Complete

in

Christ

Our Journey to Spiritual Maturity

By Glen Elliott

Yeomen Press

Box 281

Walton KS 67151

www.yeomenpress.com

Internet sites cited may have changed or been removed. The

author has no control over those changes.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD

BIBLE®,

© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,

1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Used by permission

www.Lockman.org

Copyright © 2014 by Yeomen Press

Box 281

Walton KS 67151

ISBN 978-0-9890872-3-0

Cover design by Jim L. Friesen

Printed in the U.S.A. by Mennonite Press, Newton, Kansas

DEDICATION

To Colleen, the love of my life who, through the years,

has stood by my side warming my heart with her steadfast

devotion, loving affection, and the reverberating echo of her

laughter.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank all the elders under whom it has

been my privilege to minister and all those members with

whom it has been my pleasure to serve the Lord. Your grace

and love have been a great source of encouragement.

But, most of all, I am thankful to the Father in heaven who

graciously extends the free gift of completeness in Christ. To

Him belongs all glory both now and through eternity.

Glen Elliott

Foreword

We frequently hear the phrase “get your act together!” or

“I’m getting my act together!” While such is a noble concept,

there is never a more important area to “get together” than

one’s own spiritual walk.

We live in a world that is in a sad spiritual state. Religious

confusion abounds, churches are hemorrhaging members at

alarming rates and the role God plays in our lives is being

reduced to virtual insignificance. There is a need for a

spiritual revival, a return to the high calling of God and a

reestablishment of the “living hope” that only God can provide

(1 Peter 1:3). The all-important questions are asked in this

book: “Will we accept the challenge and aim for the best that

God has for us in terms of spiritual growth and maturity? Or

will we settle for something less – something comfortable or

convenient?” (p. 69).

Yet one might logically ask: “Where do I begin?” If there is

a genuine desire to return to God, or to strengthen a

weakened relationship with Him, what is that first step?

Fortunately, this book provides the answer.

Glen Elliott takes us on a spiritual journey that will bring

us home – a home in which we are truly “complete in Christ.”

He addresses the logical starting point – Jesus, the Son of

God. He doesn’t pretend that the journey is without pitfalls.

He devotes considerable time to hindrances (chapter 9) and

how to “hold on” (chapter 11). This work is well organized

and easy to follow. It is clearly founded on the Word of God.

Glen establishes his points with clarity and gives the biblical

verses to back up what he is saying. After each chapter he

provides discussion questions that will deepen one’s

understanding of the important principles presented. More

importantly, the questions will encourage us to make

necessary changes in our own spiritual walk. Biblical

references are provided with the questions to make sure our

answers are founded in the inspired word of God.

Glen is wholly qualified to take us on this journey. He has

prepared himself for this task and has devoted his life to

ministry. He has the educational background and the

experience needed to write a book like this. He has

experienced the ups and downs in his own life, and has

helped many people find their way back to God.

Denny Petrillo, Ph.D.

President

Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Picking Up the Pieces ................................. p. 1

Confidence

Concentration

Constancy

Chapter 2 – Getting it Back Together ............................. p. 15

The Right Piece--Christ

The Right Place—in You

The Right Prospect—The Hope of Glory

Chapter 3 – We Proclaim Him: Our Message ............... p. 29

What It Means to Proclaim Jesus

What Proclaiming Christ Does Not Mean

Chapter 4 – We Proclaim Him: Our Method ................. p. 43

We Proclaim Christ Universally

We Must Proclaim Christ Didactically

We Must Proclaim Christ Practically

Chapter 5 – We Proclaim Him: Our Purpose ................ p. 59

The Presentation

The Product

Chapter 6 – We Proclaim Him: Our Work ...................... p. 73

The Greatest Purpose

The Greatest Persistence

The Greatest Power

Chapter 7 – Christ: Our Teacher .................................... p. 87

Direction

Decision

Development

Chapter 8 – Christ: Our Measure of Completeness ..... p. 99

An Ongoing Process

A Worthwhile Objective

An Every Member Responsibility

Chapter 9 – Hindrances to Completeness ..................... p. 117

Past: We Have Died to Sin

Present: We Have Laid Aside the Old Self

Future: Wrath or the Kingdom?

