Daily Devotions - Entries tagged "Image of the Invisible"

Participating in a funeral last week was a startling reminder that life is incredibly short. This world we live in is impermanent and fading away. Our bodies are aging slowly, but relentlessly. Death will come to each and every one of us. No amount of money, good health or fame and fortune can keep it away.

We can’t stop the day from coming, but we can control how we spend our time in the meantime. Paul’s advice to the Colossians was simple:

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. (Col. 4:5, NIV)

Unless you are a hermit, you will come into contact with “outsiders” all the time. At work, on the train, at the gym, on the bleachers at baseball games, at the playground, in Starbucks, at the grocery store, at the mechanic, in the bank…The list is endless. We all spend our lives surrounded by other people, but do we really “see” them? Are we wise in the way we act towards them?

We fill our days with all kinds of stuff, but what are we doing to maximize the opportunities God is giving us to share our life with those far from God? Our time may be drawing to a close sooner than we think or expect—long life is promised to nobody. How will we use the hours God has given us today to draw others towards the life-giving hope we have in Jesus?

Let’s review the basics. We see prayer modeled for us throughout the Old Testament. It’s hard to find a page in the New Testament where someone is not praying or exhorting us to pray. Paul was a devoted man of prayer. Jesus not only modeled prayer but taught His disciples to pray. The Book of Acts records that the very first thing the disciples did after Jesus ascended to Heaven was pray. The early church was a prayer-filled church. We read in Acts,

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42, NIV)

There’s not getting around prayer. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, you will pray. Prayer is not an optional part of our Christian life, it’s a necessary part. In fact, it may be the most necessary part of our walk with Christ.

Several years ago, Dallas Theological Seminary professor Howard Hendricks pointedly challenged students to consider how arrogant they must be to treat prayer so lightly. To think that we can really do anything for or with God without prayer is an astonishing display of pride and self-centeredness.

Yet, if we’re honest, all too often our prayer life shrinks down to a few words in the morning and a few words at night, if that. Have you ever had that sinking feeling when you realize it’s been two or three days since you last prayed privately and personally to God?

The amazing news, however, is that even these failures meet their match at the cross. God’s grace covers even these short-comings. As we repent of our pride and turn to Him for forgiveness He gives us strength to start anew. We don’t need to beat ourselves up and struggle under the weight of guilt, when those mistakes have been paid for in full on the cross.

This week is your chance to start over. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Col 4:2) Don’t overthink it, just open your mouth and reveal your heart to God. You are needy and helpless and that’s a good place to be, because we serve a God who calls Himself our provider in times of need and our ever-present help in times of trouble.

Think back over the past seven weeks since we first studied Col. 3:1-4. What are some practical and specific ways in which you have been able to “set your hearts on things above”? Almost everything else in Colossians 3 flows out of these crucial first verses, themselves a sort of summary of the first two Christ-centered chapters of the book. So, how is it going?

Christ is to be at the center of everything we do and everything we are. Moreover, if Christ is indeed at the center of our lives, then that will have practical, specific implications in all of our most vital relationships as a result. So, for example, how do you treat your spouse? How do you treat your children? How do you treat your employees?

Paul ends his “household code” with the following command:

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Col. 4:1, NIV)

Paul’s command was addressed squarely at the masters of the slaves, calling upon them to treat their slaves with justice and fairness. This call might have been somewhat revolutionary in the overall context of the Roman Empire, but for believers in Christ, this call simply reiterates the core of Christ’s teaching.

Believers in Christ are considered to be brothers and sisters in Christ. There is a leveling of the playing field in the sense that we are to love and serve each other as equal partners, even if we have each been assigned different roles to play. So, how do you treat those over whom you have authority?

When I was growing up in England, one of the things that attracted me to America was the incredible work ethic. The focus on pulling yourself up by the bootstraps was very appealing and I loved this idea that you can be anything you want to be in America, if you work hard enough. This is the lens through which I have always read Paul’s command to the Colossians:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Col. 3:23-24, NIV)

Work hard! Work with all your might! Strive. Pursue. Build. Be all you can be. Do great things (for God, of course). Yes, God has called us to work hard at what we do. We’ve all been given different gifts and abilities and God expects us to use those, wherever He has placed us. However, the emphasis in this verse is not on the degree of effort we ought to be exerting to accomplish our goals.

Nor is this verse mean to be used as a kind of guilt-inducing motivator (for getting your children to do their homework for example). When we use guilt as a motivator we will never get obedience that comes from “sincerity of heart.” What we end up with is a kind of begrudging obedience that will almost always be limited to those times when we are watching (the absolute opposite of the kind of thing Paul calls us to in Col. 3:22).

What Paul does want for the Colossian slaves (and by extension, us as well) is to see the bigger picture—their work matters. It is significant. The call is not to work harder, but to set their work within the grand scope of God’s Kingdom. Our work is something we do for God, and as such is far bigger than we even imagine.

Do you think your work is insignificant? Imagine being a household slave in a small house in a small town in an insignificant part of the Roman Empire. You’re cleaning and cooking and sweeping, maybe doing some minor administrative work. Few people outside that family even know you exist. So what’s your reason for pressing on, day in, day out? The answer comes in the truly astonishing claim from Paul that your work is somehow for God, and that one day it will be rewarded by Him.

Sound incredible or unlikely? That’s understandable. After all, while a fulfilling career can be the source of incredible satisfaction, a bad job can suck the life right out of us. Either way, Jesus wants us to know that what we do matters. Even if our boss hates us and ignores everything good that we do, God truly does see it, and it pleases Him when our hearts reflect His heart of grace and love, even in the middle of a broken and fallen world.

How in the world does a passage talking about slavery apply to my life today? Paul’s letters may be filled with all kinds of other useful ethical commands, but the chances are pretty good that most of us are neither slaves nor slave-owners. So what are we to do with these verses?

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Col. 3:22-4:1, NIV)

Paul obviously does not have in mind the kind of slavery that was rampant throughout the world in the 1700’s and 1800’s. Although slavery was sometimes used as a way to subjugate a conquered people or force people to do jobs nobody else wanted to do, many people purposefully and willingly sold themselves into slavery. So, we have to be careful in the way we read the word “slave” in Paul’s letters.

That said, how do we jump contexts across time and culture to contemporary suburban life in the Mid-West of America? For some workers, the application may come a little too easily. Trapped in a lousy dead-end job with no opportunities to move or find something different, many people feel enslaved in every way except by name. Technically they may be free to go and do as they please, but functionally they are at the beck and call of their employer. For these people, Paul has a word.

