Additional Reading: Galatians 1:3-5
We will take a short 2 day break from Luke to look closely at a passage in Colossians 1. On Sunday, we will return to Luke and through week 4 of this 40 days follow Jesus through Jericho, Jerusalem, the cross, the grave, and the resurrection.
In this passage from Paul's letter to the Colossians, we read Paul's prayer for them. May we pray the same thing for those in the body of Christ in this region and city. Let us look at his prayer and its implications.
- May you be strengthened with power (vs. 11). This implies our faith is prone to weakness. I have on many times begun to doubt the truth of what I believe. Paul prays for strength to endure with joy! He longs for us to have faith.
- May you give thanks to the Father (vs. 12). Our faith is in a good Father that has qualified us to share in the wonderous inheritance of all the saints of light. God has qualified us. What liberation! It is what He has done for me not what I have done for him! My faith is increased with this knowledge.
Paul then shifts the focus of his prayer to a declaration of WHY we can endure and give thanks - Jesus the Son of God. Do you know that you can declare what God has done in prayer? Such prayers have great power.
- The Father has delivered us from the domain of darkness (vs. 13) AND transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son (with the saints of light!).
- It is through Jesus this redemption is possible (vs. 14). Jesus paid the debt we owed for our sin. Forgiveness is now not only possible but free!
- Jesus is the image of the invisible God (vs. 15). God has been made visible through Jesus. It is not a "blind faith" we have but one based on the revelation of God through the life and death of the man Jesus.
- Jesus created ALL things (vs. 16). Not only the creation we see but the invisible - including fallen angels, rulers, and dominions. The dominion of darkness is the result of that which Jesus created having rebelled against the worship of its Creator.
- Jesus holds all things together (vs. 17). Not only has Jesus created ALL, but he continues to sustain it. Without this knowledge, we might fear the power of darkness. Will it ultimately triumph in this world? Has God's creation gone beyond His control? Clearly, this is not the case. Jesus holds ALL things together including that which has fallen. Satan cannot act unless allowed to by God (see the book of Job). Ultimate victory over darkness and the restoration of creation with a new heaven, a new earth, and new resurrected bodies is guaranteed. Ponder this and let your faith be strengthened.
- Jesus is preeminent (vs. 18). He has created ALL things. He is seeking to redeem humanity. And after destroying all that remains of evil, he will make ALL things new (Rev. 21:5). The Father has ordained for Jesus to do this SO THAT in all things He might have the supremacy (Col 1:18, NIV). It is in this supremacy of over all evil, all creation, and over our lives that we have the faith to believe that he has indeed...
"(Given) himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age..." (Galatians 1:4)
We will continue this theme tomorrow.
1 comment:
This would lead us to conclude that Jesus and the Father are one! Woot! Well done!
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