"SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE"

>>>Thank you for all the money/prayers for camp!

>>>The end of camp and beginning of VBS influenced the message.

*Church Group Time was a time to reflect on the day and show us leaders what conversations/encouragement we could offer. It reminded me about “seeing the bigger picture.”

>>>Paul wrote to the church of Colosse encouraging them to watch out for false teachers and continue to pursue spiritual growth.

*The church was established by Epaphras, an example of praying for and investing in believers.

>>>Chapter one talks about the supremacy of Christ and Him being the focus of the church.

Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ.”

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Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ.”

>>>Paul says that we proclaim Christ.

*To “proclaim” is “to announce broadly”. It’s painting with a wide brush.

*This makes sense, seeing that “every person” appears three times in this verse. God is not in the business of just a few but for EVERYONE!

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”

>>>Talk about the bigger picture! While personal evangelism and discipleship is necessary, this should be joined to the overall mission of the church to reach ALL people.

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>>>The next part of the verse explains how to proclaim Christ to all people.

Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ.”

>>>This part joins together the practice of evangelism and discipleship.

>>>It says to “admonish”

* This means “to warn/counsel in terms of behavior”.

Acts 20:29–31 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.”

*Paul had been warning and counseling the church of Ephesus and warned them about false teachers.

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

*Singing not only praises God, but it counsels, warns, and teaches other believers.

*(Illus.) Basketball league

*One player “got on” to other player, “We just talked about this!”

*If a church acted like a basketball team, it would be the best church ever.

*Not being disparaging to each other, but admonishing, teaching, and building up to a greater goal.

>>>It says to “teach”

*This means “to impart skills or knowledge”.

*Teaching has to do with the explanation of truth and how to apply it.

Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

*Teaching every person how to follow Jesus.

>>>It says to do this with “wisdom”.

*This is the burden to be growing and maturing yourself.

*Not everything needs to be said/said a certain way/is a teaching opportunity/needs to be out of self ambition.

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Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ.”

>>>(Illus.) Cooking shows end with presenting work to the judge. This is what is meant by “presenting” (as to a superior).

>>>The word “complete” is maturity.

*This is a completion born from experience, teaching, time.

*Nothing frustrates a teacher more than incomplete or rushed through work.

>>>This is the overall mission of the church.

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Colossians 1:22 “yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”

>>>Jesus Himself is seeking to purify His church so that He can present it blameless.

>>>Our mission in presenting every person blameless joins in with the mission of Christ.

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE IS TO UNDERSTAND OUR ROLE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST.

>>>Jesus is inviting all of us to proclaim Him to every person and to help lead them into sanctification.

*What if we thought of our ministry as something we get to do WITH Jesus? We participate with Him in expanding His kingdom.

>>>We proclaim, admonish, and teach so that when we stand before Christ, we can present our work to Him-not making people our projects but obeying our Great Commission.

*Presenting every person complete in Christ, being found complete in Him ourselves.

>>>There may be some who need to be admonished/taught (joining the church or entering a discipling relationship). Maybe some need to have Christ proclaimed to the (believe and confess).