Colossians 2

Do not be deceived by slick arguments that Jesus was not God. This includes the fact that earthly traditions (practices) are the key to salvation and peace with God. Christ circumcised your life for you. Circumcision was a Jewish, outside sign that you belonged to God. Problem was, you could have the sign but your heart was far from God. Christ, on the cross and through his resurrection, accomplished what our religious practices could not – peace with God. Through Christ, we are pleasing to God.

 

Do not be lead astray by fussy religious practices. They are not where the actions is. There is nothing wrong with them but they can not do what trust in Christ can do – make us alive and at peace with God. If you read our Baptismal service, a lot of these images in chapter 2 come into play.

Colossians 1

Written around 58-62 AD, towards the end of Paul's life, Colossians is Paul's response to some false teachings about Christ and Christian culture. Paul probably did not start this church and probably did not know the leaders personally. Evidently, non-believers became part of the church and were drawing followers.

 

Paul starts with a prayer of encouragement and then goes into describing the supremacy of Christ. The false teaching must have been that Jesus was a great human but not God. If he was not God, the cross and Christ's paying for our sins would be worthless. Only God can rectify our sins. A person could not. Only God can reconcile God and people. This is Good News (Gospel.) A man dying for us would be nice news but hardly life-changing. The Gentiles (Colossians among them) have a great place in God's plan for all to be free. Better teaching about Christ is needed.

Philippians 4

Note we start with "Therefore." What proceeded is the reason to stand firm in the faith. Paul Pleads for to women (who must be leaders-note that Paul has a different understanding about women than the surrounding culture) to settle their differences "in the Lord." This means to realize that unity of faith is more important than personal differences. To put it another way, "We have more in common than we don't. Don't forget that. Rely on the common ground." How often do people or churches split because of trivial things? We must guard our unity.

 

Practice what you preach. Christianity loses its power if just a thought or feeling. Walk the talk!

Philippians 3

There must have been a group of people in Philippi who were telling this Gentile church that they should follow Jewish practice and become circumcised. It's not what's outside that counts. It's what's inside! Paul uses the fact that he was a Jew's Jew and nothing he had done in his past matters as much as accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. Religious pedigree means nothing.

 

Paul wants to become more Christ-like, not more fastidious. Christian maturity is about putting everything else second to becoming Christ-like. Paul encourages his followers to imitate mature Christians in what has been taught. Avoid fancy new ideas (or revival of old ones that were not faithful.) There is a reward – transformation of this body into a glorious resurrected body.

Philippians 2

Paul encourages the continued imitation of Christ's love as expressed in humility. Care for others as we as yourselves. Consider Jesus. He was God yet did not exploit the perks of being God. Instead, he became human out of love for us. Imagine the love he has for us if he gives up what was his right and then goes on to be tortured and killed. That's love.

Paul goes on. That's not the end of the story. God then raise Jesus back to the highest place and takes us with him. We should be honored and thankful.

Therefore, keep up the good work. Note that Paul is pleased that they act that way when he is gone. 

Paul will send his protégé, Timothy, to them and Epaphroditus as well. Epaphroditus must have come from the Philippian church.

Philippians 1

Philippi is in what is now Greece. Luke mentions the stat of a church their in Acts. Paul writes to thank the Philippians for a gift they sent him while he was (is) imprisoned in Rome. This letter should probably be dated towards the end of Paul's life, say 63 AD. Paul obviously is please with this church.

 

Overseers can be translated "bishops." Deacons are servants of the people. Paul uses joy a lot in this letter. Paul sees real progress in the faith of his followers.

 

"The day of Christ" can mean Jesus' Second Coming or it could mean any day in the life of a person or church where what we have done gets seen for what it is. You might call this any time when how we live will be judged (by God or others) by the fruit we have produced in our life and the lives of those around us.

 

Paul is preaching even to Caesar's prison guards. Paul knows that, even in prison and awaiting possible death, his life will brig attention to Christ. Paul yearns to be closer to Him even if it means death. Paul sees that dying may be a bit selfish since others depend on him.

 

Paul is pleased with the unity of the Philippian church. Evidently they are suffering because of their belief yet are standing unified and firm in that faith.

Ephesians 6

More advice is given about reciprocal respect and humility. Slavery is taken as a given culturally. The church realized that this was a cultural acceptance by Paul and not a Godly mandate. Therefore, the church opposed slavery later on.

 

After we have made ourselves humble, we might be feeling too vulnerable. Paul says that we can arm ourselves, but not with anger or selfishness or control. Instead we "arm" ourselves with Godly qualities, which will protect us from real evil and real eternal destruction of our spirit and our body.

 

Finally, Paul needs prayers, too. Evidently, his friend and disciple, Tychicus, delivered the letter.

 

Ephesians 5

Imitate Jesus. In other words, don't think holy thoughts, live holy lives. Verse 16 contains some of Paul's thinking about humanity – the days are evil. In other words, without action on our part, natural, autopilot living will result in problems. We have a natural tendency to be selfish and not selfless.

 

Verse 21 tells all people to submit to each other because that is what Jesus did. What follows about wives and husbands is often misread and interpreted as a slam against women. Read it carefully. It talks about both husband and wife submitting to each other. Marriage (or community) will not work with domination and without humility and service.

Ephesians 4

Now Paul gets down to advice. Unity is the key to God's power. Satan loves quarreling Christians because they rob each other of power. Unity demands humility (not thinking to much of ourselves or too little of others) and a gentle hand. "Oneness" is a sign of people responding to God and the prerequisite for power.

 

Note in verses 11-13 that Paul says the work of the pastor/teacher is to train, equip and deploy the people of the church so that they become mature, even Christ-like. The pastor has no other job greater.

 

Paul goes on (verses 14-16.)  Grow up! Truth-telling and sharing the work of ministry aids this maturity immensely.

 

Unity, humility, and maturity take a change of mind. We cannot go on "autopilot" and expect the power of the Gospel to break into our lives. Our old ways hold many traps and detours that keep us down. Anger, cultivated as a lifestyle, is one big obstacle to a change of mind. Consistently angry people break unity and have closed minds. Instead make every word count and us them to build up others.

Ephesians 3

Paul is writing from prison, imprisoned because of his work for the Gospel. Paul claims authority for what he does by direct revelation from the Risen Christ. Was he being discounted by first-hand companions of the alive Jesus? Christians have a way of discounting the experiences of God had by others.

 

God is revealing new things and he is (verse 10) doing it through the church. The church is God's choice for power and revelation. It may be less than it should be but it is God's choice and cannot be replaced by secular thoughts or power. Christ is the path (through his death and resurrection for us) to God.

 

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians ends with the declaration that God supplies power to us to accomplish things beyond our dreams. We should always be striving for the impossible (provided God wills it.) We must rely on God's power and not our own. We supply the will and elbow grease. 

Ephesians 2

Christ has made us alive! When we follow the world's ways, we die. We follow worldly ways like an addiction. God reached out through Christ and did what we could not do – save ourselves. The more we control life on our own, the more we will fail. Investing in a relationship with the Risen Jesus is the only thing we need to do to loosen the death-grip of having no real plan in life but "going with the flow."

 

Christ made all people, no matter what their pedigree (Jewishness was one of the desired characteristics before Christ.) There are no barriers between one another. We are all one in Christ. Christ is the leveler of status, race, gender – you name it – and he is the glue that hold us together.

Ephesians 1

Ephesians may be a "circular" letter. Paul's home base when he started churches in Asia Minor may have been Ephesus and he wrote his epistles (letters) to that church for distribution. This "circular" idea is due to the fact that the list of names typically found at the end of Paul's letters is not present.
Ephesus was an important city in the Roman Empire because it was a major port and home of both emperor worship but also the god Artemis had a temple there. Paul was in prison at the time of writing this letter, probably late in his life (57-62 AD.)
Note Paul now claims the title "Apostle," one usually reserve for those who actually had been with the live Jesus. Paul starts out by praising God for all the things God did in claiming and redeeming us. Christ is the entryway to these gifts.

Believing (investing) in Christ opens the door to an inheritance at comes to children. We are God's children. Paul is impressed by the church's faith (or practice of investing in Christ.) The thankful Paul then offers encouragement to continue in the work of Christ.

Romans 11

Paul goes on to say that God did not reject the Israelites (they were not the pawns in some big morality play in history.) You again are hit with the work "foreknew." Does that mean that God had it all figured out or that God just knew how people would react to freedom? Paul seems to go with the latter. God, by God's good grace, is undoing the sins of all of us.

True, Jews rejected Jesus and that helped salvation come to all people. But God still wants his "People," the Jews to be a part of this salvation as well. God does discipline those he loves but does so only to encourage healthier behavior. This is true for everyone, every day. Don't believe that you can "coast."  Coasters will get the discipline as well.

Romans 16

As in many of Paul's letters, he send personal greetings. Notice Paul mentions women first (or at all.) This Christian faith has taken down sexual barriers.

 

A final reminder. Watch for those who sow the seeds of division. Unity breeds hope and power. Division breeds hopelessness and impotency. Divisions caused especially by those who are self-serving, teaching stuff Paul didn't teach and who use smooth talk to influence others to split the community.

Romans 15

Paul continues. With more talent, gifts wealth, intelligence; we should look out for others rather than ourselves. The strong protect the weak in society. This is Christ's example. Be unified in this expression of faith. Unity is a sign that God is present in us. Be accepting (more accepting?) of one another. Unity can be achieved with a variety of people. Unity is not uniformity. Unity breeds hope.

 

Paul's calling is to the Gentiles, especially those who have not heard the Gospel of Jesus.

Romans 14

Now, don't go around all puffed up because you have faith and another's faith is week.  This is a "love your neighbor thing." Go out of your way to honor your weaker-faithed neighbor. Here Paul is talking about people on diet or activity restrictions due to religious reasons. Some customs, while unnecessary, are not harmful and really are not important for us to correct or, worse, judge ourselves better than another. Let God sort it out. Remove stumbling blocks from your neighbors. Don't create them. Build up (edify) others. Faith is about acting out your devotion to Christ and not about fussiness in correcting others.

Romans 13

Here is a tough one. Obey the structure of (order of) the civil authorities. God uses even evil people to work good. The Pharaoh of Moses is a case in point. When we rebel against the order of this world, we also are tempted to rebel against God. This may mean that we suffer under a rule that we do not understand, knowing God will work his good. This may also mean that we should do all in our power to obey the civil authorities but when harm comes from obedience, harm that is against God's Word, then we must also act (civil disobedience? All out war?) in faith. This passage cannot stand alone and must be read with other parts of the Bible. (Actually, this is true of ALL passages in the Bible. They must be read with the others in mind. This Bible is a whole.)

 

Our guide is the one Jesus used. Love your neighbor. This means to go out of your way for your neighbor, whether or not you have feelings for him.

 

Don't wait until tomorrow to start living a life in Christ. Tomorrow may not come or come quickly and we are not prepared and equipped with Christ.

Romans 12

Another "Therefore." Paul tells us that life is meant to be a living sacrifice (not an old law sacrifice of animals) to God. We do this because God does not give us what we deserve but what we need. We do this because, without God's help, we cannot pull off this life we really want and need. Paul tells us to change our minds (from trying to go through life depending on what we can accomplish, rather trusting in what God WILL accomplish through us if we invest in Christ.

 

Each one of us has her or his own importance. We are interdependent and God has given each of us spiritual abilities to build up other people. We cannot go it alone and live but we do have help in each other and the God-given gifts resident in each of us. Free people up to do what they do best. Go out of your way to honor each other.

 

Be hospitable. Don't pick on those who wish you harm. Bless them. Feed them. Good overcomes evil. Evil wins if we use evil to overcome evil.

Romans 10

Paul continues his argument that Jews may have missed the boat with respect to Christ, they are still faithful and can not change their mind and fully invest in Christ. Paul is going out of his way not to have people "write off" the Israelites.

Romans 9

Paul laments for his Jewish brothers and sisters who just "don't get it." "It" being his previous argument. God's children are not naturally born but are born through their investment in Jesus Christ. How many church people count being "born into the church" as all that matters? It doesn't matter. Adoption comes through investment and not birthright. Through a tour of Jewish history, Paul shows that others have lived outside the promises of God. What is important is that God offers sonship and daughtership. We must take it through our investment in Christ. No "grandfather" clause here! This is not easy to understand. Even Paul seems to say that.

Romans 8

Whenever Paul says "therefore," pay attention. What precedes is the case he makes. What follows is the point he believes we need to know from that case. Being "in Christ," which implies a total comment of life to Jesus Christ. It frees us from focus on the duties and fussiness of the laws that never seems to work out. We fall short. Martin Luther said it this way. "Love God and do what you will." If we truly invest in Christ, we will live holy lives because we will live in his will. A truly spiritual person turns her life over to Christ. A "spiritual looking person" heads down the dead end of looking spiritual through rule adherence. "In Christ," we are God's children.

 

Glory is "weight" or "importance." Evidently (verse 18,) Paul's recipients are not doing well, probably because they are living "in Christ." Paul encourages them that not everything is revealed or finished yet. Something is happening (being born.) Hope is confidence that the future will be just as God promises. Paul hopes. God works whatever happens for good for those who have invested in Christ. God can redeem or resurrect anything. God has an amazing ability to rework our worst defeats.

 

"Predestined" can mean God controls all things. I don't believe that. Love demands freedom to reject that love. God loves us. Freedom can be misused. So, "predestined" may mean that God knew there would be those who would voluntarily invest in Christ. Those people would have the right standing before God, not because of what they did, but because of who they invested in. Nothing external to us can separate us from the love of Christ (except we can reject it and live outside it, if we choose.)

Romans 7

Through an illustration from Marriage, Paul starts out chapter 7 telling us that we are freed from our previous "I must do good to be accepted" mentality. It defeats us because we never can pull it off. We can now unite with Christ who will carry us and our sins.

 

Paul goes on, the Law is not sinfully but it never gave us the ability to perfectly obey. In fact, the law made us more conscious of the bad we do and the opportunities to do bad. God, through Christ, sin is dead. Our energy should be on cultivating a relationship to God (Jesus) instead of pretending to be perfect. A true relationship perfects us. Seeking perfection ruins us. Paul knows we often do the very thing we hate. We need Christ!

While we want to do good, we really became slaves to sin instead. God changes the game plan and has us seek him though a relationship with Jesus who paid (pays) the price of disobedience to God.

Romans 6

The end of chapter 5 does not mean that we sin all the more since Christ has paid our tab with God. We have a responsibility in this relationship as well. We could be self-centered and say that we are off-the-hook and, therefore, can do what we please. Paul says that we miss the life offered (resurrection) if we do not go though the death (dying to our own selfishness.) Life and death are two sides of the Christ sacrifice coin. Remove one side, the other goes too.

We now choose to slaves. Slaves of sin or slaves of Christ. But why be slaves on sin when Christ freed us? We all obey something or someone, why not the one who offers life and a way out of the trap of trying to save (take care of) ourselves? Self-saving is a tiresome dead end. We cannot be holy on our own but once we invest id Christ, we become holy because he is holy.

Romans 5

Romans 5 starts out with one of the most famous passages of the Bible. Paul tells us that faith (trust, investment) is all that is needed for a full relationship to God. Good deeds do not make us any more loved. However, good deeds are a sign that the relationship is there. In other words, deeds don't get you the relationship but you are expected to act like a person in relationship to God. Strictly by God's good grace, we are acceptable. Good deeds are a sign that we have accepted God's offer.

 

Notice that right after this, Paul describes the costs of accepting God's offer. The costs lead to a fully developed person who is at peace. The trials don't god away just because we are Christians. The trials don't go away just because God loves us.

 

Paul shows that Jesus "undid" what started with Adam – rebellion and the consequences. The consequences were death – permanent alienation from God. We all share Adam's rebellion and we now all share Christ's sacrifice for us and our sins.

The Law lead to continual falling short on our part not to mention all sorts of rationalizations we make. God's grace was that all of us should have access to Him regardless of our past sins.

 

Romans 4

 

Romans 4 is a long description of Abraham's faith (the Law would come after him, so he did not know the rules.) Abraham had a right standing with God because he repeatedly chose to trust God and not himself.

Romans 3

Paul continues with a detailed discussion (using quotations from the Psalms) of Jewish law. The point is, God is faithful, even when we are not. We should trust in him rather than our won ability to keep rules or bend them and justify our behavior while judging others. We are sinners and perfection by doing the right thing is impossible and, if we believe we are doing this, spiritually harmful.

 

Our right standing with God comes not from our own cleverness and exertion. It comes through trusting his Son, Jesus. Specifically, faith the Jesus's death covered our sins for us.

Romans 2

Paul opens with the need to withhold judgment because we are guilty of the same things ourselves. If you don't, God judges you with the same severity. Better to take God up on his mercy and repent (change your ways.) Most will not change and, instead, go on judging others and, therefore, themselves. It takes effort to change. Few do, but it is worth it.

 

If we expect others to follow our own "laws" or God's Law, why to we not also do them ourselves? Paul uses circumcision to illustrate that outward appearances do not make us holy (Jews keeping part but not all of the Law.) Rather, as in the case of some Gentiles who adhere to the expectations of God, our hearts are more important than outward appearances. In other words, we can look like we are doing right by keeping rules but our hearts may not be in it. Better to have a heart devoted to God than a person who outwardly appears holy but is not.

 

Law should change hearts.

Romans 1

Paul writes to the church in Rome after writing other letters to others churches. It is a more mature level of his thoughts.

 

Paul is bold enough to claim apostleship (he didn't travel with Jesus) but admits he is a slave (we translate this "servant") to Christ as well. "Apostle" means sent with a mission. This is a calling for Paul. The Call: to encourage Gentiles to faith (investment) in the resurrected Jesus and, out of that trust, to be obedient to Christ. Faith causes obedience. Obedience (you can see this in Jesus' teachings) may not lead to faith but may lead to self-righteousness.

 

The gospel (Good News) Paul preaches has power for anyone who invests in it. Those who do not invest will see a side of God that has always been there, his wrath. God loves but God also has expectations. Foolish people trust in themselves and make up their own "religion." A footprint of foolishness is lustful acts that are no grounded in God or true love. The ancient nature religion the Jews encountered (and often bought into) is still alive, even to this day. People worship stuff and their own selves before they worship God. Paul then list other footprints self-centered people leave behind (verses 29-30.)

Matthew 28

Women go to prepare the body per Jewish custom but Jesus is not there. An angel (messenger from God) tells them to go tell the disciples that Jesus has risen from the dead, just as he said he would. Jesus then greats them and says the same. The women are overjoyed and afraid at the same time. That is not a bad set of feelings. Joy for what is possible. Fear because we cannot control it or easily understand it.

 

The religious authorities need to do damage control and tell people to say that the body was stolen. Note (verse 15) that the rumor that the body was stolen was still active in Matthew's day, some 60+ years later.

 

Finally, Jesus meets his disciples in Galilee, just as they were instructed to do and just as he said he would. Even then, some are not sure what's going on. The church will always have those in her midst. They are a part of us to be embraced through their doubt.

 

Jesus tells the disciples that God has now given him all authority. As a result, the (we) must  

            Go out of our comfort zone and take the initiative

            Make more followers of Jesus by teaching what he taught and baptizing

            Not give up, Christ is with them

 

These are the final marching orders to the disciples and to we, the Church.

Matthew 27

 

The religious people need the civil authorities to execute Jesus. Their rules would make the unclean if they do it. Also, they are not the government. And, they could point the blame elsewhere is there was backlash.

 

Judas has a change of heart.    Jesus is innocent. Too late. Judas hangs himself.

 

Pilate is the local civil authority for the Romans. Pilate thinks this is an internal Jewish matter. Jesus makes not attempt to defend himself. This is scriptural for him. Even Pilate's wife has a bad feeling about proceeding to help the religious authorities. The people, pumped up by the religious authorities, want Jesus crucified, the punishment for treason against the Roman government. Pilate goes along but knows it is wrong. Ironically, it is a Gentile (centurion) who first sees Jesus for who he really is. Even more ironic is the fact that the disciples are missing. Women are those who see Jesus through his last moments.