Series: Jesus Manifesto
Message: Getting the Mystery Revealed
Preacher: Rebecca Murdock
Reflection: Japhet De Oliveira
Live Wonder: Zan Long
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Beyond: J. Murdock
Live Purpose: Lydia Svoboda
Editor: Becky De Oliveira
Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.
Read: Colossians 1:24-2:3 in the English Standard Version (ESV). Note 1–3 insights or questions.
Reflect: I have led a few church plants in the past, as well as a few new worship services and several new ministry initiatives. Only once, however, did I have a conversation before starting a new thing that began with fear. The fear came from the anticipation of what was about to start. It came from a place of diminished joy instead of abundance. The exact phrase that was said was this, “Will you retain the DNA of [insert name of valued institution], when you start this thing?” Even though the question came from fear, I understood the value in the individual’s question. They had created something and wanted whatever I was creating to look and feel the same. This is really the same thing we do whenever we make something beautiful. We want the DNA to be retained whenever something new is created. Think about this—in your company, institution, or non-profit. Think about brand identity, and how much people spend to preserve their identity. Think about our church. Every level of the church has a vision of what it should be and they all want their unique DNA to be retained. The General Conference would like the divisions to retain the vision DNA. The divisions would like the unions to retain the vision DNA. The unions would like the conferences to retain the vision DNA. The conferences would like their churches to retain the vision DNA. The multi-site campus churches would like each campus to retain the vision DNA. It is the franchise tension—to be local and yet be global. I will not even start on the tension surrounding logos.
This is exactly what I think the Apostle Paul was questioning. Not out of fear, but out of spirit of abundance. He lifted up the Colossian church and nudged them to be faithful to the DNA of the Gospel he had shared.
Recalibrate: Imagine going to church tomorrow. What would the experience be like for someone new, what would it mean to them?
Respond: Pray for the spirit of abundance.
Research: Read one of the suggested commentaries on this passage.
Remember: “This truth is Christ Himself, who is in you. He is our only hope for glory” (Colossians 1:27, ICB).
Japhet De Oliveira is administrative director for the Center for Mission and Culture at Adventist Health in Roseville, California.
Read This Is For You with your child. Put your hands up to your ears and say, “I can hear you.” Point your fingers to your eyes and say, “I can see you.” Put your hands on your heart and say, “I love you.” Do this several times—either all at once or throughout the day. Love listens and sees, and, most of all, love does something about what it sees and hears. So if your child is sad, see and hear what it is they are sad about. Before you go into superhero-fix-everything-parent mode, take this moment to say “I hear you, I see you, I love you.” Know that Jesus does this for all of us. Take this moment to be with Him. He sees, He hears, and He loves us.
Do you have any Lego? Can you tell the difference between Lego and other blocks? There is something about Lego that feels different. I love that all the Lego bricks can be put together. I love that even blocks from really old sets can go together with brand new sets. Lego does this. Love does too. No matter what your age, when you love you can work together with others no matter what age you are. Love is what pulls us together. Loving Jesus feels different. Loving Jesus builds us together to make something amazingly different each time. Ask Jesus to build something amazing in you and your friends.
Do you remember when you first met your best friend? I met mine one afternoon in a cafeteria while studying at La Sierra University. She was carrying a tray to a table where she was about to sit down all by herself. I didn’t know it then, but that singular moment was the start of getting to know her better, and in doing so getting to know myself better. Best friends have a special power to teach you things about yourself you never knew before until they told you. It’s like they can see right through you and speak truth into your life.
The problem with letting someone into your life that deeply is that they have access to your innermost thoughts and desires. Bad friends can find ways to hurt you immensely by breaking the trust you have given them. The best part of letting someone into your life that deeply is that they have access to your innermost thoughts and desires. Good friends can find ways to speak encouragement into your heart and cause you to grow in beautiful and wonderful ways. It’s a careful balance of knowing who to trust and who to keep your distance from. But the risk in allowing someone to be close to you is matched by the reward of knowing that you are better in a community of people than you are alone.
Paul says that the entire purpose of the letter he is writing to the people of Colossae is to be their best friend; to encourage their hearts. Paul is applying for friendship so that he can introduce the people to his friend, Jesus. It’s the perfect version of best friendship for what they need, and if they are willing to risk it, he is assuring them that this friendship is worth the cost.
Who are your best friends? How did you meet? How much access do you give them to your heart? How is your friendship with Jesus? How much of your heart do you give to Him? What do you think would happen if you gave more of your heart to Jesus and allowed Him to encourage you?
Remember that true riches are in knowing Jesus. No amount of wealth, experiences, or knowledge of the world will ever compare to His glory. His power exceeds all circumstances, so your joy can too—find it in Him and place it in nothing of this so limited world. Then all the hope, purpose, and contentment will last you even beyond this life.
Zan Long is GRC director for faith development for ages 0-17. She lives in Sydney, Australia, and serves at her local church in nearby Kellyville.
J. Murdock is associate pastor at Boulder Adventist Church in Boulder, Colorado, where he focuses on youth and young adult ministry.
Lydia Svoboda is a junior theology major at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.