Coming Up: Sonday November 16, 2014
Colossians 1:24-29 - Christ Brings GLORY
Read: Colossians 1:24, 2 Corinthians 11:23-30
How important is the church? How important is it to minister to God’s people? What are you willing to do to serve other believers? For many Christians today the unfortunate answer to this question is not much. When we are tired, or have other plans, or just don’t feel like it, we skip gathering with God’s people to serve them and encourage them. Many Christians are happy to go along to church when it suits them so that they might be served but as soon as they are asked to do something or to give of themselves for others they abandon ship.
This was certainly not the case with Paul. In this passage in Colossians we see the priority that Paul places on the church. Notice what He says: “I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” Paul places such a high priority and importance on the church that he is willing to suffer for the sake of the church. This sort of suffering was much more than getting out of bed when he didn’t feel like it. Paul endured incredible and horrific suffering for the sake of the church.
In fact, in 2nd Corinthians Paul gives an account of the sufferings that He has endured for the church. He has endured beatings, jail, shipwrecks, persecution from unbelievers, persecution from false believers in the church, hunger, nakedness and incredible danger. Add to all this the daily pressure of Paul’s love and concern for all the churches in the ancient world. Paul suffered some incredible things for the church.
Paul not only endured these things. Colossians 1:24 tells us that he rejoiced in what was suffered. 2 Corinthians 11:30 tells us that Paul boasted in his weakness and suffering. Paul willingly and joyfully endured horrific suffering to serve and love other believers.
Paul shows us the kind of priority that we are to place on the church as well. Paul understood that Jesus Himself loved the church enough to die for it. Jesus served the church with His own sufferings and gave us the ultimate gift: eternal life, restoration with God and the hope of glory. If Jesus was willing to give Himself for us, we too ought to be willing to give ourselves for others. We should be known by our self-sacrificial love for one another.
What about us? What are we willing to give up to love and serve other believers? Do we run in the other direction when we have opportunities to serve others or do we willingly sacrifice ourselves. Does it take a minor miracle to get us out of bed to gather with God’s people or are we willing and raring to go, excited by the opportunities to love and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ? What are we willing to do to love and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ?
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Thank God for the blessing of other believers who can encourage and serve one another. Pray that He would work in your heart to help you willingly and self-sacrificially serve your brothers and sisters in Christ.
¥ Pray for other believers in your church. Pray that God would encourage them and strengthen them as they go about their weeks. Pray that He would prompt you to encourage and serve at least one person this week.
Jesus loved the church enough to die for it. Paul loved the church (and Jesus!) enough to suffer horribly for it. What are you willing to do to serve the church and love other believers?
1. How can you tell what is important to someone?
2. What would you expect to see in someone who places a high priority on the church and ministering to God’s people?
Intro: God loves His people so much that He sent His son Jesus to die for their sins. He wants us to love His people and care for them too.
Share: Has another believer ever helped you and looked after you? What did they do? Why would they do that?
Read: Colossians 1:28-29 Paul tells us that He worked really hard to love and care for other believers and to tell people about Jesus. What does labour mean? (vs 29) What does it mean to struggle? (vs 29) What did Paul struggle to do? ( hint: vs 28) What could we do to love and care for other believers?
Pray Together: Pray that God would help us to love others more and to care for those who are in need.
Read: Colossians 1:28-29 Paul tells us that He worked really hard to love and care for other believers and to tell people about Jesus. What does labour mean? (vs 29) What does it mean to struggle? (vs 29) What did Paul struggle to do? ( hint: vs 28) What could we do to love and care for other believers?
Pray Together: Pray that God would help us to love others more and to care for those who are in need.
Intro: God loves His people so much that He sent His son Jesus to die for their sins. He wants us to love His people and care for them too.
Share: Has another believer ever helped you and looked after you? What did they do? Why would they do that?
Read: Colossians 1:28-29 Paul tells us that He worked really hard to love and care for other believers and to tell people about Jesus. What does labour mean? (vs 29) What does it mean to struggle? (vs 29) What did Paul struggle to do? ( hint: vs 28) What could we do to love and care for other believers?
Pray Together: Pray that God would help us to love others more and to care for those who are in need.
Read: Colossians 1:28-29 Paul tells us that He worked really hard to love and care for other believers and to tell people about Jesus. What does labour mean? (vs 29) What does it mean to struggle? (vs 29) What did Paul struggle to do? ( hint: vs 28) What could we do to love and care for other believers?
Pray Together: Pray that God would help us to love others more and to care for those who are in need.
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