March through Colossians (the HOW)

* Read the post below on the WHY first.

So, what's the plan for how we're going to read through the book of Colossians together? Well, I think that how we choose to read through it should reflect (as best as we can) the nature of this book.

• It is a letter. We want to read it as a letter and not be so focused on the trees (the individual verses) that we miss the forest (the whole letter). Therefore I'll be including a couple of chances for us to read the whole thing in one sitting (don't worry, it's only 4 chapters which will probably take about 10 minutes).
• It has a flow and an argument or point (or arguments/points). We're not just going to read the first 2 verses, then the next 2, then the next 2, woodenly. I've broken down the daily readings based on the flow of thought in Paul's writing.
• It is the Word of God. The very words that Paul wrote on papyrus or parchment were the God-breathed words of God (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:19-21). Therefore we will be taking our time, reading only a small chunk of verses per day, so that we can take in as much of what God has given us as we can.

The details:

• I'm not sure how to put a nice calendar together on the blog, so I'll just list the readings (see below).
• We'll start on 3/2 by reading the whole book in one sitting that day (again, 10 minutes). We'll do this again on 3/9, 3/16, 3/24, and 3/31.
• Not counting the whole-book readings, we'll cover an average of 3.8 verses per day (min: 2; max: 6).
• There is a reading every day (no breaks), but it's easy to catch up given the shortness of the readings.
• We'll end up reading through Colossians 6 times total.
• I'll post something every day here on the blog, like a teaching point, a key question to ask, an application, something for further reading, a way to encourage someone else with what you are reading, etc.

Here's the schedule:

-3/2: whole book.
-3/3: 1:1-5a.
-3/4: 1:5b-8.
-3/5: 1:9-14.
-3/6: 1:15-20.
-3/7: 1:21-23.
-3/8: 1:24-29.
-3/9: whole book.
-3/10: 2:1-5.
-3/11: 2:6-7.
-3/12: 2:8-12.
-3/13: 2:13-15.
-3/14: 2:16-19.
-3/15: 2:20-23.
-3/16: whole book.
-3/17: 3:1-4.
-3/18: 3:5-8.
-3/19: 3:9-11.
-3/20: 3:12-15.
-3/21: 3:16-17.
-3/22: 3:18-22.
-3/23: 3:23-4:1.
-3/24: whole book.
-3/25: 4:2-4.
-3/26: 4:5-6.
-3/27: 4:7-9.
-3/28: 4:10-11.
-3/29: 4:12-13.
-3/30: 4:14-18.

So, carve out some time to read the whole book in one sitting on March 2nd, and check back here on the blog for a brief post that day and a reminder of the next day's passage.

March through Colossians (the WHY)

* Note: I am doing this primarily for folks at the church where I'm a pastor, but feel free to join in if you'd like.

Many of my ideas come to me while I'm in the shower (what's the deal with that anyway?), and this one is no exception. I'm really excited about this simple idea: I'd like to take the month of March and read through the book of Colossians together. We'll read just a few verses a day, and I'll post something brief each day here on the blog (I'll explain the HOW in another post).

You might ask, Why this idea? And why Colossians? Here are a few reasons:

• As for the idea, I think there are some advantages to having a group of people read through a portion of Scripture at the same time who are in community together (e.g., a cool sense of "we're in this together," the chance to encourage each other in conversation about what we've been learning, allowing the Holy Spirit to work some of these same truths into us at the same time).
• Doing this during the month of March provides some accountability (which none of us are above).
• Doing this during the month of March allows for us to have a clear goal.
• As for doing Colossians, honestly that's just the next book in some New Testament reading I've been doing, and I thought it would be nice to have some fellow readers!

Here's the bottom line reason though. You and I so desperately need to see Jesus Christ for who He actually and objectively is. Not who He is in our subjective and small view of Him, but who He really is. Colossians holds that beautiful picture up for us to see. This book, being the living and active Word of God, can wake us up each day with the good news of who Jesus is, what He has done for us, what He is doing today, and what He will do.

So come revel in the gospel with me during the month of March as we go deep into this book together, and as we let it go deep into us.

How to benefit from the book of Proverbs

Let me suggest a great way to spend 10 minutes of your day sometime soon: go grab your ESV Study Bible (or go buy one if you don't have one yet), and read the "Introduction to Proverbs" section right before the book of Proverbs. I did that today, and I experienced a growth spurt not only in my understanding of the book of Proverbs and how to interpret and apply it, but also in my understanding of the general flow of Scripture and how/where Proverbs fits within the total biblical revelation that centers on Jesus Christ and what He has done for us and in us.