Chapter 10 – Companions of Completeness ................ p. 131

Virtues that Identify Us with Christ

Virtues that Show Appreciation

Virtues that Relate to His Image in Us

Chapter 11– Holding On to Completeness .................... p. 145

The Crowning Virtue

The Compelling Virtue

The Completing Virtue

Chapter 12 – Filled Up and Ready to Go ....................... p. 159

Filled

Filled with Knowledge

Filled to Overflowing

Chapter 13 – A Life Complete in Christ ......................... p. 171

Walk Worthy of the Lord

Please Him in Every Way

Addendum – A Church Complete in Christ .................... p. 199

A Teaching Church

A Working Church

A Growing Church

INTRODUCTION

Drawn to quick fixes, instant results, and painless make-

overs, many have substituted shadow for substance. But

there are no short-cuts to spiritual maturity. The deepest

longing of the soul is met by Christ. In Him we are complete.

Counterfeit Christianity is measured, not only by its departure

from divine truth, but also by its heartless disconnect from

everyday living. Without spiritually mature members, the

church will be largely ineffective in sustaining its mission. The

good news is that we can be complete in Christ even as we

work toward spiritual maturity!

Learn how you may experience the joy of completeness in

Christ. By exploring the message of Paul to the church at

Colossae, discover the true purpose and meaning of living for

Jesus. By examining various aspects of completeness in

Christ, this book will take you closer and closer to Jesus as

you learn to appreciate His greatness and the power of His

word. Each chapter is followed by questions designed for

further study or group discussion.

Drink deeply from the fountain that extols the greatness

of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you in your journey to

completeness in Christ.

Glen Elliott

A TIMELY WORD FROM AN ANCIENT CITY

All that remains of Colossae today is an unexcavated

mound in southwest Turkey. But, at one time, Colossae was a

city of some importance. Located in the beautiful Lycus River

Valley along a major east/west trade route, from Ephesus to

the Euphrates, Colossae was mentioned by Herodotus, the

first secular world historian, as a “great city of Phrygia.”

Cyrus’ famous general Xenophon described Colossae as a city

“well-inhabited, pleasant, and large” (Barnes). However, by

the first century, Strabo described it as a “small town”

(O’Brien xxvi).

There are a number of reasons for the fading away of

Colossae. Perhaps it is best summarized by saying that, with

the rise of its two sister cities in the region, Laodecia and

Heiropolis, Colossae slipped into relative insignificance, and

by 400 A.D., no longer existed as a city (Robertson 3). J.B.

Lightfoot described Colossae as “the least important church

to which any epistle of St. Paul is addressed” (16).

Colossae was located in the Lycus Valley near the head

waters of the Lycus River at a place where the Lycus River at

one time had disappeared into the earth only to re-emerge

about half a mile downstream where it eventually flowed into

the Meander River and then into the Aegean Sea. The site is

surrounded by mountains. Mt. Cadmus several miles to the

south rises some 8,435 feet above the city. Another even

higher mountain rises to the north. The Lycus River brought

great wealth to the tri-city area in that it left behind beautiful

deposits of calcium, calcium phosphate, and limestone.

These deposits were used to produce dye to color the wool of

sheep raised in the area. The name of the city itself,

Colossae, may come from Colossus, perhaps, referring to a

large statue or mineral deposit in the area. Or, it could derive

from Colossinus which describes the purple color used in

dyeing their wool (Olbricht 10).

As wealthy as this region was, it was also volcanic and

prone to earthquakes. In fact, within a few years of receiving

this letter, the region suffered a major earthquake, destroying

the cities. Laodecia refused the help of the State and rebuilt

using its own resources. Perhaps, this sheds a bit of light on

what Jesus said to the church at Laodecia in the latter part of

the first century when He accused them of saying, “I am rich,

and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing…” (Rev.

3:17). Laodecia was a wealthy and politically significant city—

eventually becoming the capital city of the province.

Across the river, about six miles away, was Heiropolis.

