Day 89 — Christ at the Center of Maturity

Day 89 · Helping Others Follow Christ · Colossians 1:24-29 (NET2)

Paul serves the church through suffering and the proclamation of Christ. His afflictions do not complete an insufficient atonement; Christ’s saving work is sufficient. Paul bears the cost of bringing that message to others. His goal is maturity in Christ, pursued through wise teaching and warning with God’s power at work in him. The focus stays on Christ, not on the teacher’s importance.

Request

Father, keep Christ at the center of how I help others grow. Amen.

Read

Colossians 1:24-29

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body—for the sake of his body, the church—what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. ²⁵ I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God, ²⁶ that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints. ²⁷ God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. ²⁹ Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.

Scripture: NET Bible, Second Edition (NET2).

Reflect

1. What does Paul proclaim, what is his goal, and where does his strength come from?
2. How could you help someone move toward maturity without making them dependent on you?

Restate

Summarize the relationship between proclaiming Christ, teaching wisely, and depending on his power.

Respond

Let the passage guide your prayer. Use these prompts in your own words:

• Praise: Praise Christ, the hope of glory.
• Thanksgiving: Thank him for his sufficient saving work.
• Confession: Confess seeking importance through helping others.
• Intercession: Pray for someone you hope to see mature in Christ.
• Petition: Ask for wisdom and strength supplied by him.

Carry it into today: Pray for one person’s growth in Christ and offer one appropriate encouragement.