Month: October 2019

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:10-17 (day four)

This passage has a familiar picture in Paul’s theology…a transformed life.  When we are in Christ, we are a new creation.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”  We cannot have Christ in our life and stay the same.  His Spirit cannot abide with our old sinful self.  His presence will produce Christ-likeness in us.

What do people see in your life?  Are they seeing a transformed life or are they seeing a selfish, self-centered individual?  Do they see compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience?  If we are in Christ, the life that people see will look completely different than the life without Christ.  The picture we paint to the world speaks volumes about where our life originates.  To be ‘in Christ,’ will give us a whole new perspective on relationships, attitudes, and priorities.  Where are you living?

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:10-17 (day three)

“There is no distinction between Greek and Jew.”

Okay, then how am I to know who I’m dealing with? Jock, gamer, libertarian, fundamentalist, Unitarian, Asian, woman: Give me something to go on. Paul says, “No, we’re not going to assume things about each other according to those kinds of categories anymore. This is the day of the new human.” And yet, look around at the church in today’s world—our controversies, our disagreements, our expectations of each other. If we won’t understand one another within the church apart from pre-conceived identifiers, how in the world will we ever make a claim to anyone in the wider world that Christ can transform the way a person lives? You want to be a better patriot, a better teacher, a better boyfriend? Get a mentor. But if you want to become new, start over with Christ.

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:10-17 (day two)  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. vs. 17

As much I love verse 16, it is this charge that Paul gives in the next verse that has helped shape me as a husband, father, pastor, friend. Don’t you find it at least more difficult to pray for someone if you have prayed for or with them? When you see someone that you disagree with and remember that they, too, are a child of God, shouldn’t it make your conversation go differently? If we are to take this at face value then we must reconcile that Jesus is near at all times. He see us when we argue needlessly and selfishly. When we lie or cheat another, he is there. We need to act like we believe this verse. All the time.

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:1-9 (day seven)

Two years ago I chose Colossians 3:2 to be our Freedom Weekend theme verse. I wanted this verse to resonate with our students as they looked at the culture of their schools and peer groups. It is incredibly easy for students to look at the here and now, and submerse themselves into “the things that are on earth” while becoming consumers of the culture that is around them. The more they consume of culture, the more culture consumes them. The more culture consumes them, the less they consume of the things that are above. This is not just an issue with the younger generations is it?

There is a fine line to be walked as we are called to be in the world but not of the world. The calling in this passage is missional. This calling is for us to set our mind on things that are not of this world, so that we, being in the world, might show the world that we are meant for so much more than this world can ever offer.

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:1-9 (day six)  

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:3-4

We live this Christian life from a position of strength. We have the high ground; it is no uphill battle. And glory is certain. Comforting truths for Christians wrangling to put on the new self. Do you feel it?

Paul desires two rock solid truths to empower you to wage war against the flesh: your hiddenness and your future glory. By hidden Paul means secure; nothing is open for debate or uncertain. Being hidden in Jesus means you are strong. By glory Paul means that your inheritance is the fullness of Jesus’ righteousness.

Put those two together, and by the Spirit you can slay any dragon (sin and temptation). So remember, you may seem weak, but in Christ you are strong. You don’t have to be timid with sin, or meek, or passive. Listen, the enemy rejoices when we have convinced ourselves that we are the underdog.

So, stop . Jesus’ glory is yours, now fight like it!

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:1-9 (day five)   We added Cliff (who is a delightful yellow lab) to our family about 16 months ago. When he came to us as a 10 week old puppy, he needed to be trained and equipped (discipled) to live with us and in our house. What I discovered about Cliff was when his focus and attention was on me as his master, he was more easily trained. In other words, he learned quicker. He remembered better. He listened more keenly. He was more eager to please me. He would become the obedient dog that I desired him to be. His progress and abilities to be trained were always related to the consistency and intensity of his attention to me, regardless of distractions and disruptions. Still true today.

I think we have that in common. Our attention and focus on “the master” determines our capacity to obey and please Him. “Keep seeking the things above”. “Set your mind on things above”.  Still true today. Does God have your constant and faithful attention/determination?  Do you keep seeking the things above?

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:1-9 (day four)

‘Our life is hidden with Christ’…this is especially true in the eyes of the world.  The world cannot even comprehend the understanding we have in Christ.  We see everything through a different lens.  We see through the lens of the Holy Spirit.  Scripture does not make sense to the unbeliever.  Until a heart is born again in Christ, there can be no truth.

Romans 8:6-8 says, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Unless God draws a man to Himself, salvation cannot come.  We cannot debate a person into heaven and we cannot present a convincing, logical argument to accept Christ that can change a heart.  Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, man cannot know the Truth!

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:1-9 (day three)

“You laid aside the old man.”

Sexual preoccupation, revenge-seeking, fixation on material gain, grudge-holding. Might as well face it, you don’t know any other way to live. Even if none of these exact things are your jam, it’s the way things are done around here. And if you should refuse to give in to such vices, it seems you’ve really left yourself vulnerable to the powerful people who’ve learned the ways of the world. But Paul invites you to leave that way of being completely behind. It’s not that you or I have the opportunity to stop doing bad things, but to become, over time, a new kind of human. Not merely a being who does good things in a bad world, but a new kind of being whose life will light the way for those who knew no other way existed.

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 3:1-9 (day two) Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. vs. 2

Believe it or not I used to consider myself a runner. I enjoyed my time in distance training, especially in the Fall in the Midwest. One of the things that I remember from some particularly long runs was the tendency to keep my head down. It was during these times that I was constantly focused on how much farther I had to run. My mind was constantly trying to figure out how far I had run and my energy to be able to finish. Those runs never went well. When I remembered to look up it was different. Something about seeing what is ahead and around you that changes your focus. Paul is encouraging us to do this very thing. Look up, get your focus on Jesus. When you fixate on him everything changes.