Colossians 4:13 & 16 "The Church Together"

Read Colossians 4:13 & 16.

"I vouch for him (Epaphras) that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis."

I wanted to do both of these two passages because they work so well together. It's about the church being the church. You see Hierapolis was about six miles from Laodicea and fourteen miles from Colosse. These churches were relatively close to one another. The church of Jesus Christ was spreading out. How was Paul going to continue mentoring these churches? He does so through letters that Paul sent and they passed between themselves to read to the churches. They provided instruction, encouragement, and hope as young, persecuted believers finding their way.

I love seeing churches working together - intradenominational and interdenominational. I remember a few years back I was at a Women of Faith conference that met here in my city. During lunchtime, a group of men were cooking for the women from their church. The men's shirts said, "The Church of Modesto." Modesto is a town about an hour away and there is no church there by that name. All the churches in Modesto got together to be the church as one. What on awesome example of being The Church -- working together, side-by-side toward a common goal of sharing the love of Jesus Christ. If we would do that more, maybe the world would stop seeing us as a religion with rules, regulations, and rituals and instead see the power of a love relationship with our Lord.

Further Thoughts:

1. Read through Acts. What were the primary purposes for these new churches?
2. How is your church doing in being The Church? What can you do to help that?
3. What attitudes have to happen to be a cooperating church?

1 Peter 1:1-2 "Being the Church"

Read 1 Peter 1:1-2.

"Grace and peace be yours in abundance." NIV

Peter, like James, is addressing the Christians from Pentecost that have scattered throughout Asia Minor. How this letter was passed, I don't know, but it traveled to several provinces.

Peter refers to these Christians as "God's elect, strangers in the world." Interestingly, that title has not changed. We are still God's chosen people, set apart for His purposes and work. And we are still strangers in the world. Maybe we are even becoming stranger.


The question is, are we strangers because we are different from the world, set apart or because we are not acting as the church should act? Are we living in "obedience to Jesus Christ?" Are we living out the "grace and peace" that is ours "in abundance?"


I was at an MLK celebration last night. What a wonderful time of worshipping with The Body of Christ. The speaker, Dr. Cynthia James, brought up the point of are we ready to set aside our materialism, envy, doctrinal differences, and bigotry and take up our sword and spear and cross over to the enemy camp together? Is the Church being the Church or are we individual social clubs doing our own little thing? Is the life we are living as individuals and as individual bodies appealing to the world, or are we repelling them because we're just not doing it right? Do they see us as judgmental or grace-filled? Do they think of us as Bible thumpers or compassionate problem solvers? Are we the hope of the world or a hopeless group of weaklings? Do we live out the joy we have through Jesus Christ or are we just a mirror of the anger and frustrations of everyone else around us? And if the latter, how does that happen if we are the benefactors of the most amazing grace ever given and a peace that passes all understanding?

I'm asking all of these questions of myself. As I've studied Ephesians, Matthew, and now James, I'm challenged to look at the role of the Church in the 21st century and it seems to me that it's the same role as in the first.

When Peter sent this letter to the believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, he didn't specify which group of believers he was sending it to. There weren't Baptists, Wesleyans, Assemblies, and Non-denoms to separate them. They were all saved by grace and sanctified by the Holy Spirit to do the work of obedience to Jesus Christ. Maybe we have become too comfortable in our individual structures and programs and have forgotten how to be the Church united to those living right around us. Now not all have. Many churches are reaching out to the lost, helping the widows, orphans and oppressed. I'm not oblivious to the good being done. But is it enough and can it be better?

I believe it can be better, but transformation must begin in our individual hearts before our churches can change. We must gain a new love for people. Hearts must seek to reach out to those around us everyday in our jobs, neighborhoods and communities. Making a difference while living the victorious life.

How is this all accomplished? I can't come up with all the answers:) But as for me, I will start finding ways to reach out more in my community to make an impact for Christ right where I live.

Lord, guide me in my choices for my involvement in my community while I continue to work on my relationship with You. Help me to meet the people I need to share Your love and grace with.

