Walking with Jesus

SUNDAY SERVICE: 10 NOV 2013 
SPEAKER: PASTOR RAYMOND KOH 
TEXT: COLOSSIANS 2:6,7

 SUMMARY

Colossians 2:6,7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. (NASB) 

The message of the Gospel is not merely conversion but transformation. And transformation must lead to visible impact or influence upon our community.This is a long-term view which must be marked by obedience to Jesus who is not just our Saviour but Lord of all. What does such a commitment imply? We look at key words in this scripture passage.

Walk
Our Christian life is said to be a ‘walk.’ It implies action, progress, and faithfulness. Though it that may not always be comfortable it is always dynamic and exciting. It also means walking with Jesus, not with the wicked. Such an act refers to the relational aspect of faith. Additionally when we walk we meet others along the way who we can pray for or share the gospel with. In time we may even draw others to join our journey.

Rooted
To be rooted in God one should delight in God’s word and spend time on it.

Ps 1:2,3 “…but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 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.”

We also need to be rooted in the community as little can be achieved if we do not identify with the people we serve. Being rooted in the community allows God’s people to do good in a more profound way. We look for opportunities in times of confusion; we are present to help especially those in need, whether spiritual or material. Although we may not see results overnight, we can persevere. As Covenant EFC's Rev Edmund Chan says, “Think big, start small, grow deep.”

Built up
1 Cor 3:10-13 "According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it."

Being built up involves the ministry of a number of people. We are building, yet other faithful Christians also contribute towards building up our faith. The believer must move from being firmly rooted to being built up. To build oneself up in faith is a continuing effort of being established upon the right foundation.

The right foundation is obviously Jesus and God’s Word, but we must not neglect the practical expression of faith as well. The more we walk, the more we trust; the more we are nourished by his Word, the more established in faith we become.

Thankfulness
Finally, the believer must express thankfulness or gratitude in all situations. Every situation is either a challenge or a blessing. We need to cultivate a way of looking at things from a different perspective. Very often believers who are walking in Jesus need to recognise problems as opportunities - as in the case of the Allah controversy. By so doing we we express thankfulness. A believer who overflows with thankfulness is evidence of one who is built up in Jesus.

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PASTOR RAYMOND KOH is the Executive Director of non-profit Harapan Komuniti.