{"id":1567,"date":"2015-09-14T18:46:24","date_gmt":"2015-09-15T01:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/?p=1567"},"modified":"2015-09-14T18:46:24","modified_gmt":"2015-09-15T01:46:24","slug":"hidden-gems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/?p=1567","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Gems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Those Hidden Gems<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Col 2:6-7<\/p>\n

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7<\/sup> having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

When I am reading through some books, I tend to skip right past things that might be important to the story. In others, I know that there are things that are said or mentioned that have an important part in how the end is shaped. It\u2019s a little like the difference between watching a Die Hard movie and watching a Ms. Marple series.\u00a0 You know someone gets shot up but there isn\u2019t too much more than that. But with Ms. Marple, you better have your finger on the rewind button if you miss something because later in the story, you won\u2019t be able to remember how she got there.<\/p>\n

This short passage in Colossians is a little like that in that Paul starts this simple enough, but there is a much deeper message about living the Christian life than we might imagine.\u00a0 We have to \u2013 if you would \u2013 put on our spiritual bifocals and zoom into this short two verses and chew up as much as we can.<\/p>\n

One thing that I have a particular problem with is when a race appears to be extended just as I believed the finish line was in sight.\u00a0 I like to finish things.\u00a0 In fact, that probably has contributed to my girth, because what\u2019s true in projects is true at the dinner table.\u00a0 When I was growing up we never needed Tupperware because there were never any leftovers.\u00a0 But when you get to what you believe is the end of the race, and then discover that the ending is nowhere in sight, it is disheartening.\u00a0 Paul wants us to not miss this very important point:\u00a0 Accepting Christ is not the end of the Christian Life, it\u2019s the beginning.\u00a0 You weren\u2019t taken to heaven after you asked Christ in your heart because God has a mission and a plan for every child of His.\u00a0 So how do we navigate those next steps?\u00a0 There is someone there to help us pray that prayer, but often we don\u2019t have the same level or degree of guidance about how to live the Christian life.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. First \u2013 we need to take a moment and think about how did we receive Christ Jesus<\/strong>? How did we come to be Believers?
    \nLet\u2019s look at some of the things surrounding that event. \u2013 and please note that this short passage is for those who have accepted Christ. A non-believer cannot understand what it means to walk just like you received Christ.<\/p>\n
      \n
    1. We started this thing because God was calling us long before we knew who God is. \u2013 You don\u2019t have to have a deep set of training to come to Christ and you don\u2019t have to have deep set of training to walk in Christ. Believe it or not, you are being called by God to walk in Him.\u00a0 We are not motivated by our own nature to come to Christ, and we won\u2019t be motivated by our human nature to walk with Christ.\u00a0 God calls us all to have a walk of faith, but have we gotten too accustomed to ignoring God?<\/li>\n
    2. We began our life of faith by listening to what others who were already believers had to say and we added that knowledge to what we knew until we came to the point in our lives where we understood our need for Christ. This is often the same way for our life in Christ, we need to seek out those who obviously have a life in Christ and we need to learn to build on to the knowledge that we have about what a life of faith looks like and behaves. There are times that even young believers are shaped by God living in them when they are available to be shaped.\u00a0 I have heard people remind me of how their values were reshaped when they weren\u2019t paying attention to that issue.\u00a0 They were honestly surprised by God\u2019s change.\u00a0 Of course, there are times when people are not ready to receive that instruction.<\/li>\n
    3. We took the steps we took we knew were necessary \u2013 and that will be the case for walking in Christ. You are going to see those things that have to be done and you are going to make up your mind and heart to obey God\u2019s direction.<\/li>\n
    4. The steps to receive Christ required faith, not works. So the life of a Christian will require faith not works.\u00a0 To pull a phrase from the book of Galatians \u2013 having begun the Christian life by faith, are you now being perfected by the flesh.\u00a0 The very type of faith that permitted you to put your trust in Christ is the faith that will permit you to walk the Christian life. \u00a0That means that this life might not make sense to those who don\u2019t understand the life of Faith, but that\u2019s alright.\u00a0 They never understood why you asked Christ into your heart.\u00a0 Non-believers don\u2019t think like believers \u2013 get used to it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    5. Next, we need to apply that truth to how we walk with Jesus.\n
        \n
      1. We will be able to walk in Christ because God is calling us to do just that. We will have a sense that God is speaking to us about the way to behave not to earn our salvation or God\u2019s approval but because we desire to please Him. The more you want to please Him, the more you\u2019ll find you desire to do for Him.\u00a0 It is like a snowball rolling downhill effect and the more weight and speed you pick up, the harder it will be to slow you down.\u00a0 We are not motivated by our own nature to come to Christ, and we won\u2019t be motivated by our human nature to walk with Christ.\u00a0 God calls us all to have a walk of faith, but some have gotten too accustomed to ignoring God?<\/li>\n