Others may excel in what they do, enjoying a large measure of autonomy and freedom at work, but the reality is that everyone who earns a paycheck is still beholden in one way or another to the person writing the checks. Of course, that’s a far cry from being a slave, but it is still reasonable to extend the application of these verses to most employer-employee relationships.

So, where would you place yourself on this spectrum? Do you feel totally trapped, basically enslaved to your boss? Who holds power and control over your life? What does that feel like right now? Take some time to honestly assess your work situation and then pray for the Spirit to be at work helping you to understand and apply these verses this week.

There’s no place quite like home when you’re looking for a good fight. Sure, you may get into it with a neighbor or a co-worker occasionally, but nobody quite gets under your skin the way a relative does. In fact, I would argue that there is no clearer confirmation of the historical accuracy of The Fall (Gen. 3) than the kind of strife that only families seem capable of brewing up.

So, what are we to do as a result? Clearly the status quo is not acceptable for any follower of Christ. Will we struggle and fight at times? Of course. Will there be arguments and “heated discussions”? Absolutely. Community is messy, especially in families. However, believers have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit and called to surrender themselves completely to the Lordship of Christ. So take a moment and read back over Col. 3:1-17.

Instead of giving in to the temptation to let anger rule our hearts, let us instead “Set our minds on things that are above.” Let us be parents who “put to death what is earthly” in our lives, slaying sin in all its ugliness. May we be leaders in our families who put off “anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk” and never allow lies to infiltrate our closest and dearest relationships.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (Col. 3:20-21, NIV)

However you translate the word “embitter,” the command is the same—do not act in a way that would unnecessarily exasperate, incite, provoke, embitter or enrage your children. This does not mean that parents should be hands-off, letting their children do whatever they want. It does mean that parents should exercise the authority they have been given in a loving, kind and supportive manner.

If you have been blessed to have a child, you know that at times they will drive you crazy. The gospel should determine how we respond in any given circumstance. Will we up the ante and keep escalating the conflict? Or will we respond in love and grace, seeking reconciliation and peace?

If you are looking for more resources on dealing with family conflict, contact our Children’s Pastor, Vance Frusher, .

According to Paul’s letter to the Colossians, children are obligated to obey “everything” their parents command, but what does that entail? What does the Bible say a parent’s duties are with regard to their children?

Yes, there are certain commands and laws a child needs to obey simply in order for a family to function in a healthy manner. Clean your room, eat your vegetables, don’t run in the street, stop juggling knives… These are all necessary and important boundaries we must teach our children to obey.

However, as parents we have also been given the significant and awe-inspiring authority and responsibility to shape the spiritual lives of our children.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deut. 6:6-9, NIV)

Parents are instructed by God to impress the commands of God on their children. Not just once a week by dragging them to church, but constantly, at all times. There are opportunities for shaping and forming our children to know and love God every minute of every day. When we’re driving them to school, when we’re eating dinner together, when we’re waiting for a sibling to get done with soccer practice, when we spend all day at a baseball game, or even when we watch a movie together as a family.

On the one hand this is overwhelming – why would God put me in charge of the spiritual well-being of a child, when I struggle just to keep my own spiritual life afloat and headed in the right direction?

On the other hand, this is liberating – when we see all of life as a classroom for teaching our children about God, it removes the burden of trying to lump all spiritual instruction into a single “deep conversation” or special class or event.

However, perhaps most significantly of all, God has not abandoned us in this process. Sometimes people joke about the fact that children don’t come with an instruction manual, and in one sense that is true. But God has actually given a vast amount of direction in the Bible. Pretty much everything we could need to know about how to raise our children to be healthy, loving, obedient worshippers of God living meaningful and significant lives in whatever career they choose can be found in the Bible.

Not only that, but God has also given us His Spirit—the guide and counselor who never leaves us and provides us strength, wisdom, direction and leading in everything we do.

Children are to obey their parents in “everything.” So where are you going to lead them?

I could be wrong, but I think that our heavenly Father is looking for a greater level of commitment from us than a simple shout-out to Jesus at the end of our prayers. Now of course we can and should end our prayers by saying, “in Jesus’ name, Amen.” However, I don’t think that reciting a certain phrase over and over again captures everything that Paul had in mind when he said,

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col. 3:17, NIV)

The slow and steady drum-beat of the Bible is that God is looking for people whose hearts are turned towards him. That will, of course, be reflected in certain acts of obedience to His Law, but it’s the heart that God longs to be tuned into Him first and foremost.

When Jesus is challenged as to which is the greatest commandment, He doesn’t make up something new. Rather, He turns back to the Law, to Deuteronomy 6:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt. 22:37, NIV)

Paul is essentially saying exactly the same thing in his letter to the Colossians. They are to do everything in a way that reflects their deep love for the Lord Jesus. Primarily, in the immediate context of this section of his letter, that means they are to live as a Christian community in a way that exudes a deep love for God. Their relationships with each other should be governed by a love for Jesus. Their discipleship should be infused with a love for Jesus. Even the discipline (admonishment) that may at times be necessary should be controlled by a love for Jesus.

The same is true for us today. Over the next month, any time you find yourself saying, “In Jesus’ name,” stop for a second and reflect on what you are saying. What is the true condition of your heart as you invoke Jesus’ name and blessing? Are your relationships indicative of the kind of love that Jesus is calling us to embody? Are you really ready and prepared to give this activity/relationship/moment completely over to God?

In just the last week there was a suspected coup in the West-African nation of Guinea-Bissau, increased fighting in South Sudan, and enough shooting during the supposed ceasefire in Syria that a full-out civil war seems almost inevitable. The United Nations has 118,000 “peace-keepers” deployed in 15 different locations around the world to stabilize hot-spots where civil wars and ongoing fighting have made lasting peace seem to be an impossibility. Yet, even their best efforts at establishing peace cannot stem the tide of violence. Every week seems to bring a new conflict or new war into focus.

While we may be unable to do much to prevent civil wars and ethnic violence around the world, Jesus has called us to do everything we can to establish peace in our relationships with other people. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said,

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matt. 5:9, NIV)

Jesus himself proclaims a special kind of blessing on those who seek peace. But what does that mean? First and foremost, peacemakers realize that the fundamental problem with both the world and themselves is sin. As such, no amount of talking, no amount of conferences, no heads-of-state can ever deal with that problem. We can cover up sin for a while with behavior modification and peace treaties and so on, but until we deal with the source, nothing will change.

Secondly, peacemakers view their world through the lens of the gospel. They appreciate at a deep level the grace that has been extended to them through Jesus Christ and freely extend that same grace to others as well.

