Dear Friends in Christ-
This week's epistle reading continues in the letter to Colossians with 2:6-19. The writer (supposedly Paul) urges the church to live their lives in accordance with Jesus. At this time, there were competing views of how to follow Jesus among the early Christians. Some believed that they needed to hold on to the religious traditions they had been taught as Jewish believers. Others followed different teachers who may have been leading them astray. Paul was concerned that they live into Christ and remember that they are saved by faith in Christ, not through circumcision or any other practice. Any other actions necessary for salvation were destroyed by Christ’s death on the cross. Verses 16-19 urge the listener/reader not to worry about some of the cultural practices of the time, whether to participate or not. If the practice leads one astray from Christ, then it is best to avoid them, but there is nothing wrong with observing those cultural practices in themselves—as long as one understands their fullness is in Christ and not in any tradition or practice. Colossians 2:6-19, New International Version Spiritual Fullness in Christ 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces⁰ of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Freedom From Human Rules 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come, the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Have you heard the statement, "He paid a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay"? What does this truism mean to you? Second, that "we are the Body of Christ"? What does this truism mean to you? These truisms/statements of faith, illustrate just how connected we are to Christ. Look through the others. Any new insights? Any questions? The other side of the spiritual coin are the insights gained when we draw away from Jesus, losing connection to the Head of the Body. Please take time to re-read. What questions arise? What questions might you bring to worship? I look forward to hearing from you. In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ~Special thanks to Rev. Mindi and Hope for the Broken Hearted for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary. The intent of this effort is to better prepare for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Comments are closed.
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SUNDAY @ 11 AM To join by phone, dial (929) 205-6099 and enter the meeting ID and password below: Meeting ID: 876 1875 9099 Password 333 PrayerGracious Loving Lord, please keep all of your children safe in these trying times. Guide us. Open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our minds to understand and our hearts to know and be your love to others. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Want to support RLUMC and our missions? Donate Today
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September 2023
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