The Continuum: Rooted, Built Up & StrengthenedSample

DAY 1 - INTRODUCTION

Colossians 2:6-7 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Life is a never-ending swirl of things to do and yet to be done. Often one wonders how quickly time goes by: days turn into weeks that turn into months that turn into years and decades. 

We live in a fast-paced life of instant gratification, on-demand entertainment, home delivery of pleasure and comforts. We are easily bored and looking for the next whatever that may be in the hope that that will fill the gnawing emptiness that somehow needs to be filled. Yet, in all the clutter of our commodities, ironically, often unknown to us, what we are actually in desperate search of the very opposite of “the next”! 

We all need something/someone constant in our lives. It is that “constant” that grounds us, keeps us rooted, it is our internal compass that directs when life throws a curveball at us. It is what defines us, who we really are. 

That constant that we need and unknowingly are in search of cannot and does not come from a life that is always changing. It has to come from that which is not governed by the limits of time. This constant must transcend time – it is timeless.

This brings me to the verse I am reflecting with you today and want to mull over it phrase by phrase or word by word because I think there is a lot in this small but very rich instruction Paul is giving us Christ-followers.

V6a - So Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord - Paul was encouraging the Colossian Christians to hold on to truth and not be swayed by many fine-sounding arguments (verse 4) or even a false gospel that was already making the rounds (verse 8). 

How did we receive Jesus?

He wants them to hold fast to what they were taught by the apostles. They received it from men of credibility and received it by faith.

I pause to think about this. We have no lack of choice today as to who we would like to listen to, which church sermons we want to watch. Sometimes we could be sucked into subtle false teachings without even realizing it. 

We need to know whom we are learning from: what is their track-record, what is their life like, and what their core doctrines are. It is not easy to test this in the cyber world.

The other thing that Paul is reminding them is about how they received Christ. How did we receive our salvation? We received it by grace through faith. Nothing more, nothing less. The Cross of Christ is complete and covers everything for me: I cannot earn it, I do not deserve it. I appropriate it by faith alone and in humility accept this grace gift in my life.

Let no one add to that or take away from this great work of our wonderful God.

Let us pause a moment and give thanks for our salvation.

REFLECT AND ASK YOURSELF

How did you come to hear about Jesus? Give thanks to the person who introduced you to the faith. Call them up, write them a text thanking them.

REFERENCE: Colossians 2:6-7