seems to imply that others were not chosen. It seems to imply that, while God loves some and has chosen them to be his own, he has rejected others. It seems to imply that he has destined them to eternal judgment.

 

And this idea contradicts the plain teaching of Scripture. It does so because, according to God’s Word, God wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God does not want any to perish, but all to reach repentance. And Jesus served as the propitiation, or as the atoning sacrifice, for the sin of all people (not only for some).

 

Yet, as we look at the above passage, Paul says that the believers in Thessalonica were chosen by God. This was plain to him because they not only heard the Word as it was brought to them. It came to them in power and the Holy Spirit with full conviction. They also became imitators of both Paul and of the Lord, as they suffered affliction because of their faith. And, in this way, they’d become an example to other believers. In other words, as the Word was preached to them, they had received it. And, as they received it, it had transformed their lives.

 

This gives us a clue regarding what Paul means when he says they were chosen. Although God knows fully who will trust in him and who will not, and although he knows fully who will be saved and who will not, he does not decide this for them. He doesn’t prevent some from coming to faith while he allows it for others. Nor does he prevent some from being saved while he causes it for others.

 

God has ordained that those who believe in him will be saved. He has predestined those who believe to be conformed to the image of Christ. In other words, he has chosen people of faith to be his own. He has chosen those who believe in Jesus to be his own.

The Cooperation of Congregations

 

“And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”

Colossians 4:16-18 ESV

 

We’re often taught, in the church, about the spiritual gifts. We learn how the Spirit of God has given to each believer his grace, or his gifts, that are to be used in his service and for the blessing of the body of Christ. And we’re encouraged, in this way, that no matter how significant or insignificant our gifts may seem, we all have an essential role to play in the body of Christ.

 

It's only infrequently taught, however, that this same principle applies to congregations. We are all, after all, part of the Church. We are all part of the body of Christ. And, in this way, one congregation can be a blessing to another.

 

As I read the above passage, three of the Fundamental Principles of the AFLC (the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations) come to mind:

 

The seventh principle says: “A free congregation gladly accepts the mutual assistance which congregations can give one another in the work for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.”

 

The eighth principle reads: “Such assistance consists partly in the mutual sharing of spiritual gifts among the congregations through conferences, exchange visits, lay activities, etc., whereby congregations are mutually edified, and partly in the voluntary and Spirit-prompted cooperation of congregations for the accomplishing of such tasks as exceed the ability of the individual congregation.”

 

And, finally, the ninth principle tells us: “Among such tasks may be mentioned specifically the training of pastors, distribution of Bibles and other Christian literature, home missions, foreign missions, Jewish missions, deaconess homes, children’s homes and other work of mercy.”

 

We see this at work in the words of Paul above, as he calls the Colossian church to share Paul’s letter with the Laodiceans. We see it as he encourages them to read his words that he sent to the Laodiceans. And we see it again as he instructs the believers in Colossae to encourage a certain individual, named Archippus, to fulfill the ministry that he’d received in the Lord.

 

In this way, each congregation was able to serve as a blessing to the other. In this way, an individual believer was encouraged to be a blessing to others. And in this way, not only was one individual congregation edified. The Church as a whole was built up and strengthened.

 

It’s essential, as individual believers, to consider the role we can play in building up our own congregation. However, it’s equally essential for us to consider how our congregation can be a blessing to another. It’s equally essential to consider not only how we (as an individual or a congregation) might be built up, but also how the Church might be strengthened.

Genuine Concern

 

“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”

Colossians 4:10-15 ESV

 

I grew up in an area with a good-sized population. And, in such an area, we didn’t acknowledge everyone. We did so only with those we knew.

 

When I went to college, I became good friends with a guy from rural South Dakota. And I, along with my other friends, would tease him relentlessly. We did so because he would greet and wave to everyone that he passed.

 

The past ten years, I’ve lived in smaller communities, and I now do the same thing. As I drive down the road, I wave at everyone I see. And when I walk down the street, I greet each person who passes.

 

In smaller communities, you tend to know most of those who surround you. And, in the same way, you tend to have greater concern for those who surround you. This, then, leads you to acknowledge them.

