MAKING THE CHRIST CONNECTIONS
I. “Connected in the Faith”
2-6-05
Ken Peterson
Colossians 1:1-8
Text: The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. Col 1:5 (MSG)
INTRODUCTION
I worked out the plan for this series of sermons from Colossians before we left on our mission trip to the Yucatan. A week ago from this last Friday, we’d just returned from an intense several days of work and ministry with the church in the little Mayan village, Sacabchen. I was in the court-yard of our bed and breakfast in Merida– which felt like heaven after our days in the village. Knowing what I’d be preaching on when I got back, I read this passage of Colossians again as part of my devotional time– thinking I’d better get some thoughts going for my sermon. I was amazed how alive, relevant and real these words were in light of what we’d just gone through. Paul’s words of thanksgiving for the faith, hope, and love he’s heard about in the church at Colosse seemed like exactly what we’d just experienced. And, we’d just witnessed how (in Paul’s words), “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing...” (1:6).
We arrived in the village of Sacabchen and were taken to what we concluded was by far the nicest house in town. The owners of the house were welcoming, but they and their 7 children were moving out of their home to turn it over to the 9 of us so we could all string-up our hammocks in one place. (Yes, only eight of us went from the church, but we also had Roger with us, our wonderful liaison with Accion Ministries and the essential project coordinator). We had an indoor toilet and shower– which we hadn’t expected (though is was a toilet without a toilet seat). Then Sunday night the church welcomed us in their worship service. While most of us couldn’t understand the words in the service, since they were in Spanish, the connection we felt was very real. When they sang, the energy, passion, and volume communicated their love of our Lord. When they prayed, you felt almost everyone of the hundred or so in attendance were intensely engaged in prayer. The sermon was preached in Mayan, so even Paul and Bonnie who do very well in Spanish, were left out there. But even without words, each of us knew of the faith, hope, and love of these Christians.
The next day we began our work project, making a concrete roof over a stage area with a concrete slab in front of it alongside the church. The slab was 40 ft. x 80 ft., 10 ft. wider then our fellowship hall and longer, stretching from our last pew to the back wall of our fellowship hall– an area they would use much as we use our fellowship hall. We worked side by side with 12-15 good-natured men and teens from the church while the women of the church cooked a big meal over open fires in the backyard next to where we were working. In spite of the language barrier, there was a real sense of community there. They were always eager to step-in when we needed a break.
Late afternoons we held a Bible School for about 90 children, many of whom were unchurched. They ranged from toddlers to early teens– all eager, well-behaved and attentive. Bonnie would
tell the story. Sometimes T. would use his artistic gifts to draw the story while it was told, or at other times we’d use simple drama to help illustrate the Bible lesson. There were crafts, games, and music. In it all, while we were trying to give to them, they ended up filling our hearts with their love and enthusiasm.
Also, in a wonderful serendipity, Phylicia was able to use her medical skills in clinic a couple of afternoons– but that’s her story to tell.
In the farewell church service they held for us at the end, we gave our gifts to them. By the way, thank you for the many baby clothes you donated. And, as poor as these people were, they gave gifts to us. Then we extended our hands to them, singing “The Blessing Song,” we often use here. As each person then came to the front to warmly shake our hands, sometimes with tears in their eyes, we understood why it was important to be there. It was that connection of relationship in Christ that was even more important than what we did, or the money we’d given to make the project happen. As I said in my closing remarks to that church, “Love and our common bond in Christ are communicated even without language. While we probably will never see you again in this life, we know we will meet again in heaven.”
As I read our text in The Message paraphrase, that morning for my devotions in Merida, it had new power for me:
The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack,
tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. Col 1:5 (MSG)
I felt renewed purposefulness in my walk with Christ. Those lines of purpose were more tightly tied to that assured hope we have in our future in heaven.
COLOSSIANS
Colossians is wonderful in helping us understand the importance of being connected to one another– and all those connections find their meaning in Christ. While Colossians is one of the shorter letters Paul wrote, it is also one of the most exciting. Many Bible scholars see it as his most profound letter. Without question, he gives us the highest doctrine of Christ in the whole sweep of Scripture.
The church in Colosse is one Paul had never visited. It is likely a result of his three year ministry in Ephesus. A man by the name of Epaphras, whose hometown was Colosse, came to know Christ under Paul’s preaching in Ephesus and then traveled to Colosse, 100 miles inland, to share the Good News. As a result of his preaching, a church was established there. It is also likely the nearby churches at Laodicea and Hierapolis were also a product of Epaphras’s evangelism. So, here is a church with which Paul has no personal relationship– only connected through Christ and what he’s heard from others, especially Epaphras.
