Tag: Colossians

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How Do We Experience Peace?

Colossians 3

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17, NIV)

The Daily DAVEotional

If you haven’t noticed, we are experiencing an epidemic of anxiety in our country. The American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll indicated a sharp rise in anxiety levels among American adults.

Young adults are even more likely to report high levels of anxiety these days according to a Pew survey cited in this article.

There’s even been a popular book written about “The Anxious Generation.” In this book, author Jonathan Haidt argues that smartphones, social media, and helicopter parenting has contributed to an increased level of anxiety and depression among today’s youth.

Experiencing peace seems as elusive as sighting a unicorn.

So how exactly can we experience peace?

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul gives some insight into experiencing peace.

The first thing he says is that we should let peace “rule” in our hearts. The Greek word for “rule” means “arbitration”. The idea is that peace should govern our hearts.

Ok. But how do we do that? It’s not like most people can turn peace on and off like a light switch.

Fortunately, there are some key words in this passage that help us to understand a potential pathway to peace.

Three times in this passage, Paul uses the similar words “thankful” (verse 15), “gratitude” (verse 16), and “thanks” (verse 17).

Philippians 4:6-7 is perhaps the most oft-quoted passage regarding peace. Paul says,

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It’s interesting to note that in this passage, Paul also talks about thanksgiving. When we share our anxieties with God, and we do it with an attitude of thanksgiving, Paul says that we will experience the peace of God in a way that transcends our understanding.

I might not be able to manufacture peace on demand. But I can choose my attitude and what I will allow my mind to dwell on.

Paul tells us to be thankful  and to offer up our anxieties to the Lord in prayer with an attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude.

Something happens when we choose to be grateful. You see, we can’t be grateful unless we stop and think about the things we should be grateful for. Doing this refocuses our attention on God’s goodness and it gets our minds off of the negative thoughts that are the root of our anxieties.

My wife and I recently saw the movie “Soul on Fire”, which is the real-life story of John O’Leary, who, as a child, suffered burns over his entire body when he accidentally set his family’s house on fire. It’s a powerful story of identity, redemption and forgiveness.

As an adult, John decides he can use his story to make a difference in the lives of others as a motivational speaker.

In one of his first speaking engagements he finds himself talking to a group of hardened criminals in a state prison. His main message is about the importance of gratitude. He then invites the prisoners to share something they’re grateful for.

At first, nobody speaks. They’re mostly skeptical and wondering what they’re even doing there. Finally, one prisoner stands up and says:

“I’m grateful for prison, because if I wasn’t here, I’d be dead. And here’s what else I’m grateful for:

    • Heat in the winter.
    • Air-conditioning in the summer.
    • Three square meals a day—no cooking, no dishes.
    • A clean bed every night.
    • Laundry service—I never had that on the outside.
    • Medical care, even if it’s basic.
    • A library full of books I never read before.
    • Time to think, really think about my life.
    • Brothers here who get it, who share my struggles.
    • Letters from my kids—I miss ’em, but they keep comin’.
    • The chaplain who prays with us.
    • Fresh coffee in the morning.
    • Outdoor rec time—blue sky, even behind fences.
    • A job, Payin’ a little, but it’s honest work.
    • No bills pilin’ up.
    • Safety from the streets I ran on
    • Programs to learn skills, like anger management.
    • Holidays with visits from family.
    • Music on the radio—reminds me of better days.
    • Clean water, hot showers.
    • Counselors who listen without judgin’.
    • The chance to apologize to folks I hurt.
    • Faith groups—Bible study saved my soul.
    • Exercise yard—keeps me strong.
    • Mail call—somethin’ to look forward to.
    • No more chasin’ highs that wrecked me.
    • Rules that keep me from hurtn’ others.
    • Dreams at night—hope for what’s next.
    • Laughter with the guys—ain’t nothin’ like it.
    • This talk today—remindin’ me gratitude changes everything.
    • And God… for second chances.”

Later in the movie, John is struggling, feeling sorry for himself and the situation he’s in. He can motivate others through his speaking but, like us, he often struggles to apply the principles of his own TED talk.

There’s a scene where he visits his family. His dad is in a wheel chair, suffering from the effects of advanced Parkinson’s disease. And yet, his father is joyful, positive and at peace.

John asks his father, “How can you be so positive?”

His dad responds “John, how can I complain when my life is so good, when I’m just so blessed?”

John is confused. He’s thinking, “how can you see yourself as blessed when you’re in this horrible condition?” It’s really a victim mentality. And we all can tend towards this, can’t we?

His dad then elaborates on his gratitude, listing reasons like the extra time he has for reflection, the deeper family bonds he’s developed, his appreciation for caregivers and the empathy he’s developed for the struggles of others. Gratitude has enabled him to transform his limitations and potential sources of anxiety into sources of joy and peace.

There is no doubt that we live in a complex and chaotic world that’s filled with challenges that can produce anxieties of all kinds – health, job, finances and family issues, just to name a few.