 

This is what came to mind as I read the above passage. In these verses, that we largely tend to ignore, we see greetings being sent. We see them being sent between those who served alongside Paul and the church at Colossae.

 

And this was no mere acknowledgement. It was an expression of concern for the people of this congregation. It was an expression of love for these brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

We see this especially when it comes to Epaphras. He was one of them. In other words, he originated in the church at Colossae and had gone to serve alongside Paul. And he always struggled on their behalf in his prayers. He labored earnestly for them, as he prayed for them. He wrestled in prayer for them.

 

This indicates something more than a fleeting thought or a passing prayer. It indicates a strong interest in their well-being. It indicates a great longing for their blessing.

 

As a pastor, I try to interact with my church members as much as I can. And, while some of these interactions are planned, others are not. I may simply bump into them at the hardware store or at the school.

 

I also pray regularly for the members of my congregation. I do so corporately, in worship services, times devoted to prayer, and as we gather for Bible study. However, I also do so personally.

 

The sense I get is that this isn’t very common among believers. It’s not common for congregation members. We don’t regularly show concern for our fellow church members by interacting with them. We don’t take the time out of our day to visit, even briefly, with those we encounter. And it’s also relatively uncommon for us to pray for our fellow church members.

 

It’s even more rare that we do so with members of other congregations. It’s even more rare to do so with our fellow believers who live in another community. More often than not, we fail to even think of them.

 

May God give to each one of us such a love for the brethren that we will not only acknowledge them. May he give us such a love for them that we pray for them. And, more than that, may he give us such a love for them that we struggle, that we wrestle, for them.

Encouraging News

“Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.”

Colossians 4:7-9

 

Encouragement comes in many forms. And this is true not only when it comes to our personal life. It’s true not only when it comes to our emotional well-being. This is true also when it comes to our faith.

 

Speaking for myself, I’m often encouraged in my faith as I read Scripture. I’m encouraged as I take part in a Bible study. I’m encouraged as I read devotionals written by others, or as I listen to someone preaching or teaching the Word of God.  And I’m encouraged through fellowship with other believers.

 

However, I’m also encouraged in my faith as I hear how the Lord is working in other congregations. I love reading up on the new church plants in our Association, and hearing about new ministries that are being undertaken by congregations. I also love receiving updates from the mission field. I love hearing about people being brought to faith in Christ, baptisms that have taken place, and new congregations that have been established in the remotest of locations.  And I love hearing about the work of God in the life of another believer. I love to hear the ways in which the Word of God is impacting them, and seeing the ways in which God is using them.

 

This is why I love hosting missionaries when they’re in the area. This is why I subscribe to various prayer lists in our body of churches as well as in our community. This is why I love gathering to pray with other pastors in our community each week. And this is why I love reading the Ambassador, the monthly magazine of the AFLC.

 

It was for this reason that Paul had sent Tychicus and Onesimus to the church at Colossae. He wanted them to be updated regarding his well-being. And he wanted them to be encouraged as they heard about the work God was doing through the ministry entrusted to him.

 

As I consider this, it seems like a great deal of effort was taken to merely encourage another congregation. It seems that a great deal of effort was taken to inform another congregation. And this gives us some insight as to how important this is.

 

For this reason, I encourage everyone to keep from ignoring this information as it’s released. Follow our missionaries on Facebook. Sign up for prayer updates. Attend mission presentations. Subscribe to the Ambassador. And do so with the knowledge that, as you learn of the Lord’s work, you will be encouraged in your faith and in the ministry God has entrusted to you.

And, in the same way, don't hesitate to share with others what God is doing in your life and in that of your congregation. It may be exactly what they need to hear. It may encourage them in their life of faith as well as in their ministry.

 

 

Tasteful Speech

 

“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.”

Colossians 4:5-6 ESV

 

There’s been a trend that has deeply troubled me the past several years. What I’m referring to is the vitriol expressed by those with differing beliefs. What I’m referring to is the brashness and the condescending words that are spoken to others.

 

Christians have been as guilty of this as anyone else. But we haven’t spoken in this way to each other. We don’t tend to speak in this way to those who share our beliefs. However, when it comes to outsiders, when it comes to those who don’t share our worldview, it’s been a common occurrence.

