Shaped By The Word – Colossians 3:12-17

 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 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. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Most Christians know George Barna’s name as it has been made popular through his statistics. They have little good to say about the trends in the Religion of Western Christianity: RWC. Although I am drifting, I am inescapably a part of the Oklahoma Synod of the RWC (RWCOS on our placards). Being a life-member of the RWCOS I have had the opportunity to observe our culture, and I do not take issue with Mr. Barna’s stats. As to his reports, however, I believe that if we can read them and weep, there is hope.

Through what lens would the RWC Christians George Barna polls interpret this passage and answer this question: “How do you let the word of Christ richly dwell within you?” It would naturally be through the lens of our experience. So, we RWC rank and file might answer Mr. Barna, “I let Christ’s word richly dwell within me by listening to my pastor’s sermons, by listening to teachers on TV and radio and by studying my Bible.” Some may even say, “by memorizing scripture.” But to discover what Paul truly meant, isn’t it important to know what this statement meant to the Colossian—who had no Bible, no concept of a paid staff, no concept of practically everything we consider essential to doing Christianity?

It is probable that the first words of Christ heard by the Colossians were from Epaphras, who likely was converted by Paul when he was teaching in Ephesus. The word of Christ came to them in the form of a transformed man and his story. Without the advantages (advantages?) of modern travel, mass communication, and structures with stadium capacity, the New Testament church was left with the primitive, yet obviously effective, means of a stripped down Gospel of Christ crucified and Him resurrected and the story of those whose lives it had transformed. Oh yes, there was also the power of God.

Where modern Christianity depends mostly on a pastor, his staff, and the programs they administer, the New Testament church depended mostly on each other and the simplicity of a fuller and simpler Gospel. Those Mr. Barna interviews probably look at the primitive church and think, “Oh, what the ancients could have accomplished if only they could have enjoyed the advantages we have in accomplishing the Great Commission.” The reality that seems to be escaping us is that the New Testament church and its simple stories and its simple Gospel turned the world upside down. The Barna Group on the other hand is reporting the world has turned the church upside down.

If this is true (and I acknowledge that many would posit that it is not), what are we to do? It seems obvious that we each need to have a story. Like Epaphras, we need to be able to give an account to our neighbors and family of the new hope within us. People don’t want us to invite them to church to hear someone else tell them about Christ. They want to see and hear of the resurrected Christ in our lives.  Are those outside the Church not correct when they observe the RWC and think we have many convictions but not many stories? We, with our political agendas (which have so little congruence to Christ’s teachings) refer novitiates to this book or that sermon. Do they not look at us and see what Barna reports?

We, with our strong convictions are mostly living our lives vicariously through others. Is it not fair for outsiders to ask, “What is Christ doing in their lives that relates to me?”? I believe the fields are white for harvest, full of people who simply want and need to connect with a body of people with a pulse, not an institution with a membership role. Here is a question that could get me lynched, but here goes: is it possible the RWC itself might have as many tares as any foreign mission field?

There is no hope of glory in this earth outside of that which is inherent in creation and that which will be progressively revealed through Christ in His Church. We are each called to work out our salvation with the sober understanding that a great cloud of witnesses is observing our progress (or lack of it). At one point Jesus says, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me.” Isn’t He saying, “If My life doesn’t match My claims, then you have a legitimate basis for your unbelief”? My question is, “Have we—the RWC really given the world an accurate portrayal of Christ’s life? Or is it just a sanctified American Dream (SAD).

While the current stewards of our existing wineskin-thinking would justify their ministries by the numbers on the roles or by money in the bank, I think Paul and his New Testament cohort would suggest we adopt a new plumb line by which to measure—the current stories of transformed lives. I am not only referring to those first chapters of new life where we were saved from hell. Rather, I’m referring to the fresh stories of how we are being redeemed from the selfish little hells within our own hearts: updates that chronicle the presence of the resurrected Christ in our lives today, that evidence the presence of the Good Shepherd and His ongoing and intimate work in our hearts. Really, why should the world believe us if all we have is biblical convictions, conservative political affiliations, and second hand truth?

Father thank You that You are present and accessible to us all. Thank you that wherever we are, in You, all can be well with our souls. Help us to discover that incredibly good news and may that revelation update and refresh our souls and stories. May we allow Your word to have the run of our hearts—to the extent that we individually and collectively reflect Your resurrection life to all those who are watching our lives. Amen.

 

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