A Church in MotionNäide

A Church in Motion

Colossians, one of the shortest of Paul’s letters, is also one of the most exciting. Written while he was in Ephesus, the letter is one of Paul’s prison epistles, linked with Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians (4:3). Paul has not been to the church in Colossae (2:1) but knows Epaphras (1:7), Philemon and Onesimus (4:9).

Writing to a young church that was in the early process of discovering what it was like to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow him, Paul shares their sense of wonder as he encourages them to explore the treasures of the gospel and to order their lives accordingly. This book instructs the young church on Christian maturity.

There are, in fact, so many facets being explored in this letter; from talking about the gospel, about Jesus Christ, about holiness, about the church; that it is easy to lose track of the overarching message and instead focus on just a few points. But, what is written here is not just a miscellaneous collection of ‘helpful thoughts’. It is a particular letter written to a particular congregation at one point in its (very early) history. To believe, in fact, that Colossians is inspired Scripture is to believe that God intended to say just these things to this church, and in so doing to somehow address the church as a whole.

This, is a church in motion – a church that is full of fresh momentum, youthful fire, full of awe and wondrous faith. Through this letter the church is being spurred on towards greater maturity, by the careful instruction and wisdom of God, through Paul the apostle of Christ.

As you commit to this devotional over the next 5 days, why not keep a journal with you and allow God to set you in motion towards a greater measure of momentum and maturity in your adventurous life with Jesus?