 

Perhaps we’ve justified this behavior with the fact that the issues are serious in nature. Perhaps we’ve excused our behavior because of the evil we see in the opposing view. But, as we see in the verses above, this is something we cannot do.

 

Even though we may spend a good amount of time at church, and even though we may interact with other believers of other congregations throughout the day, most of us spend a majority of our time among unbelievers. As we engage with our coworkers, customers, clients, neighbors, and perhaps even family members, we are engaging with those who don’t share our faith.

 

And, as Paul tells us, we must not squander these opportunities. We must not waste them with our hateful attitude. We must, rather, walk in wisdom and make the best use of our time.

 

As believers, we represent the Lord. As believers, our calling is to love our neighbor. As believers, our mission is to share the gospel with everyone and to make disciples of all nations. And this is something we cannot do if we are spewing hatred and animosity.

 

Paul says that our speech is to be always gracious. Grace, as most of us know, is an undeserved gift. Speaking graciously, then, is to interact with others in a way they do not deserve.

 

What I’m saying is that, even if they have it coming, we aren’t to give them a tongue lashing. Even if they’ve spewed hatred toward us, we aren’t to return it in kind. We are to speak to them as if our interaction has been completely positive and as if their words to us have been kind and loving.

 

We’re to let our speech always be seasoned with salt. In other words, our speech is to be tasteful. It is to be pleasing to the ear and uplifting to the soul.

 

Emotions, of course, can get the better of any of us. We will all, at times, respond in a way that is anything but gracious and tasteful. And, for this, we must repent. We must seek the mercy of God knowing that, for the sake of Christ, he will readily forgive us. For this reason, we must ask God for the grace and strength to speak to others in a kind and loving manner.

The Blessing of Opportunity

 

“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.”

Colossians 4:3-4 ESV

 

We are all familiar with the calling that Christ has given to the Church. He’s called us to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. And he’s called us to make disciples of all nations.

 

That being said, we often feel that our opportunities to do so are few. Even though we are continually surrounded by the lost, and even though we’re surrounded by people who need to hear the gospel, it doesn’t seem that the opportunity to do so frequently presents itself. We are then filled with guilt, as we haven’t carried out this calling. And we’re filled with frustration because our chances to do so have been so few.

 

What are we to do in such a case? We find the answer to this question in the verses above. And, as with all blessings, we find that we must look to the Lord.

 

As Paul wrote the book of Colossians, he was imprisoned. And I think it’s clear how circumstances like these could limit the chances he had to share the Word of God. Being separated and secluded from people definitely creates some limitations.

 

For this reason, Paul asked the Colossians to pray for him. He asked them to pray for himself, as well as for Timothy. And specifically, he asked them to pray for two things.

 

He asked them to pray that God would open to them a door for the Word, to proclaim the mystery of Christ. He, of course, couldn’t change his circumstances. He couldn’t provide or manufacture the opportunity to proclaim the Word. And, for this reason, he looked to the Lord to do so.

 

He asked them to pray also that he might make it clear. He asked them to pray that he might make the Word of God, that he might make the gospel, clear to those who heard. And the reason for this is plain. He desired that those who heard might understand the message.

 

This, then, is how we can pray for ourselves in the circumstances described earlier. As we experience limitations when it comes to sharing the gospel, and as we experience a lack of opportunities to do so, we must simply look to the Lord. We must look to the Lord trusting that he will supply both the people as well as the openings to do so.

 

This is also a wonderful way for us to pray for our missionaries. It’s a wonderful way for us to pray for our pastors. As we pray that God might use them to accomplish his purposes, we can ask that he’ll graciously provide for them the opportunity to share the gospel and clarity of speech that they might do so well.

 

As God desires that all should be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, we know such prayers are in accordance with his will. And as he desires that none should perish but that all should reach repentance, we can be assured that he’ll graciously answer such a prayer. So, as we look to the Lord for his gracious provision in all things, let us look to him for these as well.

