Just some notes from reading through Colossians. I’m basically writing as thoughts come to mind while I’m reading.
13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
Begins what some have referred to as the ‘Christ Hymn…’ It really paints a picture of Jesus and how we will be ‘rescued’ and ‘transferred into the kingdom,’ into God’s presence as the Israelites were rescued in Exodus.
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Any thoughts on the word redemption?
• Defined as “deliverance upon payment of ransom.”
• First instance of redeem, Exodus 6
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
Begins a number of references to creation and how Jesus is the image of God…one with Him…first.
16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers — all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
Reminded me of Eden where God walked with the Eve and Adam.
20 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.
21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him –
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m still hooked on the creation story in Genesis. What I thought here was that even though we can become consumed by ourselves so much so that all we see is what is wrong with us and how we need to run and hide from God, God reconciled all things by giving Jesus to the world as an ultimate act of love and sacrifice and making The Way available for us to travel back home toward God. Provided…v.23
23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.
James 1:2-4 My brothers and sisters,1 whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. Willingly suffering for the sake of Christ’s body…the church.
How willing are we to suffer for the sake of the church? What does that look like today? Do we need to know that our suffering for the church is worth while by seeing the results of our suffering? Did Paul?
25 I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
To make The Word fully known regardless of any afflictions, prison, persecution, etc.
26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.
Mystery…thoughts on the mystery? What is the mystery? How has it been revealed?
Timothy 3:16 Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith — to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom1 be the glory forever! Amen.
27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
29 For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within.
For reasons outside of himself, Paul ‘toils, struggles and suffers.’ And it is Jesus as ‘The Word’ and ‘The Way’ that is the source of Paul’s energy and inspiration…it is Jesus that fuels his passion to continue to communicate faith, hope and love to others–even those he’d never met.
© 2005 ginny rogers
