You are never alone

Have you ever gone through a stretch of time when you felt more anxious than usual? In general, I don't consider myself a worrier, but on occasion, I have experienced my share of sleepless nights and days when my mind kept racing with "what-if" scenarios. It took me a long time to realize what was contributing to that, but eventually, I realized that a major contributor to those anxious feelings was my pattern of keeping too much to myself and trying to do too much on my own.

Human life wasn't meant to be lived in solitude. We have been created in the image of God, and one of the things we know about God's nature is that for all eternity, He has existed in perfect community. A perfect, eternal relationship has existed for all time between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And when the Lord created man in His image, He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." (Gen. 2:18)

But sometimes in life, we might feel very alone. Sometimes, you might make an unpopular decision based on your biblical convictions and feel ostracized because of it. Sometimes, you might go through a unique trial that very few people can identify with. Maybe you've gone through seasons when you felt like your personality wasn't understood by others and developing close relationships seemed abnormally challenging. Maybe someone who was part of your life during an earlier season has distanced themself from you, or someone you loved has passed away. All of these experiences can leave us feeling alone and on our own.

So are we alone?

Have we been abandoned?

Are we forgotten?

I think the devil would love for us to become convinced that we're alone in this world because he takes a twisted form of delight in seeing God's children forget that in Christ, we are never alone. Our Lord who loves us will never abandon us, even if we've made the mistake of living like He's distant.

When Paul wrote his letter to Philemon, I believe he was forced to wrestle with his own feelings of loneliness, but in the midst of being imprisoned and under home confinement, the Lord sent reminders to show Paul he wasn't alone at all.

If you've been feeling alone, please observe what God allowed Paul to see in the midst of his confinement to remind him that he was never alone.

I. God sends people who are willing to suffer alongside you

““Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,” ”

— Philemon 23

Epaphras was an interesting man. He was the kind of person I find personally inspiring. Years earlier, when he first heard the gospel preached by Paul in the city of Ephesus, Epaphras returned back to the city of Colossae where he was from, and began sharing the gospel there. In the process, he helped plant the church that met in that city, and it's believed that he continued to serve in pastoral leadership there.

In the book of Colossians, when Paul makes mention of Epaphras, he shares several important things about him. We're told that Epaphras was willing to serve others for Christ's glory and that he was a faithful minister of Christ. Epaphras also demonstrated a desire to remember others in prayer, and Paul indicates that he had a strong work ethic.

The comments Paul made demonstrate the depth of Epaphras' faith in Jesus Christ, and the love he had for the people of his home church. And now in the conclusion of Paul's brief letter to Philemon, Epaphras is referred to as his "fellow prisoner."

That's certainly an interesting way to describe this church leader, but what did Paul mean? Well, we don't know what happened, but it's believed that Epaphras was also imprisoned for his faithfulness to proclaim the gospel in the midst of an unbelieving culture. Apart from Paul's brief comments in this passage, the rest of the details aren't mentioned in Scripture. It's believed that Epaphras was eventually released and traveled back to Colossae with Onesimus to hand deliver this letter to Philemon. Tradition also holds that while continuing to serve in pastoral leadership in Colossae, Epaphras was eventually martyred for his faith in Jesus.

Paul had a lot of respect for Epaphras because Epaphras was the kind of man who lived his earthly life with eternity in mind. He was willing to face off against earthly threats to his freedom and his life because he was highly aware of what Jesus had in store for him. He wasn't trying to play life overly safe because he knew he had a mission to complete that was more important than his personal safety.

Epaphras was also a comfort to Paul because he reminded him that he wasn't the only one who was willing to take big risks to see a lost world come to faith in Jesus. Paul wasn't alone in this struggle. Epaphras was willing to visit Paul in Rome. Epaphras was willing to get in trouble with the authorities for the same reasons Paul was. God had sent Paul a friend who was willing to suffer alongside him.

If you're suffering right now, particularly if your suffering has come due to your faith in Christ and obedience to His word, don't mistakenly let yourself believe that you're suffering alone. I suspect that if you look around and ask around, you'll be shown that there are other compassionate souls willing to share that suffering with you just as Jesus demonstrated His willingness to suffer for us.

II. God sends people who are willing to work with you

““and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.” ”

— Philemon 24

One of the most devastating natural disasters to hit my mother's hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania was the flood that swallowed up her city in 1972 after Hurricane Agnes dropped an unbelievable amount of water on the region. The water was so deep that it reached the second story of her home. My mother had just turned 15 two weeks earlier, and in that flood, her house was nearly destroyed and she lost just about everything she owned.

While that was taking place, her older brother was serving in the National Guard. When the flood waters started to recede, one of his superiors approached him and said, "You're from Wilkes-Barre, correct?" My uncle said, "Yes, I am." He was then told, "Your family is going to need a lot of help, so I'm sending you there to help them and I'd like you to take several others with you." You could imagine how grateful my mother and my grandparents were to see them when they showed up.

Paul was grateful for those who were willing to share in the hard work of leading, serving, and planting the early church. The men and women who worked alongside him are often mentioned in the conclusions of his letters, and that's what he does in this passage as well. Paul wanted to acknowledge them because he knew they were gifts from God. These people joined together with Paul to carry a heavy burden in the midst of a very oppositional culture. Their hearts were burdened to see people come to know Jesus, so they dedicated their lives and their efforts to that task. Who were these people?

Mark was someone that Paul didn't think very highly of at an earlier season of ministry because he initially failed to follow through on his commitments. But eventually, his faith matured and his backbone grew, and he became a key leader in the early church who is best known for writing the Gospel of Mark.

Aristarchus risked his own safety to accompany Paul on his trip to Jerusalem and then again to Rome. Demas got off to a good start and seemed to be committed to gospel ministry, but eventually abandoned the work and demonstrated that he loved the things of this world more than he loved the Lord (2 Tim. 4:10). Luke was a physician and historian who traveled with Paul, cared for his medical needs, and eventually wrote the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.

I love reading about these people because it's a great reminder of how the Lord gets things accomplished in this world. He doesn't send us out into His mission field to do everything alone. He joins us together in His Son, Jesus Christ. He makes us one body, then unites us together in the task He entrusts to us in our generation. One of the greatest joys I have been blessed to experience in my years of serving in pastoral ministry are the people I get the opportunity to serve together with. It's honestly one of my favorite facets of ministry.

III. God sent His Son who has promised to never leave you

““The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.””

— Philemon 25

We praise God for the people that He sends that are willing to suffer with us and work alongside us, but no one surpasses the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are never alone because He has promised to remain with us forever.

““Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ”

— Matthew 28:19-20

Paul told Philemon that the grace of Jesus would be with his spirit. The grace of Christ is His holy, unmerited favor. It's seen in the joyful delight He expresses as He blesses us beyond anything we deserve.

When I think about the many blessings of Jesus that I've received, I can certainly testify to the fact that I didn't deserve them. I don't even deserve His promise to be with me always because I can think of several seasons of my life when I wasn't really making Him a priority. I was busy doing my own thing and not prioritizing my walk with Him.

Yet even in my lowest and most confusing seasons of life, Jesus didn't leave me. He walked with me, pointed me in the right direction, and reminded me that His love for me wasn't based on my ability to get everything right. His love is based on His faithfulness and unchanging nature, not my ability to earn His favor.

And when you look at this brief letter from Paul to Philemon, you find a vivid illustration of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Like Onesimus, we too were slaves. We were slaves to sin and living under the fear of death and condemnation.

But just as Paul encouraged Philemon to demonstrate grace and mercy to Onesimus, we too have been the recipients of the grace and mercy of Jesus. Onesimus once ran from Philemon, but now he was coming back to him. We too once ran from Jesus, but now the Holy Spirit implores us to draw near to Him and find mercy.

And as Onesimus owed Philemon a debt that he was incapable of paying, so too were we spiritual debtors. As Paul illustrated when he offered to pay whatever Onesimus owed and made himself legally responsible for his debts, so too has Jesus taken our debt upon Himself and satisfied it completely.

Our debt has been paid. Our condemnation is cleared. We are no longer slaves, but are received by Jesus as family. The heart of the gospel was put on full display through this brief, one-page letter from Paul to Philemon. Are you able to see the way the Lord was using these unique circumstances between Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus to help us understand the gospel with more clarity?

With that in mind, as you face each day, remember that the Lord has you on His mind. In Christ, you are a new creation. You are no longer who you used to be. He has promised to never leave you and never forsake you, and I'm grateful for the Holy Spirit's inspiration of this letter to give us this vivid and powerful reminder.

© John Stange, 2022

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A pep-talk for fathers

Our culture thrives when fathers remain involved in the lives of their children. Households thrive. Neighborhoods thrive. Communities thrive. Churches thrive. But it's also very obvious that some corners of our society don't agree with that sentiment. We live in a confused era. We are several generations deep in a social experiment where a father's influence in his home is being minimized, either because he has abdicated his responsibilities or his absence is being encouraged through various financial subsidies.

Historically, in cultures and communities where fathers are actively present, there is less crime, more structure, and more accountability. But when they are absent, everyone is impacted.

This world needs the presence of fathers who are faithful to their families and their responsibilities. Their contribution to the culture and the church is significant and appreciated. In fact, if you're feeling tired and discouraged right now, I hope what I'm about to share will encourage and lift you up.

Fathers, you are the ones who realize that the perspective the next generation has regarding the nature of God will be heavily impacted by the care, guidance, protection, and love you demonstrate. You are the ones who understand the weight of your responsibilities, and we're immensely grateful that the Lord has chosen to bless this world with your presence.

I. Your protective care is something this world desperately needs

““But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.””

— 2 Thessalonians 3:3

This summer, I decided to do something that completely interrupts my weekly routine. For years, I have taken Mondays off as a day to reset my system a little. My pastoral work, particularly the counseling aspect, requires me to spend time with families in the midst of some of their heaviest seasons and most painful trials. It's a privilege to walk with people in during seasons like that, but it's also emotionally weighty. So I typically use Mondays as a day to disconnect and do work that is a little less heavy.

Most Mondays for the past few decades, I have turned off my phone and worked in my yard, around my house, or in the garage. It's a good pattern for me and it helps me recharge my battery a little. This summer, however, I'm taking that to a new level. I now spend my Mondays as a ride operator at Knoebels Amusement Resort, our family's favorite amusement park.

What does that involve? It involves operating the rides, interacting with guests, and making sure children are protected from harm or injury. I spend every Monday checking height requirements, seat restraints, and maintaining order in the line queue while attempting to cultivate a culture of lighthearted fun. Essentially, I'm being paid to provide protective care to guests.

When you read through the Scriptures, it becomes very clear that God is actively providing protective care for His children. He's been doing this ever since He created us, even though there are seasons when we have rebelled against the protective care He offers.

But God knows better than we do that there are problems and pitfalls that surround us. Many of those issues are taking place in the spiritual realm. We have a spiritual enemy who actively works against God's people. He threatens us. He threatens our families. He threatens our churches as well. This was something the Apostle Paul reminded the early church about, and it's something we need to remember as well.

When Paul was explaining the reality of the spiritual threats that might come against the church in Thessalonica, he wanted them to understand both sides of what would be taking place. He made it clear that the evil one was seeking to harm them and hinder their work, but God was faithful and would guard them against these attacks.

It comforts my heart to know that God is that intentional about providing protective care for His children. In His example, fathers are being given a blueprint of how to handle the things that threaten the well-being of our families. Anticipate these things. Be on guard against them. Actively seek to prevent them from harming your children. Your protective care is something this world desperately needs.

II. Your words are being heard even if it seems like they're being ignored

““My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.””

— John 10:27-28

Words are powerful things. In the gospel of John, Jesus spoke of those who would hear His voice. He said His sheep would hear Him, He would know them deeply, and they would follow His leading. This is something I have been able to experience, and hearing the voice of Jesus as He speaks to my heart has made a clear difference in my life.

Jesus also said that He gives eternal life to His sheep. They will never die, and no one can successfully tear His sheep away from Him because they are held securely in His hand.

What does it do to your heart when you read or hear those words of Jesus? I know for me it brings a sense of comfort and peace. I'm grateful to know that my life is held secure by the very same person who spoke creation into existence. I rejoice in the thought that He knows me personally. I'm not just a number to Him, I'm His friend. And I'm particularly grateful for the fact that there is no power in this universe that can tear me away from Him.

When Jesus speaks, I want to listen. I wish I could say that I demonstrated that same courtesy to my parents as a child, but you can correctly guess that I didn't. Yet even in the midst of my seasons of ignorance and arrogance when I tried to run from or ignore the counsel I was being given, somehow I could still hear it in my mind and in my heart. And when the day came and I finally matured, I had to admit that the counsel I was given at an earlier season was correct.

Fathers, do you ever wonder if your children are listening to you? I certainly have, but every now and then, I have also received confirmation that they are listening. I'll never forget when one of my children said to me, "I used to give you a hard time, but now as I look back on my childhood, I can see that you were right, and your advice was good. I just wasn't ready to listen to it."

““Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.””

— Jeremiah 33:3

I'm grateful for the many ways the Lord has gone out of His way to communicate with us. I'm grateful for the way He spoke to Jeremiah and challenged him to call on Him in prayer. Jeremiah was told that when he called on the Lord, the Lord would answer him and reveal hidden things that Jeremiah was not aware of. Isn't it a blessing to know that we can come to the Lord and seek the wisdom He supplies? Isn't it also a blessing to know that one of the ways He has revealed His wisdom is through the lips and the lives of our earthly fathers?

III. You're going to need wisdom to dispense justice and mercy in correct proportion

““If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.””

— James 1:5

There's an interesting balancing act that a father is often trying to navigate. It's the balance between dispensing justice and dispensing mercy. We're often trying to figure out what would be best for our children when it comes to their training and growth. Would punishing or reprimanding them be most effective or should we show them mercy in the hopes that undeserved compassion would help them learn something new?

I remember debating this with my wife when one of our children was three years old. We honestly couldn't tell sometimes if he was just abnormally witty for his age or if he was being sarcastically defiant. And all through the years, I have found myself debating if a particular moment required justice, mercy, or a delicate blend of both.

Our Lord is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. Our desire is to mirror His heart and intentions in how we train our children. That's why I'm grateful we can ask Him for wisdom to know how to complete the task He has entrusted to us.

““But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.””

— James 3:17

Every day, I feel like I'm reminded that I need the wisdom only the Lord can fully supply. If I had to navigate fatherhood without His guidance, I wouldn't know what to do.

IV. The work you're doing will be valued most when it's remembered

““The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.””

— Proverbs 10:7

In addition to our present church, I have had the privilege to serve in pastoral leadership in three other churches. One of the pastors who served one of those churches after me gave me a call one afternoon with a question. He said, "I'm feeling frustrated. I'm trying to lead well, and I'm trying to help the church become a healthy and vibrant ministry in our community, but I feel unappreciated and I'm struggling to get volunteer help. I'm also dealing with a lot of criticism and comparison. I never hear anything good about what I'm doing. I only hear about the great work of my predecessors. What should I do?"

I felt bad when I heard him say this, so I admitted something to him that seemed to cheer him up. I told him, "When I served there, I had a very similar experience. I received a healthy dose of criticism and comparison as well, but I learned something years later. I learned that the best way to be appreciated by that church was to leave. In fact, I spoke to several of our predecessors and they joked about the same exact thing. That congregation demonizes you while you're serving and deifies you once you're gone."

In a strange way, I think fathers often have a similar experience. While you're serving your children, you'll experience seasons when you're defied, ignored, rebelled against, and your decisions will be criticized. But then time will pass and your years will add up. And it may happen during your lifetime or sometime afterward, but the investment you made in the lives of your children will indeed be valued. It's often most valued when it's finished and less valued while it's in process.

So if the Lord blesses you with the privilege of being a father, thank Him for the opportunity. It will exhaust your body, but it will stretch your faith. Ironically, you will probably learn to trust in the Lord more deeply as you go through the process, and your appreciation for the investments He made in your life and the sacrifice He made on your behalf, will most certainly grow.

On this Father's Day, I'm so grateful for our Heavenly Father and for those who humbly look to His example, and rely on His power, to guide their children and lead their families. Your work is valued, and this world is a better place because the Lord placed you in it.

© John Stange, 2022

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Accountability is an indispensable aspect of spiritual growth

When reading through the pages of history, you will notice a pattern that's prevalent among some of the world's worst leaders. Eventually, when they've amassed enough power, they do everything they can to avoid remaining accountable to other leaders and to the people they lead. This is true among people who lead in any capacity whether they be kings, church leaders, or leaders in other areas of life. Lack of accountability eventually leads to the abuse of power. And it's not just leaders who need accountability in their life. We all need it.

Years ago, I had the chance to hear Chuck Swindoll speak about accountability. Chuck has served in pastoral leadership for many decades. He also served as a seminary president, and while he was speaking, he pulled a small card out of his shirt pocket. The card had a series of pointed questions that he was prepared to answer at any given moment. I don't remember the specific questions, but I do remember the fact that he regularly met with a small group of other men who would ask him those questions, and he would ask them the same questions as well.

Who do you allow yourself to remain accountable to? In my life, there are three active rungs of accountability that I submit myself to. I'm accountable to my family, accountable to our church, and accountable to a group of friends that I meet with regularly for the purpose of fellowship and accountability.

But there's a risk that comes with making yourself accountable to other people, especially people who love you. They may ask you questions you don't want to answer, and they may encourage you to step up in areas where you might be coasting or minimizing what should rightfully be expected of you. And if you're accountable to the right people, they won't just beat you down with criticism, they'll speak the truth in love and then walk with you to help you get where you need to go.

I think we can see that kind of accountability on display in Philemon 21-22. In these verses, Paul reminds Philemon that he will be held accountable for the manner in which he lives out his faith. Paul also reminds him that even though he's used to being an overseer in charge of other people, he's going to have to give an account to those who are overseeing him.

I. Accountability encourages obedience to the truth

““Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.” ”

— Philemon 21

As Paul was writing this letter to Philemon, the words he chose and the way he phrased them elevated in force. At this point, as he prepared to finish his admonition, Paul wanted to make sure Philemon understood that the right thing for him to do was to follow Paul's instructions. Paul was the one who led Philemon to Jesus. Paul was the one who was modeling how faith was to be lived out for Philemon to see, and Paul was directly involved in Philemon's discipleship. He had the spiritual and relational authority to express these kinds of expectations to Philemon.

Paul fully expected Philemon to treat Onesimus like a brother and not like a slave when he returned. Paul expected Philemon to lavishly demonstrate grace and mercy. Paul expected Philemon to refresh his heart by showing that he was willing to demonstrate the heart of Christ's gospel to other people, whether he felt like they deserved it or not.

In fact, Paul made it clear that he was confident that Philemon would do even more than he was instructed. He would exceed expectations. He would go the extra mile. Paul believed this, but I believe he also phrased his words this way because he was speaking like a father speaks to a child that he loves. I don't think Philemon would have felt good about disappointing his spiritual father, and for this reason, he would have very likely gone above and beyond to honor the requests for grace and mercy that Paul had made on behalf of Onesimus.