I've been trying the thing where you read 1 chapter in Proverbs and 3 Psalms each day (taking you through Proverbs and Psalms in a month), and it's been enriching so far. I know this isn't the only factor in reading the Bible profitably, but having so much Bible intake has been super helpful.

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." -Proverbs 3:1-3.

If You Are Struggling with Sin...

...remember that Jesus hates sin (and your sin in particular), and if you are in Christ today, He has dealt with it and is dealing with it through the cross and the power of the Spirit at work in you. I came across these words from Charles Spurgeon this morning (Owen consistently and sweetly asks at breakfast if we can read Morning and Evening, a wonderful 365-day devotional by Spurgeon that takes about 3 minutes to read together...I think he likes looking up the date for that morning):

"[Jesus] hates wickedness so much that He bled to wound it to the heart; He died that it might die; He was buried that He might bury it in his tomb; and He rose that He might for ever trample it beneath His feet."

How Should We Think about Good Works?

The gospel teaches us that we are saved by the grace of God, through faith, not because of our good works ("For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." -Eph. 2:8-9). So, as those who have been saved by grace through faith (not good works), how should we now think about good works? Paul answers that question in the very next verse in Ephesians ("For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." -Eph. 2:10).

Matthew Henry gives some good help in his commentary on this verse:

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, &c., v. 10. It appears that all is of grace, because all our spiritual advantages are from God. We are his workmanship; he means in respect of the new creation; not only as men, but as saints. The new man is a new creature; and God is its Creator. It is a new birth, and we are born or begotten of his will. In Christ Jesus, that is, on the account of what he has done and suffered, and by the influence and operation of his blessed Spirit. Unto good works, &c. The apostle having before ascribed this change to divine grace in exclusion of works, lest he should seem thereby to discourage good works, he here observes that though the change is to be ascribed to nothing of that nature (for we are the workmanship of God), yet God, in his new creation, has designed and prepared us for good works: Created unto good works, with a design that we should be fruitful in them. Wherever God by his grace implants good principles, they are intended to be for good works. Which God hath before ordained, that is, decreed and appointed. Or, the words may be read, To which God hath before prepared us, that is, by blessing us with the knowledge of his will, and with the assistance of his Holy Spirit; and by producing such a change in us. That we should walk in them, or glorify God by an exemplary conversation and by our perseverance in holiness."

Prayer Struggles

If any of you struggle with prayer (or maybe you don't but you "have a friend who does"), you might find some help in reading an article by David Powlison called "Praying Beyond the Sick List." Here is a representative excerpt:

"It's hard to learn how to pray - for the sick as well as the healthy. How often do we make intelligent, honest requests for something we need from capable, trustworthy friends? Prayer is a lot like that. But somehow when the making of a request is termed "praying" and the capable party is termed "God," things tend to get tangled. You've seen it, heard it, done it: the contorted syntax, formulaic phrasing, meaningless repetition, 'just reallys,' vague non-requests, artificially pious tone of voice, air of confusion. If you talked to your friends or parents that way they'd think you'd lost your mind. But what if your understanding of prayer changes, and if your practice of prayer then changes? What then? What if the prayer requests you make - and the ones you ask others
to make - change?"

By the way, whenever I've struggled in prayer, I've found that it is usually fruitful for me to ask myself, "Why am I finding it hard to pray right now?" That helps me identify the deeper issue and address it in light of the cross of Christ.

Speaking the Truth in Love

This is a good word that I came across today, from Tim Chester's book You Can Change (here), on how we can point others to Christ when they've sinned (of course, it's true for us too):

“What should you do if others confess their sin to you? Speak the truth
in love. Don’t tell them their sin is understandable or
insignificant. That offers no comfort because it’s a lie. But we can
speak words of comfort because we can speak words of grace. Call them to
repent of their sin and to accept by faith the forgiveness that God
offers. ‘You are guilty, but Christ has borne your guilt. You deserve
God’s judgment, but Christ has borne your judgment.’ This is true
comfort. Embody that forgiveness in your ongoing acceptance and
love. But accept people with God’s agenda for change. Explore, if
you can, the lies and desires that lead to their sinful behavior. Together
you may be able to discern the truth they need to turn to and the idolatrous
desires they need to turn from. Be proactive about offering
accountability. That means asking the right question! Ask them how
they’re getting on; ask them whether they’ve sinned again. Be specific –
ask when, where, why, how often. Above all, point them to the grace and
glory of Christ.”