This was a religious center and located in the midst of hot

baths of mineral water, the vapors of which were believed to

have healing powers. Both cities were about 12 miles

downstream from Colossae and would have shared similar

circumstances in the first century.

It is possible that the churches of this region were planted

as a result of the missionary work of the apostle Paul in the

city of Ephesus on his third missionary journey. The inspired

record does not mention a stop in Colossae. In fact, many

believe that Colossians 2:1 argues against Paul having done

mission work in Colossae. That verse says, “For I want you to

know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those

who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not

personally seen my face.” Paul’s mode of operation, after

having been put out of the synagogue at Ephesus is described

in Acts 19:10 where we learn that he spoke in the school of

Tyrannus “for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the

word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Ephesus became

an evangelistic center from which congregations were planted

throughout the whole region. Rehearsing his work at Ephesus

to their elders, Paul said, “You yourselves know, from the first

day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole

time…” (Acts 20:18). And then, in verse 31, he adds:

“Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day

for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each

one with tears.” There seems to have been a three-year

period of uninterrupted work in the city of Ephesus.

It is possible that Paul started the work in Colossae.

Describing the beginning of the Third Missionary Journey, Acts

18:23 says he left Antioch “and passed successively through

the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the

disciples.” Although many believe the apostle traveled

through the northern part of Phrygia, some argue that he may

have taken the southern route and, therefore, may have come

through Colossae. However, his activity during this period of

time consisted of “strengthening all the disciples.” There

were Jews from Phrygia in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.

These may have had a part in bringing the gospel back to

their homeland.

However, it is more commonly believed, and for good

reason, that Epaphras brought them the gospel. Paul spoke

of their having “learned” the truth from Epaphras, “our

beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ

on our behalf” (Col. 1:7). It is possible that Epaphras was

converted by Paul in Ephesus and then was sent back home

to preach the gospel. Paul describes him in chapter 4:12 as

“one of your number.” Apparently, his concern for their

spiritual well-being as well as the well-being of those in

Laodicea and Heiropolis (vs. 13), caused him to travel 1,000

miles to Rome where Paul had been imprisoned. He had

informed Paul of their situation and some very real threats

from a particular kind of false teaching that was beginning to

infiltrate the church. Paul sent this letter, along with a letter

to Philemon, with another faithful and beloved brother by the

name of Tychicus who would bring them up to speed about

Paul’s circumstances (Col. 4:7). It is believed to have been

written about 61 to 63 A.D.

The purpose for which the book of Colossians was written

had to do with arming the brethren in Colossae against the

aforementioned error. Normally referred to as the Colossian

Heresy, volumes have been written arguing various theories

about its identity. Some suggest that it is Gnosticism or at

least what would later become full-blown Gnosticism. Others

identify it with some form of Jewish influence, perhaps that of

the Essenes. Still others see some mystical aspects from the

religions of the indigenous people of the region, likely adopted

as a result of teachings that made their way west long ago

from ancient Babylon. Some argue that someone had arrived

with a peculiar admixture of Jewish tradition and Greek

philosophy. It is likely, in my opinion, that this heresy that

threatened Colossae was a mixture of all these things.

Syncretism is “the attempt or tendency to combine or

reconcile differing beliefs, as in philosophy or religion” (The

American Heritage Dictionary). Syncretic religion was

commonly practiced in the world into which Christ came.

Because you worshipped Artemis of the Ephesians did not

mean your devotion to her was exclusive. You might also

worship Apollos or Cybele (regional gods of the Lycus Valley).

Like those in Athens, the inhabitants of the Lycus Valley, were

always looking for the newest idea or philosophy that they

could bring into their expanding system of religious beliefs.

And, because of their geographic location on a major

east/west trade route, they were exposed to a wide-range of

teachings.

Christianity, however, is exclusive. There is “salvation in

no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has

been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts

4:12). Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;

no one comes to the Father but through Me” (Jn. 14:6).

Christians belonged to “the way” not to “a way” (Acts 9:2).

