Renewal, Service, and Community in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Renewal of the Inner Self

In a world filled with challenges and uncertainties, the renewal of our inner selves through Christ is a profound source of peace and strength. While our physical bodies may age and face difficulties, our spirits are continually refreshed and strengthened by our relationship with Jesus. This daily renewal is essential as we navigate a world searching for answers, and it empowers us to share the love and truth of Jesus with those around us. Embracing this renewal allows us to rise above our circumstances and live with a sense of purpose and hope. [19:44]

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: What specific practices can you incorporate into your daily routine to focus on the renewal of your inner self through Christ?

Day 2: Christ as the Foundation of Our Faith

The book of Colossians reminds us that Christ is the foundation of our faith, and there is nothing beyond Him. While we can deepen our relationship with Him, we cannot surpass Him, for He is all in all. The Christian life is lived through Jesus, in His power, for His glory, and in His strength. This understanding calls us to rely on Him completely, recognizing that it is impossible to live the Christian life without His presence and guidance. [32:36]

"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." (Colossians 2:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you trying to go beyond Christ, and how can you refocus on Him as the foundation of your faith?

Day 3: Faithfulness in Service

The life of Tychicus exemplifies faithfulness in service, as he diligently delivered letters and news for Paul. His story teaches us the importance of being faithful and encouraging others in our Christian walk. Faithfulness in service, no matter how small or unnoticed, can have a significant impact on the lives of others and the advancement of God's kingdom. We are called to be like Tychicus, serving faithfully and encouraging those around us. [42:45]

"Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a small act of service you can commit to this week that will encourage someone in your community.

Day 4: Transformation through the Gospel

Onesimus, a former slave, represents the transformative power of the gospel. His life illustrates that God can change and use anyone for His purposes, showing that no one is beyond His reach. The gospel has the power to transform lives, turning what was once broken into something beautiful and purposeful. This transformation is a testament to God's grace and love, and it encourages us to believe in the potential for change in ourselves and others. [58:05]

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you have experienced transformation through the gospel. How can you share this testimony with someone who needs encouragement?

Day 5: The Importance of Community

Building a network of Christian friends and belonging to a community is vital for spiritual growth and support. We are encouraged to serve together for the glory of God, knowing that unknown does not mean unimportant, and that little acts of service can have long-lasting effects. Being part of a community allows us to encourage one another, share burdens, and grow in our faith together. It is through community that we find strength and support in our journey with Christ. [01:19:54]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to building and strengthening your Christian community this week?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound truth that knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior brings peace to our souls, even when our bodies or circumstances may not reflect that peace. We are reminded that while our physical bodies may age and face challenges, our inner selves are renewed daily through Christ. This renewal is crucial in a world ripe for the gospel, where people are searching for answers in various places. We hold the answer in Jesus, and it is our mission to share His love and truth with others.

We delved into the book of Colossians, where Paul addresses the young church in Colossae, warning them against false teachings that suggest there is more beyond Jesus. Paul emphasizes that while we can go deeper into our relationship with Christ, we cannot go beyond Him, for He is all in all. The Christian life is lived through Jesus, in His power, for His glory, and in His strength. It is impossible to live the Christian life without Christ living it through us.

We also examined the lives of Tychicus and Onesimus, two lesser-known figures in the New Testament who played significant roles in the early church. Tychicus was a faithful servant, a mail carrier, and a reporter for Paul, ensuring that the letters and news of Paul's ministry reached the churches. His life teaches us the importance of faithfulness and encouragement in our Christian walk. Onesimus, a former slave, represents the transformative power of the gospel. Once a runaway, he became a beloved brother and fellow servant in Christ, illustrating that God can change and use anyone for His purposes.

The message today is a call to be faithful servants like Tychicus, to encourage others, and to be willing to serve wherever God calls us. It is a reminder that unknown does not mean unimportant, and that little acts of service can have long-lasting effects. We are encouraged to build a network of Christian friends, to belong to a community, and to serve together for the glory of God.

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Renewal: Our bodies may age and face challenges, but our inner selves are renewed daily through Christ. This renewal is essential in a world searching for answers, and we hold the answer in Jesus. We are called to share His love and truth with others. [19:44]
2. Christ is All in All: In the book of Colossians, Paul emphasizes that while we can go deeper into our relationship with Christ, we cannot go beyond Him. The Christian life is lived through Jesus, in His power, for His glory, and in His strength. [32:36]
3. Faithfulness in Service: Tychicus exemplifies faithfulness in service, delivering letters and news for Paul. His life teaches us the importance of being faithful and encouraging others in our Christian walk. [42:45]
4. Transformation through the Gospel: Onesimus, a former slave, represents the transformative power of the gospel. God can change and use anyone for His purposes, illustrating that no one is beyond His reach. [58:05]
5. The Importance of Community: Building a network of Christian friends and belonging to a community is vital. We are encouraged to serve together for the glory of God, knowing that unknown does not mean unimportant, and that little acts of service can have long-lasting effects. [01:19:54]
** [79:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:44] - The Power of Renewal
[21:30] - Casting Our Cares
[23:57] - Community and Fellowship
[30:12] - Cities of Refuge
[32:36] - Christ is All in All
[34:04] - The Importance of Relationships
[35:33] - Tychicus: A Faithful Servant
[39:32] - The Role of Tychicus
[42:45] - Faithfulness in Service
[50:14] - Encouragement in the Church
[53:00] - Staying by the Stuff
[55:27] - Willingness to Serve
[58:05] - Onesimus: A Transformed Life
[79:54] - The Importance of Community

