The Gospel Truth

Read Colossians 1:1-8

I don't know about you but I love reading the New Testament epistles.  I think it's because we know some things about Paul's life and we can relate really well with him.  Paul was a man of accomplishment.  A quick read of Acts tells us he was zealous man of faith, always putting forth 100% effort.  However, we learn in Acts 9 that Paul's life takes a turn.  He receives instructions from the Lord and from that moment on his life took a new focus; he received a message, the gospel truth and it was now his life purpose to go and tell the good news of Jesus.  The work of Jesus and not the work of man.

So when we read the epistles like Colossians 1:1-8 it's important, always important, for all of us to remember the foundation of our faith - the gospel.  In his letter to the Colossians Paul speaks impressively of the Colossians faith and how "all over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing" among this group of Christ followers.

Listen, the gospel is the message of Jesus, the message the Colossians first heard about and understood the grace of God in all its truth.  And where did they learn it?  They learned it from Epaphras, a dear fellow servant of Paul and Timothy.  This is so important because just as the Colossian church needed to hear the gospel truth from Epaphras, people we know need to hear the gospel message from us.

Pray that God will afford you opportunity after opportunity to communicate the good news about Jesus.  His life, death, burial and resurrection.  And may the hope of His life give your life joy this week.  Make every effort to share this good news - my suspicion is all of us who are believers in Jesus can think of someone with a name we recall who first shared their faith with us and helped us understand the grace of God.  May the good news, the gospel truth, be shared by us to a world that so desperately needs to know the love of God that's only found in His Son, Jesus Christ.