Finally, as Paul commends the Colossians, peacemakers work to express a peaceable spirit or attitude towards others.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. (Col. 3:15, NIV)

Note that peaceable does not mean weak and passive. It means working actively to avoid being aggressive and quarrelsome. It means watching our tongues and actively working to bring about reconciliation and restoration whenever and however possible.

With whom is God calling you to be a peacemaker this week?

(Image used with permission from http://www.creationswap.com/elev8webdesign)

One of the most refreshing things for me about the Bible is its brutal realism. Paul never sugarcoats anything, especially when it comes to living in community with each other. He knows full well that disagreements, arguments, and even feuds are going to break out any time you gather a group of people together. It’s the surest reminder we have that we still live in a fallen world and it should drive us to our knees in prayer for that great and glorious day to come when Jesus will solve all these problems once and for all.

In the meantime though, even the nicest Christians will eventually find a way to rub each other the wrong way. Looks get misinterpreted, “tones” of voice get inferred a certain way, body language gets misread, and before you know it we’re in a huff about something. What then? Paul says,

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
(Col. 3:13, NIV)

On the one hand, as brothers and sisters in Christ, members of the same body, with the same head (Christ), we should at the very least be able to bear with each other. Take a deep breath, grit your teeth and just make yourself put up with the other person. That much we should be able to do, as the bare minimum.

But honestly, as Paul notes, we have the ability to do so much more. When we consider, as we did less than a week ago, the incredible lengths to which Jesus went in order to secure our own forgiveness, we should be able to extend that same forgiveness to others as well. Especially fellow believers! The apostle John put this in even stronger terms, saying,

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
(1 John 4:19-21, NIV)

We can forgive, not because we like it, or because we no longer think we were wronged, or because we are ignoring the issue, or denying something happened, but because God forgave us. Not only that, He is the one who will judge the other person, not us. Fellow believers are forgiven for their sins as we are forgiven of ours. When we withhold forgiveness we reject God as judge and reject Him as redeemer.

Forgiveness is rarely easy, but is the only sure path to personal peace and loving community. What an amazing witness our churches could be if we learned to truly love each other in this way!

Easter is an incredible reminder of the fact that we have been chosen by God. We do not live in a random universe governed by chance or luck. This world was set on its axis by a God who knows us individually and cares for us personally. In recounting the Exodus from Egypt and the journey into the Promised Land, Moses reminded the people how “the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son” (Deut. 1:31, NIV) Through the miracle of Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection and ascension we have proof that God carries us, too, with that same fatherly love and attention.

The apostle John wrote, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13, NIV). This is amazing news, and sets the stage for Paul’s reminder to the Colossians that they are “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Col. 3:12, NIV)

This kind of language is not the way an impersonal deity would talk to his followers. It’s not the kind of thing that an “absent landlord” god would say to his creation. Easter is a wonderful reminder that God did not simply set this world in motion and then wander off like a senile old man in search of whatever it was he had just forgotten.

Chosen. Holy. Dearly loved. Whatever our human parents may have been like, whatever faults and foibles they may struggled with, our heavenly Father is different. He loves us constantly, consistently, perfectly and deeply. He will never leave us nor abuse us nor forget us. He is faithful to His promises and will sustain us to the end.

Take some time this week to try and memorize a verse:

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(1 John 4:10, NIV)

God loves us deeply. As we face into whatever difficulties or challenges that lie ahead this week, may His Word be the rock that holds us up and helps us carry on.  

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Col. 3:9-10, NIV)

Several years ago now there was a funny movie called Liar, Liar, which imagined what life would be like if someone was forced to tell the absolute truth all the time, no exceptions. The movie poked fun at the idea that we should tell the truth, highlighting the absurdity of expecting that anyone could possibly be absolutely honest absolutely all the time.

While theologians may debate the finer points of lying and its possible necessity in some situations, Paul as usual cuts straight to the chase. Just don’t do it.

Now, Paul is not interested in creating a system that governs every single situation in life. As long as we focus all our attention on the external manifestations of sin, we have no hope of ever being able to fix anything. When we do that, what tends to happen is that we begin to put our faith more in our own ability to resist sin than in the person who defeated it. We feel good when we go for long periods of time without lying (or cheating or stealing or anything else), but feel bad when we fail and fall flat on our faces.

The reality is that it is Jesus alone who helps us in any given moment. As Paul reminds the Colossians, we’ve been made new! It’s His indwelling power that enables us to live differently. It’s His Spirit that gives us new hearts (from which everything else flows). More importantly, it’s His death and resurrection which give us hope when we fail and come up short.

Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:19-23, NIV)

On Monday we noted that sin, and particularly sexual sin, is a little bit like the bad guy in movies, whom we tend to assume is dead and gone but always comes back one more time at the very end of the film. As such, we need to direct significant attention towards making sure we are truly putting to death “the sinful, earthly things lurking within.” As Paul says,

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Col. 3:5-7, NIV)

However, unlike the movies, our battle with sin doesn’t neatly resolve after 90 minutes. We don’t get to solve all our problems, defeat all our enemies, and ride off into the sunset (not yet at least). In our lives, sin and temptation will be constant companions.

In this respect, our battle against sin is more akin to playing whack-a-mole at the county fair. Lust pops up and we beat it down. Desire pops up and we beat it down. Greed pops up and we beat that down. But the game never stops. As hard as we may try, sin keeps rearing its ugly head.

Under our own strength we can only go so far. We can strive and strive but pretty soon we will give up. It’s simply too much work.

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Rom. 8:10-13, NIV)

Christ secured our freedom from sin on the cross, and he empowers us through the power of the Holy Spirit to live lives of holiness. John Owen once said,

“There neither is, nor ever was, in the world, nor ever shall be, the least dram of holiness, but what, flowing from Jesus Christ, is communicated by the Spirit, according to the truth and promise of the gospel.”[1]

So take some time in prayer today, asking for God’s help to deal with the sin and temptation in your life. As long as you continue to wage the battle under your own strength alone, you will exhausted and defeated. Turn instead to God and ask for His Spirit to be the one equipping and strengthening you to become more like Christ.

[1] Quoted in Jonathan Dodson’s book, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, pp. 88-89

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to defeat bad guys in movies? They have this amazing ability to cheat death (maybe that’s what makes them so evil). However convinced the hero may be that the enemy has been defeated, you can be sure that the bad guy will make one last attempt to ruin everything.

We all know it’s coming. In fact, we expect it. It wouldn’t be a good movie without it. The hero is the only one who seems to be consistently oblivious to what’s about to happen.