However, even though we can’t produce peace in our hearts on demand, we can choose to be thankful and grateful for the good things that God has provided for us. If we make this our regular pattern, our lives will be less anxious and we’ll begin to experience more peace in our hearts.

 

By the way, you can read my review of the movie Sarah’s Oil here.

 

Did you enjoy this post? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to like, leave a comment below, and share it with your friends or on social media if you found it helpful or interesting. Your support keeps the conversation going!

 

Reflection

What are the things creating anxiety in your life right now? What keeps you from sharing those things with the Lord?

What have you found helpful in your own life to get your mind off of your problems and anxieties and onto the positive things in your life?

If you were to create a list of things you’re grateful for, like the prisoner did, what would be on your list? What are the things in your life that you can express gratitude for?

 

Photo by Tom Shakir on Unsplash

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What Does it Mean that Jesus is the Firstborn?

Colossians 1

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For 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. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20, NIV)

The Daily DAVEotional

In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul pens one of the greatest treatises on the divine nature of Christ in all of Scripture. And yet, some have used this very section to promote a false understanding of Jesus.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group that was birthed in the late 1870’s when Charles Taze Russell, who had been highly influenced by Adventist teachings, determined that certain Christian doctrines, such as the Trinity and divinity of Christ, were not supported by Scripture.

I’ve written a number of posts regarding the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their view that Jesus is not God, including the following posts:

The bottom line with Jehovah’s Witnesses is that they don’t believe in the trinity. Therefore, they don’t believe that Jesus is God. They teach a doctrine that is known as Arianism (see post here), which teaches that Jesus is a created being who does not possess a divine nature.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are highly committed to their understanding of Jesus as a created being, and they believe that this passage, in Colossians 1, serves as strong evidence in support of their view.

Specifically, this passage twice describes Jesus as being “firstborn”. The thinking goes that if Jesus was born, then he must be created. If he was created then he clearly isn’t God. If he isn’t God, then he’s just a man. Hence, the view that Jesus is a created being without a divine nature must be the correct view.

That logic might sound correct on the surface, but there is one small problem, as our good friend Inigo Montoya will explain:

The problem is that we interpret the word “firstborn” based on our modern understanding. Naturally, we see the word “born” and assume that it refers to a birth. We assume therefore that the passage is saying that Jesus was “born”, just as all people are naturally born.

But that’s not at all what the passage is saying.

To understand this passage, we need to understand a little bit about the culture of the Ancient Near East, particularly how the family heirs were treated.

In the Ancient Near East culture, it was customary for the oldest son to receive a double portion of any inheritance. The oldest son enjoyed this benefit because of his status as the highest in rank of all the sons. So, if you had two sons, your assets would be divided into 3 parts. The oldest son would get 2 shares and the youngest son would get one share.

The oldest son was therefore the pre-eminent, or favored son. The oldest son was the highest in rank – usually.

However, there are a number of Biblical examples where this was not the case.

Take Jacob and Esau for example. Esau was the oldest son but God favored Jacob, who received Isaac’s blessing over Esau.

Jacob’s sons are another example. Jacob had 12 sons. Reuben was the oldest and therefore, was considered the pre-eminent son, eligible for the double portion.

However, Reuben forfeited his rank and the blessing associated with the oldest son when he slept with one of his father’s wives. As a result, Jacob made Joseph the pre-eminent son, even though he was NOT born first. In fact, he was the eleventh born! (see 1 Chronicles 5:1)

When you see a list of the tribes of Israel (Jacob’s new name), you never see Joseph listed. Why is that? It’s because Joseph was given two shares. Joseph’s shares are represented by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

The Greek word that is translated “firstborn” is the word “prototokos”. While the word is translated as “firstborn”, it doesn’t mean that Jesus was created. If Paul wanted to communicate that Jesus was the first-created, he would have used a different word, “protoktisos”, which literally means “first-created.”

How do we know that Paul is not trying to communicate that Jesus was “born” if he indeed uses this word which translates to “firstborn”?

It’s clear from the context that Paul is not using the word in the way the Jehovahs Witnesses assert.

In the first instance of the word, Paul says that Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation.” If Paul were communicating that Jesus was “born” then he’s also saying that “creation” is the parent. That doesn’t make sense. If Paul was communicating that Jesus was literally born, shouldn’t the passage say that Jesus was the “firstborn of God”?

In the second instance of the word “firstborn”, Paul states that Jesus is firstborn from among the dead. Again, this language doesn’t make sense if Jesus is actually born. How can Jesus be parented by creation and also by “the dead”?

This passage makes complete sense if we understand that the word “firstborn” carries the meaning of pre-eminence or rank, just as the firstborn child of any ancient near eastern family held pre-eminent status over his siblings due to his higher rank.

In this case, Paul says in verse 15 that Jesus is pre-eminent over creation. Why? Paul gives the answer in the very next verse. It’s because Jesus is the CREATOR. Jesus is pre-eminent (firstborn) over creation because he is the author of ALL of creation.

