6/21/12- Firmly Fixed

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6,7)

Thoughts: There are three great images of the Christian life that are especially apt for today.  Those who believe in Christ- who have received Him are to continue to live in Him.  The word in the NIV "continue to live" literally is "continue to walk" (peripeteite in Greek).  Paul is saying that we have begun this journey- and we need to continue to walk on it.  Pilgrim's Progress comes to mind- we do not stop to wallow in self-indulgent pleasures, but we stay focused on our destination.
   The second image is that we are rooted (errizomenoi in Greek) in Him- like a tree whose roots sink down into the ground for nourishment.  It is a similar image to John 15 when Jesus speaks of "abiding" in Him.  We are to sink our roots deep into Christ both for stability when the winds of trouble blow and for nourishment to keep growing- turning into the person God has designed us to be.  We are to remember our roots and not try to separate ourselves from them, rather continuing to let our roots sink deep into Him. 
     The third image is being "built up" in Him.  Some think this refers to a building- that we are to build on the foundation of Christ (Thayer, Barclay).  I believe it refers to the same image- of a tree.  Our roots sink down into Him, we are to continue to live in Him, and we are to grow- to be built up as a tree grows and becomes an abiding place- providing shade and comfort.  This being "built up"- shows strength and overflows into the fruitfulness of a thankful and healthy life.
     Paul was encouraging the Colossians to continue to remain in Christ and not be drawn aside by the worldliness of immorality or the deceptiveness of skeptical wise-men/philosophers.  This is a word for us today in which so many are tempted to fall into immorality or the nothingness and meaninglessness of unbelief.  We are, with all our might, to focus on what strengthens us and helps us to bear fruit.  We are to sink our roots deep into Him- by prayer, scripture, worship, fellowship, communion, serving others in His name, witnessing for Him out of thankfulness anything that would help us remain in Him.



Prayer: Help me sink my soul deep into your love, O Christ.  Give me grace to be rooted and growing in you.  Help my life to overflow with thankfulness to you.

6/20/12- Wisdom and Faith

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. They may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. (Col. 1:15; 2:4)

(Graduation from Union Theological Seminary VA)


Thoughts: The Colossians were influenced by Greek philosophy and a kind of proto-Gnosticism (a belief in salvation by secret knowledge).  It is always hard if not impossible for the Christian faith to separate itself from the philosophy and cultural thinking around it.  In our day, we face an interesting mixture of Enlightenment skepticism (that leads to the dreary skepticism of Hume and meaningless nihilism of Nietzsche) and the postmodern idea of "it doesn't really matter" what you believe.  Fine-sounding arguments can be made against the faith.  After all, in this life we see through a mirror dimly.  If it were perfectly clear, then faith in God would not be faith.  Faith makes sense, and makes sense of life.  Yet at some point as Kierkegaard said, we must take a leap of faith.  Faith always involves an element of risk and mystery.  Too many philosophers act as if they know all the elements of the equation, when knowledge always is limited.  In reality, every philosophy also has to live with an element of mystery and belief in its own system.
    Paul was saying that we should use human wisdom in our teaching to help people to grow into maturity.  But all true wisdom and the treasures of all knowledge are ultimately found in Christ the Creator of all- and the giver of our minds.
    I used to believe we could argue someone into the kingdom of Christ.  But very few are drawn to Christ by argument.  There reaches a point where we have to see that we are not the judge of God, but we need to submit to His love.  Arguments about the existence of God, the purpose/design of life, the miracles or lists of answered prayers all fall short to those who do not want to believe.  But when the thirst for ultimate reality- the thirst for God and His love and mercy in Christ overwhelm the thirst for knowledge- then faith is found.  In the end we must not only humble our souls before Christ- the giver of our souls.  We also must humble our minds before Christ- the giver of our minds.  All wisdom and knowledge- are found in the one who give "peace of mind."  


Prayer: Help me, Lord, to submit my thinking to you. Give me grace to use my mind to the best of its ability to honor and glorify you.

The Mirror Image

¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:15-20)

Thoughts: Jesus is the mirror image of God the Father (Heb. 1:3; Jn. 1:18: 14:9). If you want to find out what the invisible God looks like- look at Jesus.  Any other image we conjure up becomes an idol- and a distortion.  But we can also distort and tarnish the image of Christ.  We can make Christ in our image- or make Him into the way we want Him to be, instead of listening to how He is described by the eyewitnesses and those who lived close to Him when He walked this earth.
    Years ago I went to the "House of Mirrors" at the State Fair.  At first I thought it was boring, but then when I got in the middle, it was hard to find my way out.  There seemed to be 20 doors and 40 images of myself.  It is important to get the true image.  I also saw in that same house of mirrors some mirrors that made me look overly fat, and other mirrors that made me look taller and skinnier than I really was.  It is important to get the right image of Christ- for this image of Christ points out to God the Father.  Jesus was the One who taught us to see God as Father, and as a God who loves us, cares for us when we are sick, and welcomes us back to Himself when we are prodigals.  The Bible gives us a good, clean, untarnished, undistorted image of Christ.  The Bible is the glass that reflects that image- but Christ is the two dimensional-incarnated image of the multi-dimensional, multi-faceted Father.

