Sacrifice

Col 1:24-25 -- I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.

Often there are times when I read two verses that are next to each other and wonder why God pushed the person to write them in that order.

Why next to each other?

What do they have to do with each other?

Paul quotes something similar in his second letter to Timothy, who is actually helping him write this letter to the Colossians, in the second chapter:

"If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him."

This is the entire message of the gospel, which is even included in the third chapter of Paul's second correspondence to Timothy that anybody who even holds the desire to live a godly life will be persecuted.

"So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me."

Paul counted it such a blessing to be persecuted in the trips he took. The partial message is everlasting life. The "entire message" includes a persecution and hatred from the world that clearly Paul was overjoyed to possess.

Living to die? Dying to live?

"For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die." Phil 1:20

It's an amazing accomplishment to know that in someone's death, they can actually make as much of an impact if not more than when they were alive. Since his death, Michael Jackson has sold over 2 BILLION albums. If he's really still alive, this was the greatest hoax the world has ever seen. Much like if Christ is really did, that would be an even larger hoax. Paul says that even in his own death, the life he had led would bring honor to Christ. Can we honestly say that about ourselves?

"For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live."

After losing a good amount of the mentors I would consider most noble and respectable already in life, I can honestly say your life can shine bright. However, your death can shine brighter. Sadly, nobody remembers the charitable, kind, good spirited man who picks a fight with the wrong person. Then again, people often remember those young in their pursuit towards caring for the world who leave us when we're not ready.

The difference is is the consistency. Paul hits the nail on the head and hopefully reminds us to keep hammering away when he says, "I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die."

Keep hammering away, just as you have. And expect, and hope that you never have a sore thumb.

My mommy said never talk to strangers..

Here are some of the dumbest questions in the world:

What Pokemon are you? Could you survive a Zombie infection? Are you a potato? How asian are you? How fat will you be in 20 years? How many seconds will you last in a fight against Chuck Norris? What Crayon Color are you? What kind of librarian are you? Are you a mac or a PC? Which Hogwarts teacher are you?

That's right. Facebook quizzes. EVERYBODY hates them. If you don't, I probably blocked 99% of what you put on my minifeed. Not because I don't love you, but because these quizzes should be fairly easy!

Are you a potato? No! You have fingers to click on this quiz, potatoes don't have fingers!

How asian are you? "I'm asian." You are asian!

What kind of librarian are you? "I'm a janitor" The not-librarian kind of librarian!!!

By no means am I about to go on to say "If you fill out facebook quizzes you don't love Jesus." It's a non-necessary social networking cite. I have the log in my eye too, don't worry.

However, the massive amounts of quizzes does lead me to believe that we're quickly forgetting who we are. Ephesians 2 says: So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself." (verse 19-20)

Some of you have that feeling of not feeling like you belong, even with your own family. I'm sure there are people out there who do take facebook quizzes just to feel like they're as famous as their favorite celebrity/pokemon/zombie (I'm finding research that says they're all the same). Or when they're in a relationship they know is wrong, that facebook says they are loved and will be together forever. It's rough to see that quiz pop up and then see them break up a week later (sorry if you're one of those).

Why don't we just stand content in ourselves, as Paul says earlier in the chapter, "For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus". That's a family I'm very comfortable to be a part of.

"Servant"?

If anybody would know a lot about being changed up and serving someone, my guess would be the Apostle Paul. On numerous house arrests or imprisonments, the guy knows what it's like to "serve".

He also knows a thing or two about being incredibly blunt. In the first chapter of Galatians, Paul comes right out and says "If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed" (Verse 9)

It's hard to love different people when that's supposed to be your response. If they teach something different, may they be cursed. What I would say is the most important part of this chapter and what I would argue that entire letter to Galatia is the rationale he gives subsequent to this.

"Obviously I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant"

Who are you really trying to please? Are you trying to please your friends by drinking yourself to a point where you think you're a cooler person to be around? Are you trying to please people by using the kind of language that (as my father would say) is "Unintelligent and a poor vocabulary"?

Or you are you trying to serve the one person that served you through life and death by dying to yourself, and truly living?

Being a servant doesn't seem so bad.