Have you noticed as you've observed your own life that it's easier to obey those you love than it is to obey those you struggle to admire? My grandmother had three sons and they all grew to be just about twice her size, but even when they became grown men, they obeyed her instructions.

What about us? Who do we love enough to obey? Many believers profess to love Jesus, but do we love Him enough to remain accountable to Him? Do we love Him enough to obey Him? I would contend that if you don't love Him enough to obey Him, you may not love Him at all.

““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.””

— John 14:15

““For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” ”

— 1 John 5:3

Jesus isn't seeking to burden us. He's seeking to relieve us of the burden we were attempting to carry without His help. He knows that there is freedom in obedience to the truth of His word. As we trust in Him, remain accountable to Him and His people, and obey His teaching, we'll live in freedom from the chains and false promises of this world.

II. Accountability happens in close proximity

““At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.” ”

— Philemon 22

My daughter Julia has a unique personality. To be honest, I find her highly entertaining. One of the aspects of her personality that I find most entertaining is her insistence on invading my personal space. She's done it her whole life, and she doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. If I sit down on the couch, she wants to be seated right next to me. If I'm standing in the kitchen eating something, she insists that I need to pause eating so she can have a hug. And please don't tell her, but I actually enjoy it even though I pretend not to.

But if you knew my entire family, you would definitely find examples of people who avoid living in close proximity to others. I even have a distant relative that I haven't seen in years because he's been intentionally avoiding any interaction with the rest of our family, partly because he doesn't want to be held accountable for the ways in which his actions have impacted the lives of others.

Real accountability happens in close proximity. You can't remain accountable while keeping your distance. For that reason, Paul would often make a point to visit churches while he was on his missionary journeys throughout the known world. He wanted to see how they were doing, what they were excelling at, and where their faith needed to be stepped up.

With that in mind, I enjoy reading what he stated to Philemon as he prepared to close this letter. He told him to, "prepare a guest room for me." This was Paul's way of saying that he fully expected to visit in person and check in on whether Philemon did what he was instructed to do.

Truthfully, when do most of us make our homes tidy? Aren't our homes most clean when we know company is about to visit? We dust a little extra, pick up shoes that have piled up by the front door, and throw out clutter that we've been neglecting. In a deeper sense, that's what the looming promise of Paul's visit would do for Philemon. He would get his house in order because Paul might arrive without an announcement and would be asking him about what he did while he was away.

Have you ever thought about the nature of accountability in the local church and the benefits we experience through gathering together regularly? When we commit ourselves to being present for worship on Sundays and participate in home fellowship or serve in ministry together, we're also participating in healthy forms of accountability.

That's why it's so tragic to see what happens when believers stop prioritizing in-person fellowship. When we reject it, and when we model that for our children, we're inevitably inviting sin to creep into our lives unchecked by the people the Lord wants us to surround ourselves with in order to prevent that from happening.

In 1990, there was a study that was done by the Roper Organization for High Adventure Ministries that examined the personal habits and spiritual disciplines of new believers. They actually noticed that a high percentage of them seemed to drift toward some of the same patterns of ungodliness as the rest of the world unless discipleship and accountability were made a committed part of their spiritual walk. https://bible.org/illustration/christian-behavior

Is there anyone in your life that you'd let close enough to you to ask you questions like;

a. How often are you spending time in God's Word?

b. How's your thought life?

c. How are you using the abilities, gifts, and resources the Lord has blessed you with?

d. Are you investing in the spiritual growth of your family?

e. Are you remaining faithful to your spouse?

f. Are you feeding or starving your addictions?

g. Do you regularly spend time in prayer?

III. Accountability encourages prayerfulness

““At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.” ”

— Philemon 22

One of the hallmarks of the early church was their devotion to prayer. As they gathered together, they made it a priority, and as their faith was tested, they knew it was a necessity. One of the regular topics of prayer for the early church was believers who were experiencing persecution.

Paul was one of those persecuted believers they were praying for. As Paul wrote this letter, please keep in mind that he was under house arrest awaiting trial for boldly proclaiming his faith in Jesus Christ. While awaiting trial, he would often dream about the day when he would be able to walk freely again. He encouraged the church to pray for his release, and in this letter to Philemon, he states, "I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you."

I believe accountability encourages prayerfulness. When we interact, spend time with each other, and share about what's going on in our lives, we learn about each others' joys and struggles. And as our love for each other grows, we're compelled to pray for each other. I have a list of people and circumstances that I regularly pray for. You may as well. I often find myself rejoicing over the prayers the Lord has answered on behalf of those I love. It's a joyful experience to see His hand at work.

““Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.””

— James 5:16

Accountability is an indispensable aspect of spiritual growth. If we desire to grow in our walk with Christ, and we likewise desire to see our spiritual brothers and sisters grow, we need to remain accountable to each other. When we value biblical accountability like it's modeled in Paul's letter to Philemon, I believe we'll see greater obedience to the teaching of Jesus, deeper fellowship among believers, and more fervent prayer being regularly lifted up to the Lord.

© John Stange, 2022

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How can we demonstrate our appreciation for the extravagant grace of Jesus?

Several years ago, a very kind woman invited my family to visit her home and share a meal with her. She grew up in a different part of the world and was planning to serve us food that we might be unfamiliar with. I had no idea what to expect, and I wasn't sure if I would even enjoy the food, but we gladly accepted the invitation.

I still remember the conversation we had with our children on the way over to her house. They were young at the time, but we made it clear that it was our expectation that they eat whatever they were served without complaint or reaction. They agreed, and they were very cooperative throughout the course of the meal.

I'm glad we arrived with empty stomachs because this woman was extremely generous with the food she prepared for us. She made all kinds of meats and side dishes, and literally everything was delicious. It was a good example to us of what it looks like to go out of your way to generously bless someone else.

In Christ, we have been generously blessed. Through the work He accomplished on our behalf, He has demonstrated extravagant grace toward us. One of the most obvious ways we can display the transformation Christ has accomplished within us is to acknowledge the extravagant grace He's shown us by demonstrating it to others. That's precisely what Paul speaks about and attempts to do in Philemon 17-20.

I. Receive him as you would receive me

““So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.””

— Philemon 17

As Paul continued to pen the words of this brief letter, he did so with an eye toward helping Philemon and Onesimus reconcile. But for this to take place, they would both need to see each other differently.

For years, Onesimus saw Philemon as a slave-owner and his master. I get the impression that he may have resented that. I don't know what circumstances led to Onesimus becoming a slave. He may have owed a debt to Philemon that he was working toward paying off, or he may have been living in a harsher form of slavery, but either way, I think it was going to be a challenge for Onesimus to see Philemon as a brother.

Likewise, it would certainly be a challenge for Philemon to see Onesimus as anything other than a slave. And not only a slave, but a slave that had defrauded him. I feel pretty confident that Philemon was highly irritated when Onesimus abruptly left him. Even though most people in our era see slavery as a moral wrong, during the first century, it was a common practice and it would have been easy for Philemon to see himself as law-abiding and Onesimus as law-breaking.

But Paul challenged Philemon to see Onesimus through new eyes. Instead of becoming enraged at the sight of him when he returned, Paul encouraged Philemon to welcome Onesimus like he was welcoming him. In doing so, he could demonstrate the extravagant grace of Jesus.

It's so interesting to read this brief letter and contemplate the direct application it has on our lives. We too were slaves. Scripture reveals that at one time, we were slaves to sin, but now we have been made sons of God. That's how God receives us. That's how He welcomes us. As God the Father sees God the Son, so too does He see us.

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

— Galatians 4:6-7

So as one who is received by the Lord as His child, what will it look like for you to demonstrate that kind of extravagant grace to someone else who may need it? What will it take for you to see someone else with new eyes?

II. Charge his debts to my account

““If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.” ”

— Philemon 18

Earlier this year, my wife was standing in line at a convenience store. In front of her was another woman who looked like she may have just finished a shift at work. It also appeared that the food she was purchasing was going to be her dinner that evening, but when she swiped her card, the card didn't work. She tried multiple times, but the system just wouldn't accept her payment.

Frustrated and embarrassed, she decided to put her food back and leave the store, but my wife stopped her and offered to pay. For a moment, the woman protested, but then accepted my wife's act of generosity and seemed relieved. She also insisted that my wife allow her to pay it back, and believe it or not, she followed through with that later the same day even though my wife told her it wasn't necessary.

On a larger scale, Paul offered to make an interesting payment on behalf of Onesimus. Onesimus had robbed Philemon of the time he was obligated to work for him. It's also possible that he may have stolen money or property from Philemon to fund his escape and trip to Rome. So Paul offered to settle that debt on Onesimus' behalf.

What a beautiful thing to read! It's such a powerful and selfless application of what Christ has done on behalf of all believers. Our sin was charged to Christ's account and we were given His righteousness in its place. The just died for the unjust. The Master died for the slave in order to set the slave free.

““You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” ”

— 1 Corinthians 7:23

““For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” ”

— 2 Corinthians 5:21

Our debt was charged to Christ's account. Paul had this in mind when he made his offer on Onesimus' behalf. We should have this in mind as well when given the opportunity to demonstrate the extravagant grace of Jesus to someone else.

III. Don't forget the debt that was paid on your behalf

““I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.” ”

— Philemon 19

One of the things I find personally dangerous about being a Christian as long as I have is that it can be far too easy for me to forget the radical ways Jesus has chosen to bless me. I have noticed that on occasion, I have acted too casual about the sacrifice He made on my behalf, but I don't want to minimize His work. I don't want to forget about the debt He paid on my behalf.

I get the impression that Philemon was a man of above-average wealth and he probably wasn't someone who struggled with financial debt. And if that was the case, it might be somewhat difficult for him to identify with the struggles of someone who felt crushed under debt's burden. So Paul chose his words carefully as he addressed him.

Without belaboring the point, Paul reminded Philemon of the fact that he owed the well-being of his eternal soul to Paul because it was Paul who shared the gospel with him. It was Paul who showed him that he needed Jesus. It was Paul who assisted in his early discipleship, and it was Paul who was giving him a model of how a true Christian ought to operate in the midst of a fallen world.

So if Philemon was going to make a big deal about the debt that was owed to him, Paul wanted him to first take stock of the deeper-level spiritual indebtedness he owed. And on top of that, Paul wanted it to be abundantly clear that all believers had a debt that was paid on our behalf and we shouldn't lose sight of that. We were dead, but Jesus made us alive. We were under the curse of the law, but Jesus canceled the debt that stood against us. When Jesus was crucified, He died to pay for the sin we committed so we could live eternally free.

““And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” ”

— Colossians 2:13-14

So if we're grateful for the fact that our trespasses and the record of debt that stood against us has been set aside because of the shed blood of Christ, it's time for us to acknowledge that in visible ways. Forgive those who have sinned against you. Release the bitterness you hold against those who have hurt you. Do it because Jesus has paid the debt you owed and released you from your slavery.

IV. Refresh my heart

““Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.” ”

— Philemon 20

Not long ago, my son and I attended a conference in Florida. It was at a large hotel and conference center, and there were quite a few people in attendance. There's something I have noticed about myself when I attend events like this. I frequently fail to drink enough liquids during the day, and by the end of the day, I start to feel dehydrated.

That same pattern emerged at this conference, so at the end of the day, I found myself stopping at the small store inside the hotel to buy a bottle of a sports drink that claims it fights dehydration by infusing your body with electrolytes and other beneficial things. I don't know if that beverage does everything it claims to do, but I will confess to feeling refreshed after I drank it.

Paul was looking to be refreshed too. After all the time, effort, and pain he had invested in Philemon's spiritual development, he wanted to be refreshed by the spiritual fruit that should have been coming from Philemon's life.

This was perfectly right for Paul to ask and expect. It's kind of like the process of raising children. After all the suffering, stress, and expense you've endured to raise them and help them navigate the early seasons of their life, it seems right to expect them to start giving back someday. You want to see them acting on the advice you've given them. You want to see them making sacrifices to invest in the generation they will raise. And when you see them doing what you've taught them to do, your heart feels encouraged and refreshed. You realize that your investment in their lives was not in vain. Paul invited Philemon to refresh his heart in this manner, and I'm inclined to believe Philemon complied.

Every day offers us new opportunities to demonstrate the extravagant grace of Christ that we've been blessed to receive. What divinely ordained blessings have you become aware of in your life? How are you utilizing those blessings to bless others? Is there any blessing you might be able to bestow that could adequately reflect the extravagant nature of what Jesus has done for you?

© John Stange, 2022

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Gaining an eternal mindset in a temporary world

I was recently watching a movie that centered around the plot of the main characters searching for lost treasure that was worth billions of dollars. The movie followed a familiar blueprint with action scenes, intrigue, theft, and the loss of life. In fact, several of the main characters either took lives or lost their lives in pursuit of riches.

Admittedly, the storyline was exaggerated and not terribly plausible, but the underlying theme was completely commonplace. The majority of people living on this planet today and throughout history have spent the bulk of their lives trading the eternal for the temporary. Apart from the intervention of Christ, humanity remains locked in a cycle of short-term thinking that prioritizes short-term value and short-term results.

We think it's silly when we watch a movie where someone risks their life for gold, yet how often do we do the same exact thing for far less valuable treasures?

One of the blessings we experience as followers of Christ is the new perspective He grants us. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to begin seeing things from an eternal perspective. He teaches us to view our experiences, opportunities, and relationships from that lens.

And that's the perspective the Apostle Paul emphasizes in Philemon 15-16. This passage shows us what it looks like when you develop an eternal perspective in the midst of a temporary world. It's a drastically different way to look at things.

I. There's a reason for everything

““For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,” ”

— Philemon 15

There have been a few seasons of my life that have stretched me and produced an unusual amount of stress in my life. One of those seasons occurred when I was in college. That was a time filled with an abnormal amount of work, very high expectations, and living circumstances that were sometimes less than ideal.

I remember at one point experiencing conflict with a roommate who had the opposite philosophy toward schooling. He would stay up late goofing around and I would get up early because I purposely scheduled my classes to begin at 8:00 am. In time, I started to grow frustrated with what felt like a lack of consideration on his part, and I remember praying to the Lord about it. In my prayers, I was reminded that the Lord has a purpose for everything, which certainly meant that He had a good purpose for my living situation as well.

I think one of the things the Lord was preparing me for was the fact that when you're sharing space with others, it's wise to remain flexible. I think He was also teaching me just how fruitless it was to stress over things I couldn't control.

When Onesimus escaped from slavery in Philemon's household, I'm sure Philemon was frustrated with what had taken place. In the culture of the time, people would often agree to serve as slaves in order to pay off debts. It's entirely possible that Onesimus was serving in a temporary position of servitude because he owed a debt to Philemon. If that was the case, Philemon would have been out the money he lent to Onesimus, and he would have been without the household help Onesimus had pledged to offer.

I don't know if this was the case, but if it was, you could certainly understand why Philemon would have been upset with Onesimus' decision to secretly leave. But Paul used the words of this passage to explain that there was a greater purpose for what had taken place. Onesimus was going to be returning as a changed man. He had become a Christian, just as Philemon had, and that would be a decision with eternal ramifications for both men.

Paul was trying to help Philemon see that there's a reason for everything, including things that don't seem terribly pleasant in the moment. God is sovereign. He is orchestrating His plan for the redemption of humanity and carrying it out with precision. It was His sovereign will that Onesimus would hear the gospel proclaimed by Paul and would come to an understanding of his need for Jesus Christ in his life. And as our faith in Christ matures, we should learn to look for these kinds of things that are clearly orchestrated by the Lord as He carries out His plan.

“The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,””

— Isaiah 14:24

All throughout Scripture, God reveals that He has plans. He is not operating according to accident. Our God is orderly and purposeful by nature. Nothing escapes His sight, and He is actively directing human history toward His desired outcome.

And while this is true theologically, I think it takes faith for us to believe this is also the way God is functioning in our individual lives. I think it's easier to say God has a plan for humanity at large than it is to believe He is orchestrating a plan related to your individual life.

I don't know what you're dealing with right now, and I don't know what you've dealt with over the course of your life, but are you willing to believe there is a greater purpose for it? Are you living with the assurance that God is taking all things, including what others may have meant for your harm, and using it for your greater good?

II. There's a longer timetable thank we commonly consider

“ “For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,” ”

— Philemon 15

Notice the word "forever" in what Paul wrote to Philemon. That's a great word and it's a terrifying word, depending on how you look at it.

If our hearts are anchored in Christ and we have perfect peace about living in His presence for all eternity, then it's a glorious word. If we're distant from Christ and we aren't living with the assurance of life in His eternal presence, then the word is certainly dreadful because we will all experience the concept of "forever," yet our experience won't be the same.

How often have you felt overwhelmed with the trials you're dealing with in a given moment? It wouldn't surprise me to hear that there may have even been seasons of your life when suicide felt like a way out of that pain. Several close friends from my childhood made that unfortunate decision, and in each case I have found myself standing at their caskets asking the same question, "Why didn't they believe things would ever get better?"

There are times in life when our pain is so great that it's hard to think beyond it. There are seasons when it just doesn't seem possible that things will ever improve. But the honest truth is that for those who have placed their hope in Jesus Christ, we can learn to see our momentary pain from an eternal perspective.

From the perspective of eternity, you will actually be thankful for painful experiences you endured because it may be through those experiences that your faith was tested and became strong. It may be through those experiences that you learned to pray with complete dependence on the Lord because you had run out of any other options. It may be through painful experiences that you finally turned your life over to Him and stopped running from Him.

I recently read about the three huge gates that lead into the Cathedral of Milan. Over one gate there is an inscription in marble under a beautiful flower bouquet that says, “The things that please are temporary.” Over the second gate, there is a cross with this inscription: “The things that disturb us are temporary.” However, over the central gate, there is a big inscription saying, “Eternal are the important ones.” -https://bible.org/illustration/three-gates

The timetable that God is operating on is much longer than we commonly consider. Can I suggest a few things that I try to tell myself when I'm tempted to forget the concept of "forever" because I'm caught up in the trials of the moment?

• 1. You'll feel better if you get some extra sleep tonight.

• 2. In two weeks, this won't sting quite as severely and you'll have more clarity about it.

• 3. You have a perfect eternity to look forward to, so don't lose sight of it.

• 4. Jesus will not abandon you in the midst of this trial. He is with you always.

III. There are relationships that are meant to be everlasting

““no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” ”

— Philemon 16

Have you ever thought about the cast of characters the Lord brings into and out of your life? When you were a child, who did you interact with on a daily basis? How many of those people are still part of your daily interactions? Fifteen years ago, who did you see and talk to regularly? Are they still strong friends, or have they become distant acquaintances at this point?

Friendships tend to change. Even family relationships change. Many people that I called "family" as a child are no longer living, or if they are, they don't live anywhere near me. Many people that I call family today weren't even born a decade ago, and some of my present-day family came into my life as an adult through my marriage to my wife.

I even think of this from a local church standpoint. People come and go from churches all the time. I recently read that the average stay for a lead pastor is less than five years and for a youth pastor it's less than three years. So if our friends, family, and church relationships keep changing so frequently, don't you think that might start impacting our perspective toward relationships in general? I think it can become easy to begin treating people from a temporary perspective instead of an eternal one.