Sin is, of course, a lot like this. So Paul tells the Colossians:

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Col. 3:5, NIV)

Don’t beat around the bush, don’t play games, don’t go half way. Kill it! Or it will kill you. And yet, like the hero in the movies, we have this awful tendency to toy with sin, seemingly oblivious to the danger we are putting ourselves in. This is especially true in the realm of sexual sin. Sexual immorality destroyed lives and tore apart churches in the time of Paul, and it continues to do so today.

Although pornography gets all the press in our context, Paul also includes in this list the more subtle root sins of lust, evil desire and greed. Men and women alike can be tempted in these areas. Marriages can lose their luster over time, relationships can grow cold through lack of care and attention, and then suddenly, out of the blue, loneliness can morph into desire and blossom into lust.

The lesson is simple. Don’t turn your back on sin. A partial victory is no victory at all. Make sure your enemy is 100%, without a doubt, absolutely and completely dead.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Pet. 5:8-9, NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4, NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb. 12:1-3, NIV)

The clichéd image of a “heavenly-minded” Christian is someone lost in a day-dream of angels floating around in puffy white clouds, or perhaps obsessed with visions of what they will do and wear and eat when they get to Heaven. However, as these two passages point out, the reality is not quite so rosy.

When we set our hearts and minds on Jesus in Heaven, we are reminding ourselves of the cross. We remind ourselves of the pain and suffering He endured because of our, my, sin. We remind ourselves of the unbelievable price He paid to set us free from the penalty of death. We remind ourselves of the gospel.

To be heavenly-minded is to see at one and the same time both God’s absolute holiness and His unending love. It means seeing our sin in all its ugliness but also our salvation in all its glory.

We should fix our eyes on Jesus every single day we’re alive. It is His work alone that saves us and His work alone that grows us. As Paul says, our lives are “now hidden with Christ in God.”

This way of thinking does not come naturally to us. Everything in our life directs our attention down to earthly things. A heaven-focused worldview is something we must pray earnestly and repeatedly for God to help us accomplish and maintain. Commit to building this into your prayer life every day for the rest of this year.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4, NIV)

Most of us have probably heard the clichéd warning, “Don’t be so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good.” I think the idea is that we don’t want to fill our churches with pie-in-the-sky Christians sitting around waiting for glory while the rest of the world slips away into a Christ-less oblivion. We can all agree that’s a bad thing.

However, I’m not sure that’s really the most pressing problem facing our churches today. In fact, a number of pastors and authors have noted recently that we’re actually so earthly focused that we are no heavenly good. The problem is not that people are too fixated on God, but that they’re not fixated enough. We’re far more interested in building our own little kingdoms than praying down God’s.

I would go so far as to say that it is rare to find someone whose heart is truly fixed “on things above.” Most of us are far too focused on earthly things—our friends, our cars, our homes, our families, our jobs, our books, our televisions, our hobbies or our gadgets. I have this terrifying tendency towards creating a world that revolves around me, and that kind of self-centered orientation is a tough addiction to break.

Paul comes at this problem from two related, but different angles. First, he says, we should “set our hearts on things above” because we’ve been joined together with Christ and “up there” is where Jesus is. If we’ve truly been converted, our hearts belong to Jesus and our worship should be focused around Him and Him alone.

This is not to say we should detach ourselves from reality—Paul is a pragmatic and practical realist who is keenly aware of the daily ebb and flow of life in Christian community. Separation from the world is not his point at all. However, if our hope is to grow in Christ-likeness then we can only achieve that if we’re actually looking at Christ. We cannot become what we do not behold.

Where is your heart?

They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Col. 2:19, NIV)

 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:4-8, NIV)

In the introduction to his short book, The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis famously said,

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or magician with the same delight.

Most Christians that I talk to fall into something akin to the first category. It’s not that we don’t believe in devils. Obviously we couldn’t deny their reality outright—Jesus seems to spend half his time casting out demons. However, we also realize that it’s not very palatable to talk about demons these days. It sounds so…supernatural. This isn’t Ghostbusters after all. We have a civilized and reasonable faith that we want our intelligent well-heeled co-workers to embrace. Talk of spiritual powers comes across a bit kooky and out-there.

Yet, there’s really no getting around it. The Bible is clear that angels and demons are real. Satan is real. There are spiritual forces at work in this world that have real power and real influence, whether we like to think about it or not. In fact, the more we deny it or downplay it, the better as far as they are concerned, since it allows them to operate “under the radar,” so to speak.

Paul, on the other hand, is very clear about two things. First, Satan poses a real threat to us. As he reminds the Ephesians:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 4:10-12, NIV)

Second, in the big scheme of things Jesus has overcome all this.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col. 2:15, NIV)

The cross is the ultimate rejection of every other false god and spiritual force in the world. The cross makes a mockery of every pathetic attempt Satan makes to fight back against God. The cross looks Satan square in the eyes and says, “Is that all you’ve got?”

Stand firm against the devil today. Stand tall in complete confidence that you serve the living God who has conquered death and guaranteed victory for those who stand with Him. Persevere in the knowledge that though the battle still rages, the King is coming, and when He returns Satan will be lost forever.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col. 2:13-15, NIV)

A runaway steam-train loaded with passengers, a lone cowboy pressing his horse faster and faster trying to catch up, a bridge that’s out, twisted rails sticking out into thin air, a gaping chasm beneath…

Once upon a time we, too, were headed towards certain death. But the amazing news is that “God made [us] alive with Christ.”

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:6-8, NIV)

The gift of life is powerful. More so than we imagine when read the words on a page. When I went bungee jumping the euphoria I felt when I realized I hadn’t hurtled head-first into the sidewalk was like nothing else I had ever experienced. I could not help but scream out loud, “I’M ALIVE! I’M ALIVE!” I walked around for hours and hours afterwards in complete awe of the fact that I was ALIVE!

But those fleeting feelings from sky-diving or scuba diving or parasailing or triathlons or flying pass away and then it’s back to life as normal. From a medical point of view, once the sympathetic nervous system disengages, we come crashing back down to earth (so to speak). The problem is that all these activities, while fun and exhilarating, still leave us wondering, “So what?” “I’m alive, but to what end?”

When we are made alive in Christ however, every question is answered and we find the meaning and purpose and significance we’ve been looking for. When we are made alive with Christ we enter an entirely new realm.  We can join with David in proclaiming:

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

   my body also will rest secure,

because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

   nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

You make known to me the path of life;

   you will fill me with joy in your presence,

   with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psa. 16:9-11, NIV)

What an incredible blessing for us all! But now what are we going to do with that gift? Jesus has given us marching orders—“Go and make disciples.” How are we engaging in that task? 

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt. 25:40, NIV)

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. (Col. 2:4-5, NIV)

Though not perfect, the church in Ephesus is nevertheless commended for their hard work and perseverance through many hardships. Though enduring great suffering, the church in Smyrna is encouraged to “be faithful, even to the point of death.”