How are we influenced by syncretism? Morals become

relative. “Your” moral system plus “my” moral system

becomes “our” moral system regardless of how different they

might be in their specifics. Situation ethics. The absence of

moral restraint. Anything goes. If it feels good, do it. In

government, syncretism is one world government—espoused

by some as the way to get along. In religion, syncretism is one

world religion—one way is as good as another. Tolerance is

the gospel. Truth is the victim. Jesus said, “You shall know

the truth and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:32). And then,

He prayed, “Your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). Are we as

removed from the religious climate of first century Colossae

as we think?

People today come to Christ from all sorts of

backgrounds. But, when we come to Christ, we must not

bring the world or the teachings of the world with us. In a

word, the answer for the problem in Colossae was “Christ.”

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and

in Him you have been made complete…” (Col. 2:9-10). All we

need is Jesus. He is the answer and we must leave the world

and its philosophies behind as we follow Him.

Glen Elliott

Chapter 1 – Picking Up the Pieces

1

CHAPTER ONE

PICKING UP THE PIECES

How do we effectively develop and nurture the faith of

Christians so as to make them complete in Christ? For years, those

in positions of leadership in the church have struggled to find ways

of helping members reach spiritual maturity. Many congregations

struggle so mightily to hold on to their own members that little

resources are left for evangelistic outreach. What we have

discovered is that spiritual maturity or completeness within the

membership of a congregation is essential to sustained growth.

Completeness in Christ is the subject of Paul’s discussion in

Colossians 1:28-29 where he writes: “We proclaim Him,

admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so

that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose

also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works

within me.” Following the apostle’s example, we must develop an

appreciation for the fact that spiritual maturity or completeness is

found only in Jesus Christ.

We might illustrate what it means to be complete in Christ by

comparing our journey to spiritual maturity to putting together a

puzzle. Imagine a puzzle patterned after the likeness of a beautiful

painting. The picture on the box is breathtaking. So, with a little

encouragement, we make the purchase and bring it home. But,

when we get home and open up the box to pour out its contents on

the kitchen table, we are not nearly as excited as we once might

have been. We are struck by how this disorganized mess has such

little resemblance to the desired potential as illustrated by the

picture on the outside of the box. But, if puzzles came already

assembled, they would not be called puzzles. They would be called

posters or pictures. Be that as it may, some folks are thrilled by the

challenge of putting a puzzle together and then marveling at the

finished product.

When we become Christians, our goal is to be like Jesus in

word, thought, and deed. This might be compared to the beautiful

Complete in Christ - Elliott

2

picture on the outside of the box. But, what we discover is that in

many ways we resemble a pile of disorganized pieces of a puzzle.

All the pieces are there—they just need to be put in the right places.

That is a challenge which must be met through spiritual growth. In

fact, it is a challenge that will occupy the rest of our lives—a

challenge that can only be achieved with the help and guidance of

the Lord. But, when the pieces are properly placed, we begin to

grow more and more into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. And,

to the extent that we resemble His image, we grow in our ability to

encourage one another and lead souls to Jesus—thus contributing

to the fulfillment of God’s mission for His church.

It all sounds quite simple. So, why don’t we all just get busy

and put the puzzle together? Well, it’s really not quite as easy as it

sounds because there are many pieces and only one place for each

piece. Furthermore, the devil is not just going to stand idly by while

we get the pieces of our lives put back together. He’s going to

distract, distort, and discourage every step along the way. But we

must not be “ignorant of his schemes” so that he might not gain

advantage over us (2 Cor. 2:11). The devil will seek to distract us by

drawing our attention away from the work God has called us to do in

cooperating with Him to build our lives after the image of Christ (2

Cor. 3:17-18). The devil will also work at distorting the image we

are seeking to reproduce by adding to or taking away from the

pattern God has given in Christ (Rev. 22:18-19). And finally, the

devil will seek to discourage us by convincing us that our work is in

vain and that our efforts are wasted in the Lord (Gal. 6:9-10). The

net effect is this: while we are trying to put our lives together, the

devil is trying to tear them apart. He is stealing pieces out of the

puzzle and replacing them with pieces that do not belong.

Therefore, we must “be on the alert” for our “adversary, the devil,

prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1

Pet. 5:8). But God says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you”

(Jas. 4:7).

