Colossians
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
My Prayer Today
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have made your salvation available to me. I know that I did not deserve it, nor earn it, but I thank you for your grace. I ask that you would help me to find great pleasure in sharing Jesus Christ with others today. I ask that you would give me opportunities to share my faith. Furthermore, I ask that you would help me to use those opportunities. Thank you for your strength, grace, and love. I am so thankful that Christ lives in me! In your Son's name, Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Colossians 1:27
For it has pleased God to tell his people that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory.
Reflecting on God’s Word
When God told his people that the riches and glory of Christ are for the Gentiles, how did he feel in doing this?
What are the "riches" and "glory" of Christ?
Explain the "secret" in your own words.
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What does Paul mean when he says "Christ lives in you?"
How do we know that we have the assurance that we will share in Christ's glory?
What does it mean to "share in Christ's glory?" How can this happen?
Understanding God’s Word
Why did it please God to share the "secret?"
What does this tell us about the heart of God?
Why didn't God want this secret shared sooner? Why did the secret have to wait?
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
If it pleased God to tell the Gentiles (the rest of the world) that Christ died for them, then what should our attitude be in telling the rest of the world?
How often do you tell others about Jesus Christ? (every day? week? month? year? never?)
What keeps you back from sharing the Good News with someone today?
Thoughts...
Have you ever had great news that you wanted to share except that it could not be told until a later time? It is hard to keep a secret when you know that the listener will be excited to hear the news. God had a secret that he held for many centuries, but through Christ, he was now able to share the secret. Paul expresses in Colossians 1:27 that God was not only able to share the secret, but he was really excited to do so. He was "pleased" to tell his people. What was the secret? -- the riches and glory of Christ is for the Gentiles too! This was big news for the church at Colosse and it is big news for us today -- that we as Gentiles are part of God's plan of salvation!
We can become part of God's family because of what Christ has done. It gives God pleasure to extend his salvation to us. We can inherit the "riches" and "glory" of Christ. Think of it, everything that God has is now ours because of Jesus Christ! There is nothing on earth that can compare to the wealth we have in him. We inherit the riches of adoption, forgiveness, healing, deliverance, peace, joy, love, and the hope of salvation (to name a few). Even the richest person in the world today does not even compare to the riches we have in Christ. These riches are not just available to a select few, but to all the world. Take time today to thank God for all the blessings that you have in him, and pray for opportunities to share the hope you have in Jesus with others.