Colossians
1:8-14
While
still new to Christianity the Colossians were impressive with their faith, love
for community, and fruit bearing. But even with all of this Paul prays for
still more for them. He asked God to grant them to be filled with three things.
First, knowledge of God’s will; this is the deep and real knowledge rather than
a superficial kind of knowing about. Paul wants them to have a profound knowing
of what God is all about. Second, he asked that they be filled with all Spiritual
wisdom; this is really about the “how” of accomplishing the will of God. Third,
he asked for understanding, to have the perception of what is happening in the
dynamic or fluidity of life. Life is not a constant. Like whitewater rafting each new moment
requires new insight. Rather than dull
academic research the Christian life is a lively awareness of what God wants
done, how it needs to be done, and a sensitivity or understanding to the Holy Spirit
in the process of the doing. We call this a Spirit-led or filled life. The Spirit-led life is neither the ecstatic
experience in the worship gathering nor the foggy-eyed mystic in a desert cave
hearing voices. It is knowing the will
of God in life, how it applies and partnering with the Holy Spirit as it comes
about.
But
lest we think this is about developing a big overarching strategy for a great ministry
or mega church we have to take the next phrase of the text. The Spirit-led life or as Paul calls it “walk”
and its purpose are described here. In our lives we “walk in a manner
worthy”. This is not about church growth
strategy, but about individual lives that live up to the name and please Him in
all respects. It is producing fruit in the good works He has for us and it
increases in knowledge. This
fruitfulness and knowledge is a by-product of living to and in Him. Instead of really great staff developing a
plan for ministry that will cause the church to grow, perhaps we need to focus
on living every moment led by the Spirit and teaching other believers to do the
same.
Paul
turns his attention to good works and knowledge. Too often we have focused solely on the later
that is on knowledge. The purpose of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding is
ethical not just academic, how to live (to do good works) not just knowing
about life. I am amazed that we seem to think it is acceptable for a believer
to attend Sunday school their whole life and never graduate and never enter the
work force. When we have good works and
knowledge together, we are strengthened by God's power in two key areas. Here
Paul is both in step and in stark contrast to much of contemporary
Christianity. While Paul would advocate
for good works and knowledge, like much of contemporary Christianity, he has a
decidedly different objective. We think
of work and knowledge as the pathway to growth or advancement. For Paul it is the pathway to steadfastness
and patience.
There
is clearly nothing wrong with growing a great church, but these two virtues or strengths
stand opposed to cowardice or despondency on the one hand and revenge on the
other-temptations that are ever present in a life of discipleship and
ministry. These virtues enable us to
live joyfully the life that is difficult.
The
verse break between versus 11 and 12 is unfortunate. The acts and rituals of
thanks to God are profoundly linked to the life of joy. There is a mixture of
steadfastness, patience, joy, and thanks that gives us the ability, by the Holy
Spirit, to live faithfully even in difficult circumstances. This has happened because we have deliverance
from the authority of darkness and have been moved into this Kingdom of his son
Jesus. The powers of Darkness have been broken and we live in the light because
of the forgiveness that Christ accomplished.
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