      2. We will learn to walk with God not just by His leaning, but also by listening to what others who were already serve Him. As previously mentioned, we need to seek out those who obviously have a life in Christ. My wife and daughter like to go to those painting classes because it\u2019s fun and they like to discover what they can do when provided instruction.\u00a0 The Christian life is no different, you are going to need instruction and guidance. Don\u2019t be one of those who are not ready to receive instruction.<\/li>\n
      3. We must learn to step forward when God imposes on us to do so. We can\u2019t wait around complaining about not knowing what God wants us to do while offers are flying around us like those tiny flies around bananas.\u00a0 Will we find exactly the balance we hope to have the first week of our new life?\u00a0 Of course we won\u2019t but view this as a gentle sharpening of God\u2019s tool and God will get you where He wants you and when He wants to.<\/li>\n
      4. To live the Christian life requires faith. Will you always know what is ahead?\u00a0 That is the uncomfortable part about faith.\u00a0 Yes, faith can be comforting but there is an element where it is uncomfortable.\u00a0 You had to trust God when you accepted Christ and wow, in retrospect you are perhaps surprised how right God is.\u00a0 As you start to live the Christian life, you\u2019ll once again be surprised how right God is. I want to say again, this all means that this Christian life might not make sense to those who don\u2019t understand the life of Faith, but that\u2019s alright.\u00a0 They never understood why you asked Christ into your heart.\u00a0 I know I just said this, but Non-believers don\u2019t think like believers \u2013 get used to it and get past it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      5. Then see his part in our Christian life \u2013\n
          \n
        1. firmly rooted<\/span><\/strong> in Him, not being built up in Him (present tense but past tense) and – The first part of this is about their beginning. The church at Colossae had a good beginning.\u00a0 They had recently been through some difficult times because evil men had come to try and convince true believers that there was a higher truth.\u00a0 But from the very beginning, this church was known as a church that had their roots firmly in Christ.\u00a0 And you know, there is no way that a church can be built up in Christ unless it is firmly rooted in Christ.\u00a0 That just is not possible.\u00a0 But it seems like there are times when some are rooted in Christ, but not built up in Him.\u00a0 What does it look like to be built up in Him?\u00a0 The rest of the verse tells us they were<\/li>\n
        2. established<\/span><\/strong> in our faith. – when we are built up in Christ, there is a certain firmness about our beliefs.\u00a0 We are not easily shaken.\u00a0 Does that mean that you and I will never be shaken?\u00a0 Not necessarily.\u00a0\u00a0 But you when you look at a good foundation, no matter what happens to the super-structure, the foundation is still there.\u00a0 Other versions use the work strengthened in their faith.\u00a0 This is what walking in Christ looks like \u2013 you grow stronger in your faith.\u00a0 Don\u2019t confuse more activity at church with being stronger in your faith.\u00a0 These are two different things.\u00a0 What Paul is talking about here is what goes on inside of you, not what you do on the outside.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        3. The path to continue (just as you were instructed<\/strong>) – We know that Paul has met Epaphras \u2013 and Paul knows the source of their instruction.\u00a0 Paul has in a sense, ordained this young minister by telling people that He has approved of this man.\u00a0 Perhaps he didn\u2019t feel inclined to lay hands on the preacher since he was already established in the ministry, but with a short word Paul confirms this guy knows the truth and that he started the church on a path that they should continue.\u00a0 Continuing is the theme here, validated Epaphras is a bonus that explains to the people that his teaching has been examined and found worthy to follow.<\/li>\n
        4. The attitude to have while continuing (overflowing with gratitude<\/strong>) – Overflowing is a word that we should be well acquainted with at this time. It is the same word that was used for when a river overflowed its bank.\u00a0 What happens in those cases?\u00a0 Usually the river goes wherever it wants to go, and there are few who can direct it or control it.\u00a0 That should be a great picture of our life in terms of the gratitude.\u00a0 A grateful heart will be grateful at moments that might seem like it is a gratefulness that is out of control.\u00a0 That is the picture of this verse.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

            \n
          1. The thankful person does not focus on what was given but the source of the gift.<\/li>\n
          2. \u201cIf we magnified blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.\u201d ~ John Wooden<\/li>\n
          3. \u201cGratitude doesn\u2019t change the scenery. It merely washes clean the glass you look through so you can clearly see the colors.\u201d ~ Richelle E. Goodrich<\/li>\n
          4. \u201cSilent gratitude isn\u2019t very much use to anyone.\u201d ~ Gertrude Stein<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Those Hidden Gems \u00a0 Col 2:6-7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":772,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[83],"tags":[93,92],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1567"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1567"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1568,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1567\/revisions\/1568"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}