Peace through the cross And through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:20 It was indeed a joy to read Colossians 1:1-20. As so often happens, our challenges and questions dont seem too far removed from those of the original recipients of this letter. The author praises them for their faith and love. He encourages them by recognizing the fruit they are bearing. (We would benefit from such praise ourselves.) The writer assures them he is praying for them to continue to be filled with the knowledge of Gods will, spiritual wisdom and understanding. He prays that they will be strong and endure with patience. (That’s a big one for me!) He claims that they (and he) have been transferred into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. It seems to me that we are doing the same, trying to live within Gods kingdom by living lives that are worthy of the effort. Verses 19 and 20 are quite a theological statement: “All the fullness of God” dwells in Jesus and through him all things on earth and in heaven are reconciled. That seems pretty straightforward, if a bit challenging to understand and accept. To me it seems a good explanation of the trinity to say, “the fullness of God dwelt in him.” You figure it out?! How do we deal with the idea that Christs sacrifice on the cross reconciled all things to God? How do we become exclusionary with a statement like that? (I could credit pastor Nick in Bible study repeatedly mentioning that it is all things, not just all people.) I think I’ll go back to verse 10 where I am challenged to lead a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing to him and bearing fruit through good work. That should keep me busy! Prayer: Lord, help us be a people who are joyful in the Lord, known by our faith and love and leading lives worthy of the Lord. Keep us searching for the knowledge of God and enduring with patience. Amen Nancy Morris and her husband Roger have been members of St. Stephens for three years. They both enjoy singing in the choir, attending Soup Group and going to Wednesday morning Bible study. Nancy practices prayer with a group of women on the second Monday of the month. She loves to read theology and finds Pastor Nick is a good sport about arguing with her about it.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:01:24 +0000
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