Romans 1: 1-15

Paul’s letter to the Romans is a systematic presentation of God’s plan of redemption for the entire world. In the first five verses Paul outlines this plan which he will fully develop in the next sixteen chapters. Perhaps more than any other book in the New Testament, Paul’s letter to the Romans has been used by God to keep his people on the right track. Our goal over the next twenty days is to allow the wonder of Paul’s revelations about God to sweep over us.

The phrase that captured my attention in today’s reading is, “your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.” Why? For the followers of Jesus in Rome Jesus was not just one of many gods they could worship. Jesus was Lord and Savior of the world. For these Christians Jesus was not optional for life. They believed Jesus was the only way to be reconciled to God the Creator. Without Jesus they would stand as guilty sinners on the Day of Judgment. Without Jesus there was no hope of eternal life. The Christians in Rome were living in the shadow of the Emperor of the Roman Empire, who proclaimed himself as divine and ruler of the world. To proclaim another person as Lord was to pronounce a death sentence on your life. Faith for these Christians was indeed risky.

I want to be more aware of opportunities to let my faith be known. Some of these opportunities may be risky by taking me out of my comfort zone or by challenging conventional wisdom. Some of these opportunities may be risky because God may be calling me to care enough to confront a friend or family member who is not in harmony with God. I pray that Paul’s faithful church in Rome will inspire me to do the right thing.

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

1-Dec-11      Rom. 1:16-32

Colossians 4

Paul begins this letter by assuring the Colossians that he is praying for their new church. He ends the letter asking the church to pray for him. Paul is helping the young church learn to take their share of responsibility for all that God is doing to advance His Kingdom; not just what God is doing in Colossae.

Paul is also demonstrating how important it is for Christian leaders to have the prayer support of the church. The pulpit in every church is a shared responsibility. The preacher is responsible for accurately proclaiming God’s Word. The people of the congregation are responsible for undergirding the preacher with prayer. If either wanes in their responsibility the church suffers for lack of spiritual nourishment.

In the Book of James we learn that we have not because we ask not; and we have not because we ask amiss. Paul is also teaching the young church how to pray.

Here is how Paul prayed for the church:

“We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.” “We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy.” 1: 9, 11

Here is how Paul asked the church to pray for him:

“Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.” 4: 3-4

Paul’s prayers are not about asking God for things or asking God to change circumstances.

Paul’s prayers are about knowing Jesus and advancing his kingdom. 

Colossians 4

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

30-Nov-11     Rom. 1:1-15

Colossians 3

Chapter three is full of practical insights for the life of a Christian. I see these insights connecting to Paul’s conclusion in chapter two that my sinful nature cannot be brought under control by discipline, rules and regulations. Paul is saying I can’t domesticate my flesh; legalism provides no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. In the first four verses of chapter three Paul shows me an alternative to a legalistic way of life; the life in Christ. Using baptism as a metaphor Paul teaches that through faith in Jesus I have been raised up to a new life; the life in Christ. The idea of ‘being in’ Christ reminds me that Jesus spoke about how he was ‘in God the Father.’ Here Paul teaches that I am in Christ, who is in the Father.

This is not highfalutin religious gobbledygook. This is life. Paul is teaching us that when we put on our new nature, when we choose to live out of the reality of our new identity, our new life in Christ, when we learn about Jesus who gave his life for us, we become like Jesus. As when we become more like Jesus our sinful nature decreases and our Godly nature increases.

I will never win the battle against my sinful nature by submitting to laws, rules, and regulations. Jesus won the victory over my sinful nature. When I choose to live my life in Christ my old sinful nature loses its grip on me. It is for freedom that Christ has set me free from the power of sin therefore I choose to live my life in Christ.

But wait, some might say. Chapter three is chock full of things Paul says Not to do, and things Paul says I must do. Aren’t those rules and regulations? If you try to obey these dos and don’ts in order to be a good person, in order to have a right relationship with God, then yes Paul’s lists are rules and regulations. But, Paul isn’t saying you Have To do these things. He is saying this is what you Get To do when you are alive in Christ. That’s the difference between grace and law.

Law emphasizes what man does. Grace emphasizes what God does. Law's primary focus is: Ought to; should've; have to; must. Grace's primary focus is on ‘want to’. Law creates bondage, duty, and obligation. Grace creates freedom. Law declares do in order to be. Grace declares you are, therefore do. Law leads to defeat. Grace leads to Victory!

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

29-Nov-11     Col. 4

Colossians 2

In my dream I walked into a small jewelry store. The display case on my left glimmers with beautiful diamonds, on my right are rubies and sapphires, behind me are emeralds, and in a display case in the middle are the most beautiful pearls I have ever seen. Help yourself the proprietor says. Where do I begin?

That’s pretty much how I feel after reading Colossians Two. There are so many precious gems, so many pearls, where do I begin? Two precious gems caught my attention today.

I see Paul connecting the life in Christ to the words of Jesus in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Paul teaches me that in Jesus are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” In Jesus is all the fullness of God. Because my life is in Jesus, I am complete. (3, 9-10.) How can this be?

This is truth because I have been made alive in Christ. Jesus took my sins and they were nailed to the cross with him. Because of the faithfulness of Christ my sins have been forgiven. In ancient times when an enemy was defeated, the conquering General would bind the defeated general in chains and take him prisoner. When the conquering General returned home there was a huge parade in his honor and the defeated general, in chains, was made to walk at the end of the parade, where, now disarmed, he was shamed publicly. Rising from the grave, Christ destroyed Satan’s power over sin and death. Satan was publicly shamed when Jesus forgave all my sins, when Jesus canceled the record of the charges against me. (13-15.)

Every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday, a time of remembering that because I have died with Christ I am now alive in Christ; Christ has set me free from the spiritual powers of this world. (20)

 Colossians 2

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

28-Nov-11     Col. 3

Colossians 1

Every person elected as our President comes to office with dreams and ambitions for our country. Not too long after taking office they learn that actually they are quite limited in their ability to effect change. Why? Because there are others powers and forces that contend for control; congressional, judicial, economic, international, and the forces of nature. This is a world the people of Colossae could easily understand.

The ancient city of Colossae was in Turkey, inland from Ephesus. Paul is writing from jail, either in Rome or Ephesus, at about 61AD. Colossae was destroyed by an earthquake four years later. The world culture at that time was dominated by a belief that the entire world was controlled by powers and forces beyond the control of the ordinary person. Life was spent trying to appease these forces. The new church in Colossae was being threatened by new believers in Christ bringing their pagan beliefs, as well as elements of Judaism, astrology and magic into the church. This mixed bag of doctrines, thoughts and ideas was reducing Jesus to merely an angelic being. Paul responds to this situation in this presentation of both the uniqueness and supremacy of Jesus. In the beautifully poetic passage of v. 15-20 count the different titles Paul used to describe Jesus.

The abiding theme of this letter is thankfulness. Paul begins in v.3 by thanking God for the church in Colossae then in v.12 by thanking the Father for all he has done in the life of the believers. This theme of thanksgiving will be carried forward to 2:7, 3:17, and 4:2.

Every day it is my ambition to allow two of Paul’s statements about Jesus to permeate my entire being. First, Jesus, who created all that has been created, is holding everything together. (v.17) Jesus is actively involved in this world, or as the Affirmation of Faith of the United Church of Canada states, I believe in Jesus “who has created and is creating.”

Secondly, this Jesus, as described in v. 15-20, lives in me. (v. 27)

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

27-Nov-11     Col. 2