Paul wanted Philemon to know that Onesimus may have left him as a hired hand, but he was returning as an eternal brother in the Lord. That's a helpful transformation for us to observe as well because it reflects the nature of our relationship with the Lord and with each other.

““No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” ”

— John 15:15

Jesus told His disciples that they were more than servants to Him, they were His friends. This is a lesson Philemon was being called to understand, and it's a lesson Christ wants us to understand as well. We've been graced with an eternal friendship with the Son of God.

““Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.” ”

— Luke 16:9, NLT

Likewise, Jesus taught that the way we interact with our brothers and sisters in Christ will reverberate into eternity. The people you bless with the time and resources the Lord entrusts to you in the present, are going to be the same people who welcome you into their eternal residences in Christ's everlasting kingdom.

We live in a world that doesn't really think like this, but we as believers can certainly learn to. It's a blessing to gain Christ's eternal perspective while living in this temporary world. It impacts the nature of our hope, the way we deal with trials, and the value we place on our relationships.

© John Stange, 2022

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Do you want to be useful to God and His greater purposes?

The process of watching your children grow up and mature is an enjoyable process at times, but also a stressful process that requires faith and patience. When your children are young, they require a lot of your physical energy as you try to keep them safe and they want you to be active 24 hours of the day. When they grow older, they start to require more of your emotional energy as you try to guide them during seasons when it feels like they might not be listening or they might be pulling away from you. And as they emerge into adults, you need a lot of prayer and faith that what you've taught and modeled for them will be put into practice when they're on their own.

I oversee the finances for our household and take careful note of where our household income is being given, invested, and spent. I often joke with my wife about how inexpensively we could live if the kids didn't need food, shelter, utilities, clothing, entertainment, and medical care. Before we had kids, our money was primarily spent on ourselves. Since we've had children, the majority of our income has been spent on them. And all kidding aside, we're actually happy to do that. Don't tell them, but we're pretty fond of them.

Recently, I was reminded of the practical side of having a house full of children. A few months ago, we were hit with a decent snow storm. The snow was deep and heavy, and would need to be cleaned up quickly before it turned to ice. I was the first one out of our house to begin the process of shoveling, but within a few minutes, every member of our family joined me. And as my wife and I looked at that army of children with shovels in their hands, we said, "I guess it was all worth it. Look at how useful they've become!"

The portion of Scripture we're looking at today reminds us of the concept of being useful. I suspect that as people who trust in the Lord, we desire to be useful to Him. We want to partner with Him in His redemptive work in this world. We want to live in obedience to His calling on our lives. We want to glorify Him because that's the purpose for which we were created.

So how can we be useful Christians? What actions can we take that can help demonstrate the genuine nature of our faith in Jesus Christ? Some of those actions, and the attitude that undergirds them, are mentioned for us in Philemon 11-14.

I. Live up to the name you've been given

““(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)” ”

— Philemon 11

As Paul writes this brief letter to Philemon, he continues making an appeal on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's escaped slave who has come to faith in Christ and was presently serving alongside Paul. Onesimus was going to be traveling back to Colossae where he would be delivering this letter to Philemon personally, and watching to see how Philemon would react.

I don't know what kind of responsibilities Onesimus took care of when he was working for Philemon years earlier, but I'm sure Philemon was happy for his help. The more work Onesimus oversaw, the less Philemon would have to concern himself with. But to lose Onesimus' help was certainly a problem in some way for Philemon. I'm sure when Onesimus escaped, Philemon thought of him as useless at that point, which makes the words Paul chooses to use in this passage rather interesting.

The name Onesimus actually means "useful," so Paul incorporated that meaning into this passage. Paul mentioned that as an escaped slave, Onesimus may have seemed useless, but now he was demonstrating just how useful he really was. As a new believer in Christ, Onesimus had chosen to be useful to Paul's ministry and could likewise be useful to Philemon when he returned to Colossae where he could partner together in the ministry of the local church. In doing so, Onesimus would finally be living up to his name.

Because of the name I was given at birth, I have always been in an interesting predicament. I have the same name as my great-grandfather, grandfather, and father. Growing up, I felt a strong desire to live up to that name, knowing that whatever I did would certainly reflect on them as well. Then I gave that name to my oldest son and have often encouraged him to do good things with it, knowing that whatever choices he makes would inevitably impact the rest of us.

Have you ever considered the spiritual implications of the name you've been given? I'm not primarily asking about the name you were given at birth, but I am referring to the name you were given when you were born again. When you trusted in Jesus Christ, you were made a bearer of His name and His ambassador on this earth. Since that day, everything you've said and done has reflected on Him to one degree or another. Are we representing Him well? Are we living up to the good name we've been given?

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)

"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." (1 Peter 4:16)

As Christians, we are the followers of Christ who bear His name. By His grace, let's live up to the good name He has granted us.

II. Sacrifice what you have for the good of someone else

““I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.  I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel,” ”

— Philemon 12-13

Imagine how difficult it must have been for Paul to send Onesimus back to Philemon. Paul was a spiritual father to this man. He had led him to Christ, discipled him, and was now serving in ministry with him. And as Paul was under house arrest, and most certainly feeling lonely at times, Onesimus was right there with him, assisting him and offering his friendship.

But if Paul sent him back, that would certainly impact the quality of his own day-to-day life. Yet I get the impression that he felt it was the right thing to do in many ways. While I think all of us can sympathize with Onesimus' decision to run away from slavery, he had broken a Roman law that was punishable by death. He was also living his life in a manner that probably felt a little duplicitous because his illegal action was still hanging over his head. Returning to Philemon would give Onesimus the chance to address this one and for all, and it would also offer Philemon an opportunity to forgive and demonstrate mercy.

So for the greater good of Onesimus and Philemon, two men Paul had led to Jesus, Paul encouraged Onesimus to return. It was to Paul's benefit that he remain, but it was to the benefit of both of these men if he returned, so Paul willingly sacrificed what was to his benefit for them.

Isn't that mindset at the heart of the gospel? When we look at what Jesus did for us, we see the perfection of sacrificial love demonstrated in His actions. Jesus laid down His very life for us. We didn't deserve it, but He did so for our benefit and He gives us the opportunity to follow His example by showing sacrificial love to others, in His name.

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16)

Years ago, this concept was put to the test for my wife and me in a small way that ended up being meaningful to someone else. We were at a luncheon for pastors and their wives, most of which were retired, and some were pretty advanced in age. As people were leaving, one of the pastors came back into the building and told me that one of the older pastors had just backed his car into the side of our van and left a large dent.

I walked outside to see what was going on, and I realized how flustered and upset that other man was. I think he was also concerned that if he had to turn in an insurance claim it might severely hinder his ability to afford his insurance. So I told him not to worry about it. No claim was necessary and he didn't need to pay us for the damage. He was extremely relieved, and thankfully, I was able to repair the van without too much expense.

And all these years later, I can tell you that I feel much better about the decision I made that day than I would have if we didn't demonstrate a little sacrificial love. That van is most likely in a junk yard now, but our relationship with that pastor remained rather strong, and when he passed away, his daughter asked me to speak at his funeral.

III. Give someone else time to do the right thing

““but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.””

— Philemon 14

Paul made it abundantly clear that he would have preferred to keep Onesimus with him, but he didn't want to do that without Philemon's full knowledge and blessing. So Onesimus was being sent back, but this also makes me wonder what Philemon's initial response to seeing Onesimus would be. Would he get angry? Would he demand restitution? What would he do?

As Paul mentioned earlier in the letter, over the years, Philemon had become a strong Christian. He hosted the local church in his home, and was actively seeking to refresh the faith of believers in multiple ways. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Philemon was also generous with his wealth and was probably faithful in meeting the needs of others in his community.

So how would you expect a man like that to respond when given the opportunity to do the right thing? Did Paul need to order him to do it, or do you think he could trust that Philemon would listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit as He spoke to his heart about this matter? As a recipient of the grace of God, would Philemon be gracious? As a beneficiary of the mercy of Jesus, would Philemon demonstrate mercy? As one who had benefitted from the patience of God, would he demonstrate patience and understanding toward Onesimus? I believe he would, and did.

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Aren't you grateful for the patience the Lord has demonstrated toward you throughout the course of your life? I'm thankful that He has given us the time we needed to respond to His offer of salvation. I'm thankful that He remains patient with us as we grow in faith, because it frequently takes us time to do the right thing, especially if our faith is being stretched in a new way or we're experiencing a trial or test that doesn't resemble anything we're already familiar with.

I'm grateful that the Lord allows us to participate in the work He's doing in this world, and I'm thankful that He makes us useful to Him in the actions He's taking throughout human history. As we seek to live up to the name of Christ, demonstrate His sacrificial love, and remain patient with others who are in the midst of the same process of growth, I pray that we'll become even more useful to the Lord as our faith in Him matures.

© John Stange, 2022

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A pep-talk for Mothers

Few things in life seem to offer the perfect blend of being equally challenging and equally rewarding as motherhood. When the Lord gives a woman the opportunity to be a mother, she often experiences a lot of excitement and happiness, but she also experiences a lot of fear and exhaustion.

Motherhood brings with it many happy tears as well as sleepless nights. It's filled with moments when you instinctively know exactly what to do, and other moments when you have no idea what to do. It's a job that will simultaneously exhaust you and keep you wide awake at night.

Life on this earth wouldn't be very pleasant without mothers. In some ways, they operate like the conscience of a culture. They nurture, guide, bless, and hug. And when their time on earth is finished, we who are left spend the rest of our lives missing them.

If you're a mother, I'd like to show you a few things from Scripture that I hope will encourage your heart. From time-to-time, we all need a pep-talk, and I hope these Scriptures will supply you with that today.

I. Your compassionate heart demonstrates the heart of Jesus. (Luke 13:34-35)

““O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!  Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” ”

— Luke 13:34-35

A large portion of Luke's gospel records events and conversations that took place during the final week of Jesus' earthly ministry. This portion of Scripture is one such passage. In it, Jesus laments over the fact that the inhabitants of Jerusalem were rejecting Him. The very people He came to rescue and save were dismissing His gift of salvation because they wanted political solutions more than they wanted eternal life.

By the way, that wasn't an issue unique to their era of history. I'll let you in on a little secret. The primary criticism I receive on my preaching is that I don't spend enough time speaking about the political narratives of our day that are being churned out by the news cycle. Guess what? I'm going to keep preaching the Scripture and pointing people to Jesus because our hearts will never find what they truly need from a politician or a news outlet.

And as those who lived during the era of Christ's earthly ministry continued to place their hope in politics, Jesus grieved over their lost and confused condition. When He describes what He came to do for them, and how He desired to protect them, He describes His mission in very compassionate terms. It's the kind of compassion that we often see demonstrated by mothers.

Jesus said He wanted to gather the people of Jerusalem like a hen gathers her brood under her wings. A hen keeps her babies warm. She watches over them, protects them, nurtures them, and keeps them close to her heart.

That's what Jesus wanted to do for the people of Jerusalem, and that's a series of actions mothers put on display every single day. And moms, I don't know if you realize it, but the compassion you show to your children can serve as a very powerful reminder of the compassionate heart of Christ.

II. The work you're doing is hard, but it will bear fruit. (John 15:16-17)

““You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.  These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” ”

— John 15:16-17

When you have a sense of "calling" or "mission," the tasks you're asked to accomplish come easier than the things you're forced to do that don't seem to be tied to a greater purpose.

In this passage, as Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He gave them some clarity regarding their calling. He made it clear to them that they were specifically chosen by Him for the task He was entrusting to them. As He loved them, He was calling them to love one another, to do work that would bear lasting fruit, and to come to God the Father, in the name of Jesus, and ask Him for the help they would need.

If you're a mother, have you ever viewed your responsibilities with the sense of calling the original disciples of Christ possessed? They were called to go out into the world and make disciples of Christ. In our day, where does discipleship most frequently take place? Much of it takes place in the home, and there are countless examples of mothers throughout history who understood their role as a calling to invest in the discipleship of their children.

Will your children make your task easy? No. Will some of them mature faster than others? Yes. Will some of your children break your heart in the midst of the process of growing up? I think that's highly likely. But with the perspective of time, the day is going to come when you will be able to look back and declare that it was all worth it. The seeds of the gospel that you planted in the lives of your children will one day bear fruit, and the fruit that is produced will remain for all eternity. The work you're doing has that much value.

III. Don't give up even if you're feeling exhausted. (Gal. 6:8-9)

““For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.””

— Galatians 6:8-9

Last week, I had the blessing to visit with several friends who have been part of my life since I was in single digits. I have learned that there are very few people outside of your family who will remain in your life for that length of time, so when that happens, it's very special.

We spent a few hours together, and during our conversation, one of my friends mentioned that his 80-year-old mother will often leave gifts for them hanging on their mailbox. Sometimes it's fruit. Sometimes it's something else she's picked up at a store that she thinks they'll enjoy. He said he's grateful for her kindness, and to this day she remains one of the most energetic people he knows.

Do you feel energetic? There are many tasks in this world that can sap our energy, but without a doubt, the tasks that also require us to serve other people can often be the most exhausting. Mothering being a prime example. But don't give up, even if you're feeling exhausted.

In the book of Galatians, Paul gives wise counsel to the church as to what it looks like to become spiritually strong from our core, instead of just giving off the appearance of being outwardly religious. He reminds us that what we sow into our lives will eventually come out of our lives. If we sow sin, we'll reap destruction. If we live to please the Spirit, we'll reap the righteousness He supplies.

Paul also reminds us not to grow weary as we're engaged in the good work the Lord has entrusted to us to do. We're told that it will eventually have its effect. A harvest will come from it as the Spirit of God does His work.

I'd like to encourage you to keep this in mind as you serve and minister to the children the Lord has placed under your care and influence. If you're relying on your own energy, wisdom, and strength to carry you through, you will eventually burn out. But if you're relying on the help the Lord offers, the wisdom that He blesses you with, and the strength He supplies through His Spirit, the day will come when you will see a harvest of righteousness.

The days may seem long. The trials may seem painful. The sacrifices you make might seem like they're being responded to with a lack of appreciation or even outright defiance, but stay hopeful. Don't grow weary. Your faith is being given the opportunity to grow as you serve your children in the name of Jesus.

IV. If we want to follow Christ's example, we should honor and care for you. (John 19:25-27)

“but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

— John 19:25-27

If you knew you were about to die, what would you be thinking about? Would you be thinking about yourself or others? It's hard to say because we haven't endured that kind of experience yet, but I think the example Jesus gives us is instructive.

When Christ came to this earth and took on flesh, He was entrusted to Joseph and Mary who were called to care for Him during the years of His childhood. After Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit and Mary gave birth to Him, Joseph and Mary had additional children through natural means. Two of their sons, James and Jude, wrote books that are part of the New Testament, but at the time of Christ's crucifixion, they didn't have faith in Jesus. They came to believe in Him after His resurrection.

By the way, I think their faith in Jesus is an amazing assurance that points to who He really is. If two men who grew up with Him as His brothers were eventually willing to believe that He was God in the flesh, that's a pretty strong testimony.

It's believed that Joseph passed away sometime before Christ's public ministry began, so caring for Mary would have been a responsibility Jesus as her oldest son would have taken on. But now as He was being crucified, that responsibility needed to be passed on to someone else. As He was dying, Jesus looked at the Apostle John and told him to take responsibility for Mary's care, and Jesus encouraged Mary to think of John like a son from that point on.

I don't know why Jesus didn't ask James or Jude to do this, but I have a few guesses. It's possible that He didn't ask them to care for Mary because, as of yet, they were still unbelievers and somewhat immature. But it's also possible that Mary's care was entrusted to John for a different reason.

James and Jude were both martyred after they came to faith in Jesus and started leading in the church. John lived for several decades after them and was the only apostle who wasn't martyred. In His foreknowledge, it wouldn't surprise me to see this as an example of Jesus suggesting a long-term solution that would benefit Mary for a sufficient length of time, while also giving James and Jude the liberty they needed to focus on the ministry work that was about to be entrusted to them.

And when I think about the example of Jesus, I see something we can definitely learn from. The Lord doesn't just tell us to honor our mothers, He demonstrated what it looks like to do it well. If we value the lordship of Jesus and want to follow His example, I think it would be right for us to give extra thought to how we choose to honor and care for our mothers.

If your mother is living, honor and care for her. If she has passed away, continue to honor her memory by passing on to others the things she taught you, and living out the kind of life that would be an answer to the many prayers she once prayed on your behalf.

Mothers are one of God's greatest blessings to this world, and there are many of us who can testify to how He has used their lives, their care, and their wise instruction to point us directly to Him.

© John Stange, 2022

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Getting bolder as we grow older

Later this week, my wife will be celebrating her birthday. She looks like she's many years younger than me, even though she's actually a year older. I joke about that with her frequently, and thankfully she's a good sport.

A few weeks ago, I was talking with someone about how old I was and I realized that for the past few months, I have been telling people the wrong number. I added an extra year to my age without realizing I had done that. When I was a child, I remember adults pausing to think and do math when people would ask them how old they were, and I always thought that was very strange. I couldn't imagine losing track of my age, but now that I'm a little older, I can definitely see how easily that mistake can be made.

As you grow older, what changes are you noticing about yourself? And when you answer that in your head, please don't start with a list of physical changes. That's too easy. We all experience the natural changes that occur within our bodies. The changes I'm asking about are deeper than that.

What has changed about the nature of your spiritual faith over the course of your life? What's different about the ways you relate to people? How are your goals changing? What did you once think was important, but you no longer value the same way? What would you be willing to say or do that you wouldn't have been willing to address at an earlier season of life?

When Paul wrote this letter to Philemon, he considered himself to be an older man who had been seasoned by time, trials, and other faith-stretching experiences. He possessed wisdom and insight that he didn't have when he was a younger man. The Lord had allowed him to see, experience, and learn things that took time to bear fruit in his life.

Paul wrote this portion of Scripture with the kind of wise and careful boldness that a spiritual person develops over time. He demonstrates that he had become bolder as he grew older, and he wanted to use that boldness to spread the gospel, serve the church, and inspire individual members to take bold action as well.

I. Your confidence in Christ should result in bold action

““Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,””

— Philemon 8

Have you ever been in a position where you were called upon to lead or teach someone else? Many of us have found ourselves in such a position, and parents with children at home find themselves in that kind of position every day.

Children often question their parents' wisdom and instruction. When I was a child, I frequently challenged my parents' directions. After being told what to do, I would often reply, "Why do I have to do that?" And I would usually receive the one response that bothered me most, "Because I said so!"

Ironically, the older I get, the more I realize that "Because I said so," is an appropriate answer, even though it's probably best to use it sparingly. My father and my mother were the primary authorities the Lord had sovereignly placed over my life, and they had the right to tell me to do whatever they thought was in my best interest. I had no right to question their authority, even though I often made the arrogant mistake of doing so.

In the context of the early church, Paul had spiritual authority, and he could have exercised that authority when speaking to Philemon. Paul was an apostle, a founding pastor of multiple churches, and a spiritual father to many people - Philemon being one of them. Paul had also grown bold in Christ and could have commanded Philemon to do what he was going to ask him to do, but that's not how Paul chose to approach the action he was about to encourage Philemon to take on behalf of Onesimus, his former slave.

