A Thankful Life
Colossians 2:6-7
Most, if not all of Oak Hill members know that my favorite Holiday is Thanksgiving! To me it is the Holiday that hasn’t been commercialized, hasn’t been overtly secularized, and it hasn’t been tainted by the world. It is a day to really represent every day. A day to be thankful for what God has given us! Paul tells the Colossians to walk in Christ with thanksgiving.
Kyleigh Grace just started walking! She would roll around, then crawl, then walk. She’s walking more and more every day. Our continual walk for Christ is our continual growth in Christ!
Paul’s primary concern for the church of Colossae is their continual spiritual growth. We’ve seen that throughout the end of chapter one, and in the beginning of chapter 2. Allow me to reread verses 2-7.
I. A Life of Walking in Christ (Colossians 2:6) Paul is saying, “Now that you’ve received Christ, live for Him!” The word “receive” in this context means to associate with. The same meaning is used in Paul’s writing in 1 Thes 4:1. “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.” There is an idea of partnership or in our case occupancy of the Holy Spirit. We know through Ephesians 2:8 that receiving Christ is by grace through faith, it’s a gift. Romans 10:9-10 gives us instructions to receive Him, Belief, and a confession, which leads to heart transformation.
The word “walk” means to live or be occupied with. 1 John 2:6 “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (yoke and oxen example)
A thankful life is a life of moving for Christ as He moves me! Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
II. A Life of Growing in Christ (Colossians 2:7)
Paul describes three essential things that must happen for growth or maturity to occur in every believer.
a. Rooted– This is the idea of being grounded in the Supremacy and Sufficiently of Christ alone and in His Word alone. It would be taking chapter one of Colossians and saying, this is what I’m rooted in! This is the declaration of my life! A very similar use of this word is found in Psalm 1:3 in which the word planted is used. Allow me to read verses 1-3 to show the context. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” I want you to see the imagery here of a person who is rooted or planted firm in the Word of God. This gives life to the person. The Greek word in this context for rooted can be used for planting, but it has more of an architectural meaning than that of agricultural. As if Paul were intending for each believer to be grounded to a firm foundation. What did Jesus say in Matthew 7:24-27? “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” A person rooted in Christ will be able to withstand life’s storms! Another sign of growth is to be built up.
b. Built Up– This has a picture of someone becoming more and more Christ-like. They are built up for Him and by Him. Acts 20:32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
c. Established– This word also means to be strengthened. God will establish believers! 2 Thess. 2:16-17 “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
1 Peter 5:10 “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
III. A Life of Joy in Christ (Colossians 2:7)
The word “abounding” means overflowing. In the Greek language it is in the active voice in response to rooted, built up, and established. It’s a life of overflowing joy in Christ, continual thanksgiving! I love what the writer of Hebrews says in Heb. 13:15 “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” It’s a continual praise for His name.
If we’re rooted, built up, and established we’ll naturally overflow with joy for Jesus. The world will watch as our joy comes up even during the darkest days of life. Because of Christ, the darkest days are turned to the brightest days of light in a life lived in Jesus.
