Being Saturated with the Gospel

Scripture — Colossians 3:16 (NRSV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

Devotion

In yesterday’s Life for Leaders devotion, I began reflecting on Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” I pointed out that God’s wisdom is given to us not only for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of others. We do this by teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.

I also noted that the order of the sentences in verse 16 suggests that if we are to teach and admonish each other in all wisdom, we must first “Let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly.” The word of Christ, in this case, is the good news of God’s love and grace given through Christ. It’s the fundamental Christian message, what we often call the gospel.

Mixing metaphors, I suggested that in order to teach and admonish in all wisdom, we need to be saturated by the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must allow this good news to flood our minds and hearts, to fill us and shape us.

But how, practically speaking, might this happen? What might you do if you want to be saturated with the gospel?

There are many ways to answer these questions. But in the space remaining in this devotion, I’d like to offer a few thoughts about how, practically speaking, you can be saturated with the gospel, which will enable you to teach and admonish with divine wisdom.

First, if you want to be saturated with the gospel, be sure to read, study, reflect upon, memorize, and put into action the truth of God’s Word in Scripture. It is through the Bible that the gospel is revealed to us, mainly because it is through the Bible that we know Jesus Christ and the grand narrative in which he is the central actor.

Second, if you want to be saturated with the gospel, regularly read the New Testament books known as “gospels.” Here we come to know Jesus, his words and works, his mind and heart. Thus, here we encounter the good news incarnate. Recently, as I was reflecting on the state of my relationship with the Lord, it occurred to me that I needed a fresh, regular encounter with Jesus. So I decided to listen to one chapter of a gospel each morning as part of my daily devotional routine. I started in Matthew and kept going. I’m now well into John’s Gospel. When I get to the final chapter, I’m planning to go back to Matthew and start again. You might find a similar practice to be helpful . . . or not. But, one way or another, let the biblical accounts of Jesus be regularly in your consciousness.

Third, if you want to be saturated with the gospel, be deeply connected to a Christian community that faithfully preaches and practices the good news. Central to that practice is regular sharing in the sacrament of communion. But the gospel comes alive, not just in word and sacrament, but also in other actions of corporate worship, including prayer and song. It’s no accident that, immediately after urging us to teach and admonish each other in all wisdom, Paul adds, “and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God” (3:16).

Fourth, if you want to be saturated with the gospel, seek to live the gospel in every part of your life. Gospel-shaped living isn’t just for church and family. It’s also for workplaces and businesses, neighborhoods and ballfields, community centers and soup kitchens. Of course, you can’t live the gospel in your own strength, so be sure to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit who, among other things, enables the growth of spiritual fruit that reflects the gospel (Gal 5:22-23).

So much more could be said in response to the question of how our minds and hearts can be saturated by the gospel, but I need to wrap up this devotion. I’ll encourage you to think of other ways to answer this question in the following “Reflect” section.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: We Are Called to Serve as Christ’s Ambassadors.