Just the same, Paul was absolutely bold in his approach. In fact, he could have resisted writing this letter and allowed the issues that existed between Philemon and Onesimus to remain unresolved. But Paul cared about these men too much to ignore what needed to be done.

When I observe Paul in this portion of Scripture, I see an impressive demonstration of Christ-empowered confidence. Paul wasn't confident in himself. He was confident in Jesus, and that confidence gave him the liberty to take bold action with a clear conscience.

With that confidence, he confronted sin, preached the gospel when governments were hostile toward it, planted churches, traveled throughout Europe and Asia primarily on foot, and said hard things to friends even though he knew he might be risking the friendship by doing so.

This Scripture and those examples beg the question, "How is your confidence in Christ contributing to bold action in your life?" Are you willing to say bold things for the cause of Christ? Are you willing to take bold actions for the glory of Christ so you won't be counted among the slothful multitudes that like the view from the bleachers so much that they never step onto the field?

II. Your wisdom in Christ will lead you to appeal to the conscience of others

““yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus””

— Philemon 9

If you had to ask someone to do something difficult, would you prefer appealing to their conscience or making a demand? I would personally prefer appealing to the conscience of someone else. Admittedly, not everyone is at a place of maturity where appealing to their conscience will work, but when you're dealing with someone who demonstrates that their conscience can be effectively appealed to, that's often the wisest approach to take.

I even tried this approach with a telemarketer who called me a while back. I answered the phone and she began her speech about how I needed to do something and send money for something, and at that point, I asked her to pause for a second. I said, "Ma'am, do you believe in God?" She said, "Yes." Then I said, "You and I both know that you've been lying to me. In fact, you've been calling a bunch of people and lying to them today, haven't you?" She said, "Yes, I have."

At that point, the call was rather quiet for a moment and I said, "God wants us to be truthful. He wants you to tell the truth to me, and He wants me to tell the truth to you. It's time to stop lying, Ma'am." She quietly answered, "Yes... Ok... I'll stop." Then she softly said goodbye and hung up.

I'm convinced that the Holy Spirit directed that conversation. I'm convinced He led me to even answer the phone to begin with because in a context like that, I normally wouldn't have done so. When I look at Paul's words in this passage, I can see the Spirit leading the ways he chose to address the glaring issue in Philemon's life.

The wisdom of Christ taught Paul that this was a good time to appeal to Philemon's conscience. And as Paul did so, he did this in the most loving way possible. He didn't berate Philemon. He didn't attempt to embarrass him either. In fact, Paul had just spent a considerable portion of this letter expressing how appreciative he was for Philemon and how grateful he was to see how the Lord was using his life and allowing him to sacrificially serve the church. But now it was time for Paul to make a tough request, and that request would be made as an appeal to Philemon's sense of mercy and integrity.

As believers in Christ, we're called to be people of conscience. Many people in this world actively attempt to squelch their consciences, but we're called to have soft hearts, repentant spirits, and consciences that are sensitive to what is holy and what is right.

How is the Lord appealing to your conscience right now? Is there something He has been speaking to you about that it's time to address? Is there some form of bold action that you need to take without delay?

III. Your faith in Christ will feed your desire to welcome others into the faith

““I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.””

— Philemon 10

One of the most impactful experiences I have ever had was the opportunity to work at a Christian summer camp when I was in high school. I frequently tell people that it was in that context that I met the Lord and was discipled to take my faith in Jesus seriously. It was also in that context that I first had the privilege to pray with someone as they came to faith in Jesus.

I still remember a camper asking me to stick around after one of the chapel services had concluded. He wanted to talk with someone about his life, his faith, and the fact that he had become aware of his need for Jesus in his life. After we spoke, I led him in a time of prayer where he confessed his new faith in Jesus and entrusted his life over to Christ.

As that young man left the chapel, I heard another voice in the room. A new staff member had also remained in the building to quietly pray, but she heard everything I had shared with that camper and she saw him come to faith in Christ. I still remember her response as she said, "That was a powerful thing to witness."

I must admit, that I never grow tired of telling people about Jesus and I never grow tired of having the opportunity to pray with people as they come to faith in Him. Every time that happens, we're being given the opportunity to see the family of God grow. And when you lead someone to Christ, in a very real sense, you become their spiritual mother or father.

That's why Paul referred to Onesimus as his child in this passage. Paul mentions that he became a spiritual father to Onesimus during his imprisonment in Rome. Paul had taken the opportunity to share the gospel with this man who had run away from slavery in Philemon's household, then he learned the backstory and realized that he was the spiritual father of both the slave owner and the slave. What an amazing story this is, and what a great illustration of the sovereign and providential hand of God. On multiple levels, Philemon and Onesimus were now spiritual brothers.

As our faith in Christ matures, our desire to see more people added to the family of God grows as well. It starts to become a high priority on our list, starting with our household, extended family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

In time, you'll even start praying for those you don't even know. Then you'll get a little bolder and attempt to figure out ways that you can tell them yourself about what Jesus has done in your life.

There are a lot of things that I consider blessings about growing older, and a lot of things that I think are challenges as well. But one of the greatest blessings that has come into my life over time, is the holy boldness the Lord grants us when our consciences are clear, our faith is growing, and our eyes begin seeing people and circumstances through the eyes of Jesus.

Let Jesus make you bold for Him.

© John Stange, 2022

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How deep is your love for the church?

Paul's letter to Philemon was written right around the year 62 A.D. while Paul remained under house arrest in Rome. This letter was written at roughly the same time that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

Paul wrote this letter to Philemon, a man of great influence in the church at Colossae. Philemon had come to know Christ possibly through Paul's preaching ministry in Ephesus about a decade earlier or through some other face-to-face interaction with Paul, but he continued to own slaves which was a very common practice in Rome. A very large portion of people living under Roman rule at the time were in some form of slavery, either because of debts they owed or because they had been taken captive through conquest.

One of Philemon's slaves, a man named Onesimus, apparently got sick of living in slavery and escaped (which was a capital offense). Onesimus may have also stolen money from Philemon when he made his escape. He then fled the city of Colossae and went to Rome where he may have been attempting to hide out and start a new life. In the process, he met Paul and came to faith in Christ. He also began actively assisting Paul in his ministry.

In time, Onesimus felt convinced that he needed to return to Colossae and face up to what he had done. Paul sent this letter with him to encourage Philemon to think very carefully about how he responded to Onesimus. When Onesimus ran away, he was a slave and a thief, but he was returning as a brother in the Lord. Paul strongly encouraged Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother, reminding him that he too had been a recipient of the grace and mercy of Jesus.

I love this brief letter because it serves as such a strong example of Christ's power to change lives. As we work our way through it, we'll see that demonstrated clearly. And in the verses we're looking at right now, we'll see how Christ's love for us, and our love for Him, translates into genuine love for the church as well.

I. Would you risk your personal safety for the church?

““Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,” ”

— Philemon 1a

The other day I was raking my front lawn while my neighbor was mowing his. Inevitably, we started talking and analyzing all the problems we're facing in our country and in our world today. One of the things we agreed on is the fact that a large percentage of humanity seems to prioritize their safety and comfort over their convictions, and it's rare to find someone who lives out their convictions when it stops being safe to do so.

Paul was the kind of person who prioritized conviction over safety and comfort. He had a conviction that this world needed to hear the life-changing message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so he went where the Holy Spirit led him to go to make that message known. As he did so, he planted churches and trained leaders to continue the work he started once his stay in the city was completed.

But Paul's convictions, and the action he took based on those convictions, didn't sit well with everyone. People actively tried to prevent him from telling more people about Christ. They actively sought to take his life before he could train more leaders or disciple more believers. And as this letter was being written, Paul remained imprisoned under house arrest while he awaited trial in Rome.

There's only one of Paul's letters that begins with him describing himself as a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and this is it. And when I read his words and think about the example he set, I can't help but ask myself, "Would I be willing to allow my illusion of safety and comfort be interrupted for the sake of the church? Would I be willing to preach the gospel, train leaders, and disciple believers even if my well-being was threatened for doing so?" If my answer to that question ever stops being "yes," please remove me from church leadership that instant.

II. Would you open up your home to the church?

““To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:””

— Philemon 1b-2

Paul addresses three people who were actively involved in the church of Colossae in his greeting. It very well may be that Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus were family. That certainly seems to be a natural way to read this introduction, especially because Paul references the fact that the Colossian church would often meet in their home.

It appears that multiple people in the Colossian church opened up their homes for the church to use as meeting places. In Colossians 4:15, Paul mentions Nympha and the fact that the church met in her home. Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus were apparently generous in this way as well.

When I read about what life was like during the era of the early church, I'm often inspired by their example. They were persecuted by their culture, yet their faith remained strong. They didn't have church buildings, cathedrals, or conference centers, but what they did have was a willingness to share generously.

““Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” ”

— Acts 4:32

Would you open up your home to the church? Would you give someone in the church a ride in your car? If another believer asked to borrow one of your tools, would you lend it to him? Would you give your time to another Christian if they needed someone to sit with them during a doctor's appointment? Would you offer to babysit the children of a young couple so they could go out to eat for two or three hours?

Philemon's family was very likely well-off, but their generosity demonstrated that they didn't hold onto the blessings the Lord entrusted to them in a selfish way. They shared what was theirs with their brothers and sisters in Christ as the Lord directed their hearts to do so.

III. Would you share what Jesus is doing in your life with the church?

““Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” ”

— Philemon 3-6

Over the course of my life, I have been looking for people who serve as good examples that can teach me something new or model something for me that I need to better understand. There are people in my life that I consider excellent examples of what it means to be a man, a husband, a pastor, an entrepreneur, a writer, a speaker, and more. And there are people in my life that I have often looked at as examples of what it means to be strong in faith in Christ Jesus. In fact, before I ever read the Bible for myself, I was reading the lives of other Christians, and their example showed me what following Jesus looked like.

By the way, someone is also copying you. Whether you realize it or not, there are people who make decisions with eternal ramifications based on what they are presently observing in your life.

Philemon was an example and a man of influence in his city. He was known for being generous. He was known as a man who loved Jesus and had great trust in Him. Philemon was also known as someone who loved the church. And because he loved the church, he shared what he was learning with them. I get the impression that he was very active in doing that with the goal that others would develop a full understanding of who Jesus is and what He has accomplished on our behalf.

But as this letter will demonstrate, Philemon was still a work in progress. There were many things he was getting right, but there were also areas where he needed to grow and develop. I think that's a good thing for us to remember if we're ever tempted to think we've "arrived." We may have experienced a lot of growth in recent years, but none of us has come to a place where we don't need to continue to grow spiritually.

We get ten or less brief decades on this planet and that is in no way enough time for us to fully understand the height, depth, or width of the love of God that has been shown to us in Christ Jesus. We will spend eternity contemplating that truth.

But even though there's still much more for us to learn, let's remain active to share what we've already come to know. You don't have to wait until you're the world's foremost expert on Christianity to share what the Spirit of God has made known to you thus far. Philemon still needed to grow in many ways, but that didn't stop him from generously sharing what he had already come to know.

IV. Would you actively seek to refresh the church when it's weary?

““For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.””

— Philemon 7

Paul didn't plant the church at Colossae, but he certainly cared for its well-being. And even though he couldn't be with them physically, he was grateful for those who actively served and led the church like Philemon had a reputation for doing. In fact, the knowledge of Philemon's service brought comfort and joy to Paul's heart during this imprisonment.

Paul describes Philemon's work as refreshing. The believers in the church were refreshed through him. This makes me wonder, how can we as present-day believers refresh one another?

I don't think there's a conclusive list of all the ways this can be done, but I can tell you personally how other believers have refreshed me throughout the course of my life. There are people who regularly pray for me and remind me that they're doing so. I can think of people who have gone out of their way to minister to my wife and my children through the years. I'm also often reminded of people that have come alongside me to serve in a variety of ministries or projects. One of the greatest examples of that is our local church that bears the fingerprints of many different believers using their gifts and resources to come alongside one another and build others up in faith.

I believe God intentionally sends His people into our lives to refresh us when we need a boost. Philemon was a refreshing person in the church at Colossae, and we have the privilege to be refreshing to the church in our day.

Christ loves the church. That was demonstrated during the course of His earthly ministry, and His love continues to be demonstrated today. Do you love His church as well? How are you making the most of the opportunities He grants us to demonstrate that love?

© John Stange, 2022

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I just got hired to work at Knoebels Amusement Resort!

When you look back over the course of your life someday, do you think you'll be happy with how you used it and the experiences you allowed yourself to have, or do you think you'll look back and wish you had done some things differently?

In recent years, I have started to give a lot of thought to that question. I'm a big believer in the value of stepping out on faith and doing things that interrupt predictable routines. I like being stretched. I like putting myself into unfamiliar circumstances. I also like learning new things and meeting new people, so I decided to do something very different over the course of the next few months.

This summer, I'm going to be a ride operator at one of my favorite places on earth, Knoebels Amusement Resort!
(Make sure you read to the end to see why.)

I can only imagine what some people will think when they read that statement. I can already anticipate some of the questions.

“How will you do this AND pastor a church?”

"Isn't Knoebels kind of far from where you live?”

"Aren't you already doing a million other things?"

It's true, I already have a job and quite a few other responsibilities. I have a family. I'm the pastor of a church. I lead a mission board. I host podcasts, write books and blog posts, lead an online membership community, and several other things. How did I find time to add something else, and why would I take a job if I didn't actually need the money?

Let's start with family...

My wife and I have four children and we have taken our kids to Knoebels all throughout their life, beginning with our oldest daughter that we took to the park on her first birthday. Our kids practically grew up there. They know the layout of the entire park and everything it contains (like the map has been burned into their brains). But, our kids went and got old. In the fall, three of them will be in college and unfortunately, their work and class schedules rarely allow them time to visit the park these days. I honestly miss taking them there.

Our youngest, Julia, is 16. She's a lot like me, and she's always up for an adventure. In fact, many of my recent adventures have been taken with her. She loves Knoebels almost as much as I do, so when I told her what I was planning to do this summer, I also said, "I think you should apply to work there too. We could be ride operators together!" I barely got the sentence out of my mouth when she enthusiastically said, "Yes! I will absolutely do that!"

The interview...

Julia and I drove to Knoebels yesterday and had our formal interview together. That made it official. After the interview, our new supervisor reached out his hand and said, "Welcome to the team! You're going to love it here!" My daughter and I will have the same boss AND make the same hourly salary. She finds that very entertaining.

What about your church and your other ministries?

The people who know me best know that I like to keep my life organized. My office, house, lawn, and car all reflect this trait. My schedule does as well. One of the big reasons I'm able to juggle my responsibilities is because of the way I structure and follow a precise weekly schedule. I have kept the same schedule for nearly 25 years, and it helps keep me on task while also allowing me time to rest and recuperate from some of the difficult things I'm asked to do each week.

I have been serving in pastoral ministry since 1996 when I was first hired as a youth pastor. Two years later, I became a full-time senior pastor. Anyone who serves in this role will tell you that your brain and your heart get a workout all week long. Even though you enjoy what you do, you frequently feel emotionally drained from leading, teaching, and counseling. You also receive A LOT of criticism. Everyone has an opinion about how you do your job and how you live your life. Most people are supportive and encouraging, but some are not. (I recently read that most people who enter pastoral ministry quit after about five years because the emotional drain and the pressure of serving in a very public role becomes too much.)

To help me deal with that emotional drain, I take Mondays off. It's a day of rest for me, but I don't typically use it to sleep or sit around. I find it therapeutic to give my mind and emotions a change of pace by doing physical labor for much of the day. I ignore my phone as best as I can while I mow the lawn, clean the car, work on my house, or do some other kind of physical task. My vocation isn't physical in nature, so having a day dedicated to physical labor often helps me feel balanced for the rest of the week, and it helps me relax and relieve stress as well.

One other problem...

I experience one other problem though. Even though I'm frequently in front of groups of people, leading, speaking, teaching, and counseling, I also spend a lot of time feeling "alone." It's somewhat unavoidable. It kind of has to be that way. When I'm preparing sermons, doing administrative tasks, or writing and recording things that I share online, I can't really do those tasks with a crowd. I need time to focus, and I do a better job if I'm not stopping and starting over and over. But since I'm an extrovert who enjoys being around people, I often wish that part of my week had a little more balance. Sometimes I get sick of staring at the walls in my office and I'd rather be having a conversation with other humans.

The perfect solution, I think...

So, since I take Mondays off to do physical labor and clear my mind, and since Julia also has Mondays off from the salon she works at, and since being a ride operator at Knoebels will allow me to do physical tasks in a social environment, I decided to offer my day off (and Julia's day off) to them this summer to see what they thought of the idea.

Would they hire a guy who doesn't actually need a job to come and work on his day off?

Would they also hire his daughter who doesn't need a job to work with him?

Turns out, they thought the idea was great! They have been short-staffed the past two years and our new supervisor said, "This is definitely unconventional, but let's do it! We're happy to have you on board. The more the merrier!"

Will I see you this Summer?

So, if you're going to be visiting Knoebels on a Monday this summer, I hope you'll seek us out and say hi. And if you're someone who has a day each week that you could spare to do something like this, let me encourage you to give it a try. I think it's going to be a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to this new adventure that my daughter and I will get to do together.

Fulfill the ministry the Lord gives to you

Throughout the years, one of the phrases I have often heard used for someone who serves as a vocational pastor or missionary is "in the ministry." I certainly understand why that phrase is used, and I don't have any major problems with saying that, but there is a limit to that phrase that I'd like us to think about. To describe those who are serving in a vocational ministry as "in the ministry" is totally fine, so long as you're also willing to acknowledge the fact that every Christian can be "in the ministry" whether their service is vocational or not.

I believe every believer has been entrusted with a ministry that the Lord wants them to focus on during the course of their earthly life. Scripture is very clear that all believers have been supernaturally gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve other people.

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

But here's what I have been noticing over the past few decades since I started serving in church leadership. While all believers are gifted to serve others, only a portion of the church believes they've been gifted, and only a segment of that group is actively utilizing the gifts they've been given. Why is that, and what can be done about it?

I'm convinced that many of us spend too much time talking ourselves out of what God has called us to do. We let our insecurities get the best of us, and we sometimes hold back from serving because we're convinced that someone else can do a better job than we can. The reality is, however, that in most cases, the reason someone might be able to do a better job is because they've been gaining practice while serving instead of waiting for someone else to do it.

Only Jesus is perfect. We are all works in progress. So, relieve yourself of doing a perfect job and start aiming to do a faithful job in a joyfully obedient way. You have a ministry, whether you realize it or not, and I wonder if some of the examples Paul highlights in Colossians 4:12-18 might inspire you to become active in fulfilling the ministry the Lord has given to you.

I. Epaphras - Investing in the spiritual maturity of others

““Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.””

