January 6, 2023
Colossians 1:24-29 (HCSB)
Paul’s Ministry
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church. 25 I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.
Kim Ivey
Paul knew that leading only Jews to Christ wasn’t enough. He desired to “make God’s message fully known” by sharing with Gentiles. However, Paul did not focus only on evangelism; he also worked to maintain the integrity of the Gospel in the church. Sharing Christ is vital. It’s something we’ve all been called to do. We can’t stop there, though. As Christians we have a responsibility to know Him more, and to know His word. I said yesterday that I was 8 years old when I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. That would be about 1988. I am ashamed to say, though, that I did not develop a consistent daily habit of prayer and Bible reading until 2015-2016. That’s almost 30 years of being a Christian that I just “played church.” During that time, I taught teenage girls Sunday School classes, served faithfully in church choirs, and was even a preacher’s wife. All that time, I was living in sin because I was neglecting my relationship with God and not maturing in Him, effectively telling Jesus that His sacrifice was not worth my time. I wasn’t trying to avoid God, I just thought I was too busy and didn’t have time for any meaningful prayer or study. Then I heard a well-known speaker say something like, “If you’re waiting until you have time to fit God into your schedule, it’s never going to happen. You’ve got it backwards. You need to be building your schedule around God.” The next morning, I got up an hour earlier and sat down with God. Now that I’m actively pursuing a mature relationship with Christ, I have a strong desire to see other Christians doing so as well. I have a strong desire to learn from other strong Christians who are pursuing maturity in Christ. That is how we maintain the integrity of the Gospel. Not by listening to society and striving to “coexist” with everyone around us. Paul was passionate about “warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom.” Read his letters, inspired by God and full of instruction, of wisdom, of rebuke, of encouragement.
Paul’s Ministry
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church. 25 I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.
Kim Ivey
Paul knew that leading only Jews to Christ wasn’t enough. He desired to “make God’s message fully known” by sharing with Gentiles. However, Paul did not focus only on evangelism; he also worked to maintain the integrity of the Gospel in the church. Sharing Christ is vital. It’s something we’ve all been called to do. We can’t stop there, though. As Christians we have a responsibility to know Him more, and to know His word. I said yesterday that I was 8 years old when I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. That would be about 1988. I am ashamed to say, though, that I did not develop a consistent daily habit of prayer and Bible reading until 2015-2016. That’s almost 30 years of being a Christian that I just “played church.” During that time, I taught teenage girls Sunday School classes, served faithfully in church choirs, and was even a preacher’s wife. All that time, I was living in sin because I was neglecting my relationship with God and not maturing in Him, effectively telling Jesus that His sacrifice was not worth my time. I wasn’t trying to avoid God, I just thought I was too busy and didn’t have time for any meaningful prayer or study. Then I heard a well-known speaker say something like, “If you’re waiting until you have time to fit God into your schedule, it’s never going to happen. You’ve got it backwards. You need to be building your schedule around God.” The next morning, I got up an hour earlier and sat down with God. Now that I’m actively pursuing a mature relationship with Christ, I have a strong desire to see other Christians doing so as well. I have a strong desire to learn from other strong Christians who are pursuing maturity in Christ. That is how we maintain the integrity of the Gospel. Not by listening to society and striving to “coexist” with everyone around us. Paul was passionate about “warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom.” Read his letters, inspired by God and full of instruction, of wisdom, of rebuke, of encouragement.
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2023
January
Sunday Connect Lesson for January 1, 2023A Note From Pastor H.D.ColossiansJanuary 2, 2023January 3, 2023January 4, 2023January 5, 2023January 6, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKJanuary 8, 2023January 9, 2023January 10, 2023January 11, 2023January 12, 2023January 13, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for January 15, 2023January 16, 2023January 17, 2023January 18, 2023January 19, 2023January 20, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for January 22, 2023January 23, 2023January 24, 2023January 25, 2023January 26, 2023January 27, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for January 29, 2023January 30, 2023January 31, 2023
February
February 1, 2023February 2, 2023February 3, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for February 5, 2023February 6, 2023February 7, 2023February 8, 2023February 9, 2023February 10, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for February 12, 2023February 13, 2023February 14, 2023February 15, 2023February 16, 2023February 17, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for February 19, 2023Outline of 2 PeterFebruary 20, 2023February 21, 2023February 22, 2023February 23, 2023February 24, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for February 26, 2023A Message from Pastor H.D.February 27, 2023February 28, 2023
March
March 1, 2023March 2, 2023March 3, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for March 5, 2023March 6, 2023March 7, 2023March 8, 2023March 9, 2023March 10, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for March 12, 2023March 13, 2023March 14, 2023March 15, 2023March 16, 2023March 17, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for March 19, 2023March 20, 2023March 21, 2023March 22, 2023March 23, 2023March 24, 2023QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKSunday Connect Lesson for March 26, 2023March 27, 2023March 28, 2023March 29, 2023March 30, 2023March 31, 2023
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