Colossians {Day 9}

When I was a student in InterVarsity, I attended their summer month-long School of Leadership Training.  Good stuff.  I wish I could go do it again now, in fact.  I don't know if could share too much specifically about my time there without going back and reading journals, but I do remember one speaker encouraging us to memorize one of the big Jesus passages in John, Colossians, or Hebrews 1.  I recall that I chose Colossians because it was the shortest.  Awesome, I know.  I must have been quite the inspirational leader!

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I give that intro to highlight that we have a lot to learn about Jesus from the chunk of Scripture in which we now find ourselves, Colossians 1:15-19.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 

I wonder what jumped out at you as you read it yesterday, or just now.  Would you share in the comments? What struck me most was the phrase all things were created by Him and for Him.  Jesus is the ultimate celebrity, eh?  I mean, good grief, ALL THINGS created BY and FOR Him?  But I don't want to rush ahead to the end of verse sixteen.  I thought I'd start in verse fifteen, see how far we can get before the blost* gets to long.

In verses 13-14 Paul was reminding the Colossians of the Gospel, as he wrapped up sharing what he's praying for them.  And he changes the pronouns from 'you' to 'us':

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Then he launches into a hymn of praise to the Jesus.  Verse 15:

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Jesus is the image of the God we cannot see.  There's something very special about Him.  I'm sure, if you've been in Christian circles long enough, you've heard people talk about how humans are God's image-bearers. But as we go forward reading this passage, we'll notice that when it says here the Jesus is the image of the invisible God, we're dealing with something far greater than a simple image-bearer like you or like me.  

Jesus makes the invisible God visible to us.

People touched Him, ate with Him, talked with Him, learned from Him, were changed by Him ... ARE changed by Him.  The Bible says there was nothing noteworthy about his physical appearance (Isaiah 53:2.)  Despite that, here, and in other parts of Scripture - John 1, Hebrews 1, and more - we're told how remarkable He was and is.

The firstborn over all creation can be a bit confusing, perhaps leading us to believe that God created Jesus first and then the rest of us.  That is not what is implied, for in the proceeding verses we read that He was present at creation, not a product of it.  The phrase draws attention to Jesus' supreme position.  The New Bible Commentary says it better than I could:

As the firstborn, Christ is unique, being distinguished from all creation (Heb 1:6).  He is both prior to and supreme over that creation since he is Lord.

In verse fifteen, Paul brings into focus Jesus' nature and position.  Let's stop there and take some time to be in awe of Him, and get back into this again tomorrow.

Have a good night!

*For readers who are newer to the blog, I use the word 'blost' for 'blog post', more for how silly it is than for  the fact that it's quicker to type.  :)

Colossians {Day 8}

Wow, the days go by so quickly around here!  Again, the day is over and I don't have time to read or write much if I want to stick to my [new] commitment to get to bed earlier.  We had a great discussion at Community Group tonight about God dwelling with us and how that connects with being able/equipped to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Moving right along, let's give the next part of Colossians 1 a read; it's all about Jesus!

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Maybe over the next twenty-four hours you'd like to meditate on a verse or phrase that particularly stood out to you as you read?  Tomorrow afternoon I plan to get to some study and reading to dig into this more, then I'm sure I'll have life-changing insights to share with you, (ha!)  Well, maybe not, but I do hope we learn something more together!

May God bless you with a good night's rest tonight.

Colossians {Day 7}

10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.   Colossians 1:10-12

Why does Paul pray these things about them living a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way?  So they may have endurance and patience, all the while joyfully giving thanks to Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of life.

Endurance and Patience

Endurance and patience for what?

I'm going to let the Commentaries speak here, because they say it well and my time is limited this evening.  From the New Bible Commentary (InterVarsity Press):

The standards set before the Colossians are high, far higher than those of the false teachers, and it might seem that they could not be achieved.  But this is not the case.  Paul heaps up terms for power and strength to stress that: nothing short of God's almighty pwoer at work within them will enable them to live in a wa that is pelasing to him; his glorious might is more than adequate for the Colossians' needs; and this strength will be given to them day by day as they confront varying situations....  The outworking of his divine power is not in spectacular miracles but is for great endurance and patience, particularly in the face of opposition.  By enduring patiently as they suffer, Christians show that they have their hope set on God.

Endurance and patience to endure whatever suffering or opposition they face, through the strengthening of God's power at work in them, which pleases Him.

Thanksgiving, Giving Thanks

Even in the midst of suffering and difficulty, the Christian, because of what God has done in qualifying them to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of life, can and should give thanks to God.  Again, the New Bible Commentary offers a great exposition:

'Thanksgiving' in Paul's letters refers to a thankful attitude of mind which is expressed outwardly and often publicly. ...  Joyful thanksgiving is an activity Christians should regularly engage in. ... In fact, the regular offering of thanks to the Father is a mark of a true Christian.

