Heart of a Rebel

For at least 4 years now, I've continuously been drawn back to this passage. Today, it popped back up in my journey through the New Testament during 2009. I have unpacked it several times while preaching, and seem to approach the gospel through it.

Colossians 1:15-29

15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.17And he 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, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21  And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,25of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,26the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.29For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Some Thoughts:

Christ is an image of God the world could see & the fullness of God

Christ is the author of creation

Christ is the head of the church, not men with titles

Christ defeated death so that he would be preeminent & our hope

Christ's sacrifice reconciled all things to the father

Christ presents us holy & blameless through his death

Christ is made famous in Paul's & our suffering because it shows the world our trust and faith in God for everything

Christ walks with us in our suffering, making the word of God fully known

Christ dwelling in us is the mystery Paul writes about

Christ lives in you, when you accept his love

Christ living in you makes you a living testimony of grace

Christ is the hope of glory, not any of us

Christ is whom we proclaim with every fiber of our being

WOW....... even after typing that out, I'm still blown away, encouraged, and more in awe of God's never ending love for his creation through Jesus. I just pray I am living this knowledge every day, and thank God for his word. It reminds me of how much I must let go of self rule, and let the saving nature of Christ dwelling in me, be my only boast.

I'm in Philippians now on my new testament reading plan and was struck by 1:12-20.

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

Paul is in prison, he's been beaten, abused, tormented, mocked, and now in chains. He's writing letters of encouragement to churches, not knowing if they are the last words he'll ever convey. He's sharing the hope of Christ to criminals, unable to bottle up the joy Jesus has given him. I read this and have so many emotions run through my heart, but mostly awe.

To live a life totally in the present, and with such clear vision of what you were born to do. That telling everyone you encounter about Jesus and if that leads to death, then so be it, because that just means you get to be with Jesus faster.

I sit reflecting on my own life, and how many times I've shied away from conversations about faith, but also encouraged by the times I've waded in chest deep. I love my time in scripture, but find it too often out of study instead of devotion, but I'm getting better.

I guess what I'm feeling the most is an overwhelming knowledge that my entire life needs Christ at the center, and that his name should be on my lips more, no matter the situation, the occasion, the location, or the company.

By life or by death, I pray my life honors Christ