Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
Having been raised in the church by parents who required my faithful attendance, I have been subjected to well over 2,000 sermons and 1,000 Sunday School lessons in my roughly 40 years of consciousness. This does not even include the thousands of hours of preaching I’ve seen and heard on TV, radio, audio tape (that was before CD’s) and the internet. And yet, after having been flooded by a veritable tsunami of instruction, I’m having a hard time recalling much. Even the most well crafted and convicting of messages have grown a bit foggy over the years.
Though it is good to listen and indeed it is absolutely necessary for me to hear the Gospel again and again (for faith comes by hearing - Romans 10:17), I have found that hearing alone is not enough to get the Word of Christ to dwell in me richly. That is, the Gospel must penetrate my heart and radically transform the way that I think and function in this world. But if thousands of hours of teaching can’t get the word in my heart, what can?
What is impossible for man is possible for God! (matt) This penetration of the heart is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who wields the sword of God’s Word which can divide even soul and spirit. Only the Spirit can open our ears and eyes to truly hear and see the glory of the Son of God. Let us not think for a moment that our efforts are the determining factor. This is why it is fitting for us to pray fervently the Spirit would take His Word and have His way in our hearts. (See Ephesians 3:14-19)
But now look again at Colossians 3:18 above. Though the Spirit alone moves the Word deep into our hearts, yet He does not do this without us. He does it through us. This is why Paul gives the Christian a few simple things to do to make this possible. The Word of Christ dwells in us richly not just as we sit and listen to the Word, but even more as we teach, admonish and sing the word to one another. This is revolutionary. The way we get this word into our hearts is by opening our mouths.
This should not surprise us. I don’t remember much of the sermons that I heard, but I can still recall most of the songs and hymns I sang. And which bible lessons do I know best? Why those that I’ve had to teach and share with others. In His infinite wisdom, God has ordained that the Word of Christ will not dwell richly in our hearts until we share it with others. These treasures do not become our own until we give them away. Why? So that we grow up together into Christ as we speak the truth to one another in love. (Eph. 4:15)
There is so much more that could be said about this, but for now, let’s put this into practice. If you want the Good News of Christ to move from your head to your heart, then get together. Read, talk and even sing of the “Amazing Grace” of Christ brought to us through that “Old Rugged Cross.”