Sermon Clips

"If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and you've been washed in the precious blood of Christ and bought with a price, it is well with your soul. It may not be well with your body today. You might have woke up a little achy or sore or whatever, and I'll just be honest with you, the cold bothers me more now than it used to. And I found out that if the cold bothers you now more than it used to, it's not the cold. You have to drop the sea. It's the old. And that's what I'm learning. But anyway, one of these days, we're going to have a glorified body. But right now, the inward man is renewed day by day." [00:19:05]

"These are days so ripe to serve God. People. We're looking for answers in all kinds of places. And I want to tell you, we have the answer and his name is Jesus. And we're going to open his word today and we're going to hear about it. If you're if you're a guest today, we're so thankful that you're here and we want to welcome you and love you and help you to grow in Christ. Let's bow for prayer. Father, you are such a blessing beyond our ability to even articulate how you have been so good to us. You are holy. You are righteous. You are just." [00:20:00]

"But the Bible shows us clearly, clearly, that the cities of refuge were a picture of Jesus Christ, that we could run to him and we could find forgiveness and shelter and safety in Christ. And I want to tell you something, our high priest, he never dies. The Bible said of Jesus, he ever liveth to make intercession for us. Aren't you glad about that? And so I'm in the city of refuge and you can't get me out. And, and I'm going to heaven one day. Amen. To that city of refuge." [00:30:21]

"You can go deeper. Into Jesus, but you cannot go deeper than Jesus. You can go beyond in Christ, but you cannot ever go beyond Christ for Christ is all in all. He is preeminent. He is everything. And if he lives in you, listen to me, in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And if Christ is God in the flesh and he dwells in you, then you've been filled with the spirit of God. And today you belong to him." [00:30:48]

"Christian life? Jesus. In what power do I live the Christian life? Jesus power. For whom do I live the Christian life? For Christ. For whose glory do I live the Christian life? For his glory. In what strength do I live the Christian life? In his strength. Listen friend, you cannot live the Christian life. It's impossible. If you're going to live the Christian life and I'm going to live the Christian life, it's going to require the only person who ever lived the Christian life to live it in us." [00:32:18]

"Everybody knows Paul, and people know Peter, people know John, people know Billy Graham, people know D .O. Moody, people know Charles Spurgeon. People walk in this church, and they see all the people singing up here, and they hear me preach, and they think that's the church. Listen to me. There's an army of people behind all of those who were faithful people in the Lord Jesus Christ, who advanced the gospel." [00:35:01]

"Tychicus was a man who labored with the apostle Paul. Now, I want you to show you a couple things about Tychicus today. Look at verse 7. All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. Number one, I want you to see this about Tychicus' life. And by the way, this applies to you, and we're going to make it very personal today as always. But Tychicus, number one, was a faithful servant. He was a faithful servant." [00:39:36]

"And by the way, can I tell you what God is looking for today? God's looking for faithful people. It's required of a steward that a man be found. Everybody talk to me now. It's required of a steward that a man be found faithful. And when you get to heaven, and you will if you're saved, and you stand before Jesus, and you will if you're saved, and you give an account for your stewardship, and you will if you're saved, you are not going to hear from Jesus, well done, thou good and famous servant. No, no, no. It's well done, thou good and faithful servant." [00:42:39]

"God can change and use anybody. Somebody say amen right there. God can change and use anybody. God can change people's lives. Listen, this is a world today. I want to tell you, listen, you look at the culture that we have today. When people get saved, I want to tell you, if we're reaching this, if we're reaching our culture and we're reaching our community for Christ, churches are going to look a lot different. They're not going to look like a museum of saints." [01:11:53]

"Little things done for God have long -lasting effects. You say, I really can't do much in the church. Well, do what you can. Because little things have long -lasting effects. It's the little lunches in the Lord's hand that feed a lot of people. It's Jesus at a dinner party when he's sitting at the table with the people. And here comes a woman in with an alabaster box filled with fragrance. And she breaks it open and anoints his feet. And they say, whoa, whoa, whoa, that's expensive. You could have sold that. You could have sold that and given it to the poor." [01:10:26]

"Let me give you four things, rapid fire, write them down from this lesson. This is for you, this is for you. This is where Tychicus and Onesimus become you. Are you ready? Write them down, think about them. Number one, unknown does not mean unimportant. Unknown does not mean unimportant. We don't know who's keeping the nursery today, but I want to tell you, when you go back there and there's not an extra load that you're taking home, thank God for that nursery worker." [01:06:59]

"Thank you for your word and your precious Holy Spirit speaking to my heart and to the heart of our church. And Lord, as we come to the close of the book of Colossians and we see church is all about you, Lord Jesus. But you have expressed it in people and relationships. And Lord, you gave us a commandment that we would love one another. How can we do that if we don't belong to one another? God, help us to see the priority and the importance of belonging and loving and serving and carrying forth the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ." [01:20:55]

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