How many times have you heard “they’re living the good life?” I remember seeing Charlie Brown shows as a kid. Somehow, those simple children’s shows would have the world’s views wrapped up neatly and displayed simply. In one show, Charlie asks his friend, Linus, “Do you ever think much about the future?” Linus replies, “Oh yes, all the time.” Charlie asks, “What do you think you’d like to be when you grow up?” After a moment, Linus replies, “outrageously happy!” Isn’t that the goal for all of us in some way? We hear about those who seem to live as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Most refer to “living the good life” as those who have plenty of money, where luxury is the norm. A place to live where they are at peace with everyone. That is the worldview of living the good life. If their wealth changes, their “good life” will come crashing down around them. However, Paul is teaching us about a good life where circumstances can’t change our outlook.
Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Paul is giving us a recipe for real happiness in Colossians 3:16-17. He could speak of this happiness because he had experienced it. No one can look at Paul and say he didn’t know what he was talking about. He did! He had lived a very difficult life physically. Beaten, jailed, and being threatened were more normal than abnormal. Yet, if you ask him about his inward feeling, he will express complete joy. After all, Paul was the one who wrote the book of Philippians, a book about joy, while he was in jail. He “suffered the loss of all things” and counted it as nothing so he could win Christ.
Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, ”
In Verse 16, we see the purpose of the church. They were to come together to teach and admonish one another. They would do this by singing and preaching the Word. Their worship was not a “go through the motions” type of worship. They were truly worshiping and thanking God for everything.
Remember Mary when she broke open her box of perfume and lavishly poured it on Jesus? There was an aroma to all that was in the room. She was there to worship by giving the most precious thing she had. We should give this way when we worship. Our most valuable assets are bound up in who we are. Our love, our time, our service, and our money should be lavishly poured out on Him. The very core of who we are should be responding to God during worship. It should not matter who is around us; worship is between us and God. When we allow his word to sink in and understand his holiness compared to our wretchedness, we can’t help but fall at His feet.
His word is to dwell in us richly. To be rich in something is to have a lot of it. So, how much of his word is dwelling in you? To dwell means to live in something. The word is supposed to live in us, and we are supposed to live in it! Do you go to church like you take your car to a service station? Empty when you get there and ready for a fill-up, which you hope will last until next week. You might get enough to last until nightfall, but it will not be enough to sustain you and push you forward to the next spiritual level. You will only grow as you prepare for worship in private and as you study his word and pray.
When we are gathering corporately, we are not only teaching the word but also teaching by singing psalms and hymns. Music is a great teacher if it is teaching the right things. You need to examine the music you sing and make sure it is lining up with scripture. “Teach” in this verse refers to communication, doctrine, or biblical precepts. To “admonish” is to give correction or warning. “In all wisdom” refers to being able to apply God’s truth in specific situations.
True worship can only occur when there is biblical truth. God is seeking those who will worship him in spirit and truth. The only way to know him in truth is to know who he is through his revelation of himself in scripture. We must worship him, honoring and understanding the whole counsel of God. Some may choose to worship him as a loving God and discount his holiness and his hatred for sin, but we must worship in all truth. Our worship is to be focused totally on God, and to God. We aren’t to be worship-centered; we’re to be God-centered.
We have an audience of one, and that’s God. When you come to the point in your life where all that matters is honoring and pleasing God you will be “living the good life.”
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