Daily Meditations from John N. N. Ng'ang'a: 2-8th August 2010 - Colossians Friendship Gives Joy, But it also a Responsibility
Day 1
Col 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-NIV
I have found the book of Colossians to be very useful in defending my faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Christianity is different from other religion that I know. It has something special. You may ask yourself, why is it necessary to tell the Muslims about Christianity when, sometimes, when you watch keenly their lives, they appear more zealous for their religion than many Christians.
Yes, sometimes I ask myself, why should I bother? That’s what I want to answer by studying Colossians. Is Christianity just another religion? Colossians says, “No.” It is the only way of life that God intends for us. Every other religion is ‘man trying to reach God.’
However, in Jesus we have ‘God trying to reach man.’ That is the basic message of Christianity. Christ as the redeemer to a lost world.
Paul, the writer of the book of Colossians is an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and he writers to help us know our faith better. One of the ways of knowing that you have become a Christian is the fact that God makes you love others the same way that God loved you and sent Jesus Christ. One of the things that you actually get when you come to Christ is the peace of God, the peace that surpasses all understanding. The fear of death is removed when we become Christians.
Day 2
Col 1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. NIV
Paul rejoices in suffering.
One of the ways of knowing you are a Christian is that the future is not something you fear, it is something you look forward to.
In fact Paul puts it in very graphic language because he says that if he is given the choice between living and dying, he won’t know what to choose.
The average man doesn’t have a problem. If you ask him, “Can I kill you or do I not?” He will probably say, “Please don’t kill me,” That’s what you would expect every man but for Paul, he says he doesn’t know which of the two to choose. He says that for him to live is Christ and to die is gain!
Becoming a Christian is what makes death something to look forward and to actually know that to be alive means to have a responsibility to share Christ with others. But if you are really to die, that’s where your gain is. That there is nothing better that can happen to you than to die.
That’s what really the message of Easter is all about. That, because you know Christ, you have peace with God and you are able to look at death as something that opens a new chapter for you. You know, what you become when Christ redeems you.
You need to know the importance, and what you are redeemed from especially of us as Africans, but also we want to answer the question, “What do you become when you become redeemed?”
Day 3
Col 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. NIV
What are we redeemed from? What have I got in return to rejecting the devil and his ways?
We may have read how on the slopes of Mt Elgon the twins were killed by the parents who bore them in fulfillment of traditional believes.
The Gabra tribe in northern Kenya believes that a wife belongs to all the husband’s age mates and any can have sexual intimacy with her. This may be the reason why HIV-AIDS spreads fast in the region. God’s Word frees us from such dangers. The Gospel has transformed tribes world over as they accept its message.
Colosse too experienced this benefit of the gospel.
The modern town Chonas is near the ruins of COLOS'SAE, or Colos'se (ko-lo-se), a city of mercantile importance on the Lycus, in Phrygia, about twelve miles above Laodicea. The most competent commentators think that the Christian church there was founded by Epaphras (Col 1:2,7; 4:12) and believe 2:1 proves that Paul had not been there previous to writing the epistle. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in the ninth year of Nero and was then rebuilt(Sherman E. Johnson, "Laodicea and Its Neighbors," Biblical Archaeologist 13, no. 1 (1950))
Day 4
Col 2:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ. NIV
The book of Colossians is neatly divided, as are most of Paul's epistles, into doctrinal (Chapters 1-2) and practical (chapters 3-4) sections.
In the first 2 chapters, following the opening address (1:1-2), Paul expresses his thankfulness for the faith, love, hope, and example of the Colossians (1:3-8).
He then develops a majestic hymn to Christ, emphasizing His role in both creation and redemption (1:9-23). In light of the surpassing worth of Christ and His work, Paul willingly accepts the obligation to proclaim Christ and to suffer for Him (1:24-2:5). He also appeals to the Colossians to take root in Christ rather than in confusing speculations (2:6-23). In the practical (chapters 3-4) sections, Paul urges the Colossian Christians to mold their behavior to fit their beliefs. Since believers share in Christ's resurrection (3:1-4), Paul encourages them to continue living to please God. He urges them to "put to death" various vices and to "put on" the character of Christ (3:5-17).
Do I have the same desire for those whom God brings my way? Do I want them to know the full gospel?
Day 5
Col 3:16-17 And 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. NIV
A true Christian has every area of his life fully directed by Gods word. That is why in Colossians Paul deal with both doctrine and practice. Some politicians think that in some areas Christians should think independent of God’s Word while in others it is okay to listen to the Bible.
Yes, true Christianity works itself out in social relationships, for example between wives and husbands (3:18-19), children and parents (3:20-21), and slaves and masters (3:22-4:1). Paul concludes Colossians with a note on witnessing to unbelievers (4:2-6), and, of course, with his customary greetings (3:7-18).
I often feel the temptation to think independent of God’s word in my professional life but I realize that once I have this dichotomy I am soon no longer walking with God. If I am not walking with God then I will soon walking with the devil
God instruction is that whatever I do I should do it in his name. Thus whenever I do something for which I do not have his leading then I will be breaking this command
Day 6
Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother. NIV
As Christians, we are his ministers, farmers, engineers and so on, only by His will. During Easter we are reminded that without Christ our sinfulness keeps us separate from God. We are believers only because of Christ’s death. Jesus came to accomplish this.
Christ is a missionary who acts on his love by him coming but also by sending all who trust him to show that love to others. If you are only happy to go to heaven alone, chances are you not going to the heaven Christ talks about!
When Paul says he is an Apostle, he is accepting that he has been sent as God’s representative .But timothy does the same but without the title of Apostle. Not just Apostles sent but even those without a title like Timothy are in the team.
Then the question is as I do whatever I do daily do I see myself as an apostle sent to represent God in my work place or neighborhood
Day 7
Col 1:2 To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
All Christians are saints or holy PEOPLE by virtue of their relation to God in Christ. The use of the appellation for a particularly devout person is a later development. Many of us would feel uncomfortable with the title while still on earth, yet Paul used it for very ordinary church members .One fear of using it is that we are not holy enough to be called saints. But then we are not holy on our own but due to his forgiveness.
Might the fear of using the name also be because we really do not want the discipline of living a holy life? Jesus said that we should be holy (perfect) just as our heavenly Father is perfect.
But let us see the befit of living Holy lives?
Once we are rescued you get peace—not lack of war—but realization that very situation we face is under God’s control.
We also have grace, OR THAT WE enjoy God’s riches at Christ’s expense. WE ENJOY THINGS WE DO NOT DESERVE.