Growing up

Growing up

Colossians 1: 9-14

A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He came hoping to find fruit on it but he found none.

So, he said to the vinedresser, 'Look here, for three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down, why should it use up the ground.

And the vinedresser answered him, 'Sir, spare it one more year. I'll dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good. If not, you can have it cut it down.'

The fig tree failed to bear fruit for three seasons, so the owner told the vineyard keeper to cut it down and put the ground to better use.

This is what Paul reiterated here as bearing fruit and every good work. And that's what he calls as growing up.

Paul knows that the Colossian Christians are living in a raging volcano of false teaching that has begun to erupt and engulf them, threatening to destroy the simplicity of the faith.

Paul highlights that the gnostic value, knowledge is superior. But Paul calls it as empty with knowledge. We cannot do anything. It must help us to change our way of living.

Hence his prayer for the Colossians are that

1. They be filled in the knowledge of God's will, through the spiritual understanding and wisdom
2. To bear fruit in every good word, growing in the knowledge of Christ, which will direct them in every walk of life.

There is nothing he can do physically from where he is since he is in prison. But spiritually, he is a powerful prayer warrior.

As he says, For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. This brings into their insight that he has been praying for them.

He outlines nine basic needs that all believers have and a model for us to pray for one another.

1. Understand God's will in their life.
2. Gain spiritual wisdom.
3. Please and honor God
4. Grow in the knowledge of God,
5. Bear good fruit
6. To be filled with God's strength.
7.  Have endurance and patience.
8. Stay in the fullness of Christ love,
9. Give thanks always

 

 

The apostle urges Christians to live and walk worthy of their calling.

This is the first thing that we are to do as believers. This is how our lives are impacting others, and what our actions make them think about God.

We are to please God in every way through our faith. I said in Hebrews without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is what pleases Him.

Paul provides five significant benefits for all believers through Christ Jesus.

1. He made us qualified to share his inheritance.
2. He rescued us from Satan's dominion of darkness and made us his children.
3. He brought us into the eternal kingdom.
4. He bought our freedom from sin, and eternal judgment.
5. He forgave all our sins.

Paul's example of prayer should cause us to evaluate both our commitment to praying as well as the content of our prayers.

We should pray to understand that we serve the rightful king, and hence our conduct should reflect our new allegiance with Christ Jesus, and not to fear the darkness.

As we pray, we should desire that those around us and the church as a whole will grow in the knowledge of God's will and ability to apply the knowledge of living and life worthy of the Lord.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to live a life worthy of you and please you in every way, bearing fruits in every work, growing in the knowledge of you. We joyfully give thanks to you, who have qualified as to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.