It is generally thought Colossians was written during Paul’s two year imprisonment in Rome. Epaphras has journeyed all the way from Colosse, in present day Turkey, to Rome because of his concern over some tendencies creeping into the church there. We’ll talk more about those in future sermons. But here is Epaphras going to his spiritual mentor for advice and counsel in handling this. Paul, in turn, writes this powerful letter to the church at Colosse, also to be read at in the neighboring church of Laodicea.
In his salutation, Paul identifies himself and the authority with which he writes: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. The apostles had special authority over the early churches. But Paul, unlike the other apostles, had not followed Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was appointed through his own vision of the risen Lord. As he addresses them as holy and faithful brothers in Christ, remember “holy” doesn’t mean perfection. It refers to our standing in Christ– His perfection and holiness are imparted to us by sheer grace.
Grace and peace are the two consistent words in all of Paul’s salutations. What better summary of our needs could there be? “Grace”– our salvation is all a free gift from God. And “peace” reminds us of our Lord’s promise,
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)
THANKSGIVING
What would you do if you were imprisoned unjustly and writing a letter? I think most of us would want to do a little complaining, or at least mention the injustice of what is happening. But Paul’s letters from prison are noted for a total lack of any self-concern that way. He seems totally confident that God is in control, not Rome. Thus, whatever his earthly situation, his life overflows with thanksgiving. That’s where he starts here and thanksgiving breaks out in five other places in these four chapters.
Notice also the outward focus of his life. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you (1:3). He’s praying for them, though he has never met them, never visited the church.
And, for what is Paul so thankful? Here we get that famous triad of faith, love and hope:
because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints– the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel.... (1:4-5)
Faith and love, springing from the future hope of Christians form an interesting image. Realize, in Biblical usage, hope is not, as we often use it, wishful thinking as in “I hope so.” Rather it is confident assurance, looking forward to what is coming. It is akin to the anticipation we feel toward a coming event like Christmas, a big celebration, or a major trip. It begins to orient our behavior and thinking as it approaches. In the few weeks before we left for our Mexico mission trip, it was constantly present to us, affecting our current living. We were trying to be ready, to think of all the contingencies and eventualities. I was trying (rather unsuccessfully) to learn a few key Spanish phrases. It seemed there were almost daily trips to Wal Mart to pickup this or that we “might need.” You know how it is. The closer an event like that comes, the more it begins to occupy your mind.
Let’s apply that to what Paul is suggesting here. He’s introducing what I think can rank almost as a sub theme in this letter: that is, the hope of heaven is to have a big effect on our behavior here and now. Here he applies it to our faith and love, later he will apply it to all our living. If you start living your life oriented toward what will last forever, for all of eternity it will increase your faith and trust in Christ. We know we are made for something more in this life than the pursuit of happiness and satisfying our personal wants and needs. We want to participate in something larger– and that something is God’s plan and purpose that finds its ultimate expression in heaven. This is not escapism from the present realities. It is using that standard to measure what we do now in our lives. Thus, true wisdom would dictate we trust Christ in and for everything right now, because it all finds it’s fulfillment in Him for all of eternity as we’ll see in Col. 1:15-19 in a couple of weeks. And as we focus upon God, love is going to more-and-more be worked into our lives, for “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).
This is the truth Eugene captures in our text:
The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack,
tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. Col 1:5 (MSG)
We live purposefully– with faith and trust in Christ in and through everything, with love motivating and directing our actions– drawn on by God’s ultimate goal for all of creation. This saves us from short-sighted selfish ambition, pettiness, getting-even, resentments, giving into sinful passions, etc. The assured hope of one day standing in the presence of Jesus can motivate us to say no to sin and yes to what He wants. When all the secrets of our hearts are exposed as an open book in His presence– what will there be? O yes, our sins are forgiven as we’ve received Him as our Lord and Savior, but what about the rest? Have we lived our lives for what really counts?
After Ronald Reagan’s death, I think we were all freshly aware of how extraordinary his life was.
His long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease erased memories of what he had done, and even who he was. But I was reading something fascinating about his long journey into that darkness. Memory of his years in Hollywood disappeared, then of being Governor of California, and ultimately he lost all that happened in his years as President of the United States. But one memory stayed alive longer than all the others. In the office Nancy had set up for him, there was a picture on the wall– a picture of the Rock River in Illinois. Long after the rest of his life was lost to the shadows, when asked about that picture, he would brighten and say, “Oh, that’s where I was a lifeguard when I was 17. That’s where I saved 77 lives!”
Saving lives is a legacy of ultimate value when all else fades away. Proverbs 11:30 says, “he who wins souls is wise.” But also, all you do in the name of Christ and for Christ will be remembered and rewarded. That is powerful motivation for us to live for Him now.
CONCLUSION
As we close, I’d like to read this section of Paul’s thanksgiving from The Message. Could Paul write this to us and to our church?
Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians.
The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time.
It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit.
– Col 1:3-8 (MSG)