— Colossians 4:12-13

Epaphras is a man that I have a high degree of respect for. He was mentioned at the start of Paul's letter to the Colossians, and he's referenced again in Paul's closing words. Keep in mind that Epaphras was the man who planted the church at Colossae. He heard the message of the gospel when Paul preached in Ephesus, then returned to his home city to share the message. It was also very likely that Epaphras was the one who prompted Paul to write this letter when he reported to Paul all that was going on in this young church. The Holy Spirit gave Paul the words to say to help these young believers along in their walk with Christ.

What motivated a man like Epaphras to dedicate his life to serving Christ and the church? Epaphras was the kind of guy who was so grateful for the grace Christ had shown him that he couldn't wait to make the good news of the gospel known to others. And as others grew in their walk with Christ, Epaphras stayed personally invested in their ongoing growth. He wanted to see the church experience true spiritual maturity.

Just out of curiosity, which excites you more; seeing someone come to faith in Christ or watching a new believer press on toward spiritual maturity? It's probably not a fair question to ask, and I don't know if I would be able to truly draw a stark line between those important experiences. But I ask because if one or the other seems particularly exciting to you, and you feel highly motivated to participate in one of those options, you may be closer to discovering the unique area in which God has gifted you to serve in ministry.

II. Luke - Evangelism through medical care and the written word

““Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.” ”

— Colossians 4:14

Have you ever met someone who operates on a high level in multiple areas? A couple contemporary examples might be people like Shaquille O'Neal who has excelled at basketball, business, and broadcasting or Elon Musk who has excelled in finance, manufacturing, and rocket science. During the days of the early church, I get the impression that Luke was one of those unique people who operated at a very high level in several different ways.

Luke was a doctor who travelled with Paul and used those abilities to minister to him when he was beaten, injured, or ill. He was also a careful writer and historian who wrote more pages of the New Testament than anyone else, including Paul. Paul wrote more individual letters, but Luke wrote more words by completing the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.

I think Luke's example is fascinating. In many respects, you could say he was an evangelist, but his evangelism was often carried out through helping people with medical needs then writing detailed historical accounts of the life of Christ and the work of the early church. When most of us think of evangelism, we picture someone preaching to a tent full of people, but medical care and writing can become powerful tools for evangelism when used properly.

Luke didn't shy away from the work the Lord entrusted to him, but one of the men who was with Paul and Luke eventually did. Paul mentions a man named Demas in this passage. At this point, Demas seemed committed to ministering to others for the glory of Christ, but that eventually changed. We're told in 2 Timothy 4:10 that Demas eventually deserted Paul because he was, "in love with this present world."

I don't know what will be said about me when my time on this earth is done, but by the grace of God I hope it's said that I was faithful to the ministry the Lord entrusted to me and that I didn't desert His calling because I loved the false promises and pleasures of this world.

III. Nympha - Hospitality and hosting the church in her home

““Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.” ”

— Colossians 4:15

Hospitality is a ministry that clearly matters to the Lord. Throughout Scripture, we're given examples of how it has been used to minister to people. Scripture also makes it clear that if you aren't willing to show hospitality, you shouldn't be approved to serve as an overseer of the church (Titus 1:8). Some believers are genuinely gifted in the area of hospitality.

We don't know much about Nympha. She's mentioned in this passage, but we aren't given details of her life. We don't know if she was a quiet, behind-the-scenes kind of person. We don't know if she was a good cook. We don't know if she had a small home or a large home. All we know is that she was willing to treat that home as belonging to the Lord. Some people grumble at the thought of being hospitable, but Nympha considered it an opportunity to honor Christ and serve his people. Centuries before it became common for the church to own buildings and meetinghouses, believers used to primarily meet in homes, and one of those homes that the early church utilized was Nympha's home.

Have you ever considered the fact that the hospitality you show from your home might be an important tool the Lord uses in His eternal plan to build His church? It's that big of a deal.

IV. Archippus - Keep pressing on even if your enthusiasm starts to wane

“And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.  And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” ”

— Colossians 4:16-17

When Paul and the other church leaders of his day wrote letters to the churches, those letters were often copied and circulated so they could be shared with others and read out loud when the church gathered together for worship. That's how this letter was used, as was the letter Paul wrote to the church at Laodicea (which was only miles away from Colossae). Some believe the other letter Paul was referring to here was the letter we refer to as "Ephesians." If not, then he must be referring to something he wrote to them that wasn't included in the New Testament.

When I wrote my most recent book, I had to ask some of the people I mentioned in it to sign a "release" that gave me legal permission to mention them. That's a common practice when writing a book during our era, but I do find it interesting to see just how many times Paul referenced and even called people out by name in the pages of his writing. He definitely wasn't waiting for legal approval to do so, and in this passage, he calls out a man named Archippus.

We don't know very much about Archippus. Some believe he may have been a Roman soldier who became a follower of Christ. There is also some speculation that he was Philemon's son since he's mentioned in the opening greeting of Paul's letter to Philemon.

Regardless of who he was, he had an important part in the work of God's kingdom. In fact, I get the impression that he may have been going through a season where his enthusiasm for the work the Lord had entrusted to him was starting to wane and Paul wanted to help motivate him to get serious about that work once again.

That's such a useful thing for us to read and ponder. I will confess that there have been many seasons throughout the years when I felt somewhat weary of doing the work the Lord had entrusted me to do. There have been a few brief stretches along the way when I genuinely wrestled with the thought of throwing in the towel. But when the Lord calls us and gifts us to serve in a specific way, we need to stick with it until He changes our assignment or calls us home. That's the kind of challenge I think Paul was trying to give Archippus in this passage.

V. Paul - Lovingly lead even if costs you your freedom

““I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” ”

— Colossians 4:18

As Paul concludes this letter, he wanted the church to understand a few important things. First of all, he was signing this letter in his own hand writing so they could confirm that it wasn't fabricated (which some of the false teachers of the day would sometimes attempt).

Paul also wanted them to remember his chains and the grace of God. Paul was willing to take a leadership role in the early church, even though that often cost him his freedom. He did this knowing that earthly freedom isn't the ultimate freedom he was looking forward to anyway. He had been set free from the chains of sin and death through the grace of Jesus Christ, so he was able to look at earthly chains as a momentary inconvenience.

That's a good reminder to us that the setbacks and adversity we experience in the present as we fulfill the ministry the Lord has given to us are also just momentary inconveniences, not permanent realities.

In the end, you will be glad that you followed the Lord's leading and direction. You will never regret doing what He calls you to do or serving who He calls you to serve. Without reservation I can promise you from my reading of Scripture and from my personal experiences that obedience to the Lord in this manner is always worth it.

© John Stange, 2022

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God can make something great out of your unconventional and messy life

One of the things that I think the church should be mindful of is the fact that very few people have a neat and tidy life. I know we probably wish we did, but it's very rare that any of us make it through life without highs and lows that add a little color to our story. Yet sometimes, it can be tempting to try to present ourselves to each other as if everything has always been going well for us without any bumps or bruises along the way. Let's take a break from doing that because that isn't realistic, and in some ways, it may also be robbing God of the opportunity to testify to His goodness through our bumpy experiences.

When I look back over the course of my life, I see my better moments and my lower seasons. I remember a time when I tried to do things the world's way, only to discover that doesn't work. I remember the context I grew up in that, for a season, was a complete disaster, and yet God brought wonderful things out of that mess.

I'll give you a personal example of something that really bothered me at one season, but now I can see how God was using it. When my parents divorced, my mother was awarded custody and we moved into a government-subsidized housing project. I wasn't crazy about that, and I missed the days of us having a home of our own. When she remarried a few years later, we moved into her new husband's home. The front of that house was hit by a drunk driver and never fixed. The yard had at least 50 cars in various stages of disrepair and decomposition.

One of my lowest moments was when a man came to the door of the house and asked if he could speak to the owner of the junkyard. I told him this wasn't a junkyard and closed the door. Up to that point, it hadn't occurred to me that people thought I lived in a junkyard, but now that I knew, I did my best to keep where I lived a secret as best as I could. I didn't want my friends to know because I was embarrassed. But now, I'm grateful for that experience because the Lord used it to show me things I wouldn't have understood otherwise, and that season of life was a long-term gift that he blessed me with because it was in that season that I learned to rely on Him, and He helped me develop an emotional strength that I would need for later challenges in life.

Colossians 4:7-11 lists the names of five people who had some very unique backgrounds and experiences. When I look at a passage like this, it reminds me that God can make something great out of our unconventional and messy lives. And the people He brings into your life are there to help you, inspire you, and teach you something.

I. Tychicus - The guy who is willing to walk with you and stand by your side

““Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.  I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,””

— Colossians 4:7-8

Accountability is something ministry leaders need. Ministry isn't meant to be done alone, and if the Lord raises you up to a position of leadership or influence in the church, it's important to demonstrate character, integrity, and transparency. As Paul was closing out the words of this letter, I believe that's exactly what he was attempting to demonstrate.

Paul told the believers at Colossae that Tychicus would tell them about everything he was doing while he was absent from them. Paul describes Tychicus as a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord. When he visited the Colossians, he would let them know what Paul had been working on and the ways the Lord had been blessing the work. He would share this with the goal of encouraging their hearts, particularly if they were worried about Paul's well-being while he was under house arrest.

But who was Tychicus? Tychicus was the kind of friend we should all want. He was the kind of guy who would walk the extra mile with you. He was the type of friend who would stand by your side when the rest of the world was turning its back on you.

Tychicus is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. We see a reference to him in Acts 20 when Paul was in the process of revisiting some of the churches he had planted earlier in his ministry and bringing an offering from those churches to Jerusalem where it would be dispersed to the believers who were struggling there. When it was discovered that a plot to harm Paul was being hatched by some of his opposition, Paul changed the planned direction of his travels and Tychicus was one of the men who accompanied him on his journey to Jerusalem.

Aren't you grateful for the people the Lord has brought into your life that reflect the kind of character you see in Tychicus. I think people like that who stick with us during hard seasons and walk with us when others may be plotting against us are the type of people who remind us in a visible way of the steadfast presence of Jesus. Tychicus was one of those guys who ministered to Paul this way.

II. Onesimus - The runaway slave who finds freedom in Jesus

“ “and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.””

— Colossians 4:9

I love a good redemption story. In the city of Colossae, slavery was a common thing, just as it was all throughout the Roman empire. One particular slave, a man named Onesimus, decided to attempt to escape from slavery by running away. Onesimus was a bondservant to another man named Philemon. In fact, Paul's letter to Philemon addresses the issues that related to what Onesimus had done. But somewhere along the way, both Philemon and Onesimus became believers in Christ and Paul encouraged Philemon to forgive Onesimus, welcome him back to Colossae, stop treating him like a slave, and start treating him like a brother.

Onesimus was at one time confused about his identity. He knew that in Roman society, he was a slave, and for many years I'm sure that's how he viewed himself. But now he had a new identity and a new purpose. He found liberty in Christ Jesus, and instead of spending the rest of his life running from his past, he acknowledged it, embraced his new identity as a beloved brother in Christ, took the risk to return to Colossae, and spent the rest of his life serving as an example to the church of the new things Jesus does in a life that's submitted over to Him.

III. Aristarchus - The guy who doesn't fear prison because he's looking forward to a better life

“ “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you,””

— Colossians 4:10a

Paul also took a moment to mention his friend Aristarchus. Aristarchus was someone who had accompanied Paul during the course of his third missionary journey, and in Acts 19 we are told that he was arrested after the riot in Ephesus that took place when silversmiths who profited from the sale of idols became fearful that Paul's preaching of the gospel would change hearts and discourage people from buying their idols. So they started a riot and attempted to turn the matter into a city-wide argument about religion and patriotism. The city erupted, and several people who were associated with Paul were arrested, including Aristarchus.

I don't suppose most of us hope to be arrested, but isn't it interesting to see just how many of the people we admire from Scripture had been imprisoned at some point during their life? That was true of many of the prophets in the Old Testament. It's also true of men like John the Baptist, Aristarchus, all the apostles, and even Jesus Christ Himself. In fact, one of the strongest believers I know with a great understanding of the word of God is a man who spent 25 years of his life in prison.

At present, throughout this world, there are believers who are being imprisoned because they do not fear proclaiming the gospel of Jesus. So when I look at their example, and I remember the example of the believers who came before us, I'm reminded that we don't need to fear being imprisoned for our faith if we experience persecution someday, because just like those who came before us, we're looking forward to a better day when we will live in Christ's presence, free for all eternity.

IV. Mark - The guy who once abandoned you, but grew up and became your friend

“ “and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),””

— Colossians 4:10b

I was recently looking through some social media posts from about a decade ago, reminiscing about funny moments. As I did that, I started looking through the comments and it dawned on me that some of the people who were part of my life during that season are basically a memory now. Some have passed away, but some just disappeared, and in a sense abandoned our friendship. I know I'm not the only person to have experienced that.

In fact, Paul experienced that as well. At one point, Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, had committed to serve together in ministry with Paul, but then abandoned the work (Acts 15:38). For a while, Paul didn't want to have anything to do with Mark. I don't know if he thought of Mark as being dishonest, immature, a wimp, or a total loser, but Paul rejected the idea of serving with Mark in any capacity for a season.

In time, Paul's feelings toward Mark drastically changed. I'm guessing some of that had to do with Mark repenting of his immaturity, but I think much of that also had to do with Christ reminding Paul of the grace and mercy He had shown him, even though he didn't deserve it. Mark became someone Paul trusted, considered a valuable friend, and Paul encouraged others to welcome as well. The church has benefitted from this restoration every since. In fact, this is the very same Mark who, with the help of the Apostle Peter, wrote the Gospel of Mark, which was the first gospel account to be written.

V. Justus - The guy who saw the light and had a change of heart

“ “and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.””

— Colossians 4:11

One other companion of Paul's is mentioned in this passage. He was a man named Jesus by his parents who was called Justus by his friends. We don't know much about Justus. In fact, the only thing we know about him from this passage is that he did ministry work with Paul, comforted him, and had grown up in a Jewish household (which is why he was called a man of the circumcision).

This means that somewhere along the way, Justus saw the light and had a change of heart. Even though many people who shared his national and religious heritage rejected Jesus Christ, Justus believed in Jesus, served Jesus, stood by those who were persecuted for the name of Jesus, and even went by a nickname out of respect for the name of Jesus.

So what do you take away from a brief passage of Scripture like this?

One of my big takeaways is the fact that Jesus is delighted to take people with all kinds of backgrounds and life experiences, and welcome them into His family. Then He grants all kinds of people who may have once felt like a misfit the opportunity to become a genuine partner with Him in His mission to rescue a lost world.

So, I don't know what parts of your life may feel messy or unconventional, and I don't know if those parts feel recent or distant, but either way, I wouldn't get too hung up on them. Every one of the men in this passage, including Paul, had an unconventional and potentially messy past, yet here we are talking about them and rejoicing in what Christ did through them during their era of history.

Jesus is still making history, so don't be too shocked when he does something special through you as well.

© John Stange, 2022

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Keep praying for an open door, then walk through it

When we read the gospels and we look at the commission Jesus gave to His followers, as well as the activity they engaged in after His resurrection, we can clearly see that it is a high priority on the Lord's agenda that His followers simply tell others about Him. But from personal experience and conversations with many believers throughout the years, it has become clear to me that sharing about our faith in Christ frightens many people, even those who have a genuine desire to do so.

What are we commonly afraid of? I think we're afraid of rejection and ridicule. I think we're also afraid of confrontation and arguments. Some of us are also afraid of being asked a question that we don't really feel like we have the answer to. I have been fearful of many of these same things, but the Lord has been teaching me something that has helped me to be much more open and intentional with sharing in recent years.

I believe genuine believers as a whole have a sincere desire to see as many people as possible come to faith in Christ and experience the new life He grants all who trust in Him. We pray for our friends and loved ones to come to faith, but we also know that someone needs to speak up and actually verbalize the message of the gospel for it to be heard, understood, and received. Scripture tells us that, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Rom. 10:17)

In recent years, I have been blessed with some wide open doors to share about Jesus, and those experiences are teaching me that most of us are overcomplicating what it means to tell someone else about Him. We mistakenly believe that we need to convince people that they need to receive Jesus, and we often treat salvation like it's something you can be argued into. I certainly believe in being persuasive and offering convincing information, but we aren't the ones who soften hard hearts and open blind eyes. That's the job of the Holy Spirit. Our job is to joyfully live out our faith in Christ with integrity, share about the difference He has made in our lives, speak of our hope to others with humility and respect, pray for the Spirit of God to intervene, and entrust those we love over to His illuminating power.

I don't believe I will ever argue or outsmart anyone into believing in Jesus, but what I will do is live a transformed life that demonstrates His power and presence. And when I'm given an opportunity to tell someone what Jesus has done for me (and what He desires to do for them), I want to seize that opportunity.

In the closing chapter of Colossians, Paul gives excellent counsel on how we as believers in Christ can joyfully make Him known to others even if we're being pressured not to.

I. Pray for an open door to talk about Jesus

““Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison””

— Colossians 4:2-3

One of the hallmarks of a healthy faith is the discipline of prayer. One of the hallmarks of a healthy church is steadfast prayer as well. Paul challenged the Colossians to be prayerful people. He knew they would need to access the power of God in the midst of the culture they lived in. He also knew that it was highly likely their faith was going to be tested just as his faith was tested. But in the midst of those tests, and in the midst of their growth, Paul reminded them to remain thankful because the Lord had already blessed them in so many ways.

And as they were praying for themselves, their families, and their community, Paul also wanted them to keep praying for him. One of his big requests was that the Lord would grant him an open door to tell others about Christ. Why do you suppose Paul would be inclined to use a phrase like "open door" when he made this request? Keep in mind where he was. At the time he wrote these words, he was under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial for proclaiming the gospel. I'm sure there were many days during that multiple-year imprisonment that Paul looked at his door and wished he could step outside, walk freely, and tell others about Christ. While he waited for that door to open, he sought God's power to sustain him, and he asked the church to pray that the Lord would miraculously intervene on his behalf.

How often do we ask the Lord to open up a door for us to tell others about Him? What does an open door even look like? I'm convinced that if we keep sharing our lives with those who don't know Christ, and joining together with them where we have common ground, the Lord will open up those doors for us to testify about Him. Let me give you an example from my own life.

Many of you know that I spend some of my free time writing and podcasting. I used to consider those activities hobbies, now I consider them a major facet of the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me.

In the process of creating that kind of content, I have developed other friends who are doing the same thing. Some are believers and some aren't. Last year, one of those friends asked me for a ride back from one of the conferences we were planning to attend. He has no religious faith, so I joked with him and said, "Are you sure you want to be trapped in a car for five hours with a pastor?" He laughed, but agreed to anyway. Then I simply asked him if he would be interested in recording a conversation while we drove that I could air on my podcast where we asked each other non-argumentative questions about each others' faith. He loved the idea. Unfortunately, a health need prevented him from attending that conference, but we decided to have this conversation anyway, just at a later date. I asked him about his beliefs and listened respectfully while he shared. He asked me about my beliefs and listened respectfully as well. We recorded it. I shared it online, and since that time he has shared that conversation with many family and friends.

That conversation was an answer to prayer. It was an open door to testify about Jesus, so I walked right through it. And at this point, I have no idea what the next chapter in that story is, but I'm hopeful that my friend and many others will come to know Jesus as a result.

