Foundations: Empowered

Join us as we take a closer look at each building block of FHC’s Mission Statement using the book of Colossians as our lens:

“To be a relationally driven community that seeks to encounter God, empower Christ-centred lives, and faithfully serve others"

Scripture: Colossians 2:16-23

Is life too complicated right now? Maybe you feel like you just don’t have the time or energy to add on the confusion of going to church on top of everything else you have going on. This is especially true when we see faith as this messy thing that we’re not sure what to do with or what is required of us. This is the pressure that faced the Colossian church as they were feeling the judgement and shame of a faith that felt heavier than it should have. Rather than being a force for freedom in their lives, their faith was being weighed down by various forms of legalism and mysticism that led to rules such as “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”. Perhaps you’ve heard similar things in church before. In the words of Paul, these weights only made them feel “judged” and “disqualified” and this is one of the ways we can tell whether what we’re hearing is truly from the heart of God or something that is man-made. In the words of Jesus, the burden on every believer should be “easy” and “light” (Matthew 11:30). And while this doesn’t mean an “easy” life that is without troubles or pain, it does mean that the freedom Jesus purchased on the cross is free once and for all once we enter into a relationship with him. Therefore, if we consider what it means for us to embrace faith and the life God has called us to live, it should be as simple as us reminding ourselves, “I am loved and accepted because Jesus did everything for me. My salvation is secure in him and I do not need to feel the shame of what I ‘handle’, ‘taste’, or ‘touch’.” In sum, what this means for us is that because of the work of Jesus, what was once a “I have to, or else” becomes a “I get to, because”.

Study Questions:

1.) In what ways have you heard the words “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch” in your own journey?

2.) How have you complicated your faith in the past?

3.) Who in your life do you feel needs to be reintroduced to an “uncomplicated” view of church?