Prayer as God Intended

 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Even though most of us pray, we’d also readily admit that it’s an area of struggle. Even though we pray, we go through dry spells, where prayer is infrequent at best. And, as we pray, our attitude is often not what it should be.

Prayer, for many of us, is merely an obligation. It’s nothing more than an item to check off of our to-do list for the day. Knowing that God desires that we pray, and knowing that he’s called us to pray, we reluctantly give ourselves over to it.

Prayer, for many of us, also tends to be offered up as an act of wishful thinking. Although we certainly desire the things for which we ask, we are not confident that God will answer our prayer. In fact, we tend to believe that the odds of God answering our prayer are about equal to those of us winning the lottery.

However, although it’s true that God desires that we should pray, and although it’s true that we’re called to prayer, we’re called to do so with a very different attitude than that which I’ve just described. Prayer is to be not to be a chore or an obligation. Nor is it to be an act of wishful thinking.

 We see this in the above passage where we’re called to continue steadfastly in prayer. We’re called to be devoted to prayer. In other words, it’s not to be infrequent. It’s to be regular. It’s to be something to which we’re loyal and dedicated. It’s to be something with which we busy ourselves.

We’re called also to offer up our prayers with an attitude of faith. And this is very different from wishful thinking. We certainly desire those things for which we pray. However, we do not doubt that the Lord will answer our prayer. We fully trust that he will.

We see this as we’re told to be watchful in prayer with thanksgiving. Knowing that God has heard our prayer, and believing that he will answer it, we eagerly expect his blessing. We confidently expect that he will supply our need, just as he’s promised. And, for this reason, we’re able to have an attitude of thanksgiving before God has even answered our prayer. We’re able to thank God for his answer to our prayer which we know we’ll receive.

Serving Others in Service of God

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

Colossians 3:18-4:1 ESV

 

Even if we believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, and even if we believe that God’s Word is infallible, there are still passages that we can find difficult. In fact, there are passages that make us struggle and cause us to cringe. In short, even knowing that it’s the Word of God, we have a hard time receiving it as such.

 

I think we can all agree that the above passage is one of them. It addresses some rather touchy subjects. The truths it delivers are not politically correct today. And we often want nothing more than to ignore or to explain them away.

 

Wives are called to submit to their husband. They’re called to subject or to subordinate themselves to their husband. Husbands are called to love their wives and not be harsh with them. They’re to love their wife with a Christlike love, seeking to bless their wife at their own expense. Children are called to obey their parents. Bondservants are called to do the same with their master. And masters are to treat their bondservants justly and fairly.

 

We’re called to do so not only by way of eye service. We’re to do so not only when we’re being watched.  And we’re to do so not only as people-pleasers. We’re called to do so with sincerity of heart. In other words, we’re not only to go through the motions. We’re to gladly and willingly embrace our vocation.

 

We’re to do so, fearing the Lord. These are instructions that have been given to us by none other than God himself. And by refusing to live as we’ve been called is sinful in the eyes of God.

 

This, you see, is precisely the rub. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our husband is fit to place ourselves under. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our wife is deserving of love. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our parents deserve our obedience. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our masters are deserving of obedience. And even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our servants deserve fairness.

 

As we deal with this internal struggle, we must bear in mind who it is that we are serving. Sure, it’s true that we’re serving these people. But, ultimately, we’re serving the Lord.

 

Therefore, we’re to do all things as for the Lord. We’re to do them in his service. We’re to obey God’s call for his sake.

 

We’re to do so, even when it’s hard. We’re to do so even when it seems that there’s nothing in it for us. And we’re to do so because we know the source of our reward.

 

We’re to do so knowing that, even if we receive the appreciation of those whom we serve, it’s from the Lord that we’ll receive the inheritance as a reward. We’re to do so knowing that our reward isn’t given to us by man. We’re to do so knowing that from the Lord we’ll receive salvation.

 

And we can do so even if our circumstances are not ideal. We can do so having confidence that God is the judge. We can do so knowing that he will hold the wrongdoer to account. And we can do so knowing that his judgment is equitable.

The New Life

 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:12-17 ESV

 

It’s safe to say that we all love passages like the one above. Its words appeal to us as we seek to live the Christian life.  However, we tend to believe that these are things we can accomplish with our own strength and willpower.

