Designed for a Purpose (Colossians 1:24-28)

This sermon centers on Paul’s words in Colossians 1:28, where he says that he proclaims, admonishes, and teaches so that he may “present every man complete” in Christ. The key word behind “complete” is the Greek *teleos*, which carries the idea of something fulfilling its intended purpose or function. God did not create us simply to check off a list of religious activities. We were created **on purpose and for a purpose**—to know God, love God, become like Him in our character and actions, and have fellowship with Him. Christian maturity, then, means becoming the people God designed us to be. One of the major ideas of the sermon is that **maturity requires being well-rounded**. A car that can go incredibly fast but cannot turn or go in reverse would not be a very useful car. Likewise, a Christian can become very focused on one aspect of faith while neglecting other equally important aspects. Scripture gives us a full and balanced picture of what it means to follow Christ. This applies even to how we understand Scripture. The Bible describes God’s Word as a **sword, mirror, seed, food, lamp, light, fire, and hammer**, among other images. Each metaphor tells us something true, but none of them tells us everything. If we focus exclusively on one image or one theological emphasis, we can unintentionally oversimplify something that is much richer and deeper. The same principle applies to our **attitudes and character**. Biblical virtues such as meekness cannot always be reduced to one simple quality. Meekness is not weakness, but neither is it aggression; it involves the appropriate balance of strength and restraint. Christian maturity means developing the whole character God calls us to have rather than becoming known for just one particular virtue or emphasis. Colossians 1:9-12 provides a picture of this well-rounded Christian life. Paul prays that the Colossians will have **knowledge and spiritual wisdom**, but that knowledge is meant to lead somewhere: to a life that pleases God, bears fruit, does good for others, grows in knowledge, remains steadfast, demonstrates patience, and gives thanks. Knowledge, behavior, service, endurance, and gratitude are not competing parts of Christianity—they belong together. Paul continues this theme in Colossians 2. Christians are to be **encouraged and knit together in love**, while also growing in understanding and knowledge so that they are not misled by persuasive arguments or empty philosophies. Christ must remain at the center because “in him all the fullness of deity dwells.” We are to be rooted and grounded in Him. Ultimately, Christian maturity means bringing all of these things together: **knowledge, wisdom, self-control, meekness, compassion, empathy, truth, prayer, service, sacrifice, and faithful character**. None of these should be isolated from the others. They are all part of becoming the person God created us to be. The sermon closes by reminding us that this is a continual process. We are always striving toward *teleos*—toward maturity and toward fulfilling God’s purpose for us. For those who are not Christians, the invitation is to begin that journey through Christ. For Christians, the invitation is to keep growing, seek strength and encouragement when needed, and return to God when we have wandered. The gospel gives us hope because, although we fail to live perfectly according to God’s standard, Jesus lived perfectly, died in our place, and made a way for us to be reconciled to God. *God isn’t calling us to be Christians who are really good at just one thing. He is calling us to become whole, mature, well-rounded people who increasingly look like the people He created us to be.* This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hoovercoc.substack.com