ORead: Colossians 1:28-29, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Do you remember the old Duracell bunny ads on television? Where the other battery brands failed the Duracell bunny just kept on going. Nothing seemed to be able to stop him when he was powered by Duracell batteries. Do you ever wish that you could be powered by Duracell batteries like that instead of getting tired, worn out and run flat?
The truth is that as Christians we have a power source working in us that is far more powerful than Duracell batteries. That power source is God working in us through the Holy Spirit. That is what Paul is talking about here in Colossians. He is labouring to proclaim Christ and to admonish and teach everyone with the hope of presenting everyone perfect and blameless before God in Christ. He tells us that he labours for this goal “struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
Notice two things in this verse. Firstly, it is God’s power that is working in Paul. Like the Duracell bunny that is powered by Duracell batteries Paul’s ministry is powered not by his own energy, effort and abilities but God working powerfully in and through him. This power source never runs dry, never depletes and is always working in us. This power source cannot be stopped or limited by anything in this world. God Himself, the creator, sustainer and ruler of the universe is working in us.
Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 12 as well. Paul has a thorn in the flesh, a weakness that is causing him tremendous grief. He pleads with God for God to take that weakness away but God tells him: “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God reminds Paul that He is the one that is working. It is His power that is at work in Paul, power that is not limited or affected by weaknesses. In fact, God’s power is made perfect in weakness.
This same power that works in Paul, that worked in the disciples and that worked in Jesus and raised Him from the dead (Romans 8:11) is at work in each of us. He is the one who enables and empowers us to serve Him and to serve the church. He is the one working in each of us. When we think that we cannot possibly be used by God and for God we must remember that He is the one who is working in us. We can have tremendous confidence and hope as we allow Him to work in us.
But there is a second thing that we notice about Paul’s ministry in these verses. Paul labours and struggles with the energy of God but he is still labouring and struggling. Just because God is working in us doesn’t mean we can slack off or be lazy. It doesn’t mean that we can sit back and relax. It doesn’t make serving God and serving others easy. We must still use all our efforts and energies to strive for the sake of the church. We must spend ourselves and all our energies to serve God and to serve the church. Along with Paul, empowered by God, we too must labour and struggle to proclaim Him, admonish and teach others and build up the church. Let’s get to work…
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the families in your church who are about to spend the weekend together. Pray that their time together would be precious and that they would grow in love for one another. Pray that they might also grow in their faith in Christ and their love for Him.
Just because God provides all that we need to follow Him doesn’t mean we can just sit back and let Him work. We must struggle and labour and work hard in our Christian life. We must work to bless and build up others. Are you labouring for the gospel?
1. If you can, share with the group and time when you knew that God was working in you and enabling to do something that you couldn’t have done by yourself. What happened?
2. How does God provide energy and power for us to live for Him? What does this look like in everyday life?
3. Does God’s power and energy in us mean that we will never get tired or run out of energy? Why or why not?
Intro: There are a lot of cool toys that need power from batteries.
Share: Some of your favourite toys that work with batteries. What does the toy do? What would it do if it didn’t have batteries?
Read: Colossians 1:29 We too need energy and power to be able to serve God. Thankfully God provides His energy to help us to follow Him. Paul says he works with God’s energy. What sort of things does God want us to do with our lives?
Pray Together: Thank God that He gives us His energy and power to follow Him and to obey Him. Pray that He would help us to obey Him more and to use our energy for Him.
Read: Colossians 1:29 We too need energy and power to be able to serve God. Thankfully God provides His energy to help us to follow Him. Paul says he works with God’s energy. What sort of things does God want us to do with our lives?
Pray Together: Thank God that He gives us His energy and power to follow Him and to obey Him. Pray that He would help us to obey Him more and to use our energy for Him.
Intro: There are a lot of cool toys that need power from batteries.
Share: Some of your favourite toys that work with batteries. What does the toy do? What would it do if it didn’t have batteries?
Read: Colossians 1:29 We too need energy and power to be able to serve God. Thankfully God provides His energy to help us to follow Him. Paul says he works with God’s energy. What sort of things does God want us to do with our lives?
Pray Together: Thank God that He gives us His energy and power to follow Him and to obey Him. Pray that He would help us to obey Him more and to use our energy for Him.
Read: Colossians 1:29 We too need energy and power to be able to serve God. Thankfully God provides His energy to help us to follow Him. Paul says he works with God’s energy. What sort of things does God want us to do with our lives?
Pray Together: Thank God that He gives us His energy and power to follow Him and to obey Him. Pray that He would help us to obey Him more and to use our energy for Him.
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