So, what do we need to put this puzzle together? We need

confidence, concentration, and constancy. With these three

essentials in place, we will be prepared to make great strides

toward spiritual maturity.

Chapter 1 – Picking Up the Pieces

3

CONFIDENCE

In a familiar passage related to Christian confidence, the

apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens

me” (Ph. 4:13). These are powerful words—words that should be

repeated over and over again as we search for strength to put

together the broken and fragmented pieces of our lives. If such

confidence calls for anything, it calls for faith in Jesus Christ.

To illustrate our need for faith, imagine that instead of a 1,000

piece puzzle, we are faced with the daunting task of putting

together a 10,000 piece puzzle. Would that affect our level of

confidence? Suppose things were taken a step further and that,

instead of having a picture of what the finished product should look

like, the pieces of our puzzle were all the same color? Surely, that

would have some influence on our level of confidence! But then,

suppose that this 10,000 piece, single-color puzzle was comprised

of pieces that had no recognizable pattern, but that each of the

10,000 pieces were unique, like 10,000 snowflakes falling on a

December morning. What then? How much confidence could we

have in our ability to put it all together? I’m afraid that most of us

would say, “Forget it! I’m not wasting my time trying to put that

puzzle together!” But, what if our lives depended on it? What then?

We simply must come to understand that there are some things

that are humanly impossible no matter how hard we try or how

many hours we put into the task. Putting the pieces of our lives

together is not possible by placing our confidence in human

wisdom. Jeremiah prayed, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not

in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer.

10:23). Solomon observed that “There is a way which seems right to

a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). God's word

reveals that we are not smart enough to put our own lives back

together much less help somebody else put their life in order.

Confidence cannot be based on human wisdom.

Neither should confidence be based on human righteousness.

Such righteousness will not help us put our lives back together.

Every time we sin, we mess up the Master’s design like splotches of

ink spilled on fabric set aside by a seamstress who is planning to

Complete in Christ - Elliott

4

make a new garment. How can such fabric be cleansed so as to

make it suitable for the work of the seamstress? Because of sin, we

are faced with a similar dilemma. Paul identified the reason why

relying on human righteousness is an exercise in futility when he

said, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom.

3:23). It would be foolish to assert otherwise. The apostle John

said that if someone should claim to have no sin, then he or she is

either a liar or self-deceived (1 Jn. 1:8, 10).

One of the clearest examples of the futility of placing our

confidence in human righteousness is found in the story of the Rich

Young Ruler. This young man came to Jesus one day asking,

“Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”

(Mt. 19:16). Jesus asked him if he was keeping the

commandments of the Lord (vss. 17-19). Or, as we might ask, “Do

you have all your pieces in place?” He answered in the affirmative,

saying, “All these things I have kept from my youth” (Lk. 18:21).

Yet, he knew that there was something missing and so he asked,

“…what am I still lacking?” (Mt. 19:20). How sad to discover that,

after we have worked so hard to put all the pieces together, we are

very much like this young man with whom Jesus held this

conversation—that we are still incomplete! This man’s sad state of

affairs began with misplaced confidence in himself. Spiritually

speaking, we simply cannot pull ourselves up by our own

bootstraps. We can never be good enough to get it all together by

ourselves.

Finally, we should observe that putting the pieces of our life

together is not possible by placing our confidence in material

possessions. Paul told Timothy to instruct the rich “not to be

conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches” (1 Tim.

6:17). When someone claims to have it all together, what do they

mean? Does a good job, a beautiful house, a nice car, and

expensive clothing mean that we have all the pieces in place? No,

that’s just the outside. It says nothing about what is on the inside.

These things are temporary, not eternal. So, whether we are talking

about human wisdom, human achievement, or human possession—

we cannot put the pieces of our life back together by placing

confidence in our own strength.

Chapter 1 – Picking Up the Pieces

5

Suppose we go back into the room we described earlier—the

room with the 10,000 piece puzzle. How are we going to have any

confidence that we can get it put together? We don’t know what it

is supposed to look like. We have no idea how the pieces fit

together. So, no matter how hard we work, we will not be able to

make any real progress. But what if a “master puzzle designer”

showed up? What if we found out about his power to put puzzles

together? What if we heard others talk about how he had helped

them put their pieces in place? Would we ask him for help—

especially if our lives depended on it? In such a case, wouldn’t

getting that puzzle together become a matter of faith? Would we

trust this man’s advice? Would we follow his instructions? Of

course we would. Why? Because of our confidence that he knows

what he is doing and our awareness that we do not.

