Letter Four
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” - Colossians 3:16
Community is so important. It’s vital to a healthy life and even more important when it comes to your spiritual growth. This is what Paul was hinting at in Colossians 3. He knew the church in Colossae needed strong biblically grounded relationships so that those who were on the verge of being led astray could be saved from believing and following a lie. Notice that Paul uses the idea of the message of Christ, the Gospel, to not just dwell in you, but among you. And not even just dwell among you, but to dwell among you richly. Paul is hinting at an aspect of the nature of God. This is how God works, he doesn’t do things halfway, and everything He does is done with relationship in mind. When the good news of Christ dwells among you, it connects you to each other. It is what unifies and bonds you to one another. With everything that you do together as a family, from teaching, learning, admonishing, singing, and worshipping God, let it all be done with the Good News of Christ right at the center.
Community is so important to the health of individual Christians and the church as a whole that Satan loves to pick this area to attack. It is as true today as it was 2,000 years ago and all throughout time. He does it continually through offense, anger, bitterness, isolation, loneliness, and gossip. He’ll do anything to disrupt relationships and fellowship and drive people apart. An isolated people are far easier to control and manipulate. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon said it like this: “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly connection than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”
By being in a relationship with one another, you can expect to be continuously sharpened and refined. And you can also expect those relationships to be tested. Don’t allow anything to come between these relationships in your life. Don’t allow offense or division to keep you out of biblical community. This is how a good Christian life becomes a great Christian life. It is through relationship that we take next steps, and step into the calling that God created us for. It is through relationship and continual stretching, refining, encouraging, guiding, and correcting that people start to see fruit in their lives. If you’ve failed in the past, if you’ve isolated yourself, step back into relationship today. Let’s let the message of Christ dwell among us richly, whether it be at home, in our workplace, at the checkout counter, in a crew, or in every area of our life. Let’s be people who fight for relationships instead of fighting in relationships. Let’s see relationship the same way God does!
Community is so important to the health of individual Christians and the church as a whole that Satan loves to pick this area to attack. It is as true today as it was 2,000 years ago and all throughout time. He does it continually through offense, anger, bitterness, isolation, loneliness, and gossip. He’ll do anything to disrupt relationships and fellowship and drive people apart. An isolated people are far easier to control and manipulate. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon said it like this: “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly connection than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”
By being in a relationship with one another, you can expect to be continuously sharpened and refined. And you can also expect those relationships to be tested. Don’t allow anything to come between these relationships in your life. Don’t allow offense or division to keep you out of biblical community. This is how a good Christian life becomes a great Christian life. It is through relationship that we take next steps, and step into the calling that God created us for. It is through relationship and continual stretching, refining, encouraging, guiding, and correcting that people start to see fruit in their lives. If you’ve failed in the past, if you’ve isolated yourself, step back into relationship today. Let’s let the message of Christ dwell among us richly, whether it be at home, in our workplace, at the checkout counter, in a crew, or in every area of our life. Let’s be people who fight for relationships instead of fighting in relationships. Let’s see relationship the same way God does!
Read:
Colossians 3
Ask:
Would you consider yourself planted in the local church? Why or why not?
What do you find is the most difficult part of being in relationship?
In what way is God calling you to take a next step in this area?
In what ways can you be more intentional when it comes to growing relationally with those around you?
What do you find is the most difficult part of being in relationship?
In what way is God calling you to take a next step in this area?
In what ways can you be more intentional when it comes to growing relationally with those around you?
Move:
What do you think your next step is in this area?
Pray:
Jesus, I am so thankful for your obedience in coming down and living among men. Thank you for the model you have given us for relationship. I ask that you would bring me to and help me to take opportunities to sow into others through community. I pray that you would keep me humble enough to also receive correction and advice from other believers in my world. Lord, as I go forth this week I pray to bring you into every conversation and encounter. Let your glory dwell within all of my interactions. Amen.
