A Passion for Spiritual Life in the Congregation
Colossians 1:4; 2:2-4; 3:12-16
Free Lutheran Fellowship at Willow Springs
April 27, 2008
This week I want to keep right on going… We looked at Colossians chapter three and saw that the Kingdom of God is a changed life, a harmonious home and an excellent attitude on the job.
When lost souls come to Jesus, they need to join a Christian congregation. The Free Lutheran Church emphasizes that the right form of the Kingdom of God on earth is THE LOCAL CONGREGATION! I can’t imagine being a Christian and not being a part of a congregation…how lonely.
A spiritual congregation is where living believers gather and leadership is mature…LIVING BELIEVERS, MATURE LEADERSHIP… God is powerful in that kind of congregation…lives are transformed. Let’s consider “A Passion for Spiritual Life in the Congregation.” Colossians gives key factors of a spiritual congregation:
I. TRUE LOVE
Colossians 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 2:2a that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, 3:14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
When I was a little boy my older sister listened to a popular song by Jackie DeShannon that some of you pushing 60 might remember. The song reflects the heart cry of humanity…
Lord, we don't need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb,
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
Enough to last 'til the end of time…
What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love,
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.
I enjoyed finding that song on the internet and listening to it for the first time in 30 years. The song reminded me that people are desperately seeking love. The one place where people should count on finding love is in our congregation.
In the book of Acts unbelievers noted how much believers loved each other.
Romans 13:8 owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.
1 Peter 1:22 fervently love one another from the heart.
A church without love is not a Christian church. A loving church is a “spirit-filled” church.
I remember the testimony of a Baptist minister named Dr. George Gardiner who grew up in a Pentecostal parsonage. In fact, they lived right above the church. As a boy he used to overhear to the church board angrily arguing. This motivated him to leave the Pentecostal church and become a Baptist. He didn’t see the love.
I am convinced that if our churches were filled with the love of Christ that our young people would not leave like they do and older people would come back. People desperately need love.
A farmer installed a weather vane inscribed with the words, “God is love”…One day a traveler stopped by the farm and watched the weather vane moving with the breeze. Then, with a smirk on his face, he asked, “Do you mean to say that your God is as changeable as the wind?” The farmer shook his head… “No. What I mean to say is that no matter which way the wind blows, God is love!” TRUE LOVE IS THE MARK OF A SPIRITUAL CHURCH.
II. THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST
Colossians 2:2b-4 and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with persuasive argument.
Now that the mainline denominations have taken the liberty to cut out parts of the Bible it had gone so far that even the Lord Jesus Christ is being cut out. I am shocked to find out how many pastors do not believe that Jesus arose from the dead.
Colossians 2:4 has come to pass, our churches have been “deluded by people with persuasive arguments.” The Biblical Jesus Christ, God incarnate, crucified, risen and coming again has been replaced by a new age guru called that they call Jesus…a misunderstood itinerant teacher that was executed by the Romans and thrown into a pauper’s grave. That is what is being taught today.
My Jesus is the Son of God; he shed his blood to forgive my sins, rose from the dead and is my friend. When I see the world falling apart I am comforted by the knowledge that Jesus is coming back to set up his peaceful kingdom.
The name of Jesus Christ makes evil spirits go crazy. That is why our government leaders are forbidding prayer in the name of Jesus. So many of them are demon possessed that the evil spirits inside of them get all upset when they hear that wonderful Name.
A spiritual church knows Christ:
He is our righteousness
He is our peace
He is our hope
Ronnie Peterson wears a hat that says it all: “I love Jesus.” A spiritual church has LOVE and true KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.
III. MATURITY
Colossians 3:12-13 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
I call this passage a description of maturity. This is a picture of people who have put away the impatience and scrapping nature we have as kids and to put on the mature Christ-like spirit: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Maturity doesn’t react but patiently bears with those who are less mature.
Don Gander has said that all Christians should go to the same church and work out differences rather than divide. He has a point. How can we learn to forgive and bear with one another if we just split up?
A mature church is compassionate. The early Christians were known for taking care of the widows and orphans. When the Romans would throw out their unwanted babies in the dump, the Christians would secretly retrieve them and raise them as their own children. Many of our modern hospitals have been started by Christians. Think of the names of hospitals: St. Luke’s, St. Mary’s, Mercy, Providence, Lutheran, Methodist and so on.
Let’s make a commitment to be mature.
IV. SCRIPTURE, MUSIC AND GRATITUDE
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Spiritual life is demonstrated by the Word of God, music and gratitude.
When a person gets saved hunger for the Word of God. New Christians love to come to Bible study. They eat it up. Satan fights hard to distract us from the Word of God. Bible promises and commandments make us powerful soldiers in the army of God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, he used Scripture to get the victory.
Singing is also a powerful spiritual force in the church. The other night we had about 10 people in our living room for communion. I took out my autoharp and we sang gospel hymns and it really ministered to my heart. When I had mission services in a little Alaskan village the handful of believers would sing hymns about the blood of Christ and the cross. We found this to be an excellent way to combat the dark evil spirits of the region.
Finally, there is one important spiritual truth in verse 16 we don’t want to miss. Note the two Word’s “with thankfulness.” This is the key. I have seen crabby and ungrateful complainers who memorize Bible verses and sing. Their problem was that they lacked gratitude. They build up an arsenal of Scripture verses for the purpose of attacking people rather than Satan. They are always fighting. Crabby Christianity is cured by continual and deliberate gratitude. Counting our blessings leads us to gratitude; gratitude takes us through the doorway of joy and the “joy of the Lord is our strength.”
That is the kind of church I long to attend… a joyful church…a spiritual church with:
true love
the knowledge of Christ
maturity
the Word, music and gratitude.
Let’s be passionate about that kind of church. If we are, word will spread and seekers will come. Amen