II. Pray for clarity and relatability in how you communicate

““that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.””

— Colossians 4:4

Have you ever said something and then realized that the person you were speaking to had no idea what you were talking about? Sometimes I have experienced that while preaching. I try to keep good eye contact when I'm speaking, partly because I'm trying to read faces and discern by facial reactions if what I'm saying is coming across clearly. (By the way, if you ever wondered if the pastor knows whether or not you're on your phone or actually paying attention, he knows.)

When Paul was sharing about Jesus with others, he didn't just want to use words to fill up time. He wanted to be abundantly clear in his presentation of the truth, so he asked the church to pray that his communication would be clear. He didn't want to be lofty. He wanted to be relatable and understandable.

I think there's a good lesson for us in his comments. The best teachers, speakers, and books work hard to simplify and clarify complex information. Sometimes when I'm reading a book or listening to a speaker, I feel like the author, preacher, or professor is just trying to impress me with his vocabulary, but when that's the case, the odds of me actually learning anything valuable diminish. The most effective teachers strive for clarity. They teach in relatable ways and they stay focused on helping you learn something new instead of focusing on trying to impress you.

Paul asked for prayer that this would be the way he taught. I'm certain this was his aim because he knew that this is precisely how Jesus taught when He was engaged in His earthly ministry. And if Paul and Jesus spoke this way, let’s follow their example as well. Don't aim to be impressive and lofty. Aim to be helpful and relatable. In doing so, the message you convey will come across with much more clarity.

III. Be mindful of your testimony before those who don't share our faith

“ “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” ”

— Colossians 4:5

What does this world think about Christians? Culturally speaking, I see a lot of stereotypes conveyed about what people assume Christians are like. Many of those stereotypes are negative, and I'd like to help show those who don't share our faith that those stereotypes aren't true.

Paul's counsel was for us to walk in wisdom toward those who don't share our faith. The time we've been allotted in this world is brief, so we should make the most of it. When we're given the opportunity to share a segment, season, or moment of our life with someone who is outside our faith, we're called to be wise in how we handle it. Unfortunately, we don't always do a great job of it.

When I was a new pastor in my early 20's, three older pastors invited me to play golf with them. I went, but was completely embarrassed when we went up to the counter to pay. The pastor who had organized the outing told the person who was working the register that we were all pastors and we'd like to utilize the "clergy discount." She had no idea what he was talking about, but he insisted that clergy were given a reduced rate. I felt so humiliated in that moment. There we were, holding up the line, while a cashier had to find a manager to see if there was such a discount and how it was applied. They reluctantly ended up giving us a discount and I could see in their faces that they thought we were all a bunch of goofs.

The testimony this world needs to see is not a bunch of people looking to have our own needs satisfied at the expense of others. This world needs to see men and women who love sacrificially, give of themselves generously, serve joyfully, testify sincerely, and walk with integrity. The impression many people have about Jesus is reinforced by the lives of those who claim to follow Him.

IV. Speak graciously

““Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” ”

— Colossians 4:6

Paul concludes this portion of Scripture with a challenge to us to speak graciously. It's a relevant encouragement for us in our era, especially since we live in an age where communication happens so easily. We take for granted the fact that we can type something or record something from our living room that can be instantly seen everywhere in the world. Wouldn't it be nice if we chose to be gracious in how we made use of that opportunity?

I believe the Lord speaks through His people, and I frequently pray that He will give me the precise words to say. I pray before I preach a sermon, teach a class, record a podcast, and I often pray that very prayer before a conversation with unbelieving friends and family members.

We live in a distinct era of history and God is giving us open doors to testify about His saving power during this age. You don't need a microphone or a pulpit to speak of His goodness in your life. You just need a mouth and the willingness to engage others in conversation. If you put yourself in the proximity of others, and live out your faith with sincerity, I truly believe God will open doors for you and give you the very words He wants you to say.

© John Stange, 2022

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Your greatest ministry is at home

Most weeks, I call my father several times. The calls aren't usually about anything important. We just chat for a few minutes and catch up. I have an eight minute drive from my church office to my house, and through the years, many of those calls have taken place on that drive.

At some point while we're talking, he usually asks me how my children are doing, then he celebrates their successes or joins me in my concerns for whatever issues are taking place at present.

Raising children changes a person. You see life differently when you become responsible for the lives of other people. Recently, my father said, "It took me a while to grow up, but there were two experiences in my life that really helped me mature. The first was joining the Navy and the next was having children."

One of the most difficult, yet rewarding things many of us will ever do is raise children, but that's only part of what takes place in our households during the course of any given week. There are three other relationships that are directly impacting the culture of our homes; our relationship with our spouse, our relationships at work, and our relationship with the Lord.

I'm convinced that the greatest ministry the Lord entrusts to most people is their ministry to their family. So what does it look like when we step back and observe the full picture of every relationship and circumstance that may be impacting the culture of our home?

Colossians 3:18-4:1 gives us a great picture of what it looks like to be a blessing to our families and others who interact with us on a daily basis. Paul wrote Colossians around the same time he wrote Ephesians, and there's a lot of similarity between this passage and what we read in Ephesians chapters 5 and 6. If we put the counsel of these passages into practice, I'm convinced we'll be glad we did.

I. Protect the culture of your home

““Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” ”

— Colossians 3:18-19

I recently read a quote by the great evangelist D.L. Moody that really resonated with me. Moody is quoted as saying, "If a man doesn't treat his wife right, I don't want to hear him talk about Christianity." I love that quote, and I couldn't agree more. In many ways, I'm convinced that the authenticity of my faith is going to be demonstrated by how I treat my wife.

Something I have thought a lot about in recent years is the capacity I have to impact my wife's quality of life. Andrea and I started dating when we were teenagers. We didn't feel young at the time, but it has been fun to grow up together, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility for how her life goes. Her parents took very good care of her when she was being raised, and when they gave me their blessing to marry her, they were entrusting their daughter and what the next chapters of her life would look like to me.

Andrea and I take the Bible at its word. We don't try to explain away the hard passages or try to soften the sting of passages that might challenge our present day sensibilities. So when a passage like this says, "Andrea, submit to John's leadership in your home," she's willing to honor what it says, particularly because she knows what it actually means. It doesn't mean being treated like a door mat to be walked all over. It means to support a loving leader who desires to serve you. Andrea knows that I'm taking my role in this passage seriously.

Through Paul words, the Holy Spirit is telling me not to be harsh with my wife. I'm told to love her with the sacrificial love of Jesus. Andrea has seen that I really mean that. We've been together long enough that she knows this passage isn't something I take lightly. I have been tested, and she's willing to trust me. I'm grateful to be able to say that even before I was tested over the course of several decades, she gave me the benefit of the doubt because she knew my trust in Jesus, and my desire to lead (not boss) like He leads was genuine.

As believers in Christ, we should protect the culture of our homes and live with the desire to place the needs of someone else over our own. We should honor our spouses and treat them like a gift from God because that's exactly what they are, and He has entrusted many aspects of their quality of life over to us. Wives, please make your husbands' lives great. Husbands, please make sure your wife is able to say, every day, just how glad she is to have married you.

As Jesus has sacrificially graced us with His love, love and sacrifice for one another as well. There are sacrifices I have made for Andrea's well-being or to simply honor her preferences that she thanks me for regularly, even though some of those sacrifices were made many years ago. And I have frequently thanked her, including just the other day, for never stomping on or discouraging my dreams. I joke with her that she's "an enabler" in the sense that every major project or step of faith I have taken as an adult, she has supported. There are always people in my life who harshly critique me and use their words as a weapon against me, but she's never one of them. As a result, we both win and so does our marriage.

II. Inspire your children to thrive

““Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.  Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”  ”

— Colossians 3:20-21

As an adult, have you ever thought back to your childhood and wished you would have done a few things differently? Can you remember a time when you ignored your parents' counsel and paid a painful price for doing so? Did you ever give them attitude when they were trying to guide your young life? Did you ever speak to them in a disrespectful way and you wish you could take those words back?

Because we are born with a sin nature, this is something we all struggle with. You struggled with it. Your parents struggled with it as well, and your children are struggling with it now. We all have a habit of thinking we know everything until our brains finish developing and our faith finally matures. So if you're a child, take this counsel and obey your parents in everything. God gave your parents to you. They are responsible to Him for your life, and He is greatly pleased when you're willing to obey the parents He allowed you to be born to.

And when you become a parent, help your children thrive. I was recently asked by a father of three young children, "What advice would you give to me as a young father." The best advice I could give him or anyone else is to make sure your children see a strong representation of Christ in the way you love them, instruct them, discipline them, and inspire them.

As a father, there's nothing I want to see more than my children having a strong relationship with Jesus and a life that thrives as a result. If everything I have ever built or dedicated myself to crumbles, but that one thing survives, I'll go to my grave a happy man.

But instead of inspiring children, it can be easy to provoke and discourage them. And we may not realize we're doing that in the moment. Sometimes it takes a long time to realize it because we grow tired and lack patience. So I would encourage each of us to offer them our loving guidance while at the same time remaining careful not to crush their spirit.

Remain patient with your children, just as God has remained patient with us. There are some lessons that God has been attempting to teach us that have taken us a very long time to grasp. Some we're just scratching the surface of understanding, and yet He continues to work in our hearts, continues to point us in the right direction, and doesn't crush our spirit in the process. Over time, He is graciously teaching us to see things the way He sees things, and for most of us, it takes more than a lifetime to learn those lessons.

If the Lord entrusts you with children, or if He ever places you in a position of leadership where you have influence over children, let the example of your life, your demeanor, and your words be something they can point to decades from now as one of the greatest influences that helped them understand more about the nature, heart, and life of Christ.

III. Improve the culture of your workplace

““Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” ”

— Colossians 3:22-23

There are 24 hours in a day. The average person sleeps for 8 hours and is awake for 16 hours. And for most people, at least half of those waking hours will be spent at work. That's a significant chunk of our lives. When you consider that half of your usable hours will be spent in your occupation, and time is a commodity that you have a very fixed amount of, it really puts the use of that time into greater perspective.

Do you enjoy the work you do? Would you recommend your workplace to someone else? If you own or manage a business, do people enjoy working with and for you?

For five years, I directed a camp and conference center. It was the same camp I worked at as a teenager, and I can remember seasons in the past when it was very difficult for the camp to find staff to work in the summer. During my years of leadership, one of the ways I assessed the health of the work culture was whether or not I had enough applicants to fill every position on our staff. When we eventually had to create a waiting list because more people applied than we had available positions, I took that as a positive sign that a healthy work culture had been created.

In the era in which Paul wrote Colossians, a large percentage of the Roman population were bondservants who were legally obligated to work for earthly masters. Paul counseled these bondservants to demonstrate Christlikeness and integrity in their labor, even when their earthly masters weren't keeping an eye on them. We would do well to heed that counsel in our places of work as well.

Paul also challenged those in leadership to treat those who served them and worked for them in a Christlike manner, knowing that they would answer to God for how they treated them. That's a great reminder for us all. If you lead, you'll answer to God. If you serve, you'll answer to God. Demonstrate Spirit-empowered integrity in whichever role you're in. Your present role is only temporary, but the legacy of godliness you're will ripple into eternity.

IV. Keep your eyes on the prize

““knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.  For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.””

— Colossians 3:24 - 4:1

As Paul finishes this thought, he does so by pointing our hearts heavenward. Amazingly, Scripture reveals to us in multiple places that the Lord sees the work we're doing in His name, and He has an inheritance in Heaven that is waiting for us. All believers in Jesus Christ will be present in Heaven, but the nature of our inheritance there will differ in some way, and that difference will be directly connected to our faithfulness to Jesus at present.

With that in mind, remember the ministry the Lord has entrusted to you. Bless your spouse. Inspire your children. Bring Jesus into the culture of your workplace, and remember that as you serve others, you're really serving Jesus. Keep your eyes on the prize, and keep your heart in tune with the heart of Christ.

© John Stange, 2022

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The mindset for approaching each new day with grace

A few weeks ago, I flew to Florida for a brief two-day conference. During this season of life, I have started to realize the importance of attending things like that. I spend the majority of my time teaching, counseling, and pouring into the lives of others, but for many years, I neglected my need for others to pour into my life as well. One of the strangest realizations I had to adjust to when I became a pastor was that I no longer felt like I had a pastor, but because I want to be one of those guys who lasts in the role for a long time, I budget my time and finances to make sure I'm making investments in my growth.

I arranged to attend this conference many months ago. I booked a flight, reserved a hotel room, and ordered a rental car so I could get back and forth while I was attending the event. Everything with the flight worked out fine. I didn't have any problems with my hotel. My place at the conference was also reserved, but I did experience one unfortunate surprise. When my plane landed and I tried to pick up my rental car, there was no one to help me. No one was around. So I called the corporate office to find out what was going on. They looked into the matter and discovered that the local branch closed early for the day because they didn't have anyone to work for them. Effectively, what they explained to me was that I was stuck at the airport without transportation.

In that moment, I was most certainly annoyed, but I thought to myself, "You have two choices right now. You can either get angry and ruin this leg of your trip, or you can laugh about this, treat it like an unexpected adventure, and try to figure out a new transportation solution." I chose the latter option, and visited the counters of the other car rental companies to see what they had available. Unfortunately, they were booked solid and didn't have a car for me to rent.

Then I sat down on a bench, prayed, thought about my options, and I remembered hearing about a company that allows you to rent cars from private owners. I installed their app on my phone and started looking for options. The only option I could find cost twice as much as what I was prepared to pay for my original rental, but at least it was available, so I booked it and within 90 minutes, the car was dropped off at the airport for me to use for the rest of my trip. Crisis averted.

Every day we live, we will experience moments that test our patience, people who let us down, and situations that are outside of our control that might provoke us to anger. But as believers in Christ, we don't need to give in to the provocations of this world. The Spirit of God is transforming our thinking and He is enabling us to approach each day with a new mindset, a mindset of grace.

In Colossians 3:12-17, Paul explains what this new mindset looks like when it's being lived out.

I. Let your patience display your understanding of the gospel

“ “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” ”

— Colossians 3:12-13

One of the first things we do each day is decide what clothing to wear, then we dress ourselves in whatever we've selected. Our spiritual lives operate in a similar fashion. In a passage like this, we're being told to "put on" or clothe ourselves in such a way as to display the mind and heart of Christ in our interactions with others.

We dress in such a way as to acknowledge our understanding of our real identity. Scripture reveals who we are in Christ. The word of God explains to us that we are God's chosen children and we are holy and beloved in His eyes. When we come to a mature understanding of who we are and how God sees us, that will be reflected in our attitude and in how we carry ourselves in this world.

Frankly, I think the way we interact with others offers one of the clearest demonstrations of the depth of our understanding of what Christ has done for us. When we come to accept that we were rebellious, ignorant, self-absorbed people when He found us, saved us, and gave us new life in Him, we will begin to respond to others with the grace we were shown when we didn't deserve to be shown it.

Paul challenges the church to respond to others with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. He admonishes us to bear with one another and be eager to forgive one another because Jesus forgave us first. Naturally speaking, this isn't easy to do, but Christ inspires us to do so anyway, and over time I honestly believe He makes it easier for us to do it. The more we dwell on the forgiveness He has shown us, and the more we demonstrate it toward others, the more familiar it becomes. Gradually speaking, it becomes our new way of life.

II. Let genuine love motivate the way you see other people

“ “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” ”

— Colossians 3:14

Is there anyone in your life that you really struggle to forgive? Do you know people who have hurt you deeply, disappointed you regularly, betrayed you, harmed you, or abandoned you? How do you feel when those people come to mind? How much time do you spend thinking about them? How much time do you spend trying not to think about them at all?

It wouldn't surprise you to know that there are people in my life who have hurt me in small ways and big ways. At one season of life, I had to wrestle with the fact that I honestly hated some of these people. But Jesus tells us that hatred is the seed of murder (Matt. 5:21-26), and I didn't want my mind to be dominated by feelings of hatred toward anyone. So now, instead of brooding with hatred or bitterness, I simply ask the Lord to help me see others from His eyes. He loves the people that I struggle to like, so I want to love them too.

In recent years, I have also started to become more intentional to pray for God's blessings on the lives of those who have hurt me most. It's hard to hate or resent people you've been praying for. It's hard to get upset about blessings in their lives when you've been actively asking God to bless them. I must say, it's a very liberating way to live. We love because He first loved us.

The Apostle John was known for encouraging the early church to seek the best for one another and to show the world that Jesus lives in us by living in love. And in this passage, I believe the Apostle Paul was trying help the church understand that truth as well. We are being sustained and held together in Christ's love, and love binds together the attributes of the new nature that Christ is demonstrating through our redeemed lives.

III. Let the presence of Christ permeate all aspects of your life

“ “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” ”

— Colossians 3:15-16

What informs your beliefs? What are the primary sources of information that you submit your eyes and ears to on a daily basis? Only a very small group of professing believers can honestly say that their thinking is primarily fed by the word of God. Most of us, to our detriment, primarily feed our eyes and our ears with what this world is trying to feed us.

Frankly, that's why so few of us are experiencing peace to its fullest extent. But deep down, I know we want to experience lasting peace, we're just confused about where it comes from or how to get it.

Scripture reminds us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. Our hearts are to find rest, satisfaction, and contentment in Jesus. And when we find that rest in Him, we're called to bring peace to the lives of others by using the tools at our disposal. What are those tools and how does the Lord want us to use them?

The Lord has given us His word to inform our lives, feed our souls, and counteract the lies of the evil one. He's given us His wisdom so that we can teach and admonish one another. He's given us mouths to pray and speak. He's given us music so we can sing. And He has brought specific people into our lives because He wants us to be invested in by them while also using our gifts to reinvest in them.

In this world's mindset and values, you won't find peace. You'll find war between nations and division between people. You'll find yourself engaged in arguments about matters that don't have eternal significance, and you'll be tempted to treat those matters as if they do. But in Christ we find lasting peace, and His word is sowing the seeds of truth into our hearts and minds. Let His peace permeate all aspects of your life.

IV. Live free from the desire to bring glory to your own name

“ “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ”

— Colossians 3:17

One of the greatest temptations we will experience in this world is the temptation to make our own name great. Kings will go to war in order to feed their desire to be remembered as powerful. Many people throughout history have essentially sold their souls in order to obtain fame and notoriety. What about us? How interested are we in bringing attention or glory to our own name?

One of my favorite quotes was spoken many years ago by Nicolaus Zinzendorf. He is quoted as saying, "Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten." I don't know how that quote strikes your ears, but it ministers to mine. It's a reminder to me that this life isn't all about me. It's a powerful reminder of the mission Christ has entrusted to each of us. We're called to live free from the desire to bring glory to our own name. A life that is lived to the fullest is a life that brings glory to Christ. Glorifying Him is the reason we were created in the first place.

Paul tells us that whatever we say and whatever we do should be done in the name of Jesus, and we should give thanks to God the Father through Christ. In essence, we're being called to live as grateful people who possess a deep understanding that life isn't all about us.

