Afterwords -- week 12
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:15-20 ESV)
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March 12, 2022
Dear friends,
I looked out the window this morning and expected further evidence of spring arriving but was surprised to see an inch of new snow! Oh, well, put the winter vest back on and curl up with a hot cup of coffee. I think snow in March is especially pretty because I know "this too shall pass". This week in my personal reading, and in a small group Bible study, we've begun looking at Paul's letter to the Colossians. For all the difficult things Paul went through he was still able to look out the window (even a prison window) and know that "this too shall pass!"
A HIGH CHRISTOLOGY (Col 1). Sometimes you will hear the term "high Christology" used in biblical studies to indicate a Christian belief that Jesus was more than a prophet, or the Messianic king, or a mighty angelic being -- that somehow, he is God in flesh. Not a god, but very God in human incarnation. Some popular "biblical" scholars teach that this kind of belief arose generations, or even centuries, after the original events. So, the hymn-like language we read in Colossians 1:15-20 above is the kind of thing the church came to believe much later than the first century. (Btw, the term "firstborn" used in verses 15 and 18 is not referring to birth but rather to position, i.e., Christ holds the preeminent position over creation and redemption -- he inherits it all.) This, however, is not a later belief or embellishment that the church gave to Jesus. Only days after our Lord's resurrection, Thomas would exclaim, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) The deity of Christ resounds all throughout John's gospel. In speaking of the hope of Jesus' glorious return the Apostle Paul calls him "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). The words we read above were written to the church in Colossae while Paul was imprisoned in Rome around AD 60. That's not generations or centuries later. The church was barely established in a few Roman cities. There was very little church organization at that time -- no publishing houses, no ecclesiastical councils, no seminaries, no cathedrals. The "church" did not invent a high Christology -- the church from the very beginning held to a high Christology because she herself was created by Christ, who is God. The founding documents of the New Testament from the very beginning proclaim a high Christology. He is the God-man who alone is able to accomplish what no human or angel ever could!
DOXOLOGIES. A doxology (lit., glory-words) ascribe, or give, glory to God. These prayers are similar to other forms of praise and thanksgiving, but usually regard God, his character, and his works with phrases like, "Blessed be the Lord...", "Worthy are you...", or "Now to him who _____ be glory forever." Here are some passages that we have enjoyed using, especially to begin or end the day: 1 Chron 29:10-11; Psalm 72:18-19; Romans 11:33, 36; Eph 3:20-21; 1 Tim 6:15-16; Rev 4:11; 5:9-10, 13. Such praise not only gives the credit and honor due to God, it also recalibrates our minds to reality. The world and situations that we so often fret about are under his glorious control. To him belongs the dominion and the glory and the power and the honor, forever and ever. To which we can only add a resounding "amen!"
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO... "Christ Our Hope in Life and Death" by singers from Southern Seminary in Louisville. And I'm enjoying "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" by Shane and Shane. Here's the story of the women behind that hymn.
FIRST THINGS FIRST. "By valuing too highly a real, but subordinate good, we have come near to losing that good itself... You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first." (C. S. Lewis) Read more excerpts here.
THE RISE OF CHRISTIAN GURUS. "Humility tends to break a guru’s spell, since so much depends on the creation of a 'brand' that is self-referential. By contrast, the wisdom of Christian worship is a nuanced wisdom." (Samuel D. James) Read more about this here.
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN. As of 2019 there were 68.5 million people displaced worldwide -- 25.4 million are refugees; 3.1 million are asylum-seekers; and 40 million are internally displaced – meaning they currently still live in their native country but have had to shift from their home region to another. The UN Refugee Agency says as of 2021 that number has increased to 84 million. Now, more than two million Ukrainians -- mostly women and children -- have fled their country. Most have gone to Poland. Hundreds of thousands more are displaced within Ukraine, fleeing to safer cities. How can we help, or even hope to help? First, we pray! And we should pray and encourage those who are already there and able to help. In our own church we support missionaries in Hungary and France, who are helping immigrants right now. We can give, for example, to Samaritan's Purse or the Red Cross. Finally, take a few moments and listen to the newly released "Immigrant's Song" by the Gettys.
That's it for week 12!
Sandy
Image credit: artwork and quote above by Lilias Trotter.