Further Thoughts:

1. Look on a map for where this letter was being sent. A map of Paul's journeys will show it. Besides Asia, the provinces are just north of his missionary trips.
2. What were some of the things the New Church of Acts was reaching out to people with the love of Christ?
3. Brainstorm a list of ways you can make a difference in your community. Pray for God's direction, then actively take a step toward accomplishing at least one of them this year.
4. Do others know you are a believer? How might they know? Do you show yourself as a person of hope and a future or one who is depressed and frustrated most of the time? If the latter, do a study of "grace" and "peace."

Matthew 4:23-25 "Three-Part Ministry"

"Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those
having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him." NIV

Jesus' three-part ministry -- teaching the people about God's love and how to live pleasing to Him, preaching the news of repentance and the hope it brings, and healing the sick. Jesus wanted to touch every part of their lives physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. People were drawn to Jesus' teaching, but they seem to be more drawn at this point in his ministry to the healing. I don't see that other rabbi's had the ability to heal so it is not surprising that the sick would flock to Him. Then after He had met their need, He shared the truth with them of God's love and redemption.

Here's the pattern established for our Christian churches to follow today. Meet people at the point of their need, share the good news of Jesus Christ and then train them up to live the Christian life and to go out to share with others. Sounds simple when placed in a single sentence. But much harder to carry out. And we, as the body of Christ, are all responsible to follow Jesus' example.

Lord, keep me focused on my ministry to others. Guide me to the hurting who I can help, the lost that need to be found, and the students of Your Word. I want to be about Your work each and every day.

Further Thoughts:

1. How did the early church follow Christ's example? (Read Acts 2:42-47.)
2. Jesus' ministry is all encompassed in love. What are other passages that speak of how to live in love? (See 1 John 3:11-24; Philippians 2:1-11, Colossians 3:12-17.)
3. In the last month, 6 months, or year, how has your life followed Jesus' example? Are you patterning your life after His or allowing other things to dictate? We all have seasons of life to live, but even in the season, we can live out at least one of the three parts of Jesus' life. (i.e. Helping a sick neighbor who can't care for him/herself; sharing with a co-worker about Jesus, teaching a Bible study class on how to have a strong, Christian marriage.)
   

Ephesians 4:1-16

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:

"'When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.'

"(What does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." NIV

I chose a long passage today, but it just didn't seem right to break it up. Paul has been telling us that Christ has come to save both Jew and Gentile and to bring us into one people. Remember, historically, they have not been one at all. Jews and Gentiles didn't associate. But this passage is how they are to live as one people and can be used to learn how all God's people live as one. Sometimes it is really hard to think of the church universal when we have denominations and buildings that separate us. It seems to take a Promise Keepers, Women of Faith, or Christian concert to remind us that we are part of something so much bigger than our local congregation. There is a vast community out there of our brothers and sisters. We are all running towards the same goal and should be working together more. But I digress....

Although this passage does mean to speak to the church universal, in most cases we see it lived out in our own congregation. We all serve one God and should work as one to do so. He gave us each our jobs to do through our individual abilities and talents.(vs 11-12) And if we hold together, living as one in the Truth, when untruth tries to sway us, we will see it for what it is.(vs 14)

I love the metaphor Paul uses in the last verse. We are the body of Christ, literally. Since His body is no longer here, we must be His hands, feet, arms, ligaments, heart..... And all working together, we grow and mature, becoming stronger and stronger. If parts of the body start turning on each other, the body will pull itself apart and die. Since we, as children of God, are aliens and strangers in this world, we must stick together to accomplish His purposes. Besides, it's much more fun working together.

Lord, forgive us for the times Your church has tried to pull itself apart. Holy Spirit, keep us unified in You and help me to do my part in the body.

Further Thoughts:

1. Read more on the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. (I love that this passage is followed by the love chapter, 13. Paul is reminding us that if we live in love, we will remain unified in the body.)
2. Christ is the head of "the body." What happened at the moment of Christ's death to symbolize His becoming the head of the church. (Hint: see Luke 23:44-45 and Exodus 26:33)
3. These principles can be used across the board on different groups we are a part of. What other "bodies" are you a part of? How can these principles be applied?
4. What part of the body of Christ are you? Are you doing your part to unify the body and grow it up?