 Though some have been led astray by false teaching, the church in Pergamum has remained true and not renounced their faith in Jesus.

 Though condemned for tolerating the evil influence of Jezebel, at the same time Jesus says of the church in Thyatira, “I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first” (Rev. 2:19, NIV). Jesus then goes on to encourage those who have resisted sin, “to hold on to what you have until I come” (Rev. 2:25, NIV).

 Though the church in Sardis is rebuked for being “dead” spiritually, Jesus calls them to remember what they “received and heard; hold it fast, and repent” (Rev. 3:3, NIV). Indeed, eternal life is promised for “the one who is victorious” (Rev. 3:5, NIV).

 Though they “have little strength” the church in Philadelphia is commended for having kept Jesus’ word in the face of opposition. Jesus is glad that they have endured patiently, and encourages them to persevere.

Though they are criticized for their lukewarm faith and warned of impending judgment as a result, the church in Laodicea is nevertheless given an opportunity to repent and turn back to Jesus.

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, (Col. 2:2, NIV)

 “so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:2-3, NIV)

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Col. 2:28-29, NIV)

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. (Col. 2:1, NIV)

We have such ready access to Christian books and materials today it is almost embarrassing. Christian bookstores are overflowing with books on Christian living and theology and Bible study. Hop online and you can access hundreds of sermons from hundreds of pastors from all over the world. We have three Christian radio stations just in our area, and access to more via satellite. Yet, for all this teaching are we really growing up? Are we actually maturing in Christ or simply coasting on the coat-tails of famous pastors and brand-name churches?

Whatever the situation today, Paul was crystal clear in his mission to the Colossians:

He [Jesus Christ] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Col. 1:28, NIV)

For Paul, there was one goal, one main purpose for his teaching and preaching ministry—maturity in Christ. Maturity is far more than simply being better than the next guy. What Paul has in mind is a lifetime of obedient faith. It’s a long-term commitment to Christ reflected in a significant and sustained growth in Christ-likeness. Such a lifestyle is neither natural nor easy. It’s hard work, and many will give up along the way. It’s no accident that the incidence of moral and spiritual failure seems to increase as we get older. We get tired. The race seems so long. The goal so far away.

This is why Paul is constantly urging his readers to press on, to keep fighting. In his letter to the Corinthians he says,

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Cor. 9:24-27, NIV)

This is not the kind of message we’re used to hearing when it comes to Christian living. Yet, it’s something we tend to idolize in the world of athletic achievement. Take the Super Bowl for example. We’re fast approaching Super Bowl Sunday. Loyalties to one side, at this moment in time these are the top two teams in the country. They have endured phenomenally strict training in order to get to this moment and viewers will be assailed with every possible statistical detail about the athletic prowess of these modern day mighty men.

Paul is not interested in critiquing these kind of athletic pursuits, but he is deeply concerned that his readers not lose sight of the appropriate goal. What these football (and basketball, and hockey, and soccer) players achieve on the field is amazing, and sometimes even inspiring, but ultimately “perishable.” They work for “a crown that will not last” while we will receive “a crown that will last forever,” namely eternal life in the presence of God.

Therefore, as Paul says, we should direct all our energies towards the pursuit of God. The finishing line for us is maturity in Christ. It’s the life-long application of all the books, sermons, podcasts and Bible reading that we do. It’s the person who has given over their life completely to fulfilling the great commission call to make disciples. In the final accounting, our obedient pursuit of Christ is the only thing that will matter. That is a goal worth striving for.  What steps are you taking today to obediently pursue Christ?

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 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—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. (Col. 1:21-23, NIV)

As we end this section of Paul’s letter to the Colossians we turn to one last note about Paul. As he reminds the Colossians about the importance of persevering in their faith and remaining established and firm in the gospel, he goes on to call himself a servant of the gospel.

Although it’s a little thing that we might skip over easily, especially if we find ourselves familiar with Colossians, it’s no small point that Paul is making here. Paul doesn’t say he is a teacher or leader but a servant. The gospel, then, is not some product he is peddling to the Colossians, nor is it a solution that he is offering to solve all their problems. Rather the gospel is something that he has made himself subservient to. It’s the gospel which is the source of our hope. It’s the gospel which is “bearing fruit and growing” all over the world. We are simply along for the ride.

As we pursue our hopes and dreams and to-do lists and careers and marriages and jobs and families, let us also remember that the gospel is not something we add to our already full lives as if it were something extra. Rather the gospel should be at the very center of everything we do and everything we are. This year may our lives reflect Paul’s as we consider ourselves to be servants of the gospel; ministers of grace and ambassadors of reconciliation into a dark and broken world.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 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 (Col. 1:21-22)

A new year means a conceptual new start for many of us. It’s a time to make some resolutions and try to live life differently. Statistically speaking, however, it’s unlikely any of us will follow through on those good intentions. Whatever initial success we may have, almost all new year’s resolutions fall flat within the first month.

This is why the good news of salvation is such incredibly good news—it has nothing to do with our own efforts or good intentions. Salvation is not something we resolve to achieve. It was achieved on our behalf. And the results are amazing—holiness, freedom from any spot or blemish, without blame or accusation!

First and foremost, as we have already seen this week, our salvation has been purchased through Christ’s death and resurrection. His death atoned for our sins. He took our punishment so that we could be set free. Whereas once we stood condemned before God, facing the penalty of death, we have now been set free, adopted as sons and daughters of God.

But this freedom extends into our personal lives as well. Whatever doubts, fears, concerns, worries, anxieties or guilt we may carry around with us, God announces that they have been wiped clean in and through the person of Jesus Christ. That list of sins we keep in the back of our head is not worth the paper it’s written on. Not only does God not condemn us, but we no longer have to condemn ourselves. We have not only been rescued from “the dominion of darkness” but also from the burden of guilt and shame.

The One who created us has declared us to be “without blemish and free from accusation.” Rather than beginning 2012 under the burden of a new set of laws you set for yourself, rest in the grace-giving love of God and the freedom that He bought for you.   

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 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—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. (Col. 1:21-23, NIV)

Some days it is hard to think of myself as ever having been an enemy of God. I never systematically persecuted Christians. I never waved my fist in the air at God or bowed down to golden idols. I lived a mostly normal life, that, while perhaps not up to the moral standards I would hold today, was not certainly not criminal. Yet, when I read the Bible, the evidence against me is overwhelming. According to the Bible the separation between us and God is not a matter of degree, but is written in absolutes. We are either with God or against Him. We are either a child of God or an enemy of God. There’s no middle ground. However clean and wholesome we may look on the outside, without Christ we are all on the opposing team.

