Overview
The goal is to live a Christ-soaked life. Think about it like this: Everything we do, the actions we take, the thoughts we think, the friendships we maintain, the church we attend, the mission drives we support, the way we spend our money, the way we spend our time . . . it needs to be infused, saturated with and in and for Christ.
Think about that phrase: Christ-soaked. The best image is that of a sponge. It holds so much more than its weight. And when you press against it or squeeze it, that which is held on the inside is shared out.
Another way to say it, “Your whole being, from actions to aspirations to attitudes, is saturated with and for Christ.” It’s what Paul means when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ, it’s not I but Christ that lives in me.”
This month, we’ll explore the depth and truth of such a statement by working our way through Colossians. This tiny book is chocked full of heavy-hitting ideas about Christ’s relationship to cosmos to the church to our courage to act. It’s hard to overstate the importance of living a Christ-soaked life. It’s hard to read this little book and think there’s a better way to live. As Christians, we are called to live a Christ-soaked life.
August 1 | Colossians 1:15-20 | The Christ-Soaked Cosmos
Christ is the head of the cosmos and the source of all creation. Christ is at the top of the known universe and everything in time and space bows the will of Christ. These major doctrinal themes introduced to this early church are still around today. Everything in the universe belongs and is a part of Christ.
August 8 | Colossians 2:9-15 | Our Christ-Soaked Baptism
We as humans are buried in sin and shame, yet God makes us alive in Christ. Our baptism mirrors this beautifully. We die to our old ways and old selves and rise again in new life in Christ. As Baptists, our immersion practices make this just an amazing example of what it means to be soaked, through and through, with the love of Christ.
August 15 | Call Weekend with Associate Pastor for Spiritual Growth | Candidate will be preaching. A Business Meeting will occur after each service.
August 22 | Colossians 3:12-17 | The Christ-Soaked Life
Our actions matter. It’s why the author of Colossians includes a list that of how we need to act towards one another, even those we struggle to like. Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” To live a Christ-soaked life is to live out these verses.
August 29 Colossians 4:2-6 - Christ-Soaked Relationships
A Christ-soaked life has a devotion aspect to it that must be nurtured. In Colossians 4:2, we read: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” To truly be Christ-soaked in our actions, aspirations, and attitudes, we need a devotional life that is like a faucet running over a sponge, so when we get bumped up against or challenged or squeezed, that which comes out from the inside is what was poured into us through a life of devotion. This is the best way to live in relationship with others.