Colossians
Sunday, July 11, 2004
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for being a God of love, grace and forgiveness! Thank You for understanding the human tendency—my tendency—to turn from You and to pursue my own course. Thank You for providing the solution to my sin and separation from You through Jesus! I pray that You will fill me anew with Your Holy Spirit right now that I may glorify You in all that I think, say and do. Grant that my thoughts may be pure, my words may be true and compassionate and that all my actions my bring You honor and point others to Your salvation. Wherever people gather today in the name of Jesus to worship You, and offer You their praises, tithes and offerings, I pray that You will extend Your blessing and multiply the impact they provide. Thank You again for who You are and for all that You have done to provide life, freedom and joy. These things I pray in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, my risen Savior and Lord. Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Colossians 2:16-23
16So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself. 18Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don't let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them proud. 19But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God. 20You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 21"Don't handle, don't eat, don't touch." 22Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. 23These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires.
Reflecting on God’s Word
Have you ever allowed rules and regulations to keep you from fully worshiping and serving the Lord? If so, what hindered you and how did you overcome it?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What sources of condemnation does Paul list in today’s Scripture? (2:16)
What does Paul say the rules concerning such practices were? (2:19)
What does Paul indicate that Christ’s role is in our lives? (2:19)
Understanding God’s Word
What does it mean to you that the rules were only “shadows” of the real thing?
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
What one thing do you need to do as a result of reading today’s Scripture?
Thoughts..."Shadows" of the Real Thing...
If anyone has ever known the difference between the real thing—Jesus—and the “shadows”—the rules and regulations in the Law of Moses, it was the Apostle Paul. Having been brought up as a “Hebrew of Hebrews (see Philippians 3) Paul knew every one of the more than 600 rules and regulations, and for much of his life invested himself in learning and upholding them. The transformation in Paul’s life came about through a personal encounter with the glorified Jesus, as Paul was on his way to Damascus. The story is familiar to most of us, but the key point for today’s reflection is that Paul, who knew the rules better than anyone in his day, rejected a life of following rules, when presented with the opportunity to follow Jesus! The rules pointed Paul to Jesus, thus the “shadow,” but it was Jesus who took Paul—and will take us--where rules and regulations never can: into the very presence of the living God. If rules could save us, Jesus never would have come to the earth, and He certainly wouldn’t have died on the cross! As Paul reminds us in Romans 7, the Law kills, but apart from the Law we would never know our need for Jesus! As we go about this day, let’s remember that rules and regulations guide us TO Jesus, but Jesus alone is able to give us the life that is truly life! May we let Him and Him alone bring us the joy our lives are intended to display!