It’s not a pretty picture and not one we like to dwell on, but if we are to ever grasp the full weight of the gospel message we have to have a deep understanding of just how far away from God we once were. As Paul says in his letter to Titus:

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. (Titus 3:3)

This is not about beating ourselves up! Paul would be the last person to walk around around muttering under his breath, “I am a bad person.” Rather, Paul is reminding the Colossians and Titus (and pretty much everyone else he came in contact with) that we cannot fall prey to the lie that our hope is based on relative levels of goodness, or sincerity, or earnest belief, or good works, or clean living. The verdict is in and we are all guilty of treason against God. All of us. Every single one. (Even the sweet little old lady down the street with the beautiful house.)

However dark this may sound, and however grim a way this may be to start the new year, this truth has to sink deeply into our hearts in order for us to fully appreciate the incredible and astonishing gift that God gave us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That we were absolute enemies of God makes the incarnation truly remarkable. Christmas is mind-boggling when you consider that God was sending His own Son into enemy territory in order for Him to be rejected and killed as a sacrifice for sin that He had never committed.

Let us start the new year, not with another list of hopeless resolutions, but with a profound sense of awe and appreciation for the boundless love and patience of God.  May we all see and experience His grace more and more each day.

Then the LORD said to Moses: “Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month. Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain…Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:1-2, 34-35)

When Paul says, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,” he is drawing on images that bring to mind the Tabernacle, the “Tent of Meeting” established in Exodus. This earthly tent was, for a time, the place where the glory of God rested amongst His people. Later, after the Temple was established in Jerusalem, God’s glory filled that space. Indeed, it was highly symbolic that at the time of the Exile God’s presence left the Temple, never to return. This was a catastrophic moment in the history of Israel. Yet, the promise was that one day things would be different.

 “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’” (Ezekiel 37:24-28)

It’s this prophecy that John alludes to when he says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). And it’s this same imagery which Paul uses to emphasize Christ’s supremacy over all things. Previously God had only been able to dwell amongst His people in a temporary, tentative manner, easily disrupted by the sins of His people. Yet, in Jesus He comes fully and completely, confronting our sin and rebellion head-on, simultaneously just (punishing sin) and the justifier (paying the debt on our behalf). This is what makes Christmas so amazing. It’s the moment when God came to be with us once more.

 “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:20-23)

Yes, Jesus is fully God. That’s an incredible truth affirmed here by Paul. But, perhaps more significantly for us is the fact that He is Immanuel, God with us. 

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 ESV)

What is the Church? Is it the specific building we happen to meet in every Sunday? Or is it my particular denomination? And who is in charge? My senior pastor? Or someone else?

While these may be questions some Christians struggle with today, they obviously were not a concern for Paul as he wrote to the church in Colosse. However, his letter is nonetheless a powerful reminder that in some way, despite all our differences, those who have been born again in Christ are united with him as part of one single body, the Church (with a capital “C”).

Paul assumes as his starting point that all believers are joined together as part of one single body, the Church. In a world divided by thousands of different denominations, such unity defies comprehension. Yet, when we consider the expansive and all-encompassing nature of Christ that Paul sets forth in this hymn, it has to be true.

This is not to preach any kind of blanket universalism. Certainly we will continue to argue for orthodoxy and battle against heresy. Indeed, part of Paul’s letter is intended to fight heretical and misleading beliefs within the Colossian church. However, at the same time we have to remind ourselves that Jesus is above and beyond even all this.

Jesus is the head of the Church. He alone is the ruler, the director, the principal agent and primary actor. He is the one who sustains the Church, not the other way around. He alone directs and controls the Church’s reach and effectiveness. Insofar as we have any impact on the world at all, it is because He is working to produce it. We exist to serve Him and to worship Him and to be led by Him.

As we come out of a Christmas of worshipping Him as the baby born in a manger, let us also revel in Him as the Lord of all things, the head of the Church we have all been adopted into. 

If Jesus is the Creator, the one who made everything and holds everything together, then it might be tempting to simply admire him from a distance, in a mood of disconnected reverence. However, Jesus Himself doesn’t leave that option open to us. Read, for example, one of the great prophecies regarding the Messiah:

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened    

and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,   

 and the mute tongue shout for joy.

Water will gush forth in the wilderness    

and streams in the desert.

7 The burning sand will become a pool,    

the thirsty ground bubbling springs.

In the haunts where jackals once lay,    

grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

(Isaiah 35:5-7)

On the one hand these are images that build upon each other to emphasize the incredible redemption and restoration that God was going to bring to His people. But on the other hand they also represent some very real and tangible interventions that Jesus made in the lives of many, many people during His life.

When Jesus healed a lame man that man’s life was physically changed forever. He may not have leapt like a deer, but he quite possibly jumped for joy. In doing that healing Jesus not only brought physical renewal to the man, but emphasized what Paul has been describing over and over again in his letter to the Colossians—Jesus is the Creator and as such has complete power and authority over His Creation. For the Creator, blind eyes are opened at the drop of a hat. Dead people are raised. Sick people are healed.

Christmas is almost here. The prophecies have been fulfilled. Jesus, the Messiah, has come to dwell with us and He brings healing and new life with Him. May that fill our hearts with joy as we gather together to worship Him this Sunday!

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Col 1:15-17, NIV)

Everything on earth and everything in heaven was created by and in and through Jesus. Indeed, before anything else existed, He was there. Paul is not alone in this exalted view of Jesus. The Apostle John opens his gospel account with very similar language:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:1-5, NIV)

As we approach the shortest day of the year, the image of light shining in darkness is something we can all connect with. Many of us get up before the sun rises and come home after it sets. Indeed, regardless of religious or cultural background, there is something universally comforting and reassuring about having a light to guide us in the darkness.

But when we put lights on the Christmas tree or light candles for Advent, we’re celebrating something far more significant. The lights serve as symbols, or reminders, of the repeated references in the New Testament to Jesus as the light—not “a” light, but “the” light. Jesus was not some kind of spiritual flashlight that helped us along on our way, but the very source of life itself. Christmas is the time when we celebrate that “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (John 1:9).

As we continue our meditations on Colossians, we can’t ignore the fact that Christmas is now less than two weeks away. It’s everywhere we go—inside every store, on the pumps at every gas station, plastered on almost every billboard. For better or worse, there’s simply no escaping it.

While we may try to resist the lure of sparkly lights and shiny wrapping paper, to some extent it’s inevitable that we succumb at least a little bit to the craziness of the season. After all, ultimately the goal is not removing ourselves from everything (as if that were even possible), but trying to keep our hearts focused on Jesus in the midst of everything.

