Meander: To move
aimlessly and idly without fixed direction. To be directed in various
directions or at multiple objects. To digress.
Colossae was a cosmopolitan city in western Asia situated along a major
road that connected the West to the East of Asia. The natives were the Phrygians
but also had a cocktail of minorities of Romans, Jews, Greeks, etc. It was an
international city with many pagan religions – PLURALISTS. There was the practice
of Animism which is the elemental worship of nature spirits; Astrology from the
East and Judaism, which has been influenced by mysticism and had become less moral.
We can see this pattern today in the western world, especially the United
Kingdom – Pluralism is where there is no dominant religion. All religions are
recognised, resulting in all the confusions we see today. It is no surprise then
that these pagan practices had entered the Church which was founded by one of
Paul’s converts whom he had met in Ephesus - Epaphras.
THEME: Paul’s
singular aim in this letter is to reveal to these believers the glory of God’s
mystery which had been hidden in all ages, to all peoples – CHRIST, that all
the wisdom and knowledge they have been seeking in philosophy, horoscope, the
elements and all forms of human thinking are all compacted in HIM.
WHO IS THIS JESUS CHRIST?
- The Son of God’s love
- Image of the invisible God
- Firstborn of all creation
- Creator of all things, owner of all
- He is before all things
- All things have their existence in Him
- He is the beginning of all things and holds first place in all things
- He is the Head of the body, the Church
- He is the firstborn from the dead
- The FULLNESS of the Godhead dwells in Him in human form (Jesus came in the flesh!)
- Reconciled(s) all things to Himself and to God by making peace with the blood of His cross through death
- He is the Head of all principalities and powers
- In HIM are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US:
- Reconciled us to God and Himself through His death that we might be blameless in His sight.
- He broke down the wall that separated us from God.
- He made us complete in Himself.
- He circumcised our hearts, having died with Him on the cross, buried with Him in Baptism and raised and with Him in His resurrection, Halelluyah!!
- He forgave all our trespasses and made us alive together with Him.
- He wiped out all the written document that was against and opposed us with all the decrees.
- He stripped rulers and authorities, exposed them in public and celebrated a triumph over them, all for us!!
LET US THANK HIM FOR
ALL HE HAS DONE FOR US!!
DON’T BE TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HUMAN OPINIONS, STANDARDS,
PHILOSOPHIES
- Eating and drinking
- Feasts, festivals – Lent, Easter, Christmas, etc.
- Sabbath, Sunday,
- False humility, Worship of Angels etc
- Worldly decrees – touch not, handle not, taste not.
Having received Christ, we are being rooted, built
up in Him and established in the faith.Let us keep WALKING in Him – Chapter 2:6.
Having been raised with Jesus Christ (because we
died), we are to be seeking and thinking of things that are above where Christ
is, and not things on the earth – Chapter 3:1-2.
Always ask the question, ‘Where does this thing I am
doing or asked to do, originate from?’ If you cannot trace it to Christ then do
away with it.
LET US
PRAY: Chapter 1: 9-11
- Lord, please fill me with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Christ is the under to my standing.
- Help me walk worthy of You, pleasing You in all things.
- Let my walk produce fruit bearing good works.
- Increase my knowledge of You, Lord, and not of the world.
- Empower me with Your Holy Spirit unto patient endurance with joy.
- Give me a heart of gratitude towards You, Lord, in all things.