Many people in this world struggle to understand this concept. People use one another, take advantage of one another, steal from each other, and even kill each other in the defense or promotion of their own name. But that shouldn't be the mindset of sincere believers in Christ.

If we want to live with a mindset that isn't consumed with our own glory, we need to submit our desire for personal glory over to Christ. Let's lay it down at His feet, glorify His name, welcome the presence of His Spirit in our lives, and clothe ourselves in His mindset so we'll be prepared to face each day with the grace He joyfully supplies.

© John Stange, 2022

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New life. New you.

A common experience that many of us have when we're growing up is the experience of trying to figure out who we are while attempting to carve out some sense of an identity. I can think of several seasons during my youth when that was the case for me.

At one point, I remember looking at my handwriting and being dissatisfied with it, so I completely changed the way I wrote. That was a decision I made when I was in 6th Grade, and it still impacts my penmanship to this day.

I remember going through another season of life, not long after that was characterized by long hair, t-shirts with my favorite metal bands, and torn jeans. But that season also seemed to be characterized by less friends and less respect from others, so the following year I went in a completely different direction, cut my hair, and bought a bunch of nice clothes. Then I attempted to re-establish friendships with the people I used to hang out with years earlier.

The process of trying to carve out a new life or a new identity isn't something we only attempt to do when we're young. In fact, at present, I can think of several friends who seem to be doing that very thing. One friend in particular just left the career field he's been working in for his entire adult life to venture into a brand new field. He's excited about it, and I hope it works out for him. Another friend recently lost 120 lbs. He looks drastically different and seems rather excited about the changes he's made.

I bring these examples up to illustrate something that's spoken about in Colossians 3:1-11. In this passage, we're told more about the new life and new identity we have as believers in Christ. Jesus has given us a new way to think, live, and treat each other, and this passage powerfully demonstrates how it looks to be a new person in Jesus.

I. You have given up an earthly way of thinking

““If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” ”

— Colossians 3:1-4

Do you have someone in your life that is almost always complaining? Our family is friends with someone who starts most conversations with a complaint. Her favorite things to complain about are the weather, her job, and the Philadelphia Eagles. It's fair to say that she sees most things from a negative perspective, and in many ways, I think this may also be demonstrating a lack of long-term hope in her heart.

One of the great benefits that we get to experience through faith in Jesus is a new way of thinking. All throughout the Bible, the Lord demonstrates that He is offering us a new mind and a new focus. We don't need to be negative. We don't need to be hopeless when we give up an earthly way of thinking and begin to seek the things that are above.

Paul uses the nature of Christ's resurrection to give us a good mental picture of how the Lord is trying to lift up our minds and perspectives. Just as Christ's body was raised from death, so too are our minds when we trust in Him. Our thinking was earthly and down in the dirt until Jesus lifted us up. And with this new perspective, we can begin seeking things that have eternal value instead of wasting our lives on the materials of this earth that are destined to decay.

A while back, I read a story of some thieves in Mexico that stole gold and had to run. In order to escape capture, some of them ran into a body of water where they still refused to let go of the gold, even though it was weighing them down and they ended up drowning because their minds and their lives were set on earthly things.

So what does it look like to set our minds on things above? First of all, please notice that this isn't a passive activity. It's a volitional act. It's something we actively participate in doing, and I think it involves prayer for God's wisdom, intentionally planning what information we're going to consume, and surrounding ourselves with people who inspire our faith.

The wisdom we possess, the information we consume, and the people we associate with will all have an impact on how we think. If you truly want to give up an earthly way of thinking, it's wise to take a good look at all three.

II. You have stopped feeding the desires of your old nature

“ “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”  ”

— Colossians 3:5-8

I mentioned earlier that I have a friend who recently lost 120 lbs. A key component in his weight loss was a change in the food he consumed. He changed what he ate and he changed how much of it he was eating. Much of his eating was being done to satisfy an emotional need. He was using food like a drug and he kept feeding his addiction until he got help.

When Paul talks about putting to death the cravings of our old nature, he's directing us to stop feeding those passions. Those cravings tend to root deeply in the lives of those who are using them to satisfy an emotional need, and if we keep feeding those cravings, we enable them to grow even stronger. If you feed sexual immorality to satisfy an emotional need, it will have mastery over you. If you feed covetousness, it will have mastery over you. If you feed any evil desire, you're enabling it to control your life, and on a spiritual level, you're making it into an idol. We worship whatever has mastery over us.

Before we met Jesus, this was how we lived, but now we have Christ and we don't need to return to our old patterns and practices. And as we walk in the light of Christ, we'll enjoy a renewed and refreshed perspective as well. Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscenity and whatever character traits used to define us, no longer define the lives we're living. New life. New you. We are made completely new in Christ, and we don't need to bow our knees to the idolatries of our old life.

III. You are living with honesty and authenticity

“ “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices””

— Colossians 3:9

Each week, typically on Tuesday mornings, I meet online with a group of business and ministry leaders. We've been meeting for the past couple years and we try to sharpen each other, ask difficult questions, and offer ideas and solutions to the problems we're dealing with. The majority of people in this group are believers, but several are not. Not long ago, one of the members who had been wrestling with issues of faith for a while noticed that I wasn't getting upset about something that would have upset him, so he asked me about it.

He said, "I never see you get upset or angry on these calls, so I'm curious to know what upsets you?" I replied, "I definitely do get upset, but the things we talk about in these meetings don't usually rise to that level for me."

"So what is it?," he asked again. "How can we make you angry?" I said, "It's actually very simple. If you want to see a different side of me, lie to me. It will change the nature of our relationship and you might not like me much after that because that's something I find very difficult to put up with."

Scripture tells us it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18). He is the perfection and the personification of truth. And when He observes the lives and the lips of His children, He doesn't want to see the prevalence of dishonesty because he detests lying lips (Prov. 12:22).

Our new life in Christ is empowered to be honest. It's empowered to be authentic. We don't need to lie to each other and we don't need to lie to ourselves because we've been empowered to put off our old self. Satan is the father lies, but Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. As followers of Christ, our native language should be honesty, and we shouldn't compromise that standard.

IV. You are becoming more and more like Jesus

“ “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” ”

— Colossians 3:10-11

Two things amaze me about being a parent. As I observe the lives and personalities of my four children, I'm amazed by the ways they are very different from me, and I'm also amazed when I see similarities and aspects of their lives that reflect my influence.

I think the Lord is pleased when He looks at His children because He sees who we are and what He's causing us to become. He already knows the outcome as well, and knows that all believers in Jesus Christ will be transformed to be like He is. In His Word, the Lord promises us that we will be given new, sinless bodies that are fit for an eternity in His holy presence (1 Cor. 15:49).

In the meantime, our understanding, insight, and perspective are being renewed after the image of Christ. As our faith grows and matures, we are becoming more and more like Him. We're starting to see people and circumstances differently. We're even seeing ourselves differently.

On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription:

““James Butler Bonham—no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom.”

No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of the Son who makes us free can be seen in the lives of His true followers. ”

— Bill Morgan, https://bible.org/illustration/portrait-christ

New life. New you.

© John Stange, 2022

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Beating yourself up won't earn you extra credit with God

What pleases God? Have you ever attempted to answer that question? Does the message you're preaching to yourself line up with what Scripture teaches about that concept?

I have the opportunity to officiate at many funerals during the course of a year. I have officiated for the funerals of most of my grandparents and many other family members. I have officiated for the funerals of friends, church members, and other pastors. I have also officiated for the funerals of people I didn't even know. And whenever I officiate or speak for a funeral, I inevitably discover what some of the people in the room believe will please God.

Tragically, in my experience, I have noticed that most people seem to believe the fruit of their labors, the ways they have treated others, and the things they've avoided (at least publicly) will earn them points in God's scoring system. Some are also convinced that the suffering they've endured might work in their favor in God's economy as well. It's a belief in effort.

Admittedly, when I was growing up, I had the impression that salvation might essentially come down to the last thing you did on this earth. I was convinced that if you smoked, drank, swore, or if the last action you took on this earth was sinful, you were out of the kingdom.

So how is God pleased? He is pleased when He is trusted. Scripture makes it clear that genuine faith pleases Him. Not faith in our efforts and avoidances, but faith in Jesus Christ who graces us with His righteousness when we trust in Him. Genuine faith in Christ will bear all kinds of good fruit. It will bear the fruit of worship. It will bear the fruit of better relationships with others. It will also bear the fruit of joyful obedience to the Lord's instruction.

But it's a hard thing to convince some people of that. In fact, there is a large faction of humanity that is convinced that beating themselves up in one way or another will earn them extra credit with God, and that's a very unbiblical concept. In fact, that's an issue Paul directly addressed in Colossians 2:16-23.

I. On what basis do you think you're better than anyone else?

““Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” ”

— Colossians 2:16-17

It's interesting to observe just how concerned Paul was with false teaching during the days of the early church. It was clearly a problem, and it was something Paul wanted young believers to be on their guard against because it would impact their life and faith in drastic ways.

One of the fruits of false teaching is a smug attitude. If you are convinced that you possess secret knowledge or wisdom that isn't available or accessible to someone else, you might actually begin to think you're better than them. That appears to have been a problem when it came to some of the legalistic teachings that were prevalent in the culture of Paul's day. It's still a problem today as well, and often gets disguised as being Christian in nature, even though it isn't.

Have you ever personally experienced someone thinking they were better than you? Has that ever occurred in a faith context? I still remember being asked to speak at a church years ago that was without pastoral leadership. When I arrived, a member of the staff started asking me a bunch of questions but then realized I wasn't a member of their denomination (a group that has been known for being painfully legalistic). He froze and wasn't sure what to do. He didn't really want to allow me to speak, but felt stuck because the service was about to begin so he reluctantly said, "I guess it will be OK?" It was awkward, and I was definitely made to feel like I was a lesser Christian.

In Colossae, it appears that there were some people who had a habit of looking down on others who didn't share in their practices. Some of these young believers were being treated in a condescending way because they didn't observe some of the same festivals or eat in a way that aligned with the beliefs of those who judged them.

This experience was demonstrating something very consequential about the faith of those who made these believers feel somewhat diminished. Their faith was in checklists and arbitrary rules. In some ways, you could say their faith was in creation not the Creator. And because their faith was in their own righteousness, their actions demonstrated that they weren't filled with the Spirit of God. Instead of building others up, they tore them down. Instead of making the lives of others better, they thought of themselves as better than others.

II. How much pain do you think you need to endure to earn God's favor?

““Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” ”

— Colossians 2:18-19

There's a lot of debate about the nature of the false teaching that was prevalent in Colossae, but some of the clues as to what it included are referenced in these verses. For starters, it involved some forms of asceticism which involves treating the body in an overly harsh manner for supposedly religious reasons. It also involved the worship of angels, which Scripture clearly forbids, and the holy angels themselves reject. It also seemed to involve supposed religious authorities boasting about visions they had seen and then using those claims as a means to gain authority or influence.

Are you convinced that you need to inflict some form of pain upon yourself in order to gain the favor of God? That's something many people in this world are presently attempting to do.

• In the Philippines, there are people who volunteer to be nailed to crosses at Easter time.

• Some traditions insist on celibacy and dietary requirements for their religious leaders.

• I have read stories of monks who tied themselves upright to poles to prevent sleep.

• Some religions have traditions that insist their leaders avoid bathing.

• Some practice complete seclusion and abnormal periods of silence.

• In Hinduism, there used to be a practice of staring at the sun until you became blind.

• Other traditions have included forms of personal torture like self-laceration.

Is this what really pleases God? Why have so many become convinced that it will? Mankind spends so much time trying to impress God with our suffering, and trying to be acknowledged by Him for it when we should be thanking Him for the suffering Jesus already did on our behalf and acknowledging that Christ's suffering was sufficient to atone for our sin.

Jesus is the Head of the church. As Paul reminds us in this passage, it's through Christ that we are knit together as a body and spiritually nourished. Torturing ourselves will never earn the favor of God. God's favor is graciously shown to undeserving people through Jesus Christ who already suffered on our behalf. Hold fast to Jesus.

III. Are you living a new life or a different version of the old one?

““If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?” ”

— Colossions 2:20-22

Sometimes, it can be easier to go through the motions than it is to stand your ground. We see examples of this in our own lives in all kinds of contexts. In fact, I'm convinced that most people would rather put up with ridiculous things than risk standing up for themselves and receiving the criticism or conflict that might result from doing so.

Can I share an example of this that played out in my own life when I first started reading the Bible? In Matthew 6:7, Jesus told us not to use meaningless repetition when we're praying. Then He gave us an example of prayer in what we commonly call the Lord's Prayer. When I read that I thought, how ironic is it that we've turned that prayer into a recitation that we repeat without meaning a word of what we're saying. So I stopped reciting it as a teenager in my home church and I committed to only repeating it if I could pray it genuinely. Would it surprise you to know that my decision didn't sit well with some people?

In the case of the Colossians, there was pressure to go through the motions of religious exercise to convey an outward appearance of religious devotion, whether or not that conduct was truly biblical. There were rules about what could be handled, tasted, and touched that gave the impression of being godly, but really had more to do with the praise and attention of others than honoring or worshipping God.

Here's the thing. God saves us in order to give us a brand new life in Christ. He isn't saving us so we can keep going through the motions of the mistaken understanding we once had about issues of faith. Once your eyes are opened to the truth of Christ's gospel, start acting on that truth. Don't drift right back to the vain or meaningless practices you embraced before you understood the nature of genuine faith.

IV. Do you want what looks good or what is good?

““These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” ”

— Colossians 2:23

The other day, I made a comment about a political leader to my wife. It wasn't someone from our country, so don't assume I'm speaking about an American politician (even though this would be true of some of them as well). I said to her, "That politician strikes me as the kind of guy who looks good and might be effective at winning popularity contests, but he has no idea how to actually lead people through tough moments. He doesn't inspire. He doesn't enlighten. He forces his will and bristles against demonstrating humility. He may look good, but he isn't good at what he's being called to do."

Many supposedly religious activities operate the same exact way. They look good, but are they? And if you're actually serious about growing as a Christian, do you want what looks good or what is good?

I want what is good. Life is too short to spend it going through the motions. Self-made religion and asceticism may appear to help us overcome our temptations to sin, but they don't actually work. They actually just mask our sin and provoke even more of it.

If you're trying to overcome temptation in your life, start with trusting Christ and continue with preaching His gospel to your heart. Remind yourself of His sufficiency. Tell yourself that He is the one your heart is longing for. Seek His power in the midst of your weaknesses, and trust that He will supply everything you need to overcome the things of this world that are trying to drag you back to what your life was like before you learned that you can rely on Jesus.

© John Stange, 2022

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Where are you letting your mind drift?

I like to daydream. In fact, I often joke about the fact that I dream more while I'm awake than I do when I'm asleep. I dream about my goals, my future plans, and what it will look like to see things with my eyes that I presently can only see by faith.

They say you can tell a lot about a person by what they daydream about. The places our minds drift tend to be toward the things we desire. Your mind will drift toward what you're convinced will make your life better. You will dream about where you place your hope. You will dream about what you believe will bring comfort to you in the midst of pain. You will dream about your "ideal" life.

When we're daydreaming or our mind is drifting, how prevalent is Jesus and His kingdom coming to mind? Does our concept of the ideal life center around Him or do we still believe we'll find that life through things that are bound to this earth and destined to decay?

In Colossians 2:6-15, Paul gives us a glimpse of what our minds should understand, focus on, and drift toward. As He does elsewhere in this letter to the church at Colossae, Paul reminds us of what Jesus has done on our behalf and how His word and His presence really does lead to the kind of life that is even better than what we might naturally dream about.

I. Take a walk

““Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” ”

— Colossians 2:6-7

I always appreciate a sunny day, but I think I appreciate the sunshine even more when we're in the midst of the heart of winter. It was a nice surprise the other day, after weeks of cold and snowy weather, to enjoy a nice break as the sunshine reappeared. My daughter decided to use the opportunity to do all her work outside and she capped that off with a long walk. I could tell it was a definite mood booster.

The concept of how we "walk" is stressed all throughout Scripture, and when that term is used, it's frequently being used as a synonym for "live." That's how Paul is using the word in this passage. He's encouraging us to show that Jesus is Lord of our lives by how we live. Our daily walk will demonstrate our trust in Jesus and our submission to His lordship.

Paul also gives us a great analogy to help illustrate the kind of life we're called to live. It's a life that's deeply rooted in Christ and being built up and established in faith. It's a life that is fruitful and thankful. It's a life that expresses gratefulness to Jesus because He's on the forefront of our minds.

II. Avoid mental captivity

““See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” ”

— Colossians 2:8

In every era and generation, there are ideas that circulate. Ideas produce actions. Beliefs produce behaviors. The information you feed your mind will come out in your life somewhere. That's why governments frequently try to silence ideas that threaten their dominance. That's also why Satan attempts to fill this world with all kinds of falsehood because he doesn't want to see a world full of people who have a clear understanding and appreciation for the gospel of Christ.

The church at Colossae had a reputation for being firm and deeply rooted in their faith, but there were many things that were threatening their continued growth and long-term stability. The philosophies of their day that were based on worldly concepts, freely circulated throughout their city. Many people were being taken captive by this manner of thinking, and the fruit of these forms of deceptive thought was coming out in their lives. Paul warned them not to be taken captive by such things.

That's a good warning for us as well. Through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we can avoid mental captivity and the allure of false doctrines. We can avoid the deceptiveness of changing cultural beliefs that contradict the clear teaching of Scripture. We can also avoid the allure of cults.

In fact, just the other day, I received a letter from a member of one of the better-known cults. I believe he sent it to my neighbors as well. It was a letter that fused sound doctrine with falsehood, then encouraged readers to follow up by visiting a website. As I looked at it, I couldn't help notice how persistent and dedicated this person was to the task of persuading people to believe his lies. It's particularly tragic when you contrast that with those who know the truth yet rarely take initiative to make it known.

III. Know who Jesus is and what He has done for you

““For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.  In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” ”

— Colossians 2:9-12

I recently had a conversation with a family member who told me she was doing some research on some of the prevailing false beliefs that are gaining traction in our culture. She was spending a lot of time immersed in that teaching, so I cautioned her the same way I'd like to caution you. I said, "You don't need to know everything about every form of false teaching that is circulating around today. You'll never be able to keep track of it all. A better approach would be to spend your time studying the truth and filling your mind with it. Then you'll know how best to handle falsehood when it comes your way."

I believe that's also how Paul was attempting to equip the believers at Colossae. He wanted them to know who Jesus is and what He has done for us. There are several foundational truths about Jesus that Paul explains in this passage, and I think it's pretty safe to guess that these areas of emphasis were being shared to help answer some of the inaccurate or heretical beliefs people had been spreading in that city.

For starters, Paul emphasized the divinity and humanity of Jesus. Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, that's why Paul said, "in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." From there, Paul stressed that believers are filled with the presence of Christ when we trust in Him. We are made complete or full through Jesus. Paul also stressed that Jesus is above all earthly rulers or spiritual powers. Jesus is Lord of all creation.

