“This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”
Colossians 1:23b
It’s our church! No, it’s the Lord’s; His purposes prevail through us.
God’s purpose for His church is to proclaim the gospel. The church doesn’t exist primarily to meet our needs. It isn’t a country club, but a life-saving enterprise that rescues people and brings them to Jesus.
Think of that with this story of a 70-year-old African woman who encountered Jesus. She wanted to do something for Him. Blind and uneducated, she wasn’t sure what that would be. But she went to a missionary with her French Bible and said, “Would you mind underlining John 3:16 in red?” The missionary did so. The woman took that Bible and sat each day in front of a boys’ school. At dismissal time, she’d call to boys and say, “Come here, please. Do you know French?” When they said they did, she’d ask, “Please read to me this passage underscored in red in my Bible.” They did. She would ask, “Do you know what it means?” They’d say, “No,” and she would tell them the story of Jesus. Due to the boldness of this one aged blind woman, 24 young men became pastors.
God’s purpose for His church is to proclaim the gospel. The church doesn’t exist primarily to meet our needs. It isn’t a country club, but a life-saving enterprise that rescues people and brings them to Jesus.
Think of that with this story of a 70-year-old African woman who encountered Jesus. She wanted to do something for Him. Blind and uneducated, she wasn’t sure what that would be. But she went to a missionary with her French Bible and said, “Would you mind underlining John 3:16 in red?” The missionary did so. The woman took that Bible and sat each day in front of a boys’ school. At dismissal time, she’d call to boys and say, “Come here, please. Do you know French?” When they said they did, she’d ask, “Please read to me this passage underscored in red in my Bible.” They did. She would ask, “Do you know what it means?” They’d say, “No,” and she would tell them the story of Jesus. Due to the boldness of this one aged blind woman, 24 young men became pastors.
Scripture Focus
Colossians 1:18-28
Insight
You are Christ’s ambassador. Since “Jesus is merciful,/ Jesus will save,” how will you “rescue the perishing,/ care for the dying”? (Fanny J. Crosby, 1869)
Bible In A Year
- 2 Kings 9-10
- Proverbs 15
- 1 Peter 2-3
