Colossians 1:28
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Lots of people talk about or mention God…but far fewer talk about Jesus. Sadly, “God” has become a normal part of our vocabulary and as a result, it’s basically a throw away term. God, for most people, has become an exclamation point. When it comes to Christianity in general, far too many people preach a Christless version full of platitudes, moralism, and self-help advice. Paul, however, kept the focus where it should be—on Christ and him crucified. Do you?
The great bible teacher J. Vernon McGee said, “The gospel is not what we preach, but it is whom we preach. No man has ever preached the gospel who hasn’t preached Christ. Jesus Christ is the gospel. He is eternal life. John wrote that he was going to show us eternal life, that he had seen eternal life (1 Jn 1:1–2). Whom had John seen? He’d seen Christ. And, my friend, today you either have Him or you don’t have Him. The gospel is Christ—what He has done for us in His death and resurrection and what He is going to do in the future.” Does Jesus Christ take center stage when you talk about or express your faith?
We like to say you are what you eat. It’s not so different in Christianity. It should be more about whom we preach rather than what we preach. Yes, we should talk about what he taught and what he said, but more than all of that, when it comes to the walking dead that surround us most of the time, we need to keep the focus on HIM. Religious activity is generally good, but it can’t save your soul. Attending church is generally good, but it can’t save your soul. Talking about the moral ills of society can be generally good, but it won’t rescue a single lost soul. So, what do we tell a watching world? Him we proclaim.
But does that mean it’s “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” all the time? That’s not what Paul is saying. This is not an either/or but a both/and. The emphasis is always on Jesus, but God clearly calls for good teaching. Sound doctrine. Stern warnings. Paul wanted the whole gospel for the whole world. He wouldn’t hold back in either area—it was for every man, and he presented it in all wisdom. Paul’s goal was the same one that every parent should have: To equip your children to leave the nest and thrive. In other words, to present them to the world…mature.
Will you be presented to the Father as a mature Christian when that day comes?
Pastor Jeff Jernigan captured the essence of today’s passage well when he said, “The process of maturing in Christ is not a program measured by performance, but rather an ongoing journey measured by progress. God isn’t interested in how many devotionals we have had, how many Bible studies we have completed, how much time we have spent in prayer, or how often we have witnessed if those disciplines are performed only from a sense of duty void of love. He is far more concerned with the progress of our relationship with a living Savior.” Are you progressing in your walk with Jesus? Are you maturing? Are you ready to be presented to the Father?