As we walk with the Lord, continuing to be strengthened by His power, we are made more aware of our desperate need for Him.  This, in turn, leads to greater thanks.  Every little bit of who we are and what we have, where we've been and where we're going, what we're doing and what we will do, is from the Father's hand.  It is a testimony to God's mercy that anything good comes our way.  Praise Him!

Perhaps in response tonight, you might leave a little note of thanksgiving in the comments.  Let's not neglect this opportunity to do so hastily, for the edification of our Christ siblings and the praise of God's name!

Colossians {Day 6}

Today (read: yesterday) I wanted to get back to these verses that Paul and his companions were praying for the Colossians: 

10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 

Can we live this way?

Paul's overarching prayer is that they may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way.  That's a tall order, knowing what sinners we all are, right?  But Paul offers up that supplication anyway.  Paul prays big.  I believe He prays big because He knows what God can do, how God can change people, how God can work out this kind of life in the people of Colosse!

He follows that up with a trio of ways to do so:

• bearing fruit in every good work
• growing in the knowledge of God
• being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might

Obviously we know we can do none of these things on our own.  We can try, but looking at that list highlights to me the necessity of God entering in.  We can do good works, but they only really bear fruit with God's blessing upon them.  We can grow in the knowledge of God, but only if He reveals Himself to us.  And, finally, we can only be strengthened with all power by the One who is omnipotent and gloriously mighty.

In all these things, we continue to be dependent upon the work of God.  To please Him, we need Him.

Thankfully, He gives us Himself!

As a result, I do believe that we can live this way!  We can because of the kindness and love of God.  We will not always do it perfectly, but we will move forward because He is moving in our lives.

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Yesterday, I was angry and frustrated looking for something that should have been easy to find and we were late getting out of the house to homeschooling group.  In my anger I was picking things up and un-gently (read: forcefully) slamming them down on the table.  One of those things was a butter dish that had belonged to my grandmother.

I broke it.

There was no God-honoring going on in that moment.  I had to apologize to the kids for my crazy, had to repent of my anger, and now have to buy a new butter dish ... and can never use my gramma's again.

How does this tie in?  Well, I think when Paul prays this for the Colossians, he's not expecting them to be perfect and live in some alternative reality where everything is always peaches and cream.  No, I think it's in the day-to-day frustrations, the complex political conversations, the "normal" every day life, and so on, that Paul is praying the Colossians will grow.

Can we live as Paul prays?

Yes, because we're works in progress, moving steadily forward from glory to glory under the banner of grace.

What do you think?  How does this play out in our life?

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Next we'll look at the so that ...that follows Pauls supplications.  Thank you, God, for your Word.

Colossians {Day 5}

I'm not sure I have much in me this evening, but it's a writing day, so here I am.  Tomorrow is the 2012 Presidential Election.  I'm struggling with all of the tension, within and without, that this political season has brought.  And I'm tired because this time change has been a killer around here, resulting in a net loss of sleep over the last couple of days.  Big, dramatic events and reduced sleep are a bad combination for me, leading to strange emotional episodes!

As I washed dishes tonight, I put on a Sara Groves Pandora station and Jeremy Camp's version of Give Me Jesus came on.  It starts: In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.  The lyrics shook me out of my twisted knot of confusion and sorrow about how to best navigate the political climate, and the need I feel to understood and figure everything out.  I will vote tomorrow, according to my conscience.  But God will take care of the details (big and small) of the 2012 election.  He will also be near as I tend to my home and family and tomorrow's activities, the more immediate and common concerns in my life.  I so easily get caught up in wanting to understand everything and be understood (and accepted!)  But in the morning when I rise, first thing, I need Jesus.  I need to start with Him, at His feet, in His presence.  He's the way, the truth, and the life.  I was able to add a leaf to the Thanksgiving Tree that reads: I'm thankful that I have work to do, but God is ultimately in charge and responsible.  Thank.  You.  Lord.

Okay, none of that has anything specifically to do with Colossians.  And yet, as I think about Paul prompting the people to grow in the knowledge of God and His will, surely there is some application here.  Opinions and analyses abound on myriad topics in our society, even things of faith.  Without continuing to grow in our knowledge of God, without the Spirit coming alongside us, giving us spiritual wisdom and understanding, we'll either fall into blindly believing things that are popular in our circles, start making up our own stuff, or get so cynical we give up.  We need to keep getting to know God, the One and Only God who has revealed Himself to us in His Word and through Jesus Christ.

Today at one point I did find myself wondering if it is possible to live a "normal" life with a job, responsibilities, family, friends, and be as passionate and focused on the Gospel as Paul is and as he prays for the Colossians to be.  What do you think?  I feel like my mind and heart are constantly divided or, better said, distracted!  When in worship or having quiet time, I can be so energized and filled-up.  But it is quite challenging to maintain that throughout the rest of the day.

Can I leave you with that tonight?  Given this prayer God prayed for the Colossians:

10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 

Is it possible to live this way?

Is this even the right question to be asking?

Share some thoughts in the comments!