Prayer: May I see you clearly revealed in your Word, Father.  May I see you clearly revealed through the Living Word who came for me.  

Thanks for faith and love

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people —  (Colossians 1:3,4)


Thoughts: Paul and Timothy thank God for their faith.  Faith and love are not human creations in a vacuum.  God the Father is a frequent image of the first person of the trinity in Colossians.
What were the two things to be commended here?  Their faith was commended.  But not just any kind of faith.  Their faith had an object- Jesus Christ.  They relied not simply on positive thinking, but on Christ Jesus who proves He is trustworthy of our faith.  In a skeptical world- faith is not only a tool of encouragement and strength-- but it is also a key that unlocks the door into the presence of God the Father.  Faith in Christ calls us beyond our intellect and our pride to something- rather someone more.  The temptation the Colossians faced was a protognosticism that emphasized philosophy and asceticism as a means to get to God.  Faith in Christ makes the philosophical niceties of human wisdom look small.  The Revelation of God is much more powerful, certain, and moving than the intellectual skepticism that doubts everything and believes nothing. 
The love for the saints ("all God's people" NIV) is also to be commended.  Jesus says that the world will know we are His disciples by His love (Jn. 13:33,34).  So Colossae was a friendly church- that looked after each other.  Faith and love are two wonderful gifts that fight skepticism and selfish apathy.  In our day we also need faith to fight the joyless and meaningless secular skepticism and we need love to fight the drug-loving, comfort seeking funk of our society. 


Prayer: Lord thank you that you give me faith and love that I might glorify you. 

6/6/12- Colossians 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.  (Col. 1:1,2).

(Colossae today)

     2 Corinthians, Philippians and Philemon  all mention Timothy as well as Paul as the senders of the epistle.  But what is unique to this introduction are the words "to the holy and faithful saints."  The readers were viewed as being set apart- to be holy.  The introduction has a family theme: "brothers, and God our father."  This family is found in the geographical city of Colossae, and in the person of Jesus Christ.  
   Paul was not alone but had Timothy.  He was reminding the Colossians that they were inter-dependent on each other and even more truly on God.  We too are dependent on God, our Father.
   

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to know that I am in you and with many other brothers and sisters.

6/5/12- Learning from Scotland

⁶ This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look;ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.  But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Thoughts: Several have asked me what was most meaningful about the trip to Scotland.  Perhaps it is seeing the ancient paths there and the clear need to reform the church.
   In Iona we visited the ancient monastery of St. Columba who boldly brought Christianity to Scotland and could be credited with renewing a faltering Christianity on the continent of Europe in the late 500s.

    Throughout Scotland, there are monuments to John Knox who boldly brought Christianity back to Scotland- where it had shrunk into an immoral nominalism.  For example, Knox's early opponent, Cardinal Beaton, had 30 illegitimate children, his own army, and the church was a top-down shell of what it was. Knox's reformation is one reason the Scottish speak English instead of French today, that the church is Protestant instead of Catholic, and that the literacy rate went up to 97% of the people (Knox established parish schools so that they could read the Bible).

    Then there is the Church of Scotland today.  There is a church in every neighborhood- and while people nominally believe, their morals and devotion have decayed to a shadow of its former self.  We saw many churches that had been torn down, turned into museums, restaurants, and civic centers.  There is no  doubt in my mind that America's churches are headed down the same road if we do not turn back to the ancient paths. 

   Columba and Knox were bold in their beliefs, bold in their sharing.  They were not afraid of their opponents- though they were sometimes discouraged.  They did not re-imagine God, but they went back to the ancient paths of the scriptures- believing them with intellectual integrity and earnest obedience.  That is our call today as well.  

Prayer: Lord, show me your ancient paths- give me grace, strength, and mercy to walk in them.  

(Knox left; 

Columba right)

6/1/12 Can We Learn?

Can we learn from a sinner?  Is it possible to learn from a Benjamin Franklin who was known to have multiple affairs and questionable beliefs?  Is it possible to learn from a Richard Nixon or even a Ghengis Kahn?  The answer would be absolutely yes.  If we waited to learn from perfect people we'd never learn.  So is it possible to learn from a Knox who even y his own statements exaggerated the case against women, and destroyed (or refused to stop the destruction of) statues and valuable art? 
If we can only learn from someone we agree with 100% we'll never learn. Part of loving our enemies is learning from them.

Prayer: Lord teach me from sinners and saints for all truth comes from you.