We have something infinitely more complex than 10,000

uniquely shaped pieces of a single-color puzzle to put together.

And, it is not our lives but our souls that hang in the balance.

Without the Lord, we are clueless when it comes to putting our

spiritual lives back together. Like “Humpty Dumpty” in the nursery

rhyme: “All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn’t put

Humpty Dumpty back together again.” Where then is our

confidence that we can put our lives back together? Our confidence

is in the Great Physician who has proven, over and over again, that

He has the power to put lives back together? “It is no secret what

God can do; what He’s done for others, He’ll do for you” (Hamblen).

It really is a matter of faith. Paul said, “…we walk by faith, not by

sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). So, where is our confidence? Our confidence is

in Christ so that, with Paul, we may say, “I can do all things through

Him who strengthens me” (Ph. 4:13).

CONCENTRATION

Along with confidence, a second essential we must have in

order to develop spiritual maturity is concentration. Rather than

focusing on the things in which he had formerly boasted, Paul said,

“I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid

hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having

Complete in Christ - Elliott

6

laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and

reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for

the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Ph. 3:12-14). If

there is one thing we can say about the apostle Paul, it is that he

was focused. He had the ability to concentrate on what he was

doing and where he was going. Is it any wonder why Paul was

arguably the most successful and influential Christian missionary in

the history of the world?

The reason so many are making little or no progress in putting

their lives back together is that they are not concentrating properly

or are concentrating on the wrong things. Too many Christians

exhibit characteristics of what we might call Spiritual Attention

Deficit Disorder. Can you imagine the success we might have

putting any puzzle together if we were distracted, first by one thing

and then by another? Our self-talk might go something like this: “I

need to get a glass of water…You know, I’m a little hungry, so I think

I’ll go into the kitchen and make myself a little sandwich….Wait just

a minute! I don’t want to miss that ballgame. I better turn on the TV

so I can watch it while I work on this puzzle…Oh, I need to check the

thermostat—it seems a little hot in here…I almost forgot, I better go

make that telephone call…If I don’t do it now, it may be next week

before I can get the lawn mowed…And, what about the fertilizer? I

sure need to get it down before it rains…Now, what was I supposed

to be doing?”

Very little meaningful progress is made toward spiritual maturity

without concentration. Whereas confidence requires faith in Christ,

concentration requires focus on Christ. Paul said, “let us run with

endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him

endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the

right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2). We must fix our eyes

on Jesus and concentrate on Him. This is how Paul succeeded in

his ministry. He said, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”

(Ph. 1:21). Writing to the Corinthian church, he said, “…I

determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and

Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Oh, that we might concentrate on Jesus!

Chapter 1 – Picking Up the Pieces

7

We could save ourselves a lot of pain and heartache if we could

just keep our focus on Jesus. In our English New Testament, anxiety

or worry is often taken from a word that literally means to be drawn

in two directions. W.E. Vine goes on to include distraction in his list

of possible translations (89). Anxiety is the result of losing our

focus. James spoke of the double-minded man, unstable in all his

ways, who “ought not to expect to receive anything from the Lord”

(Jas. 1:7). God requires a focused faith. Lack of focus is what

caused Peter to sink in the troubled sea. At the invitation of the

Lord, Peter climbed out of the boat and began to walk to Jesus on

the surface of the water (Mt. 14:29). But, when he was distracted

by the wind, “he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried

out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Mt. 14:39). It was Peter’s lack of focus—

allowing himself to be distracted—that caused him to lose faith and

become overwhelmed by fear.

We, too, must keep our concentration focused on Jesus. Like a

laser-guided missile locked on its target, we need to be focused on

Jesus. Paul said, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ,

keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right

hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things

that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with

Christ in God. When Christ who is our life, is revealed, then you also

will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4). That is focus. In a

discussion regarding things that distract us to worry and anxiety,

Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and

all these things will be added to you” (Mt. 6:33).