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Sorry this is not more coherent (see paragraph 1!)  I think maybe we'll focus on the above verses tomorrow before we move into the magnificent passage about Jesus in the second half of chapter one in the following days.  Have a good night, and if you're an American, get out there and exercise your freedom to vote tomorrow!!

Colossians {Day 3}

Colossians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 

2 To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5 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, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul begins his letter with encouragement for the Colossian Christians.  He tells them how He thanks God for them (3-8.)  He tells them what He prays God will do for them (9-12.)  He reminds them of the Gospel (13-14.)  He doesn't start by launching into a treatise on how they can avoid being corrupted by false teachers.  Nope.  He first encourages them: tells them he thinks of them, praises God for the work being done in them, and prays that God will do wonderful things in and through them!

But it is of note that he hints at what he is going to get to, regarding the mystical schools of thought and practice in Colosse.  The word truth appears a couple of times in the first paragraph and he prays later that God will fill [them] with knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding (v. 9.)  He then mentions knowledge of God again in verse 10.  He's pointing the Colossians to God as the source and center of the truth of grace, and also reminding them of the importance of growing in knowledge of that very God.  (Side note:  Is it not remarkable that the God of the universe, the Author of creation, has made Himself known to us?  We can get to know the One True God.  Astonishing!  And Hallelujah!!)

I don't believe Paul is in any way trying to manipulate or butter the Colossians up by sharing either his joy and thanksgiving in them or his prayer for them to grow in the faith.  While he might be setting the stage for what he'll talk about later, and therefore hones in a little on truth and knowledge of God, the main reason I don't think he's manipulating them is verses thirteen and fourteen, which lay out the Gospel truth for the first of three times in the first two chapters of the letter.

Paul gives thanks to God when he hears of their faith because he knows God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in who we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul prays to God to sustain their faith and make them pleasing to Himself, because he knows that God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in who we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul was supremely concerned with, driven by, and in awe of the Gospel that had so changed His life.  In I Corinthians 15:3, he says What I received I passed on to you as of first importance, going on then to share the basic gospel truth that Christ died and Christ is risen.  That was of first importance to Paul and is what drove him not only to deal with problems in new churches quickly and boldly, but also drove him to passionately love, care about, and pray for them - even those he'd not personally planted.

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We'll pause there for tonight.  I don't want to go running away from this section without expositing it a little more and getting into some application, so we'll spend a day or two more here in 1:1-14.  I haven't even read the commentaries on this yet, so there will certainly be more to add!  But these comments should give you some things to think about over the next couple of days.  This morning I was praying that as we walk through Colossians the Lord will be so good as to let us see how it intersects with our lives.  I think He'll do that.

Sundays will be blogging Sabbath days, so I'll "see" you again on Monday!  Have a blessed Lord's Day.

Colossians {Day 2}

A Little Background

Entering the world of Biblical commentary is always quite enlightening.  When I read the first verse of Colossians - Paul, and apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother - I trust that means that the book was written by Paul, with Timothy.  But delve into a scholarly commentary, and you find there is disagreement among modern scholars about who wrote Colossians, siting its relationship to Ephesians and the other Pauline writings!  I like being a simpleton Bible-lover, unconcerned with these things, but thought you might be interested to know this as we begin.

Also up for debate is what the "Colossian heresy" against which Paul was warning the Colossians.  The short story?  There seem to be some links to Jewish regulations (especially since the Sabbath is mentioned) but not of the same nature as issues addressed in the letter to the Galatian church (circumcision and all that jazz.)  Thus it has lead scholars to think it was some kind of mystic and ascetic form of Judaism, "for a spiritual elite who were being urged to press on in wisdom and knowledge so as to attain true 'fulness.'"*

Here's where Colosse was, located in modern day Turkey, near the Lycus River.  Scholars agree on this!  :)

credit: http://ebbcolossians.blogspot.com/

While there are alternative thoughts (you surprised?), many believe this letter was written around 60 A.D. during Paul's imprisonment in Rome.  Also, Paul did not evangelize Colosse, Epaphras (who heard the Gospel in Ephesus) did.  (1:7)  It could be that Paul heard of the false teachings threatening the Colossian Christians from Epaphras himself.

My Take

Here's my take on all of the disagreement among scholars.  Their job and goal as scholars is to discern - using their training and access to resources - as best they can, what was really happening, who was really writing, where they were, what time it was in history, and why things were written.  I do not want to dismiss any disagreements lightly, but I also don't want us to get hung up there.  God's Word is living and active.  My main concern as a Christian and as a writer is to delve into how we can connect to God's Word, (specifically this month in the letter to the Colossians) and let it

• introduce us to new things about God

• drive "old" truths home, and 

• challenge and change us as we interact with it.

I look forward to getting into the text with you over the next twenty-eight days!

*New Bible Commentary , IVP   p.1261 ( In addition, I'll be reading F.F. Bruce's commentary on the book.)