Now, how do we do that? The same way we keep our hearts focused on Christ the other 11 months of the year—through Bible reading and prayer.

So, as we prepare to look again at Paul’s great hymn celebrating the supremacy of Christ in Colossians 1:15-20, today we are going to set the tone by reading from Psalm 73:23-28 (NIV):

23 Yet I am always with you;    

you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,    

and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?    

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,    

but God is the strength of my heart    

and my portion forever.

 27 Those who are far from you will perish;    

you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.    

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;    

I will tell of all your deeds.

Psalm 73 was written by Asaph, and recounts his frustrations seeing the rich get rich and the poor get poorer. He cannot see God’s hand at work in the world, until he goes into “the sanctuary of God.” Then everything changes, and he ends the psalm with the verses given above.

The world will never make sense to us as long as that is all we see. But when we bring our confusion into the presence of God we can see clearly once again. It is only when we enter God’s presence that we can sing with Asaph that the “earth has nothing I desire besides you.” As we inch closer to Christmas, that has to be a good place for our hearts to rest. 

My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, 

I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry to me, 'You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.'
And I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
and my covenant will stand firm for him.
I will establish his offspring forever
and his throne as the days of the heavens.
(Psalm 89:24-29 ESV)

Paul sings Jesus' praises in his letter to the Colossians by saying that not only is Jesus "the image of the invisible God" but also that Jesus is "the firstborn over all creation" (Col. 1:15). Most Bibles will include a cross-reference back to Psalm 89, a "Messianic Psalm" which Paul clearly seems to have in mind as he writes.

It has to be noted first of all that Paul is not saying Jesus was the first person to be created by God. No knowledge of Greek is required to figure this out, and it doesn't matter whether your translation says "of creation" or "over creation." Just read the rest of Colossians 1. The context determines the meaning, and this context clearly indicates that Jesus is God. He was not "created" as we were. The very next verse (which we'll address next week) rules that out.

That said, it's normal that we should think of physical birth at Christmas time, since we're surrounded with reminders that Jesus was indeed born as a real baby to real parents. But the reference in Psalm 89 is a reminder that Jesus is the firstborn in importance and significance. He is the perfect ruler, the perfect Adam. He is the firstborn in that he is the rightful heir of the Father.

Once again, we are reminded as we go about our Christmas shopping that this King we celebrate is the mighty Lord who is "the highest of the kings of the earth." The whole of creation belongs to Him and we owe Him not just our praise but our allegiance. There is no part of life over which He does not have dominion and power and authority. Accordingly, let us bow down and worship Him with reverence as we approach Christmas this year.

Film-makers have a problem when it comes to making movies about invisible people. After all, it's hard to resonate with a character you can't even see. However, while we may not be able to see the Invisible Man (unless he's wearing his bandages), we can see the results of his actions. We can see the footprints his steps leave in a puddle, or the impression his body makes as he sits in a chair.

In much the same way, Paul talks about Jesus being the image of the invisible God.

The otherwise invisible, unapproachable God has come to us as Jesus. And in Jesus we are thus able to see God. As Paul says to the Corinthians:

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Cor. 4:4-6, NIV)

This is an astonishing claim! The glory of God, His holiness and majesty, something we are too sinful to be near, is now revealed to us in the person of Jesus, the Christ (or Messiah). The enormity of such a claim is hard to overstate.

So here we are inching closer to Christmas, our days filled with Christmas carols and candy canes, eager anticipation and nervous anxiety. The holy and the secular mix themselves together and to some extent there's no teasing them apart. We live in a world where many are blinded to the truth and "cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ."

But whatever images you see this Christmas season and however awful the marketing gets, every time you see a cheesy plastic manger scene or hear a cloying reference to "sweet baby Jesus," join with the apostle John in affirming,

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

May that same grace and truth overflow from our hearts into the lives of those around this Christmas.

Paul closes his prayer for the Colossians with an incredibly evocative and clear image of what it means to be saved.

...joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus didn’t come to make us smarter, better, funnier, or more complete. He came to ensure that our sins would be forgiven and we would be made clean. He came to rescue us from the prison-cell of darkness and death and bring us out into the light. He wrenched us out of the hands of Satan and allowed us to be called sons and daughters of God. That should drive our hearts to praise!

We strive to live purposeful, meaningful, significant lives. Wherever we live, whatever we do, we yearn for life to be more than just eating, sleeping and working. Even Christians often struggle with feelings of doubt; wondering if their lives amount to anything. Into this confusion Paul’s words to the Colossians bring some comfort:

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 (Col. 1:10)

Oh to live a life considered “worthy of the Lord!” This is what we were created to do! We live for positive affirmation and feedback and Paul says the way to please God is to walk in this manner. But what specifically does that entail?

In this letter Paul draws out two components, “bearing fruit” and “growing.” This is the second time in the first few lines of this letter that Paul has used the phrase “bearing fruit and growing” and there is a definite connection.

“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you…” (Col.1:6).

“…bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…” (Col. 1:10)

The gospel is at work around the world. God is growing His kingdom. But the impacts of that are felt in our immediate lives. Just as the gospel is at work around the world, re-creating what was lost to the infection of sin, so to the gospel is at work in us, re-creating us from the inside out. The overflow of God’s salvation at work in us is that the Spirit will bear fruit in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23) and we will continue to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God.

Ultimately the path to significance has nothing to do with our work and everything to do with our identity. We are children of the King and the deeper we go in that relationship, the more our lives will glorify God.  

This week we prepare for Pastor Rob’s sermon by continuing our reading in Colossians 1:9-14 (NIV)

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.

Prayer is without a doubt one of the hardest things that we do as Christians. Which is strange, because there is nothing physically challenging to it, nor is the concept particularly hard to grasp. Yet, despite all of our good intentions, prayer so often eludes us. We read books about it, we think a lot about how we should be doing more of it, we even ask for prayer in being more consistent with it. But the bottom line is that it remains a significant challenge in our lives.

Here in this passage Paul is open about his extensive prayers for the Colossians, saying “we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to…” Even allowing for a little bit of rhetorical flourish on Paul’s part, as we read the content of his prayer it is clear that he is serious about his claim to be praying for them a lot.

If you are struggling with prayer, I suggest you read a fantastic book called, “A Praying Life,” by Paul Miller. This book has helped me to grow in my prayer life more than any other that I’ve read on this topic. And take your first stab at a renewed prayer life right now, by praying for God’s help to pray. If you have children you might even consider praying Paul’s prayer over them. Maybe you have a friend or someone you know who would be encouraged by receiving this same prayer in a hand-written letter.

