Built on Jesus—Day 27 of the Men’s Swagger Challenge

Joe Wittwer | June 16, 2012

Scripture: 1 Kings 17-19, Colossians 2

            Colossians 2:6-7 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.  … (NLT)

            Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him… (NIV)

 

Observation/application

            Jesus is supreme!  In this letter, Paul talks about Jesus in the loftiest terms.  In chapter 2, Jesus is the mystery of God, the storehouse of wisdom and knowledge, the fullness of God in a human body, the reality (of which the OT is but the shadow), and the head of the body, the church.  Jesus cut away our sinful nature, raised us to new life, forgave all our sins, and disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities.  It’s all about Jesus.

            In these two verses, Paul says simply that we must continue to live in Jesus.  He uses two metaphors: a tree (rooted) and a building (founded).  Like a tree, we are to sink our roots into Jesus; like a building, we are to build upon the foundation that is Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 3:11).  Our lives are built on Jesus—nothing else, nothing less.  Any other foundation will fail.

           

Prayer: Lord, I want to be a Jesus-person through and through.  I want to live in you, and build my life upon you…nothing else, nothing less.