While confidence has to do with trust in the One who alone is

able to give us the strength to pick up the pieces and put it all

together in Christ; concentration has to do with being able to focus

on the One who must be our number one priority—the goal that we

are trying to achieve in putting it all together in the first place.

In putting a puzzle together, where do we start? Most of us

start with what is easiest—the outside edge of the puzzle. These

pieces are easy to identify because they all have at least one

straight edge. Imagine visiting someone with a reputation of being

obsessed with puzzles. Arriving at his home, we discover that he

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has a huge metal building in back of his house dedicated to his

hobby. Invited to take a look, we enter the building to find that

there are many tables set up throughout the building. On each of

these tables is a puzzle—puzzles of all kinds, beautiful puzzles

scattered throughout the building. But, making our way through the

building, we begin to notice that the only thing that has been done

to any of these puzzles is that the outside edges have been put

together. The rest of each puzzle is just lying there, piled up in the

center of the table. What kind of person obsesses about puzzles

and then only finishes the outside edges? Puzzles which might

have been beautiful works of art hardly resemble the picture on the

box. Our disappointment is pronounced in that this so called

“expert” has done only that which was easy.

Here’s the point we need to grasp: while we may begin ordinary

puzzles from the outside edges and work in—this is not the way we

put together the spiritual puzzle of our life. Picking up the pieces of

our life and building a likeness of Jesus in our soul begins on the

inside. Our concentration is on Jesus who is meant to be the center

and focal point of our life. And, as we keep our focus on Him, all the

other pieces of our life begin to fall into their rightful place.

Misplaced priorities keep us from being complete in Christ.

They distract us from the One who is to be our true focus. They

cause us to be merely shells of what we ought to be and, as a result,

when people look at us, they cannot see Jesus at all because we

have merely put together the outside edge. We have done only that

which was easiest. People are looking for Jesus in us. Let’s not

disappoint them. Remember that Jesus is in the middle—in the

center of the puzzle. That is where we need to be concentrating our

efforts. The outside edge is important; but not to the neglect of the

weightier matters of the heart. We must keep our concentration on

Jesus.

CONSTANCY

Finally, in addition to confidence and concentration, we must

also possess constancy if we are to pick up the pieces and put

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together the puzzle of our lives. As the Hebrew writer addressed the

hardships and perils that faced his readers, he also emphasized the

reward, saying, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you

have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised”

(Heb. 10:36). Oh, how we need to be constant! Jesus commanded

His disciples to be “faithful until death” (Rev. 2:10). Paul

admonishes us to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in

the work of the Lord…” (1 Cor. 15:58). Constancy is a rare but

sorely-needed virtue.

When we think about being complete in Christ—taking that

journey to spiritual maturity—it sounds like a long-term project. We

cannot just take a couple of classes or listen to a series of sermons

and be done with it. It is a lifetime pursuit that we never fully

complete this side of heaven. In this a paradox is encountered in as

much as there is also a sense in which every Christian who is

walking in the light (1 Jn. 1:7) and standing in the grace of God

(Rom. 5:1) is complete in Christ (Col. 1:28). However, every

Christian who is walking in the light and standing in the grace of God

will also be growing into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3:18; 1

Pet. 2:1-3; 3:18). So, there must be a sense in which we are

complete even while we are growing—even though we are in many

ways quite incomplete although walking in the light and standing in

the grace of God. Perhaps, that is why the Bible attributes our

completeness to being in Christ Jesus (Col. 1:28). So, it seems that,

while we are growing toward spiritual maturity, there is still much we

lack; but, by the grace of God we are yet complete in Christ and

justified by His blood. It is precisely when we stop growing as

Christians that we step out of the light and away from Him who

alone puts all the pieces in the right places.

Keeping all this in mind, remember that there is also a practical

level of spiritual maturity that is measured by the decisions we

make and the things we are able to do with the help of the Lord.

“By reason of time,” the Hebrew author said, “you ought to be

teachers” (Heb. 5:12). In other words, they ought to have

developed spiritually to the point where they could teach others.

