Magnifying Christ: The Power of Intentional Actions in Sunday Services

Photo by Skull Kat on Unsplash

Why do we go to church on Sunday’s? What happens when we gather with other believers
each Sunday? Colossians 3:16-17 gives us a description (and reminder) of what we should strive for as we meet each Sunday. It says:

Initially, we see this command to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. What is the “word of Christ?” It is both the message he proclaimed and the message that is centered on him. It is the gospel to which we cling and that we seek to make known in and through our lives. We are to let this gospel message dwell in us richly and we do this through teaching, admonishing, and singing.

Together, teaching and admonishing include instruction and direction but also warning and rebuking. In verse 16, there is a key phrase attached to teaching and admonishing that says, “in all wisdom.” I think this is the key phrase here because it implies that we cannot teach and admonish by our own power. We must depend on God’s Spirit to direct and lead us to wisdom, not only so we can understand the gospel more clearly, but also so we can articulate it well to others. I should also mention the plural “you” in Greek means this is something every believer should take part in. Every Christian has a part to play.

Also, I am continually amazed by the fact that one of the ways we let the gospel dwell richly in us is through singing. Just as we don’t take teaching lightly in the church, I want to mention we shouldn’t take singing lightly either. So often, the songs we sing and the theology we express through song is what sticks in our minds and hearts throughout the week. How often do you randomly remember song lyrics you haven’t heard in years? Music sticks with us and it is important to consider what fills our minds through song. In verse 16, Paul says we are to sing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” meaning that our songs should be saturated with Scripture.
Finally, verse 17 says we are to glorify God with all that we do. It is important to do things well, but most importantly, remember that we serve an audience of One. This is a huge encouragement because it shifts my focus from simply trying to do well to doing well so that Christ may be displayed, and thankfulness might fill my heart and the hearts of our congregation. As Christians, we are called to do things well so that, through our work, we can show people who Christ is and magnify him with everything we have. Remember that as you go through your week.