Good morning brothers and sisters,
First, a reminder about out North East Cluster Ecumenical Thanksgiving service tonight at 7. Worship will feature leaders from several area churches and will be held at St. Mark's and St. John's Episcopal Church (1245 Culver Rd, maybe 2 blocks south of Merchants). It should be a good time with our neighbors; I hope you can make it.
Our reading for this morning focuses on Christ's majesty and our unity in him. Paul reminds his readers that even though they may often feel weak, they are on God's side. They can count on the strength of Christ, a man in whom the whole fullness of God dwelt. Christ is the head and center not only of the church but of all creation. Think about that the next time you feel like the church has become irrelevant. As long as we hold faithfully to Christ, our message will always be important.
God bless,
Sam
Colossians 1:11-20
11May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
Showing posts with label Christ the head. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ the head. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
fasting and humility
Good morning all,
This morning's reading continues Paul's train of thought about finding our center in Christ, not in "elemental spirits" or in other powers. There's some uncertainty what the term "elemental spirits" means but it seems to have to do with spirits associated with stars or elements of the world (earth, air, fire, water). As we see in today's reading there also seems to have been teachings floating around in Colossae that encouraged ascetic practices (fasting, dietary restrictions, etc.).
It's interesting to see Paul's response to these ideas since he has a reputation as a pretty strict person, and elsewhere he had nothing good to say about excessive food or drink. Paul's point is that what matters is holding fast to Christ. Food is neither good nor bad; fasting is neither good nor bad in itself. The question is what leads us to lean more on Christ and to live by his light. That's a good guideline in general for us, along with how our actions impact others.
God bless you as you start the new week,
Sam
Colossians 2:16-23
16Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.
20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”? 22All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.
This morning's reading continues Paul's train of thought about finding our center in Christ, not in "elemental spirits" or in other powers. There's some uncertainty what the term "elemental spirits" means but it seems to have to do with spirits associated with stars or elements of the world (earth, air, fire, water). As we see in today's reading there also seems to have been teachings floating around in Colossae that encouraged ascetic practices (fasting, dietary restrictions, etc.).
It's interesting to see Paul's response to these ideas since he has a reputation as a pretty strict person, and elsewhere he had nothing good to say about excessive food or drink. Paul's point is that what matters is holding fast to Christ. Food is neither good nor bad; fasting is neither good nor bad in itself. The question is what leads us to lean more on Christ and to live by his light. That's a good guideline in general for us, along with how our actions impact others.
God bless you as you start the new week,
Sam
Colossians 2:16-23
16Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.
20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”? 22All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.
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