 

Prior to our salvation, all we will do is sin.  Prior to salvation, all we can do is sin. We naturally desire only to satisfy our sinful passions. We naturally desire only to feed our sinful lusts.

 

However, once we are saved, God enables us to live according to his will. He empowers us to live according to his will. Even though we’ll never do so perfectly, because of the sinful nature we still possess, it is now possible.

 

This is the context of the above passage. In it, Paul is telling us how we’re to live.  However, he is not telling us to do these things by our own strength or ability. That, after all, would be impossible.

 

The “then,” in verse 12, points us back to what he shared earlier. Paul told us that, in baptism, we were raised with Christ. He tells us that, in Christ, we were given a new life by God. And, as a people who have been raised with Christ, as a people who’ve been given a new life, we’re to put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Having been raised with Christ, having been given a new life, we’re to bear with one another and to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us.

 

As a people who have been raised with Christ, as a people who have been given a new life by God, we’re to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Whatever we do, in word or deed, is to be done in his name. And we’re to do all things, giving thanks to God.

 

Although our lives once centered around our sinful desires, they now center around Jesus. While, prior to our salvation, all we wanted to do was to satisfy these sinful desires, we now long to glorify Jesus. And while we once depended only upon ourselves to accomplish the goals we’d set for ourselves, we now depend upon Christ to make this possible.

 

As we, then, look at the call placed upon us in this passage, we must not look at it as a list of things that we do to make ourselves Christian. We must not look at it as a list of things we do to accomplish our salvation. We must look at it as works that God has empowered within us that he might be glorified.

 

It is, once again, encouraging a life of ongoing repentance and faith. It is encouraging us to turn away from the sin that characterized our life before we were saved. And it’s encouraging us to live the new life that was given to us and that is empowered within us by the grace of God.

Put to Death

 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”

Colossians 3:5-11 ESV

 

Even though man is in bondage to sin, we love it. Even though we are dominated by sin, we long for it. And even though we are thoroughly controlled by our sinful nature, we enjoy it.

 

In fact, we live for our sinful desires. Our life revolves around their gratification. All of our strength and energy is devoted to their satisfaction.

 

This is true also for many of us who profess the name of Christ. Even knowing what Christ has done for us, we continue to pursue the desires of the flesh. Even confessing faith in him, we ignore his Word in favor of our passions.

 

However, just as good works naturally flow from the believer in Jesus, so too does repentance. As a believer in Jesus, we will hate our sin. And, as a believer in Jesus, we will naturally turn from our sin.

 

Paul’s “therefore”, in verse 5, points us back to what he previously stated. It points us back to the fact that we have been raised with Christ. It points back to the fact that we have been given a new life in baptism.

It also points us back to his call to seek the things that are above. We're to seek the things of God rather than those of the world. We're to seek the things that are of God rather than those that result from our sinful nature.

 

For this reason, we are to put to death that which is earthly in us. We are to put to death that which is worldly in us. And this, of course, speaks to those things which are not of God. It speaks to those things that are opposed to the Lord and his will.

 

Paul goes on to list several examples of these earthly or worldly things that are to be put to death. And these are examples. What I am saying is that this list is not exhaustive in any way, nor are they worse than others addressed elsewhere in Scripture.

 

He says that we are to put sexual immorality, or fornication, to death. This is a broad term referring to various types of sexual immorality. We are to put impurity to death, which is a general term referring to uncleanness or immorality. We are to put passion to death, which refers to feelings or affections which cause the mind to suffer. And we are to put evil desires to death, along with covetousness.

 

These are not things that we can take likely. They are not matters that God can just overlook. Paul tells us that, on account of these, the wrath of God is coming. In other words, it is because of sins like these that God’s judgment is coming.

 

These were things in which we once lived, in our old life. They are things that characterized our lives before we were brought to faith in Christ. But now that we are in Christ, these are things that we must put away.

 

Paul then goes on to list more of the sins that must be put away. He mentions anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk. And he tells us that we are not to lie to one another.