In the same way, Jesus is pre-eminent over death precisely because he has demonstrated supremacy over death by rising from the dead.

So in the end, this passage doesn’t teach that Jesus is a created being as the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. Instead, this passage teaches the exact opposite. Jesus is the uncreated creator of all things in whom the fullness of deity dwells and through whom all things are reconciled by His shed blood on the cross.

Jesus is indeed firstborn. He has demonstrated supremacy over creation and death precisely because He is GOD!

 

Did you enjoy this post? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to like, leave a comment below, and share it with your friends or on social media if you found it helpful or interesting. Your support keeps the conversation going!

 

Reflection

Genesis 41:51-52 says, “Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh…. 52The second son he named Ephraim”. Yet in Jeremiah 31:9 it says, “Ephraim is my firstborn son”. How can Ephraim be the second son in the Genesis passage but the firstborn in Jeremiah? How do you explain this apparent contradiction?

If Jesus is a created being, as the Jehovahs Witnesses contend, what do you think are the implications in terms of Jesus’ ability to save humanity? In other words, how can a savior who is not divine atone for the sins of the world?

What are some personal examples you can think of where the first born son (or daughter) did not enjoy the favored status you might expect?

What are some other qualities of Jesus that you learn from this short passage in Colossians? What else can we say about Jesus from these verses?

 

Photo is a screenshot from the movie “The Princess Bride”

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It’s Not How You Start, but How You Finish!

Acts 15

36After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return to each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are getting along.” 37Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. 38But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not shared in their work. – Acts 15:36-37, NLT

Colossians 4

14Dear Doctor Luke sends his greetings, and so does Demas.  – Colossians 4:14, NLT

2 Timothy 4

9Please come as soon as you can. 10Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me. 12I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers.  – 2 Timothy 4:9-13, NLT

The Daily DAVEotional

In December (2022) an amazing thing happened in an NFL football game. At half-time, the Minnesota Vikings were getting taken to the woodshed, down 33-0 to the Indianapolis Colts. It was a surprising development, given the Vikings had one of the best records in football and the Colts were widely regarded as one of the worst teams in the league.

I remember seeing the half-time score and thinking that game was all but over.

Later I learned that the Vikings had made a complete turn around in the second half, tied the game up and won 39-36, on a last second field goal in overtime. It was the greatest comeback in NFL history.

 

Proof once again that it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

The same is true in the Christian life. The Bible is replete with stories about people who did not finish well.

In 2 Timothy 4, Paul mentions two guys who are going in opposite directions. Paul mentions both by name.

The first is Demas. You might remember Demas from Colossians 4, where Paul mentions him as one of his co-workers who offers a greeting to the recipients of Paul’s epistle. Demas was on the right track, seemingly walking with Christ and serving with Paul for the furtherance of the gospel ministry in Asia Minor.

But something happened. We’re not given all the details but later, when Paul pens his final letter to Timothy, it’s clear that Demas has abandoned the faith in favor of a worldly lifestyle.

In contrast to Demas is Mark. Mark did not get off to a good start. He joined Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey as an assistant in Acts 13:5 but didn’t last very long, abandoning them before their journey was complete (Acts 13:13).

In Acts 15, when Paul and Barnabas decide to go out on another missionary journey, Barnabas wants to take Mark with them but Paul is not in favor of this plan because Mark had previously abandoned them. Their disagreement was so sharp that the Paul and Barnabas band broke up and each decided to go solo, taking on new partners, Paul taking Silas while Mark accompanied Barnabas. I wrote about this first “church split” in a previous blog post, “Who Was at Fault for the First Recorded Church Split?”

Later, when Paul is older and about to leave this earth for his heavenly abode, Paul makes a final request of Timothy – “bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me.”

Paul had no use for Mark early on, for Mark had clearly tubed out on the mission. But though Mark started off shaky, he finished well, so much so that later, when Paul was nearing death, Paul came to see Mark as tremendously useful.

These two guys, both mentioned in the same ending lines of Paul’s letter to Timothy, illustrate that no matter where you’re at or what you’ve done, you can always re-direct your path and finish well. Like Mark, we can change the narrative of our lives and become “useful” to the Lord and His purposes.

Likewise, even if you may find yourself on the right path now, it’s no guarantee that you will finish well. Like Demas, we can be lured by worldly forces to abandon our first love for mere earthly pleasures.

My hope is to finish well like Mark did, while avoiding the pitfalls of Demas!

Reflection

In what ways do you relate to Mark? In what ways can you relate to Demas?

What are some examples in your own circle of friends and acquaintances of people who seemed to start strong but ultimately didn’t finish?

Demas left Paul because he “loved the things of this life”. What are some of the things in this life that tend to be alluring to you and could possibly sidetrack you from wholehearted devotion to Christ?

What safeguards can you place in your own life to ensure you finish like Mark and not like Demas?

 

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash