Reconciled

Colossians 1:21-23

In the  the previous verses Paul addressed the theme of reconciliation as it applied to the new creation, the church. Now he addresses reconciliation as it applies to the individual. Although he was writing to a first- century church facing a crisis of confidence, Paul has something to say to us. In what he says to that church Paul helps both those who do not trust Christ and those who trust Him to see themselves with clarity.

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Several years ago I found a book called, What They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary.  I wasn’t really so surprised that such a book should be published.  I was surprised at how small it was.  I would have expected a larger book.

I learned some things soon after becoming a pastor that somehow weren’t mentioned at the seminary.  I learned the proper size wheels an upright piano should have so the smallest Sunday school teacher can move it easily.  I never learned that the pastor and often the musicians have nothing to do with deciding what piano a church buys.  In a small church, the piano purchased may depend on whose widowed aunt wants to clear out some furniture so she can move in with her children.

Maybe I missed that day or maybe my teachers just assumed most of us had lived enough of life to know a sad fact about families.  In any case, I hadn’t been a pastor long before I learned that many families fractured.  I’m not talking about divorce; I am talking about breaks that rupture the larger family.

I hadn’t been at the little church long before I discovered there were several members whose families were touched by such a break.

--Two of our deacons had a brother who wouldn’t talk to them because of a perceived injustice several years before.

--Another member had a brother who periodically took him to court trying to get more of their father’s estate.

--A woman in the community told me I would never be welcome at her home because her parent—with whom she never spoke—had dared to take her children to church without her permission.

--Another member had a brother who got angry over something and just disappeared—he hadn’t been seen since the end of WWII.

I hadn’t expected this.  My family certainly had it foibles and its share of neuroses but all everyone still spoke.  Some of the stuff they talked about was really weird but at least they talked.

I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised at the level of estrangement I found in those families.   After all, it could be argued that history is largely the story of the humanity’s estrangement from the One with whom it should have had the closest, most fulfilling relationship.

In these few verses Paul tells his readers that God had done something about that estrangement.  This should have bolstered the waning confidence of the Colossians.

Paul tells us that through faith in Christ our relationship with God is restored.

To understand the dynamics of this story we have to begin with the recognition that

I

WITHOUT CHRIST WE ARE ESTRANGED FROM GOD.

(Vs. 21)

Paul seems to be operating on the principle that to appreciate where you are, you sometimes have to recall where you were.   Paul helps the Colossians focus on their dilemma when they were outside of Christ. They were “alienated from God", his “spiritual enemies" as Phillips translates it. That's the reality of this estrangement.

This is the Biblical view of our condition. Though we bear the image of God, we are estranged from God. Alienated from God, we are like strangers to the one who has made us.

The language Paul goes beyond mere alienation to suggest that unredeemed humankind sees itself as God's enemy. Many are actively hostile toward God, trying to thwart what God is doing. They cannot bear to hear his Name mentioned positively.

Paul insists our anti-God hostility runs deep and is revealed in "doing evil deeds." In fact, the evidences of this alienation are plain to see. The empirical evidence for the Christian notion of original sin is staggering; in fact, there is probably no other doctrine—outside of Creation—which has greater tangible proof available to the observer.

There is such a preponderance of evidence that it takes a terrorist attack or envelopes filled with deadly bacteria to prompt us to speak of "evil" once again. All of this evidence—war, cruelty to children, self-destructive behavior, misuse of God-given talents—reflects our race's alienation from God.

But what is the root of this alienation?

Paul says it is rooted in minds in rebellion against God. McDonald comments, "the seat of this enmity against God is the mind, the central citadel of being where we think, imagine, reflect and will."

We may be alienated from another through no fault of our own. But Paul shows that humankind's alienation from God is clearly our fault. We are "hostile in mind".

This may explain the militant new atheism we encounter so often today.  As you hear these new atheists, they seem oddly bitter at an entity they insist does not exist.  They are so angry at this non-existent God that they insist all religions are not simply wrong but evil.

Their bitterness at God is so deep that they leave no door open to the possibility they might be wrong.  Carl Sagan once suggested that if God had really wanted people to know he existed, he would have carved the Ten Commandments on the moon.  But when you hear atheists like Sagan talk, you have the suspicion that even that would not persuade them.  It’s easy to picture them looking at the moon with the Commandments engraved on its face and then turning away from their powerful telescopes and saying, “What a curious coincidence.”  They are “hostile in mind” and insist the world’s problems can only be fixed if we rid ourselves of any notion of God

Yet, the real truth is we are estranged from God and nothing will be right until that breach is repaired.  And that breach cannot be repaired without Christ

A few years ago, Steven Hawking, one of our time's most brilliant scientists, warned that the human race could be eliminated by a virus before the end of the millennium. As a solution, he suggested that we should consider colonizing other planets. Even if scientists could solve the problems associated with such an endeavor, Hawking ignores the fundamental fact that wherever we humans may go, we carry our greatest ailment with us—sin.

But, although Paul reminds us that without Christ we are estranged from God, he doesn't leave the story there. He also reminds us that...

II

THROUGH CHRIST WE ARE EMBRACED BY GOD

(vs. 22-23)

What a portrait Paul paints of God.  As desperate as our situation was, God intervened. He did what was needed to deal with our great problem.

But now he has reconciled you—God brought us into a position where we may be regarded as God's friends, though we once were his enemies. Nowhere in the Bible are we told that God has been reconciled to humankind. Instead, we are told that humankind has been reconciled to God.

Remember that old story about the married couple who were driving along though the countryside. The wife said to her husband, "Do you remember when we first started dating? We used to sit so close to each other when we drove down the road. Now, you're over there and I'm way over here. What's gone wrong?"

I don't know," her husband said from behind the wheel, “I'm still sifting in the same place."

During their long estrangement God never stopped loving the crown of his creation, the only creature made in his image. Even while they were alienated, God still plotted to do good for humankind. Though we were rebels against him, God became the Author of our reconciliation.

How did the Author of our reconciliation accomplish this great change in our relationship with him? What was the means of our reconciliation?

Once again Paul roots it in what Christ has done for us in history. He says it was accomplished "by Christ's physical body through death." Christ's death was the means by which this reconciliation was accomplished. Earlier Paul had sung of Christ's death as a means by which he had reconciled the universe to himself. Now, Paul makes it more personal, he says to each of us, "Christ died for you.”

The verse has an interesting feature, the emphasis upon Christ's physical body.  Does Paul going to the trouble of stressing Christ's possession of a flesh and blood body suggest something about the false teachings gaining ground in Colossae?  It’s possible.  Some of the earliest heresies would try to detract from the reality of the incarnation by saying Jesus' humanity was only an illusion. Although he may have been facing different problems, John addresses the issue in his letters: "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. (I John 4:2-3)

Put simply, the false teachers were trying to say, "Jesus is not the Savior you think he is." Paul and others responded by saying, in effect, "He is much more than you even imagine him to be." Through him we have become reconciled to God.

To further bolster his reader's confidence Paul addresses the results of our reconciliation.

He does so by reminding us that the goal of Christ's death was to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." Because of our rebellion and sin we were unfit to stand in God's presence. Yet, God himself made us able to be in his presence. (As Paul says in verse 12, "he qualified us.")  Charles Morrison offers a comment on the church that I’ve always loved, "The Christian church is a society of sinners. It is the only society in the world in which membership is based upon the single qualification that the candidate shall be unworthy of membership."

Although we were God's enemies (vs. 21) the death of Christ made reconnection possible: Friendship with God becomes a reality. Out of this transforming friendship we become 'holy,' 'blameless,' and 'without fault,' capable of being presented to God.  Each of these words contains some powerful ideas.

We are now "holy," possessing the quality necessary for any who would see God.

We are "blameless," means we are without blemish (a notion reminiscent of the requirements for animals to be offered to God).

We are "without fault," free from accusation (the Accuser has nothing he can bring against us. Cf. Cot. 2:14). Think of it as a kind of spiritual "no double jeopardy". Because Christ bore our sins and our punishment, we cannot be placed on trial for them again.

Paul says all of this to point out the great contrast between where we were before trusting Christ and where we are after trusting Christ. Through Christ everything which might keep us from standing at peace in God's presence had been eliminated.

New Testament scholars tell us that Paul's statements about the quality of our reconciliation are "eschatological" in nature. That means our reconciliation will be fully experienced in eternity but we can have a foretaste of its joy right now. Contrary to what the false teachers seemed to be saying, it wasn't necessary to go through elaborate rituals or enter trance-like states to enjoy God's presence, those who simply trusted Christ could be aware of God's presence by faith.

With that great thought in mind, Paul turns to the responsibility of the reconciled (v23)

At this point Paul seems to add a qualifying element—we will have the inner assurance of acceptance by God if we continue to have faith in Christ. Paul describes such faith in both positive and negative terms. The Amplified Bible captures this when it says our faith must be well grounded, and settled and steadfast" in contrast to any shifting or moving away from the hope [which rests on and is inspired by the Glad Tidings.]” (Amp)

Paul was concerned that some of the Colossians were wavering in their faith. He knew that was dangerous. So, he gives them a clear warning against embracing a false gospel, one which isn't good news' at all.

In the same way, if we would have the certainty being reconciled to God, the certainty of standing before him without fault and blame, we must be faithful to the message preached by the church from the beginning—the same message which Paul had been preaching. That message focuses upon Christ as our Savior. He is the One who has opened the way to our salvation.

So, when Paul says, "Keep the faith," he means keep your personal trust in Christ strong and keep your commitment to The Faith.

It matters what the church preaches and teaches, it matters what we believe. The church does not have several gospels. Its message is the some wherever it goes.

That's what Paul means when he speaks of the gospel being preached all over the world, to every creature under heaven. It hadn't yet, but it had been preached to so many that Paul knew it would transcend any racial barrier.

No other message has proven to be so effective in dealing with the impact of sin on the human personality or so effective in leading to a transformation of life.

Like the Colossian Christians, we face those who would have us abandon the gospel. In an age of pluralism we are especially tempted to say it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere and as long as you don't try to impose your belief on others.

Yet, to abandon the gospel of God's grace is to cheat ourselves and future generations. To abandon it is to open ourselves to a crisis of confidence.

CONCLUSION

Last week we saw pictures of the Obama family as they traveled through South America.  One picture showed the family visiting the famed “Statue of Christ the Redeemer” that stands above Rio de Janeiro.  The 98 foot statue depicts Christ with his arms outstretched, seemingly ready to embrace all who might come to him.

It a world filled with hatred, war, division, it’s an appropriate way to portray Christ.  It reminds us that we first must be reconciled to God is we would be reconciled to one another.

The President may not be aware but Christianity is growing rapidly in South America—in fact all across the global south.  Maybe it’s due to the way Jesus taught us to think of God. 

You remember the story: A young boy leaves home, lives disgracefully, then returns home, expecting to be treated like a slave. Instead, his father throws a party to celebrate his homecoming.

Of course, the story is misnamed. We call it “The Prodigal Son,” but the real hero of the story is the father. That story is a beautiful picture of the reconciliation Paul wrote about in this letter to the Colossians.

To those men and women in Colossae, who knew they were sinners, who were facing a crisis of confidence, Paul seemed to be saying: Look at God, look at the Father; his arms are open, ready to embrace you.

In Charge

This messaage takes another look at what is probably one of the earliest Christian hymns.

Colossians 1:18-20

Recently the media looked back at Ronald Reagan.  The backward look recognized the beginning of his centennial year and the 30^th anniversary of his presidency.  They talked about a lot of things—his policies, his ideology.  Of course they recalled March 1981 when John Hinkley attempted to assassinate Reagan when the president had barely been in office two months.

Reagan was rushed to the hospital, stabilized, and prepared for surgery to remove a bullet in his chest.  As he was rolled into the operating room, he removed the oxygen mask and quipped, “I hope you are all Republicans.”  Everyone laughed and the surgeon, Dr Joseph Giordano, replied, “Today, Mr. President, we are all Republicans.”

  In the hectic hours after the shooting, Secretary of State Alexander Haig went to the White House and announced, "I am in charge...."

The words were hardly out of his mouth before the criticism began. Haig, despite what may have been the best of intentions, had overstated his authority and ignored the constitutional role of the vice- president In the midst of a crisis, Haig thought he heard the American people asking, "Who's in charge?," and then gave them the wrong answer.

The Colossian Christians had always thought they knew the answer to the question, "Who's in charge?" But, then, it seems, they began to listen to alternative answers.

In response, Paul affirmed Christ's right to lead the church. He says, Christ is the "Head of the Body—the church."  If the first stanza of this hymn speaks of Christ's relationship to the creation, this stanza speaks of his relationship with the 'new creation.' This is an important affirmation for those in Christ. As "Head" he has the right to direct the church, to shape its ministry, and inform its message.

Paul lists several reasons why Christ has this right.

Christ has the right to be the Head of the church

è  Because he is the source of its life.

This is implicit in the notion of "headship." The head is the source of nourishment and life. Should the Church's relationship with Christ somehow be severed, the church would die.

I don’t know much about flowers—I can recognize roses, daisies, carnations, and, of course, French Tulips.  I learned about French Tulips when I saw them in one of the arrangements our daughter-in-law Mikelle made.  It’s a beautiful flower with one color on the outside of the bloom and another on the inside. They're some of the most expensive flowers you can buy.

But let me tell you something about those expensive flowers and any flowers you'll get at any florist. They may look fresh when you buy them but very soon that will begin to change. Certainly you can use chemicals to prolong their freshness but eventually they will begin to wither. Why? They've been cut off from their source of life.

A church cut off from the source of its life may appear beautiful for a while but eventually it will begin to show the sure marks of atrophy. What are some of the marks of a church cut off from its Head?

• It will become more and more self-absorbed, with little interest in outreach and growth.

• It will become fearful, pursuing survival but not risk-taking for the Kingdom.

• It will become brittle and inflexible where it once welcomed adventure and change. . It will become confused, focusing its affections on something other than Christ. (Col. 2:29)

Any church unwilling to acknowledge Christ as Head endangers its very life.

à Christ has the right to be the Head of the church because of his work of Reconciliation.

Christ is the Peace-maker. In ways which defy simple explanation Christ's reconciling work is a wide as the universe.

Paul says, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven..." That statement begins with a reaffirmation of the incarnation. All that God is dwelt in Christ. In no way was he less than God.

But when Paul says that Christ reconciled all things to himself, that's not so easy to understand. Elsewhere in the New Testament, we're told that the entire universe was somehow impacted by the redemptive work of Christ. But we're not told how it was impacted.

At least this much is clear, wherever the Gospel is preached every man and woman has the potential to be reconciled to God through Christ.

Christ broke down the barriers between God and us.

That act of reconciliation gave birth to the community of believers who come from every race, social strata, and educational background. In Israel there are churches where you may find Christians of Jewish heritage worshipping alongside Christians of Palestinian heritage. How is it that these seemingly natural enemies are able to worship together? They are 'in Christ', joined in one Body through his work of reconciliation.

à Christ has the right to be the Head of the church because of his commitment which took him to the Cross.

Although Paul mentions the resurrection first, he does not neglect the cross. It is never far from his thoughts: Cross is the great symbol of God's love, of God's resolution to deal effectively with the problem of sin.

The crucifixion was not a tragic mistake, the act of a crowd out of control. It was not even the result of collusion between a corrupt religious authority and a despotic state, though it may have seemed so. It was cornerstone of God's strategy to make salvation possible.

Consider what Keith Patman has said:

Before lambs bled in Egypt, One was given. Before the worm tore Eden, pain was faced. Somewhere, before earth’s cornerstone was placed, a hammer crashed in heaven—nails were driven.

That reminds us of John's description of Christ in the Revelation as "the Lamb slain before foundation of the world." Before the Cosmic Christ spoke the word which formed the first atom, he had already committed himself to the cross.

By the cross, Christ made peace.  The death of Christ not only brings about restored relationships between individuals and God, but it also liberates them form the hostile intentions of the 'principalities and powers." Paul’s readers would have understood these powers to be demonic agents who bring accusations against humans.  God dealt with the basis of those accusations on the cross.

The false teachers may have focused on a "theology of glory", neglecting the role the crucifixion played in securing salvation.

This is an old story but it bears retelling: Imagine a young boy toiling tirelessly to create a beautiful model boat. When he finishes it, the boat is a testimony to his hard work. The masts are perfectly rigged. The miniature sails are finely proportioned.

Now imagine that one day, while the boy was sailing the boat on a nearby stream, a sudden wind gust takes it out of his reach. In a moment, the boat is lost.

If you can imagine the boy's grief at losing his treasured toy, you can also imagine his joy at seeing his boat in a shop window. A sign announces a price fitting its craftsmanship, a price beyond the boy's means.

It would do no good to tell the shopkeeper that he was the boat's maker and that it should be his. So, he approaches the shopkeeper with a proposition—he will work to earn enough money to buy the boat. Day after day the young boy mows grass, sweeps floors, empties trash, washes windows, and shovels snow, slowly earning the price of the boat. At last, he has enough.

He buys the boat and as he carries it away, he is heard to say, "Now, you are doubly mine: I made you and I bought you."

The Cosmic Christ made us, then he redeemed us—paid the price—to set us from death and sin.

à Christ has the right to be the Head of the church because of his victory over death which gives hope to believers.

Christ is described as "firstborn from among the dead". By this Paul means Christ was the pioneer in defeating death. As one translation renders it, "he leads the resurrection parade." He is the pioneer of those who would defeat death because of their relationship with him.

Paul then says that in light of the resurrection he is to have supremacy. That statement can be puzzling because Paul had already affirmed Christ's supremacy in the previous verses. I believe there are at least two possible explanations:

Paul may be simply saying that the Resurrection revealed Christ's supremacy which had been voluntarily hidden during earthly ministry.

Paul may be reminding his readers that the pre-incarnate Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, being the eternal God, had never faced the threat of death. That was an entirely human experience. To demonstrate his supremacy Christ, the Incarnate God, faced man's greatest enemy—as a man. Faced it and won.

As we move through this Lenten season toward Easter, we ought to keep that in mind.  Some of us have lost loved ones since the last Easter.  Some of us still feel the loss of loved ones many Easters ago.  Our hope of victory over the grave gives substance to the Easter faith which we share as Christians. All over the world Christians have a hope in the face of death.

So, if Christ is the Head of the Church, what does that mean for us—we who are in Christ and, thereby, in the church?

If Christ is the Head of the Church, we will turn to him to discover the church's proper agenda. The church's agenda is to proclaim the gospel and to transform those men and women who respond to the gospel into followers of Jesus Christ. Strangely enough, as more and more men and women become followers of Christ the prospect of truly achieving a new world order, one where peace and the end of hunger becomes a reality.

If Christ is the Head of the Church, we will acknowledge our dependence upon him. As churches and denominations become wealthier and more influential, the greater the danger they face of believing they can stand alone. Without Christ we will wither and die.

If Christ is the Head of the Church, we will make him not only the focus of our adoration and devotion, but the core of our message.

CONCLUSION

Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned for his faith. Most students believe he dictated it to Tychichus, his friend and the founder of the Colossian church, the man who would soon leave Paul to take the letter back to his congregation, that band of Christians facing a crisis of confidence.

I can imagine Paul, as he finished dictating the words of this hymn, pausing and turning to his friends to say, "Let's sing it one more time together."

Tychichus who would soon take the dangerous journey home needed the message of this hymn. Timothy—the timid young protégé of Paul's—was there; he knew he might soon be on his own, without Paul to turn to for counsel and encouragement. He needed the message of this hymn.

Paul, who might soon be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for his faith, needed the message of this hymn.

They all needed to hear that Christ is Lord, Lord of the universe, Lord of the Church, Lord of history, Lord of salvation.

As we face an uncertain future, one filled with threats to our very way of life, we need to hear the message of this hymn: Christ is Lord!

Unions are Full of Sinners

Okay, to that friend who asked if I would use my blog to discuss hot issues, here you go:

Unions are Full of Sinners

But So are State Legislatures

  Everyone is talking about unions.

  I found an essay purporting to present a Christian view of unions.  The author, a prominent representative of Reconstructionism (the belief which seeks to put the US under Old Testament law, including stoning adulterers, unruly children, etc), presented several objections to unions but offered little scriptural undergirding for his arguments—he cited a couple verses but never allowed that they might not apply to the issue of organized labor.  His arguments, with little editing, could have been presented on any conservative talk show.

He begins by pointing out that only 25% of the American workforce belongs to unions.  While that may be true, it is not necessarily an argument against unions.  Some workers may have never needed to organize.  At the same time, we might ask what percentage of the non-union workers are doing as well as they might if they had unions. 

My interest in this question came as I kept hearing teachers demonized during the discussions about unions in Wisconsin and Ohio.  The attacks on teachers were vicious.  Accusations of laziness and elitism were hurled at them.  It was claimed they were paid incredible salaries for doing jobs that “produced nothing,” to quote a national talk show host.  One radio host even allowed one caller to describe how New York teachers lounge in the Hamptons during the summer before returning to their cushy jobs.

Yet maybe we should consider the broader picture.

Teachers in Texas, for example, are 34^th in the nation on the salary scale. (Find the stats online.)   Texas teachers, especially the younger ones, are completely subject to the whims of their principals. (Talk to Texas teachers, as I did.) Many teachers are expected to remain at school long after the children have left;  twelve-hour days are common.  Would you be surprised to learn that Texas teachers have no union?

No wonder that nationwide nearly 50% of new teachers leave the profession during the first five years.  According to a 2006 report, reasons for leaving teaching include working conditions and low salary.  Indeed, most of today’s teachers are better educated than yesterday’s teachers.  Yet they are paid less than other professionals with comparable education. 

Of course, teachers do end their day at 3:35.  No doubt they head for the mall, the spa, or home, giving the school no thought until the next day.  Honestly, I found one website that seemed to suggest just such a scenario. It said teachers worked about 38.5 hours a week.  Another site suggested teachers worked about 25 hours a week plus preparation. Apparently such teachers spend some of the day just sitting in the lounge.  (Could they be watching the glee club teacher trade barbs with the cheerleading coach?).  Elsewhere online, a couple teachers responded differently to the question:  How many hours do teachers work per week?  One gave 60 hours, the other 80. 

Of course, teachers do have summers off.  Well, at least some do.  Younger teachers often must continue their education, working on additional certification or advanced degree requirements.  Others take on extra jobs to make ends meet.  Some teachers teach summer school or monitor students during summer service projects.  Needless to say, some teachers relax during the summer.  Of course, if you’re working fifty to sixty hours per week for nine months, maybe you need a break.

Of course, being a teacher has its perks. There’s no denying that.  But something must account for that 50% in five years exit. 

Maybe it has something to do with the suspicion they aren’t really appreciated.  Americans seem willing to pay people what they are perceived to be worth.  The lowest-paid outfielder in the major league gets more than the best teacher.  Parade recently published its annual salary survey.  What does it reveal about American values? 

The only teacher on the list gets $48,601 per year.  But, picture this—a tattoo artist in New Orleans gets $40k and he no one cares if his clients leave knowing how to spell, as long as he knows.  Though you won’t be able to read what she says about you, an obituary writer in Pennsylvania gets $75k.  An Air Force Captain gets $103k, which I actually don’t mind.  Whether you want those bills in your mailbox or not, a postal clerk in Oregon receives $58.5k.  Even though her job is more hands-on than teaching, a massage therapist in Bismarck gets $43k.  An exterminator in Missouri gets $66k per year and I won’t bug you with a joke about that one.  Hold your breath:  A glassblower in Vermont gets almost $60k.  Finally, an astrologer in Arizona gets just over $177k.  Now, who would have seen that coming?

It’s hard to avoid the idea that Americans don’t value teachers very highly.  Maybe that’s as big a problem as the unions.  Maybe that’s why the unions were necessary.

Are unions faultless in our nation’s economic woes?  Of course, not.  Some unions have been greedy.  (Auto workers come to mind?)  There need to be some changes.  But how?

I’m not sure but I don’t think the best changes come from the wild finger-pointing that has been going on in the past few weeks.  Most teachers I’ve talked to said they would have been open to compromises.  Unfortunately, the “crush the unions” mentality of state leaders made this unlikely.

But, all in all, this is not my focus.  I’m most concerned by the Christian writers and radio hosts who seem just as bent as any conservative political icon on demonizing unions and, along with them, teachers. It’s funny, especially when you consider what a Columbia University study found:  “the average teacher is a married, 43-year-old white woman who is religious.”

Now, I know “religious” doesn’t mean “Christian” but it’s surely reasonable to conclude that many of the teachers being attacked by those on Christian radio share the same worldview as their attackers.  Surely, it is possible to suggest correctives without doing so unChristianly.

Years ago, Dr. Claude Howe was my major advisor at New Orleans Seminary.  He was all business when he taught.  If he talked about the Saints in his church history seminars, you may be sure he wasn’t talking about football players.  So you can imagine how surprised my fellow students and I were when he began a seminar by talking about labor unions.

He said, “Greed made the unions necessary, now greed is controlling the unions.”  He went on to say that there is often a pendulum swing to such movements.  Correctives are needed from time to time.  The greed of the bosses made the unions necessary, now the greed of the unions has created the mindset that seeks to destroy the unions.

The Christian view of unions might begin with altruism—giving in to unions is the generous thing to do.  The Christian view of unions might begin with a quest for equity—workers should be paid fairly.  Instead, I’d suggest the Christian view of unions begin with the doctrine of original sin—all of us are sinners.  As a consequence, there is danger when one group gets too much power. 

If the union gains too much power, the economy suffers.  If the bosses get too much power, the workers suffer.  Reasonable people should be able to find a balance.

Of course, the writer whose website I visited wasn’t looking for balance.  He argued that the whole idea of unions was wrong, that workers should be able to compete for their jobs without having to belong to a union.  And employers should be able to hire whoever would be willing to pay what they wanted to pay.  In a perfect world, that might be okay.  But this isn’t a perfect world.

In the scenario he sets up, no job would be secure.  A teacher who agrees to teach for $50,000 a year could be displaced by the teacher who agrees to teach for $45,000.  Of course, the teacher who agreed to teach for $50,000 could jump ship if another school offered $60,000.  This is why even in non-union states individual teachers sign yearly contracts—a scheme that protects both themselves and their employers.  It’s a tacit recognition that we’re all sinners.

I’m sorry that some of my fellow ministers have used their radio voices to condemn all teachers, coming close to suggesting they are Marxist and unchristian if they belong to unions.  Perhaps they should be thanking them for being the only Christians willing to get close to the noisy, lewd, smelly, profane, and sometimes very angry young people who would never walk into their churches.

Maybe they’re silent because they hope the go-for-the-jugular, union-busting, take-no-prisoners, shoot-from-the-hip governor will invite them to his  prayer breakfast.

The Cosmic Christ

THE COSMIC CHRIST

Colossians 1:15-17

Text Introduction: This morning we are looking at the first stanza of what may have been a hymn about Christ. It would have helped the Colossians who were facing that crisis of confidence see Christ in a new way. It can do the same for us.

**********

One of my favorite characters in church history is a fourth-century bishop named Athanasius. You'll often hear him quoted at Christmas: "The Son of God became a man so men might become sons of God."

And, you'll often hear him mentioned in connection with another bishop, Arius. Arius was an extremely popular preacher and teacher. His teachings were embraced by many church leaders and, in time, by one of the church's newest and most prominent members.

Early in the fourth-century the church was just becoming accustomed to a "Christian" Emperor on the throne, Constantine. Most of the emperor's advisors were disciples of Arius and they promoted their favorite teacher with enthusiasm. Consequently, even though he was hardly qualified to make such a judgment, Constantine decided that all Christians should accept Arius' teachings.

It's at this point that Athanasius enters the picture. You see, he didn't care much for Arius and his teaching. And he didn't keep quiet about it.

In time, Athanasius was called to task for his opposition to the popular teacher. In fact, he was called to a major council of church leaders to defend himself. During the debate the emperor's representative shouted at the North African bishop: "Athanasius, the whole world is against you."

Athanasius replied, "Then it is Athanasius against the world."

Interestingly, Arius and his teachings would be condemned as heretical. But before that Athanasius would spend a total of seventeen years in exile from his church.

What did Arius, the popular preacher, say that made Athanasius such an opponent? Without going into all the details, Arius said that Jesus Christ was a created being, not the eternal Son of God.

The debate between Athanasius and Arius revolved around the question, Who is this Jesus Christ? It's a question which has been asked again and again in the history of the church. It's being asked in our century. And, it was asked in the first century.

Paul knew the crisis of confidence being faced by the believers in the Colossian church was directly related to how they were answering the question.

Paul's answer is found, in part, in the majestic words of this text. There’s a good chance it’s part of an early Christian hymn, perhaps composed by Paul. In any case, what he has to say is pivotal to our understanding of Jesus Christ.

To those familiar only with the wonderful stories of Jesus from the four Gospels, what Paul has to say may sound strange, even hard to conceive. In fact, if you feel you do understand all Paul is saying, maybe you belong behind the pulpit this morning.

We won't exhaust the meaning of this passage but we will come away with a greater understanding of the Cosmic Christ and what he is doing behind the scenes.

I

THE IDENTITY OF THE COSMIC CHRIST

"He is the image of the invisible God..."

Paul begins with a defining declaration of who Christ is. In a sense, the rest is elaboration on this statement.

The notion of the incarnation is at the heart of this statement. In fact, 20th Century New Testament renders it as "He is the very incarnation of God..," while J. B. Phillips translates it as "the visible expression of the invisible God." When you compare what Paul says with such statements as John 1:14 which describes Christ as "The Word became flesh..." and Hebrews 1:3 says of Christ, "He is the reflection of God's glory, the flawless expression of the nature of God," this short but profound statement confirms the truth that if you want to know what God is like, you should look at Jesus.

The implication of this thought is unique in religion. Yes, some of the Roman myths occasionaIy told of the gods visiting earth disguised as men, but those myths contained nothing like this.

Shirley Guthrie helps us understand this when he writes:

"He is not like a king who preserves his majesty and honor only by shutting himself up in the splendor of his palace, safely isolated from the misery of the poor peasants and the threat of his enemies outside the fortress. His majesty is the majesty of a love so great that he leaves the palace and his royal trappings to live among his subjects as one of them, sharing their condition even at the risk of vulnerability to the attack of his enemies. If we want to find this king, we will find him among the weak and lowly, his genuine majesty both revealed and hidden in his choosing to share their vulnerability, suffering, and guilt and powerlessness."

We’ve shown some of you—or perhaps inflicted upon some of you—pictures of our grandson Kieran.  Those pictures depict him as tiny, helpless, utterly dependent upon David and Kelly.  The doctrine of the Incarnation tells us that God once allowed himself to be in just that position.

The funny thing is some have looked at the incarnation with revulsion. They tell us that it is obscene to imagine God condescending to become one of us. There are hints of this kind of thinking at Colossae, part of the litany of the false teachers whose efforts had eroded the confidence of the Colossian Christians. Even today the very idea of God becoming truly human forms one of the greatest objections to Christianity voiced by Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, not to mention the Jews.

These religions reject the doctrine of the Incarnation because it either affirms the doctrine of the Trinity or it denies the dualism which says that the material is intrinsically evil.  They miss the picture of God casting his lot with us, of the Almighty infiltrating our world in order to overthrow the evil one who held us imprisoned in the kingdom of darkness.

II

THE ACTIVITY OF THE COSMIC CHRIST

"For by him all things were created...

all things were created by him...

He is before all things,

and in him all things hold together...

In saying, "He is before all things" Paul once again takes us into a realm which is potentially unfamiliar—the preexistence of Christ. There are two reasons for this.

 While we are familiar with the story of Christ's birth, an event so significant that we Christians divide history into two great periods: that before his birth and that after his birth, we have a hard time imagining his activity before that moment. Some Christians might even be surprised to know that Christianity insists that He whom we know as Jesus of Nazareth existed before the creation.

Then, we are unfamiliar with this notion because we seldom talk much anymore about the Trinity. Perhaps because it is such a challenging concept—this assertion that God is “One in
Three Persons”—we avoid it altogether.

Robert Lightner offers a summary of what we mean when we speak of the preexistence of Christ.

"Jesus Christ is the only person who ever lived before He was conceived. This is true because He is the God-man.... He is the most unique person who ever lived or ever shall live. Personhood begins for all other humans at conception. But the second person of the Godhead [Trinity] existed eternally. Mary's conception of the son of God has nothing whatsoever to do with His origin. He always existed. There was never a 'time' in eternity past when He was not. The Savior's personal existence was not marked by a beginning."

When we speak of Christ's preexistence we are really saying, "Christ is just like God— eternal." We would expect this of one described as "the exact image of God."

In the same breath Paul uses to assert the preexistence of Christ, he invites us to consider the activity of this Cosmic Christ—this One who existed outside of time as we know it.

We need to look at his past activity. Just so we don't miss it, Paul repeats himself. "For by him all things were created... all things were created by him..."

A review of the Scripture on the subject reveals each Person of the Trinity involved in the work of Creation. The New Testament particularly focuses on Christ's role in Creation.

The prologue to John's Gospel says, "No single thing was created without him" (NEB).

The writer of Hebrews also sees Christ's involvement in Creation:  In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days be has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.... (HEB 1:1-2)

As the Agent by whom all things were created it is impossible for him to have been a creature himself. At the same time, Paul says Christ is the Creator of "things in heaven and on earth." On the one hand, this is a way of saying "everything"; on the other hand, Paul is stressing that Christ is the one Creator of all. There were not two creators, one for spiritual things, one for material things. The worlds are linked because they were made by the same hand. Some of the false teachers may have been trying to call the Colossians to an ascetic lifestyle—one which promises a super-spirituality to those who will abandon even basic material needs. Paul will address their many rules in chapter two.

Whatever may have led Paul to his inspired redundancy, it's clear the role played by the Cosmic Christ forbids the kind of dualism which has gripped the hearts of some believers. They are convinced that any involvement in the material world is wrong. Jesus will call his disciples to avoid materialism but he never says we should have disdain for the world around us. Remember, Jesus and his followers were often accused of being what some might call party animals. By his example, Jesus showed us there is much in life-to enjoy. Our Lord is the Creator of the Universe and we are wrong to treat the world with disregard, to say "this world is not my home." Because, by God's will, it is.

At the same time it is proper to be concerned about ecological issues, about beauty, about the nature of the world. Our Lord is the Creator of the Universe and we are right to study his handiwork.

By recalling his past activities, Paul revealed the Cosmic Christ as the Creator, but he also reminds us to look at his present activity. Paul says, "in him all things hold together.' The words suggest the idea of cohesion, of keeping things in order.

This sermon was essentially complete before Friday’s earthquake in Japan.  But I felt those events begged the question:  How does what Paul says relate to earthquakes and tsunamis?  Paul would not have known about plate tectonics or the theory that the moving of these plates somehow recharges our atmosphere and makes life possible.  But Paul would have known about earthquakes.  Paul’s world was earthquake prone. What would Paul have said to any Christian survivors of the earthquake that would destroy Colossae in the mid-sixties?  Remember, some might have heard these words the very first time they were read to a Christian congregation.  So, what would Paul have said?

--He would have probably said, “Don’t make assumptions.  We don’t know why this happened.”  We would be wise to take the same advice.  Japan is a secular culture but is it more so than some in Europe?  Don’t assume the Japanese “deserved” this.  Don’t assume God has lost control. 

--He might have said, “This world is marred by sin.  It will one day be remade."

--He would have probably said, “Stay confident in Christ.”   

Paul is reminding the Colossians that Christ's activity in the physical world did not end with Creation. He holds all things together. As translated by Weymouth: "in and though Him the universe is one harmonious whole."  And keeping things harmonious does not mean keeping things static.                                                                                                     

Even the proponents of the so-called "chaos theory" say that apparent chaotic behavior may have an order we simply don't see.

We are like a person observing a square dance from a position near the floor. As we watch the blur of moving feet we get the feeling that we are observing chaos. But, if we can change our perspective and somehow look down on the dancers, we will see there is a pattern, an order determined by the caller. The universe moves in an order called by the Cosmic Christ.

Eugene Cernan saw our world from a perspective none of us have ever had, he saw it while standing on the Moon. With evident wonder he said, "Our world is big and beautiful, all blue and white! You can see from the Antarctic to the North Pole. The earth looks so perfect. There are no strings to hold it up there is no fulcrum upon which it rests." Countless worlds spinning in harmony, comets blazing trails across the expanse of space, one star dying while another is born, all of this is under the sway of the One who walked the dusty roads of Palestine, the One who died on the cross for our salvation.

Sometimes you may feel your world is coming apart.  You may feel all is out of order, chaos.  Remember you belong to the One who holds all things together.   Remember your perspective is limited, you can’t see the pattern in the dance, the pattern being created by the Divine Caller.

When we see the power and authority of our Savior can we doubt his ability to redeem us, to keep us? When we look into the nighttime sky, any crisis of confidence should be allayed. As we examine Paul’s praise-filled note we also need to look at the...

III

THE AUTHORITY OF THE COSMIC CHRIST

COL 1:15 He is ... the firstborn over all

creation. [16] For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on

earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or

authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

We don't know as much as we would like to know about the ideas which were unnerving some of the Colossian Christians, causing them to have a crisis of confidence. It seems that some of the teachers of these new ideas were promoting a fascination with angels, an obsession with them. This obsession was so great that a few seemed to have believed that if they could just get a glimpse of the angels in heaven, they would take a giant step toward real spirituality.  In the process the centrality of Christ was lost. Some may have even come to wonder if Christ was inferior to these angels.

Paul answers those doubts and more.

1) He describes the Cosmic Christ as "the firstborn over all creation."  The term has less to do with order of birth as status.

In Jewish family law "Firstborn" speaks of rights of inheritance and authority. Remember when Esau sold his rights as firstborn to his younger twin Jacob for a bowl of stew? That foolish act was significant because it gave the rights of the firstborn to one who wasn't firstborn. Of course, what Paul has already said rules out the notion of the Second Person of the Trinity being "born." Paul uses the term to underscore Christ's authority. The New English Bible captures this when it translates the phrase as "his is the primacy over all created things."

Some of the rabbis described the Messiah as the "firstborn" because he would have authority over Israel and Israel would be dependent upon him.

When Paul refers to the Cosmic Christ as the "firstborn over all creation" he is speaking of his authority over every created thing and of creation's dependence upon Christ.

2) Paul reveals the scope of Christ's authority. When Paul said that Christ had created all things he could have allowed that statement to say it all, but he chose to drive the point home by enumerating the product of Christ's creative activity. In so doing he also shows the scope of Christ's authority.

à He is the Creator of the "visible and invisible," Christ is the creator of all things, those we can see with our ordinary vision and those which are not seen. This refers spiritual beings which are ordinarily out of sight in the spiritual realm.

àHe is the Creator of "thrones or powers or rulers or authorities" This modifies "visible and invisible" and seems to refer to authorities, both earthly and spiritual.

On the one hand, the statement suggests the existence of an ordered world beyond our everyday experience. The Living Bible renders this as "the spirit world with its kings and kingdoms, its rulers and authorities."

Paul refers to this spirit realm in speaking to the Ephesians (6:12). Peter also refers to the heavenly hierarchy when he speaks of "Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." (1 Peter 3:21-22)

Granted that the Bible speaks of hierarchy within the ranks of the angels, does this imply the elaborate organization which Paul seems to envision? Could it be that Paul is simply using the world-picture commonly embraced in those days to stress Christ's universal sovereignty? Using it but not endorsing it? We can't really say.

Paul doesn’t explain all he may have in mind here.  What is clear is the fact that our proper focus is not these angelic beings but the one who has authority over them—Jesus Christ.

Of course, Paul's words also include earthly rulers. This reflects the Old Testament insistence that earthly rulers, in Israel and elsewhere, ruled at Yahweh's sufferance. The prophets even spoke of mighty pagan kings being the agents of tiny Israel's God.

In light of Christ’s authority in Creation, David Garland says, "The universe is not self- sufficient (as in the deist model), nor are individuals, no matter how much they may deceive themselves into thinking they are. Even those who do not acknowledge Christ's reign and those who actively oppose him are entirely dependent on him."

As we watch nations rise up and overthrow long-entrenched rulers, as we hear whispers of civil war by the disgruntled around us, what should we feel and think?  Paul would have us remember there is a Ruler above all other rulers.  Did Paul foresee the violent crusade against Christianity which Rome would soon initiate? Perhaps he sensed he would not be the last Christian to wear chains and suffer for the faith. If so, did he wish to underscore the reality that Rome's power was only as great as God allowed it to be? It would have bolstered the confidence of a worried church.

In Paul's summary statement a new note is added, "all things were created... for him." Again, the Living Bible directly addresses the issue, "for his use and glory."

"The earth is the Lord's," the psalmist tells us. Now Paul tells us much the same. There is a foundation for a Christian ecology, not based in our kinship with the world (the earth as our mother would have inflamed the Biblical writers), but upon the fact that we are stewards of Another's property.

More than this, Paul's words about Christ's authority remind us that Christ's purposes will ultimately be accomplished even in a world which is in rebellion against his rule. MacDonald speaks to this situation.

"Maybe history does not readily show itself to be controlled by a divine purpose. It looks as if it were all at loose ends—just a random collection of unconnected events. But that is not to see the reality of history from the standpoint of Christ's preeminence. For the movements of historical events are held together by his strong hand."

CONCLUSION

The Gospels are records of Christ's earthly ministry. We study them to learn about him. Paul's hymn of praise is a record of Christ's ministry behind the scenes.

It tells us that we don't live in a God-forsaken world. He who brought the world into existence is involved in every rising and falling of the tides, every rising and falling of governments. He knows our fears and our dreams, our disappointments and our smallest victory.

It tells us we ought to be confident in this Savior who can keep the stars and planets in balance. If he can do that, he can bring order to the chaos of our lives.

It tells us the proper response to this Cosmic Christ is submission and praise.

The Rescue

THE RESCUE

Colossians 1:13-14

In the previous verses Paul told the Colossians he had been praying for them to have a spirit of gratitude.  In picturesque language, these verses remind them of one reason why they should be thankful.

**********

The plot-summary is worthy of a Hollywood movie out of the Forties or Fifties.  You know the story:  the courageous prince, gleaming sword in hand, storms the villain’s kingdom in order to rescue the beautiful, virtuous maiden.

That, at least, is how Hollywood might do the story. 

In the spiritual realm, the story had some stranger twists, beginning with the facts that the courageous Prince was armed, not with a gleaming sword, but a cross and that the object of his rescue effort was hardly beautiful and far from virtuous.

And, of course, not even Hollywood could truly depict the terror of the Kingdom of Darkness.

In the New Testament, “Darkness” represents evil.  As a consequence, when Paul refers to “the dominion of darkness” is referring to a realm where evil has its sway over the hearts and minds of men and women. 

Although it promises freedom, this kingdom is, in fact, one of slavery and bondage.  Those trapped in this kingdom are trapped by sin.  When darkness reigns our tastes become perverse.  As John writes, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”  (John 3:19)   When darkness reigns men and women pursue self-destructive life-styles, convincing themselves they are pursuing fulfillment.

This kingdom is one of lies and confusion.  When darkness reigns our thinking may become so distorted we commit the worst of crimes in the name of God.  When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane he addressed the mob before he was taken into custody:

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour--when darkness reigns."   (Luke 22:52-53)

The kingdom of darkness is one of distorted and broken relationships.  Again, John speaks of the nature of life in the dark kingdom when he warns, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.”  (1JN 2:9)

The kingdom of darkness is one of fear. In the first-century world, when Jewish people went to bed they sometimes left a small lamp burning.  They believed the light would ward off the evil spirits in the dark.  Don’t laugh at them.  Most of us went though a period when we were afraid of the dark, we may have needed some type of  “night light” before we could get to sleep. 

Most of us outgrow our fear of the darkness caused by the setting of the sun.  But the fears of those trapped in the spiritual kingdom of darkness are multiplied because they fear there will never be a sunrise.

As Paul wrote to the Colossians he probably had in mind one of the major themes of the false teachers who were threatening the peace of mind of the church.  They had caused the crisis of confidence by teaching that it was necessary to placate the rulers of the darkness.  Elsewhere, Paul called them “principalities and powers of this dark world”.  Paul writes to challenge this notion.  He writes to tell them they no longer had to live under the dominion of the dark.

He wrote to tell them of a spiritual sunrise which had bathed the world in light.   In fact, this message was part of his commission.  When the Risen Christ confronted Saul the persecutor on the road to Damascus, he told this former unbeliever who would become Paul the Apostle:

I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'  (Acts 26:17-18)

With this call in mind, Paul tells the Colossians that God himself had mounted an invasion into the very heart of the kingdom of darkness.  It’s clear from the rest of the epistle that the Agent in that invasion was Christ Jesus, the Prince in our drama.

Who was this Prince?  Paul tells us he is “God’s dearly-loved Son”. 

Why did  Paul stress God’s love for the Son? 

·         Perhaps Paul simply wanted to underscore the relationship between the Father and the Son.  (Jesus Christ was the Son of God as no one else could ever claim to be.)

·         Perhaps Paul wanted to undermine any teaching which would call into question Jesus’ significance.  Anyone taking a position which sought to dispute the role of Christ in God’s plan was questioning the work of the one who knew God’s special love. 

·         Perhaps, in light of the emphasis upon the cross (which would come in later verses), Paul wanted to show the depth of God’s commitment to provide redemption:  It required sending the Son whom he loved to the cross.

In any case, Paul wanted his readers to know what God had done for them through what Christ had done for them.

He says that God had “rescued them from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”  Listen to some of the other ways that phrase is translated:  He “transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,”  He “brought us away into the kingdom of his dear son,”  He “created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son….”  The imagery behind this statement comes from the world of military conquest. 

It translates a term which refers to the practice of taking whole groups of people from one place and taking them to another to form a colony.   As Lohse comments, “Much like a mighty king who is able to remove whole peoples from their ancestral homes and to transplant them to another realm, so God is described as taking the community from the power of darkness and transferring it ‘to the dominion of his beloved Son’”  But God’s motivation was not that of those ancient kings, nor that of some modern conquerors.

When Adolph Hitler attacked the Soviet Union he planned to capture the peoples of the Ukraine and deport them as slave labor to Germany.  What a contrast to what God has done for us:   He rescued us from a realm in which we were slaves and transported us to a place of freedom.

I sometimes picture Paul’s mind racing to find adequate language to describe what God had done for us.  His thought races at such a pace we move from one figure of speech to another so quickly that we are left wondering what happened.  At this point, Paul switches metaphors: With a mere flick of his pen he takes us from the world of warring kingdoms to the worlds of the slave market and the temple.  He says, God “brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

He hasn’t changed the subject.  He is still defining what God through Christ had done for us, still exploring the liberation we have through Christ.  The centrality of Christ to what God had done is still clear.  So, too, is the sufficiency of Christ’s work in securing our salvation.

Every one of Paul’s readers would have seen a slave market.  Hundreds of thousands of slaves were part of the Roman Empire.  Slaves were slaves for life, they could be listed as property in wills.  Yet, there were ways out of slavery.  A generous master could choose to free a slave, perhaps upon the master’s death.   An industrious slave could save enough money to purchase freedom.  Or, loving relatives or friends could pay the price to purchase a slave’s freedom.

As slaves to sin, we could not expect our “master” to generously free us.  Nor could we ever supply the price to purchase our own freedom.  Our only hope of freedom rested on the action of another on our behalf.

Jesus paid the ransom price for our freedom.  In some translations the words of verse 14 say, “in him we have redemption through his blood.”  The words, “through his blood,” are found in some of the later New Testament manuscripts but probably weren’t in the original.  Still, Paul seldom mentions redemption without having the Cross in mind.  He certainly did when he wrote to the Ephesians in what almost seems a parallel statement to this in Colossians, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…”

The Colossians, familiar as they were with Christian preaching, would have probably linked the reference to redemption to the death of Christ on the cross.  To bring up the subject of the cross was to bring up an issue which may have been being debated among the Colossians.  Some of the false teachers had evidently been saying that his death on the cross proved Christ’s inferior status.  Paul was determined to challenge that thinking.

So, in Colossians, Paul depicts the cross in some startling and thought-provoking ways.  Anyone thinking of the Cross as a place of shame and defeat would have to think again.

*                In these verses, by implication at least, the cross becomes the base of operations for a rescue mission into the very stronghold of Satan.

*                In 1:20 it become the bridge which spans the gulf between God and humanity, allowing reconciliation.

*                In 2:14 it becomes a court of appeals where the indictment against us is vacated.

*                In 2:15, using language as vivid at that in these verses, the cross becomes the victor’s chariot of triumph.

            In time, whether here in Colossae or elsewhere, there would be those who were ashamed of the cross, who could not imagine God stooping so low as to allow himself to be crucified;  Paul wanted the Colossians—and us—to have a clearer understanding of the Cross and its role in our redemption.

The cross secured our forgiveness.  It was part of the redeeming work of Christ.  In the beautiful imagery of the Bible, forgiveness imagines our sins being sent away from us.  As Curtis Vaughn puts it, our sins are sent so far away that they can no longer form a barrier between us and God.  Forgiveness, as McDonald observes, is an experience in which “man’s deepest and realest need” is met.

If you recall, I said at the outset that this story of rescue was just a little different from what Hollywood might tell.  The object of Christ’s dramatic rescue was not a beautiful, virtuous princess, but a defiled band of sinful rebels against God’s rule.   Some would have looked at that undeserving crew for whom Christ died and said, “Let them stay in the dark, they’re not worth it.”

Perhaps, but the Son whom God loves, is one who loves the unworthy.   And this Son whom God loves continues to bring light and liberty to those who trust him.

CONCLUSION

Concerned about their crisis of confidence, Paul wanted the Colossians know something:  God, having rescued them from the power of Satan’s kingdom,  had brought them into the kingdom of his Son—where they could know freedom and forgiveness.

And Paul would want us to know that we can still experience spiritual freedom and forgiveness through the work of Christ.  He would want to know this because there is still great darkness in our world.

Darkness is a frightening experience, but we can become used to it.  In time, we can even learn to move about in the dark, to function reasonably well.  Any burst of light startles and unnerves us at first, we may even throw up a hand to shade our eyes.  Then, gradually, we come to realize how much we had been missing in the world around us.

A few years ago Pat and I flew to Albuquerque.  We arrived late at night.  In the distance we could see some great shadowy shapes but not even the lights of the city could illuminate them enough for us to really make them out.  The next morning, when the sun had risen, we could see the majestic mountains and the beautiful desert which surround the city. 

Despite Jesus rescue mission many still live in the dark.  If you’re one of them, he continues to invite you to enjoy the light of his kingdom, to experience the liberty of his kingdom, to rest in the love of his kingdom.

If you already know the joy of liberation, join in calling others to know Christ the great Liberator.