 

We are not to do so because we are being made holy. We are not to do so because we have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. We are not to do so because we are being transformed into the image of God.

 

This is true of each and every one of us. There is no difference. No matter our background, Christ is all and in all.

 

Repentance, then, is mandatory for the believer in Jesus. It is not optional for the person of faith. However, that being said, it is not a work by which we are saved.

 

It is the natural result of the new life provided to us in Christ. Because we have died and been raised with Christ, we put to death the deeds of the old nature. Because of the salvation we have graciously received from God, we want nothing more than to put off the old self with its practices.

None of Our Concern

 “Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?””

John 21:22-23 ESV

 

We have a tendency to compare ourselves with others. And this is true in many ways. It is true when it comes to our appearance, our weight, and even our intellect. However, this also happens in terms of our faith.

 

In the church, we will often compare our gifts with those of other believers. We will compare our position or our station with that of others. We will compare our perceived influence with that of others. We will compare our calling with that of others. And we will compare our circumstances with those of others.

 

This often leaves us discouraged. It leaves us disheartened. And it does so because we feel that we have received the short end of the stick. We believe that others have it so much better than we do.

 

In John 21, Peter was doing the very same thing. After Jesus invited him to affirm his love for him, and reinstated him to his prior ministry, he gave to Peter some disturbing news. Jesus told Peter that he would die for his faith. He told Peter that he would be crucified.

 

He then called Peter to follow him. And although this spoke to the ministry he was to carry out, it also spoke to his death. Jesus was calling Peter to lay down his life for him. He was calling Peter to follow him in death.

 

Seeing John following behind them, Peter asked about him. He wanted to know if John would suffer the same fate.  He wanted to know if he too would die for his faith. And Jesus responded with the words we see above.

 

Jesus asked Peter: “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?  And, based on this statement, a rumor circulated among the disciples. The saying spread that John would not die.

 

However, as it is clarified for us, this is not what Jesus meant. Jesus was telling Peter that John’s future and that John’s calling was none of his concern. It was none of his business. He was simply to follow Jesus.

 

The same thing is true for each one of us. Although we like to compare ourselves with others, their calling, their circumstances, and their future, are not our concern. They are none of our business. We are to simply follow Jesus. We are to carry out the calling he’s given to us.

Not this Life, but the Next

 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:1-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As we read the above text, I think we can agree that it captures that for which we long. We want to live forever in a place where God dwells with us. We want to live in a place where there is no more death. We want to live in a place where there is no more mourning, crying, or pain. And we want to live in a place where God himself has wiped every tear from our eye.

However, it increasingly seems like we understand this place to be the world in which we now live. It seems as if we are looking to worldly means to attain for us this blessing. And it seems that the only thing that matters to us is the here and now.

It seems more and more that our focus is upon this world. It seems more and more that our focus is on this life. It seems that, more and more, we are seeking to erase the consequences of sin and to create some sort of heaven on earth.

It seems that we trust in the goodness of human nature to get us there. It seems that we trust in our ability to improve and to grow to get us there. It seems as though we trust in the right leader to get us there. It seems that we trust in military might and adequate policing to provide these blessings. It seems that we trust in medicine and medical technology to get us there. And it seems that we trust in the right degree from the right school to get us there.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting that we cease our efforts to improve the world in which we live. Nor am I suggesting that we cease all efforts to love our neighbor and to both help him and to advocate for his welfare. After all, we’re called by God to minister to the needs of those around us with the gifts and the blessings he’s entrusted to us.

However, we must understand that the blessings for which we long will only be received at the time of Jesus’ return. They will be experienced only in the new creation that will accompany him. We must understand that they will never be attained in the here and now.

Our hope, then, is found in Christ and in no one else. It’s found not in this life, but in the life that’s to come. And it’s found not in this world, but in the next.

For this reason, we must trust in Christ and anticipate his return. We must believe his promise and hope for its fulfillment. And we must know and believe that, by his death and resurrection, he’s done everything necessary to provide for us these blessings.

This is the purpose of the Advent season, into which we just entered. We remember the anticipation of the saints of old for the coming of the Savior. And, in the same way, we both anticipate and long for his return.