Colossians 2:1 I
want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at
Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. (NIV)
Paul contended for the young
churches under his care. He knew that the faith of those new Christians was
delicate and that they could be led astray by flattering words and false
gospels. He fought for them in many ways and eventually sacrificed his life for
the Gospel. He was a remarkable fighter for the faith; he was a strident
contender for Christ.
Sometimes I wonder how Paul would
have fared with today’s Church. We seem to have wandered so far away from the Gospel
Truth that I think he would stridently confront our mistakes and try to redirect
our paths. Unfortunately, he would probably come across as being intolerant,
out-of-touch, and imbecilic to most post-moderns. His statements would be
ignored and his opinions would be cast aside, just as his written words are somewhat
treated today.
I wish that God would raise up
another Paul among us, instead of the ‘Guy Smiley’ preachers that abound in our
mega churches. People say that they are thirsting for real, authentic
Christianity, but that involves changing a lot of what we have become. If
another contender does arise, then she or he will shake the foundations of our
cozy beliefs and make us honestly reconsider our ways. It won’t be easy, but
then again, the symbol of our faith is a sacred Cross and not a comfy sofa.
Questions for personal reflection
What do I honestly
think of Paul and his teachings? Why?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You chose Paul to
contend for Your Church on Earth. Help us to understand why You selected him
and what his writings truly teach us about You. Help us to re-evaluate our
faith and renew our commitment to You alone. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray.
Amen.
John
Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin
Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to send him
an email about today’s message, send it to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
drawing is one of John’s drawings called “Christ is King.” If you would like to
view a larger version, please click on this link: King.
Podcast version
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