Don’t let your previous failures with prayer hold you back. Prayer is perhaps the primary way we develop and maintain our relationship with God. So focus less on the activity of prayer itself and more on the Glorious One who longs to connect with you in prayer. 

When it comes right down to it, most of the time we really just don’t give God enough credit. Sure, we thank Him for the food we are about to eat, and for healing our colds, and for solving whatever little problems have been bothering us recently. But our lives are not really built around thankfulness. We acknowledge God a lot, we give Him a tip of our hats, but if we’re honest, a lot of the time our attitude is one of self-sufficiency. “Don’t worry God, I got this one. I’ll call you if I need you.” We have this dreadful tendency to treat him like an aged parent whose advice and guidance we listen to politely but feel like we don’t really need.

So Thanksgiving rolls around again and sometimes we just can’t quite get there. We may feel like it should be a powerful time of remembrance, but struggle to come up with anything to thank Him for.

The best path to thankfulness is through the gospel. We were created to be in perfect relationship with God, but through our own sin that fellowship was lost forever, and sin entered the world. Far from being some abstract theological concept, sin is painfully real and uncomfortably present. It has grown and spread across the globe and throughout time, infecting every single nook and cranny of creation, wreacking havoc wherever it goes; destroying, maiming, killing.

That bad news should drive us to our knees in grief and mourning. For without God there is absolutely no hope whatsoever. No amount of clean living, good deeds or human ingenuity can solve the problem.

But the amazing news, the news that gives us cause for celebration and thanksgiving, is that all is not lost! For, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The sin that separated us from God was paid for once and for all on the cross. It was there that Jesus died to give me life. Even if every single thing in my life is going wrong. Even if every single prayer seems to go unanswered. Even if everyone seems to have abandoned me. There is not one thing in this world that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

As we dig into pie, laugh with family or simply sit on the couch and watch more football, the grace of God revealed to us in Jesus is the single most significant and important piece of news we should be thankful for today.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. (Titus 3:3-8)

Today we continue our mini-study on Colossians 1:6-8, quoted below from the NIV:

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.

Yesterday we noted the personal aspect of gospel growth, but this growth isn’t simply about the personal—it also spreads out in the immediate context into which God has placed us. That means that if God has blessed you with a family, there is work to be done in seeing the gospel grow and spread and bear fruit within that family.

Parents are to take an active role in discipling their children, teaching them to know, love, worship and obey God. It may sound daunting, but if you need help or guidance in this area, call or email Vance Frusher, our Children’s Pastor. He would love to help you take the next step in discipling your children at home.

Grandparents can likewise have a profound spiritual influence on their grandchildren, aunts and uncles on nieces and nephews, husbands on their wives. The family presents a dense and complex network of relationships that can and should be a fertile ground for spiritual growth and development as we love God personally and seek to see others grow in their love for God as well.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and Timothy our brother:

    2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae.

    Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints 5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about [this hope] in the message of truth, 6 the gospel that has come to you. (HCSB)

Why is it that Paul is constantly in prayer, thanking God for the Colossians? What qualities has he heard about that are so encouraging? Paul speaks about the faith that the people have in Jesus. How does he know about their faith? How does faith manifest itself in such a way that others can see it and thank God for it? How is your faith shown to others?

The other quality Paul calls out is the love that the Colossians have. What kind of love is he talking about? What would that love look like? What is it about their love that is so wonderful to Paul? How is love shown in such a way that other people can see it and respond to it?

Faith, love and any number of other qualities are hard to achieve under our own strength. Who empowers us to live in such a manner? Pray for God’s help to live in such a way that your love and faith are evident to all.

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

 2To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

   Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, (ESV)

Letter-writing formulas have changed quite a bit over time. These days we are far more likely to send someone a text or write on their Facebook page than we are to write out a letter. For better or for worse, email has forever changed how we communicate with other people.  

Yet, look at this incredible opening from Paul. We’ve included the first few verses above, but read the whole first chapter. Paul’s love and passion for the Colossians spills out in this lengthy introduction. He is genuinely concerned for them and writes with a fatherly love and passion, even though he had probably never been to Colossae and had not planted the church there.

What are the key phrases that indicate Paul’s love for this church? What clues do we have that Paul’s concern is genuine and not just polite introduction?

Although Paul follows some traditional letter-writing patterns, his use of the phrase “grace to you and peace” would not have been used outside of Christian circles. Grace and peace. Where do these terms come from? Think through the storyline of the Bible as a whole—when Paul offers grace to his readers, what themes might that draw to mind for them?

The word “peace” is often used today in the context of military conflicts. But what about the Biblical concept of peace? Where does it come from? What kind of peace is Paul referring to?

Resist the urge to rush ahead in our study. Take the time today to wrestle with these introductory questions.

We live in a crazy, chaotic world. There is no stable ground, no level place from which we can operate. As we search for peace and calm, all too often we find ourselves clinging to all the wrong things. Before reading Colossians again today, take a moment to think through and write down the de-stabilizing forces in your life right now. What are the events, stresses or people that are generating the most anxiety?

Now, read through the entire book of Colossians. While Paul doesn’t directly address concerns such as, “my teenage son won’t listen to me,” or “I can’t find a job,” he does encourage his readers (and by extension, us too), of the solid ground to be found in the person of Jesus. If He is supreme over all things, then everything in our life comes under His authority, and that should change the way we react to the craziness of the world around us.

Once again I encourage you to read the entire book of Colossians today. Certain passages will start sticking in your head, and verses will begin to jump out as convicting, challenging or confusing in some way. Take a pen or pencil and circle or underline the sections the Holy Spirit is drawing you towards. Re-read them. Then, in your time of prayer, pray through them. Ask God for help to understand them. Ask for His Spirit to open your heart to receive His Word. Pray for His help to put them into action.

Today we start a new series based on the book of Colossians. Although the book itself is short, it’s packed full of incredible and challenging insights about God and Christ. We’ll be digging into those over the coming weeks and months, but for now we need the big picture.

This coming Sunday Pastor Brian Hogan will introduce the book of Colossians to us, providing an overview and synopsis of the key themes and ideas. As we prepare for this study, I want you to do something a bit different. Instead of reading little bite-sized chunks of Scripture each day, I encourage you to try reading this book as “a whole,” as if it were a letter, without any chapter or verse divisions. In fact, every day this week I want you to read the entire book of Colossians.

For this, you’ll need to use your own Bible (print or online); we’re not going to re-print anything here in the devotionals. So, set these devotionals to one side, grab your Bible, and read the entire book of Colossians right now. If you have a study Bible, don’t read the introduction and study notes yet. Just focus on the text. It won’t take as long as you think. Then close in a time of prayer.