Posted on 09/27/2008 1:57:08 PM PDT by Gamecock
In the past several weeks I have been learning a lot about who Jesus is by preaching through Colossians. This is obviously quite important for believers, as we are always in the need of theological reform. But this is even more necessary in light of the fact that we live in a culture that portrays Jesus in many different ways. Though he is mentioned frequently, Jesus is rarely portrayed correctly. I heard recently of several congressmen portraying Jesus as a community organizer. This was no doubt in effort to bolster their candidate’s resume. The Bible is just too specific for folks to have to be so creative and careless with Jesus. They make a caricature out of him.
In Colossians 1.28 we read that it is this same Jesus who is in believers that is proclaimed:
We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. V.28
If we broaden it out to include the greater context we have a fuller picture of the subject of this message:
Let’s go for a little walk through the Book of Colossians and remind ourselves who ‘He’ is:
He is…the object of faith for believers (1.4)
He is…the source of hope (1.5)
He is…the one whom believers serve (1.7)
He is…the intended audience of a holy life (1.10)
He is…the Beloved Son of God (1.13)
He is…the King (1.13)
He is…the Redeemer (1.14)
He is…the basis for the forgiveness of sins (1.14)
He is…the image of God (1.15)
He is…the firstborn of creation (1.15)
He is…the creator of all things (1.16)
He is…the one for whom all things have been made (1.16)
He is…the sustainer of all things (1.17)
He is…the head of the church (1.18)
He is…the firstborn of the dead (1.18)
He is…the embodiment of all of divine fullness (1.19)
He is…the Reconciler (1.20)
He is…the Peacemaker (1.20)
He is…the rebel’s Rescuer (1.21)
He is…the sovereign Savior (1.22)
He is…the sovereign Sustainer and Keeper of the elect (1.22)
He is…the subject of the riches of the glory of God (1.27)
He is…the hope of glory (1.27)
He is…in believers (1.27)
This just takes us up to this passage in Colossians 1.28. If you keep going you see that:
He is… the true knowledge of God (2.2)
He is… the source of all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (2.3)
He is… the One who insults worldly philosophy by exposing its weakness (2.8ff)
He is… the fullness of Deity in bodily form, that is, he is God in the flesh (2.9)
He is… the one who makes believers complete (2.10)
He is… the source of regenerating power (2.13)
He is… the forgiver (2.13)
He is… the one who overcame the law by fulfilling it (2.14)
He is… the one who triumphed over all rulers and authorities; all of the demonic realm (2.15)
He is… the one who is supreme over all world religious pursuits, including all world philosophies, all forms of legalism, all mysticism, and all asceticism (2.15-23)
He is… the only one who is able to defeat and disarm the flesh (2.23)
He is… the source and substance of the believer’s life (3.1-4)
He is… the focus of the believer affections and ambitions (3.1-4)
He is… the object of the believer’s hope (3.1-4)
He is… the ultimate end of all of our actions and thanksgivings (3.15-17)
He is… the One, and the only one who is…all and in all (Col. 3.11)
Listen, we are not talking about simply a religious figure, a spiritual fairy tale, our cosmic buddy, much less is he a community organizer…He is not simply a pronoun. He is Jesus, the beloved Son of God who has drawn gloriously close to us, changed our lives, and is even in us. Therefore, what can we do but proclaim him!?
This is exactly what Paul models with incessant, unflinching resolve.
I don’t believe a community organizer ever called others “brood of vipers”. But I’m not sure... ;O)
Very good. Thank you.
I will make this a focal point for upcoming devotionals. Thanks.
One thing that we forget, but need to be reminded of, is that Jesus was a . . . . carpenter.
A humble worker in wood, truely man and truely Devine. He would know from his own experience that without care in its creation, the table wobbles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.