Colossians 1:1-2

Colossians 1:1-2
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother. To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”

These two verses are the greeting from Paul to the church at Colossae. According to the Matthew Henry Commentary, this epistle was probably written in A.D. 62 around the same time as Philippians and Ephesians, while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. Paul had actually never met the believers in Colossae because the church was started there by Epaphroditus, but he was deeply concerned for them because their faith was an example to the other churches in Eurasia.
Notice in the greeting Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Paul would never have chose to become an apostle, but Christ met him on the road to Damascus and changed his life forever. It was Christ’s will that Paul would become his apostle. Now Paul’s identity is one of an apostle of Jesus Christ. He was an apostle in 2 senses. The broader sense that we Christians are also apostles, someone who believes strongly in Christ and seeks to share him with others. Paul also was an apostle in an more specific sense, as one given authority personally by Christ to establish his church. The second sense of the word is specific to him and the other apostles. The first sense, however, is an identity that we too share with Paul.
It is this sense of an apostle of Christ that I want to apply to my life and my identity. What is my identity in Christ? Is it correctly governed by his will for my life?
Do I see myself as an apostle in the broader sense of the definition? What are characteristics of an apostolic lifestyle:
Vision
A desire to serve others…a servant leader
A willingness to suffer or sacrifice (Phil 3:1-10)
A desire to share Christ with others, verbally and through my lifestyle
A student of scripture
Rejoicing and exulting in Christ above all
Initiator
Moving forward, not being stagnant
Taking risks.
Trusting in God
Boldness
Courage

As you and I think for our lives do we possess these qualities of an apostolic leader?
Sinclair Furgeson, describe apostolic leaders as people who are: “missional…visionary…entrepreneurial…work in teams…culturally relevant.” He goes on to say that this is the type of leader that the church today needs the most. Let’s pray for our own lives to be characterized by this type of leadership.