Colossians 1:28-29
Work Hard
28 Jesus we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present
everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy
that he powerfully works within me.
TO BE Jesus’ disciple, that is one who truly lives in the discipline
of Jesus’ teaching, can be very unattractive to the nominal and non-Christian,
can’t it? Think about yesterday’s focus on suffering. Consider Paul’s words
today, “For this (teaching people
Christ) I toil, struggling with all his
energy that he powerfully works within me.” Typically in evangelism
messages, we don’t say, “Come to Jesus and suffer. Believe in Jesus and toil.” Or
we don’t promote our church as “The Church Who Works Hard.” That’s way too
unattractive and unappealing to the unsaved. And it’s way to unattractive to
those who say, “I follow Christ.”
But, dear
Christian, you must know that faithfully following Jesus is hard work. After
all, what is ever accomplished in the absence of hard work and even some
suffering for the cause? As a child must be disciplined to learn in school to
mature in knowledge, Christians must know that only true discipleship comes
with intentional toil. Some labor in school to teach to others various subjects.
In a like manner, Jesus’ disciples must toil to learn of Jesus and teach him to
the world.
Yes, hard working
disciples change the world. They tell of Jesus power to save lives. Their words
of Jesus bring eternal life to untold thousands each day. That doesn’t “just
happen”.
You must suffer,
labor and strive to tell of Jesus. It is his commands. It is your mission as
you call him, “Lord.”
A Moment’s Thought: Jesus came to earth to work.
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