A Life Worth Living: Joyful Struggles

Children’s Church

Tug of War - It takes everyone pulling the rope…if you think you’re not making a difference and let go…you team loses ground.

INTRO

A life worth living is filled with struggles.

It often feels like a “tug of war”. That’s part of being broken people in a broken world.

Sometimes though, we gladly choose to battle and struggle on behalf of others.

A Life Worth Living is realizing that because we have hope we joyfully embrace and endure some struggles because of a much greater purpose.

All too often people do not realize the important role that others played in their coming to salvation and the growing of their faith.

Likewise, people fail to realize the important role joyful struggles can play in the lives of others.

Colossians 1:24–2:5 ESV

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him 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. 1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

As We Embrace This Life Worth Living…

1) …Be Devoted to a Labor of Love (vs. 24-25a)

Colossians 1:24–25 ESV

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions [Not a matter of atonement, but a matter of physical presence.] for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25a of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you,

Most people do not stumble into faith in Jesus.

Think about how you came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Those involved with my Testimony:

My Parents and Grandparents faithful to pray and get me to church.

Nursery Workers faithful to serve and create a Christ-friendly environment.

Sunday School Teachers faithful to teach week after week.

Children’s workers faithful to serve, teach songs and stories, and feed us cookies and Kool-aid.

Pastor who was faithful to the Word

People who were faithful to pray

God surrounded you with people you will never meet this side of eternity who labored in love for you to come to know Jesus.

Who is involved in your testimony?

Whose testimony will you be involved in?

No one matures in their faith without effort, intentionality, and discipline.

It’s not just the labor of love for those who helped you to come to know Christ, there are also those whom God uses to help you grow in your faith.

You also must be intentional to grow and mature in your faith.

Are you intentionally serving and laboring for others to know Jesus and grow in Jesus? Are you intentionally seeking to know Jesus and grow in Jesus?

A Life Worth Living is Devoted to this Labor of Love

2) …Be Dedicated to a Maturity of Mercy (vs. 25b-29)

Colossians 1:24–29 ESV

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, [which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.] 28 Him 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.

The reason behind our labor of love is not to get people in the church, it’s to get Jesus in people!

“…to make the word of God fully known…”

“…the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory!”

The entire reason for this labor of love is get ALL people to God through Jesus!

The greatest mystery of all time is God’s plan and working from before the foundations of the world in how He is going to save people from their sin and provide this glorious, solid hope!

And He’s going to help you mature in your understanding of this work to know that you have a part to play in making this mystery known to others!

We don’t labor for our accolades, but rather we proclaim Jesus so that people experience His mercy.

Proclaim: Warning

Proclaim: Teaching with all wisdom

We experience maturity when we labor with all His energy that He powerfully works within us.

A Life Worth Living is Devoted to a Labor of Love and is Dedicated to a Maturity of Mercy.

3) …Be Determined to Assert Assurance (vs. 1-5)

Colossians 2:1–5 ESV

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all [who have not seen me face to face], 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

All of our labor of love is so that we may encourage one another.

Our encouragement is not open ended, but it is directed towards a full assurance of knowledge and understanding of Jesus.

We need to understand Jesus so we are not led astray by “good sounding” arguments.

There many who say that Jesus would do this or Jesus would do that and they sound good, but many times are taken out of context.

We are saturated by a world that has weaponized empathy using the name of Jesus, but its really for their own manipulations of Jesus’ people.

Examples of this is Critical theory, Critical race theory, the COVID gene-therapy jab, the LGBTQ movement, the abortion epidemic, the free Palestine movement, illegal immigration, etc.

People are using “Christian Love” as a weapon to manipulate people toward an earthly, temporal cause instead of seeking to bring real, lasting, eternal hope and salvation through Jesus!

The real Gospel as opposed to the fake social gospel is that Jesus always welcomes sinful people to Himself for the purpose of forgiving, renewing, and transforming them away from sin.

Jesus will always call people to repent away from sin and repent to God.

If anyone thinks otherwise, then they have been led astray by a “good sounding” argument and don’t truly understand Jesus.

When we have a proper understanding of Jesus we will affirm the assurances of His Word.

This world will often make us question our convictions, but as long as we properly understand Jesus, we can be assured of His truth and firm in our convictions.

This struggle against “good sounding” arguments and for the firmness of your faith and the faith of others brings great rejoicing!

This is why a Life Worth Living is…

…Devoted to a Labor of Love.

…Dedicated to a Maturity of Mercy.

…Determined to Assert Assurance.

CLOSING

What about you this morning? Are you embracing a Life Worth Living in Christ Jesus?

Are you intentionally being Devoted to a Labor of Love for the Gospel?

Are you dedicated to seeing the Mercies of God maturing in your life and in the lives of others?

Are you determined to maintain the assurance of Christ and the Gospel in your life and in the lives of others?

Do you joyfully take on the struggles for the cause of Christ?

Don’t be one who misses out on the fullness of a Life Worth Living because you seek comfort instead of joyful struggle!