Fruitful Word

Colossians 1:5-7 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf.
 
HAVE you “heard about the word of truth”? In other words, have you heard and do you believe that in his grace, God sent Jesus to the cross to redeem your sins? You demonstrate to the world you have heard this good news “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
    If this is true for you, then the Word of God bears the fruit of your salvation, doesn’t it? Many people in the world today confess and believe. We rejoice God’s Word has become very fruitful throughout mankind since the first century. From the planting work of the apostles whom Jesus commissioned, to Paul, who Jesus transformed, gospel seeds have been planted around the world to grow in the believers’ fertile soil.
    From those “firstfruits” – the first Christians – came more fruit of Christ’s grace in the early churches. Faithful, Spirit-empowered disciples from generation to generation lovingly planted the gospel seed. The good news sprang up to grow in you and all others now born again in Christ. It is said that every day in the world an estimated 82,000 people confess their sins and believe in the resurrected Lord! Christ’s church is alive. Fruit is harvested. New seeds are planted. The kingdom vineyard is preparing billions for eternity.
    How wonderful you know in your heart “the hope that is stored up for you in heaven”. Are you a gospel seed planter? Are you nurturing soil? Are you watering the seed with love, joy, peace and forgiveness? How can you help the gospel grow in your family and neighborhood, in your state and nation and perhaps even the world?  Will you be as “Epaphras, a dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf”?
 
Life Thought: Pray the gospel will bear fruit in your neighbors, friends and family who need the good news.