However, they were still babes in Christ and in need of someone to

feed them the milk of the word. They had not practiced the things

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they had learned and, as a result, were stunted in their spiritual

growth. This practical maturity will be the subject under discussion

in the chapters that follow in this book.

At one time or another, most of us have felt stuck in our

spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is not something that can be

forced or coerced. We do not know why God’s word germinates and

grows in one heart and dies in another. Jesus said, “The kingdom of

God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed

at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how,

he himself does not know” (Mk. 4:26-27). Perhaps, it is best to give

up on speculation and second-guessing. Paul said, “I planted,

Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6).

While there are many things we do not understand about what it

takes to get someone to grow to spiritual maturity, there are some

things we do know. For example, we do know that repentance

opens the door to God’s blessing (Acts 3:19). We also know that a

study of God’s word followed by a commitment to practice its

teachings is another avenue to spiritual growth (Jas. 1:25). Finally,

we must not forget the contribution that prayer makes toward

spiritual advancement (Lk. 17:5).

It’s not hard to imagine someone getting stuck while putting a

puzzle together. Nothing seems to fit where it is placed. Finally,

after repeated failure a sharp knife is used to make pieces fit into

places where they do not belong. Likewise, there may be times

when we feel frustrated or discouraged about our own spiritual

growth. It is then that we must keep working God’s plan instead of

trying to force our own. Constancy relates to patience and patience

is what we need in all aspects of the Lord’s work. This is reflected in

Paul's statement to the Colossians: “We proclaim Him, admonishing

every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may

present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor,

striving according to His power, which mightily works within me”

(Col. 1:28-29).

In a world that is broken and bleeding, what a blessing it is to

be complete in Christ! Our confidence is in Christ. Our

concentration is on Christ. And, our constancy is with Christ.

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The story of the Rich Young Ruler illustrates the fact that,

sometimes, we have to give up something in order to be complete.

He needed to give up his love for his material possessions.

Because he was unwilling to do so, he went away sorrowful still

missing life's greatest possession. Christ alone is the piece that fills

our hearts and makes us whole. He is the One “…who fills all in all”

(Eph. 1:23). As the song says, “Bring Christ your broken life…He will

create anew…Make whole again!” (Chisholm 911). Satan offers

some attractive pieces that he would like to deceive us into

accepting as the pieces that will make us complete. But, all he has

to offer is “…the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the

boastful pride of life” (1 Jn. 2:15-17). Satan is a liar and the father

of lies (Jn. 8:44). We must let go of our pride and our sin and make

room for Jesus alone as the Lord of our lives. He alone can put our

lives back together and make us truly complete.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What are some things Satan can do to make our journey to

spiritual maturity more difficult? (Mt. 7:15; Mk. 4:15; 2 Cor. 4:4;

11:3; Eph. 6:11; 1 Jn. 2:15-17).

2. How can accepting what we cannot do help us find confidence

in the future? (Jer. 10:23; Is. 64:6; Lk. 12:15 cf. Rom. 5:6;

8:32; Ph. 4:13).

3. How can we overcome “Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder”?

(Prov. 4:25-27; Col. 3:1-4; Heb. 12:1-2).

4. Why is it so important to build our lives from the inside-out?

(Prov. 4:23; Mt. 12:35; 15:19; Rom. 8:9).

5. How can we be “complete in Christ” in the present if we are

expected to continue growing spiritually? (Col. 1:28 cf. 1 Pet.

3:18).

6. What are some practical steps we can take in the direction of

spiritual growth? (1 Pet. 2:1-2; 3:10-12; Jas. 1:19-22).

7. What are some things which must be given up in order to be

made complete? (Mt. 16:24-26; Rom. 13:14; Jas. 4:6-10).

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WORKS CITED

Chisholm, T.O. “Bring Christ Your Broken Life.” Songs of Faith and

Praise. Comp. and Ed. by Alton H. Howard. West Monroe, LA:

Howard Publishing Co., Inc., 1994.

Hamblen, Carl Stuart. “It Is No Secret.” New York, 1950.

W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, William White, Jr. Vine’s Complete

Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.

Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1984.