We live in a world where we will meet people who are spoilers; people who make simple things difficult; people who intentionally give us bad advice; people who pretend to be friends but stab us in the back; and who sow confusion into our lives. Spoilers are a dangerous distraction, and we have to watch out for them.
The church in the city of Colossae in Turkey, the Colossian church, was a small Church with nice people. The church was started by a Colossian named Epaphras – a caring loving gentleman. The peace of this church was broken when spoilers joined them; instead of teaching about Jesus, some of the spoilers were teaching the people to follow Jewish culture, while other spoilers were teaching magical mysticism.
Epaphras took this problem to Apostle Paul in Rome, Italy; in response Paul wrote this beautiful amazing letter to the Colossians. Whenever I read the New Living Translation (NLT) version of Colossians (freely available on the internet), I am blown away by the power and majesty of Jesus explained in Chapters 1 and 2.
Paul says in Colossians 2:6-8 (NLT): And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
Paul is counselling the Colossians against listening to spoilers when he says: “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding [mystical] nonsense“. What matters is to “let your roots grow down into Jesus” and “let your lives be built on Jesus” so that “your faith will grow strong”.
Lord, help us to see the power and majesty of Jesus Christ, so that our faith will grow deep and strong, Amen!