Then Paul points to two different covenantal signs that God has given believers throughout history. These signs are meant to physically demonstrate what God is accomplishing spiritually. Circumcision was the sign of the Old Covenant and baptism is the sign of the New Covenant. But Paul isn't stressing their physical application. He's pointing out the fact that our hearts have been circumcised through Jesus as our old sinful nature is cut away and we're given a new nature in Christ. We've also experienced a spiritual baptism in that our old life died and was buried, and we've been cleansed from sin and raised to a new life in Christ.

There's a lot of theology in these verses, but that shouldn't scare us away from attempting to understand them. When we take the time to understand who Jesus is and what He has actually done for us, we can combat the persuasiveness of false teaching more decisively.

IV. Live a debt-free life

““And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” ”

— Colossians 2:13-14

Anyone who has known me throughout the course of my adult life knows that my perspective toward financial stewardship has gradually matured over time. At one point in my life, I was very comfortable with debt. I thought it was a game and I played that game too regularly. I thought it was wise to use debt to obtain investment properties or get whatever I wanted before I could really afford it. But I didn't realize the quality of life and peace of mind I was trading when I played that financial game.

Eventually, I became very frustrated with owing money, and I didn't want to worry about whether or not I had enough to make monthly payments any longer. So I decided to dig my way out, pay off my credit cards, car loans, student loans, and my mortgage. On February 12, 2021, after about 14 years of effort and sacrifice, my task was finished and I don't want to ever go back to indebtedness again. In many ways, my mind has experienced a form of liberation from things that used to be a daily source of stress to me, and I don't want to trade that blessing for anything less. If I may, please let me encourage you to pursue debt-freedom as well. Even if it takes a long time, I promise it's worth it.

Paul uses the concept of debt in this passage to illustrate the dreadful position we were in regarding our standing before God. Our sin was a debt obligation that we couldn't pay, and we kept piling it up more and more every day. Many people are going to stand before God someday with that debt unsettled. They're going to come before Him and be presented with a record of debts that have not been paid. What a dreadful thought!

But through faith in Jesus, our debts can be settled. The record of sin that stood against us has been cancelled. When we trust in Christ, we are completely forgiven of every transgression because it was nailed to the cross. We will stand before the Father one day with an account that is emptied of sin and filled with the righteousness of Jesus.

V. Don't submit to a defeated foe

““He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” ”

— Colossians 2:15

When Jesus came to this earth, He made a spectacle of the earthly rulers who stood against Him, and the spiritual authorities who live in rebellion against His holiness. In the Garden of Eden, Adam was given the choice of life or death. He chose death by rebelling against the Lord. But Jesus came to this earth to live the perfect life that Adam didn't live. Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness by keeping the Word of God that Adam rejected. Jesus confronted Satan with truth, and He defeated the power of death when He rose from the grave. Jesus triumphed over sin, Satan, and death.

And since He has "disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame," we don't need to submit our lives to a defeated foe any longer. The victory Christ secured is a victory He shares with all who trust in Him. Our lives and our minds no longer need to drift toward the hollow promises of this world or the deceitfulness of Satanic influence. We don't need to bend the knee to spiritual authorities that work against us. Our lives can be spent in joyful submission, adoration, and loyalty toward Jesus who paid our debt and set us free.

© John Stange, 2022

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In Jesus, you will find what you're looking for

When I graduated from high school, I was so grateful to be finished. I had plenty of friends, and my overall experience with schooling went fine, but I was so ready to be done. I didn't want to spend my days as a student in that school culture any longer. I still remember standing in the hallway outside our auditorium right after the graduation ceremony ended. I was standing with my parents and siblings, and they asked if I wanted to hang out for a little while to interact with people and say goodbye. I said, "No, let's go and grab dinner at Friendly's." So we left.

But the people I met during that season of life obviously made an impression on me, and I still remain in contact with many of them to this day. My classmates are people I will always be grateful to know. In ways they may not have realized, they were teaching me significant things about human nature and human interaction.

I still remember two people from that era that demonstrated a similar pattern in relationships. They were always with someone. One was a guy and one was a girl, but they never ended up together. During those years, it seemed to me that they never went a day without dating someone. As soon as they would break up with one person, they immediately began dating someone new. Decades later, I see that pattern in the lives of some of the adults I know as well. Why is that a decision many people choose to make?

I think it reveals a deep longing that we all have in our souls. We long to be loved. We long for unconditional acceptance. We can instinctively tell that something is missing deep within us, so we search for something or someone to fill that void. We may choose dating relationships, degrees, titles, power, knowledge, possessions, or money, but those options will all leave us disappointed. We will only find what our hearts are looking for, the deepest form of love, acceptance, contentment, and peace through Jesus.

That was something Paul was attempting to help the Colossians to understand. In their culture, there were people who were teaching that the human heart could be satisfied by obtaining secret knowledge, but in this passage, Paul makes it clear that true wisdom and knowledge are found through Jesus, and we should be pursuing Christ together as one united body.

I. We are knit together in love

““For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,””

— Colossians 2:1-2

As this passage of Scripture begins, Paul stresses the ways in which he has been struggling for the believers in Colossae and Laodicea. He didn't plant their local churches, but he still cared for them as if he did. Paul made a point to struggle for them in prayer daily. He prayed for their encouragement. He prayed for their maturity and growth. He also prayed for their unity.

I like the way Paul describes unity in this passage. He described united believers as being "knit together in love." I have never tried knitting or crochet, but I see it done regularly. My oldest daughter recently taught herself to crochet, and now I see her doing it constantly. She made herself a really impressive sweater last month. She's also been making hats and gloves for people. The other night, she admitted to me that she took a week off from it because her wrists and hands were in pain from all the work she's been doing. But it's impressive to see the beautiful things she's able to make by purposely intertwining yarn together.

Well, it's a beautiful thing when the church remains connected and intertwined in love. There are often things that come our way that can easily threaten that sense of unity, but Paul rejoiced when he saw it demonstrated among the Colossian believers.

One major threat to the unity of the church is false doctrine. It threatens both unity and maturity. It leads well-meaning people astray into all kinds of error, and it is an issue that the church always needs to be aware of.

I find it interesting that in the midst of this discussion, Paul mentions the church in the city of Laodicea. That city was was just a few miles from Colossae, and it's believed by some that Epaphras may have planted both churches, or possibly some believers from Colossae may have traveled there to share the gospel.

Do you know anything about the church in Laodicea? It's mentioned in the book of Revelation as being a church that struggled with a lukewarm faith. What do you suppose might have contributed to that? I would suspect false teaching crept in and influenced the believers to stop valuing truth and stop prioritizing the kind of unity that can only come from fidelity to Christ and His gospel.

“ “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” ”

— Revelation 3:15-16

Are we living as brothers and sisters in Christ who are knit together in His love and faithful to the truth of His Word?

II. We look to Jesus as our source of wisdom and knowledge

““in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” ”

— Colossians 2:3

When I was growing up, there was a member of our extended family who would steal from us regularly. I suspected it was him that was doing the stealing, but for a long time, I wasn't sure. To be honest, I think part of what I was struggling with was the fact that I liked him so much that I didn't want to believe it. But then I caught him, confronted him, and did my best to prevent him from obtaining what belonged to me. I hid what I thought was most valuable. In fact, any cash I earned I would hide where I thought he was least likely to look. Inside a book.

Do you consider yourself a reader? I love reading, and I do it daily, but I will admit that it's easier for me to make a daily habit of reading when I'm the one choosing what's being read. Frequently, when I speak with young people, they tell me they've developed a distaste for reading because they primarily associate it with compulsory reading of dry textbooks.

"Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and all the nooks." -Dr. Seuss

"I find television very educating. Every time someone turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." -Groucho Marx

"You are the same today as you'll be in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet." -Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

I'm so grateful we have essentially unlimited access to the Word of God. I'm grateful we can pick it up, read it, and let it point our hearts to Jesus. The word of God is living and active. The Spirit of God will use it to reveal things to your heart and mind that you would have never developed a natural understanding of. Your faith and your wisdom will grow because you'll become more and more acquainted with Jesus who is the source of eternal wisdom and knowledge.

This was what Paul was trying to help these young believers grasp. Looking to Jesus will help us avoid error, immaturity, and heresy. At the time these verses were being written, it was quite common for false teachers to peddle their "secret" knowledge and attempt to dupe people into believing them. They claimed to have a secret, higher knowledge that a typical believer didn't possess, but that's not how Jesus has ordained His kingdom to operate.

Jesus makes His truth available to all believers. There aren't special classes of believers that have obtained a form of wisdom and knowledge that isn't available to us all. As a pastor, I don't have some sort of secret key to biblical understanding that isn't available to every Christian. I'm in the process of growing in my understanding of the Word of God just as I hope each of us is.

I'm just grateful that I know where wisdom and knowledge really come from. They come from Jesus, so that's where I plan to go to obtain them.

III. We don't need to be easily deceived

““I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.   For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.” ”

— Colossians 2:4-5

Paul wanted the young church in Colossae to be an orderly assembly that was loving toward one another, loving toward their community, and firm in sound doctrine. He knew that was going to be a challenge, and he knew that there were plenty of people in that city who had a reputation for deceiving people into believing falsehood through their persuasiveness. These false teachers were experts in partial truths. They followed the same pattern Satan used to deceive in the Garden of Eden.

But if we're rooted and anchored in Christ and the truth of His Word, we won't be easily deceived. That's why we spend so much time as a church digging into what the Word of God actually states. On occasion, during the course of my ministry, I have been pressured to deviate from preaching Scripture, and delve more into using the pulpit that has been entrusted to me to make social commentary. As you probably already know, I do my best to resist that pressure, but I am more than happy to point to cultural examples that are the direct result of people being deceived by falsehood because their hearts aren't anchored in the truth.

Just look at the confusion that exists today. We have all kinds of debates about things that are painfully obvious, yet we debate them like they're perplexing. Sadly, there's a whole generation of people being raised to believe things about gender and human sexuality that have no basis in truth and are a direct contradiction to the teaching of Jesus. And I don't know why I let this surprise me, but it often does. Scripture reveals that this is the direct result of humanism and cultural atheism. When the knowledge of God is squelched, confusion reigns.

And every generation seems to have a form of falsehood that prevails. During the late 1800's and early 1900's, there was a movement toward eugenics here in the United States and other places in the world with the goal to remove traits that were considered undesirable from the population. That was an era of forced sterilizations, laws against mixed-race marriages, and strange and secret things being done to those who had metal or development problems. It was those beliefs that directly contributed to the prevalence of abortion and the extermination of millions of people throughout this world in the 1930's and 1940's. We decry it now, but at the time, it was a mindset and a system of belief that took hold in the hearts of many. (Source: https://sites.uw.edu/twomn347/2019/12/12/early-american-eugenics-movement/)

But as believers in Christ, we don't need to be deceived by worldly ideas and ideals. The Holy Spirit is leading us in the direction of the truth and bringing the teaching of Christ back to our minds. And by His grace, He's reminding us daily, that in Jesus we will find all that our hearts are truly looking for.

© John Stange, 2022

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Using your life's work to glorify Christ

Every effort, every hobby, and every occupation or profession can be something we submit to the Lord's direction and seek to use for His glory. In God's economy, I don't believe there is work that is secular and work that is sacred. It's all sacred when it's done for His honor.

The other day, our mailman stopped by the house to deliver our mail. I happen to know him rather well, and I appreciate the joyful manner in which he does his work. He's someone who loves Christ and seeks to be an ambassador of the joy he has in Christ wherever he delivers. In fact, as he pulled away, he stopped his truck to double-check that he had the dates right for the next Men's Bible Study in our church.

Each of us has been given a set number of days on this earth. We've been given unique personalities, wisdom, strength, relationships, and opportunities. I believe the Lord wants us to capitalize on the unique set of resources and abilities He's blessed us with. We have a life's work that we've been sent into this world to accomplish. It may be expressed through our vocation or it may be expressed in a way that has nothing to do with how we earn a living.

Paul was highly aware of the work the Lord had entrusted to him. He knew that he was equipped to teach, train, and go where others were often unwilling to go. Paul was willing to stick his neck out in ways that many people commonly shy away from, and the risks he took often included pain.

Paul's work gives us a glimpse of what it looks like when we take the risk to do what Jesus calls us to do, where and when He calls us to do it. When I look at a passage like Colossians 1:24-29, there are a few questions that I feel led to ask regarding the work Christ has entrusted to me. Maybe they'll be helpful questions to ask yourself as well.

I. Do you rejoice or complain in your seasons of suffering?

““Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,” ”

— Colossians 1:24-25

Suffering isn't pleasant. It's something I think we instinctively try to minimize in our lives and in the lives of others. At present our church is collecting food for those who struggle with poverty and hunger. We're also collecting clothing to meet the needs of those who lack it. I think there's value in doing so.

But some forms of suffering have a deeper-level purpose, and God may not immediately choose to relieve us of them. In fact, I'm convinced that during the course of my life, I have grown more through my seasons of suffering than I have through my seasons of ease. So if I could start looking at my sufferings from God's redemptive perspective, it would be wise for me to rejoice in those seasons instead of complaining.

Paul's choice to be obedient to Christ's commission to spread the gospel resulted in suffering in his life. His letter to the Colossians was written from a place of confinement as he was under house arrest. He also experienced seasons of physical exhaustion, hunger, threats of violence, and physical peril because of his desire to minister to the church in Christ's name. Yet in doing so, he was given great opportunity to make the word of God fully known where people lacked understanding of it.

So instead of complaining about the suffering he endured, Paul rejoiced. He described his suffering as, "filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church," (Col. 1:24). In making this statement, Paul wasn't trying to imply that Christ lacks anything or that the work Christ accomplished on our behalf was somehow incomplete or insufficient.

Paul was describing a facet of our union with Christ. We are united to Christ through faith, and we are now referred to as the body of Christ on earth. The suffering Paul shared wasn't his suffering alone. It is a continuation of the suffering of Christ that is experienced by the church. It is suffering that Jesus endured with Paul, just as He is present with us in our sufferings. It was a form of suffering Paul lived through on behalf of the church that the Lord foreordained to be completed for the greater good of His people.

When I read through a passage like this, and I consider what Jesus endured on our behalf to secure our salvation, and what Paul endured to serve the church and share the gospel, I'm reminded of the kind of attitude the Lord wants us to have toward our seasons of suffering. This is a reminder to me that He brings good things out of that pain, and to complain might mean we're effectively grumbling against the sovereign plan of God. But since our joy isn't dependent on our circumstances, let's ask the Lord for the grace to learn to rejoice even when He allows us to experience prolonged discomfort.

II. Do you ever thank God for what He has revealed to this generation?

““the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.  To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” ”

— Colossians 1:26-27

Recently, I was looking at very old pictures of schoolhouses from many years ago. I don't know what your school was like, but I'm confident it was most likely nicer than what I was looking at. Because we live when we live, we've been blessed to live during an era of rapidly expanding innovation. Those innovations have improved community development, construction, indoor climate control, and sanitation. Because of that, it's hard for us to imagine what it would have been like to go to a school without plumbing or running water. It's hard for us to imagine taking turns showing up to school early to prepare the coal stove and heat the building. There are very clear benefits to being born when we were born.

From a spiritual standpoint, I have often thought about how grateful I am to be living during this era of history. We live after the earthly ministry of Jesus. We live after His crucifixion and resurrection. During this season of history, we have the completed canon of Scripture. We also experience the benefit of being indwelled by the Holy Spirit the moment we come to faith in Jesus. He guides us, transforms our minds, and helps us recall the teachings of Christ. He comforts us, counsels us, and makes the Word of God understandable to us when we read it or hear it proclaimed.

Living in this era of history also comes with an additional benefit. There are things we know about that previous generations of believers were unaware of. Paul uses the word "mystery" when he speaks of these things. In theological terms, a mystery is information that was hidden in a previous era that is revealed later on. What is the mystery Paul is speaking of in this passage? What do we know and what do we get to experience that believers during the Old Testament era were unaware of?

The mystery Paul speaks of here relates to the ways the Lord has chosen to bless the Gentile nations. When reading through the Old Testament, it's obvious that God chose to do a wonderful work through the Jewish people. He raised up prophets through them. He made them a nation and gave them a land of their own. He promised them an eternal inheritance in His kingdom, and He sent His Son as their Messiah and Redeemer. He even promised that the day was coming when the Gentiles would also come to faith in Him.

The mystery, however, that wasn't known during the Old Testament era was that Gentiles and Jews would be united into one body through faith in Jesus Christ. And as one body, we share in a common inheritance in God's kingdom. We share in one hope. We share an equal footing, and that's all been secured through Jesus who tore down the wall that divided both groups when He gave His life on behalf of all of us on the cross.

I'm grateful to experience that and to know that to be true. And as I look at it again, I'm reminded to give thanks to God for what He has graciously made known to us in this generation. It has a major impact on our perspective, quality of life, vision, and hope.

III. Who are you warning and who are you teaching?

““Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.  For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.””

— Colossians 1:28-29

A few weeks ago, I was driving my car about a mile away from our church building. I was on a wooded street, and a car that was driving in the opposite direction started flashing his lights at me. Most of us realize that's a universal signal meant to tell us that something is wrong. I started running through the options in my mind. Were my high beams on? Was there an accident up ahead? Was he warning me to watch my speed? It turns out he was trying to tell me that deer were crossing the road up ahead. I appreciated his word of caution and the fact that he put me on alert to a potential problem.

Frequently in life, we will be given opportunities to communicate important messages to others. Sometimes we will share a message of warning. Other times we'll teach a message of wisdom. But here's what makes that complicated. Many of the people you attempt to warn or pass along your wisdom to will ignore what you have to say. If you're a leader, parent, or friend, this is likely to become a source of frustration, but make the attempt anyway, even if it seems like no one is listening.

Paul wanted the young church of his era to grow mature in their walk with Christ, so he took the risk to warn them about the things that could threaten the growth of their faith. He also made great efforts to teach them the Word of God. In fact, it was to this end that he said he toiled with all the energy God had given him.

I'm in a special season of life. There are people in my family who are older than me, yet they seek my counsel. There are also people in my family who are younger that do the same. Not long ago, an older relative asked for my advice. I gave it, and he ignored it. That was followed by a younger member of my family asking for my advice as well. He will also probably ignore it. It would be comical if it wasn't so sad.

But if the Holy Spirit lives within you, and your mind is saturated with the Word of God, keep warning and keep teaching. You will frequently end up telling people things that they don't want to hear, but speak up anyway. They may ignore your counsel in the moment, but then circle back to your advice at a later season of life.

I know of a man who got saved as an adult when he started thinking about the Bible teaching he received as a child. He had a long commute that gave him ample time to think, and some of the verses he was taught as a child came back to mind many years after they were first communicated to him. He came to faith in Christ, got involved in a local church, taught his family about Jesus, and when his children became adults, one became a missionary and the other became a professor at a Bible college.

Where has the Lord called you to serve? Are you committed to using your life's work to bring Christ glory? You may suffer to do so, and people may not immediately listen to your counsel, but you've been given unique opportunities and additional revelation that wasn't available to the generations that came before you. Make the most of it, and watch what the Lord will do through you.

© John Stange, 2022

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