I found this while reading last night.
Colossians 1:15-20
He 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.
For GEW, we had to look at verses 19 and 20 and find a word or phrase that was significant. We were supposed to mediate on that one phrase and just contemplate it to see how it was speaking to us.
For the first time last night I noticed specifically the part of verse 20 that refers to Christ making peace through His blood. I've always understood that His blood was shed to reconcile us to Him, but I never thought of it as making peace.
If the very culmination of Jesus' ministy was His death on the cross, and if the shedding of His blood made peace, then Jesus' whole life goal was not just to reconcile us, but to make peace in the process. I focus too much on just the repent and follow Christ part of His ministry. Jesus taught love to all, the relief of oppression, and, at the very heart of His life, MAKING PEACE.
There are so many conflicts between members of the Church and other members who may possess minor theological differences, and there are also too many situations where the Church goes on the offensive against unbelievers, acting hostile and not making peace.
I really need to work on being more peaceful and resolving conflicts rather than starting or throwing myself into the middle of them. All Christians are part of the Body of Christ, so we shouldn't be fighting each other at every corner if someone believes in infant baptism or a post-Trib rapture. This fighting with each other is not what Christ worked to establish. He promoted peace His entire life, and so should we.
When I think of Good Friday and the crucifixion, I don't normally envision the situation bringing forth peace (especially after seeing the Passion). But, Christ's sacrifice was the ULTIMATE peace making act of His ministry. I need to pray and try to work harder to emulate that part of Christ's life just as much as the other aspects of His ministry.
Enjoy your Easter, everyone, and never forget what He did for you. That's such an awesome picture of the greatest love. It's all about Him!
Peace.
About Me
- Andrew
- Muskegon, Michigan, United States
- I am a follower of the one and only true God of the Bible. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, going to the movies, walking around GH, reading, going to the beach, having small group discussions with my friends, riding roller coasters, and listening to music. I'm a sophomore at GVSU. I work with the Middle School youth group at church, and I'll be working at Grace Adventures this summer.
2 comments:
Hi Andrew-
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this passage. I've read this over and over numerous times, but I think by hearing what other people have learned from it really puts things into a new perspective. It conveys a deeper meaning to Christ's life and the crucifixion. I've been reading in 1 and 2 Corintians and have been focusing on how the church should function and how to live a godly life. I think I've had the mind-set that I know everything about Christ's ministry because I've heard the bible stories since I was a toddler, but I don't think I've really gotten deep into it. I want to take it to the next level and study the purpose of Christ's ministry on earth. I think this is the step that God has been trying to show me that will bring me further into my relationship with Him. Thanks and see you Sunday!
I'll have to agree with sarah... I really love your view on this passage. I think it is so exciting when everytime you read scripture you come away with something new. You can read a passage numerous times and still learn something, it's so cool.
It's so sad to me when I see how christians treat each other sometimes. Our relationship with Christ, what we have in common, should draw us to each other, but instead we focous on the things that don't really matter. We have such a warped perspective, I'm so guilty of that. Jesus is so awesome!!! To think about all that he went through is amazing, but then to think about WHY he did it is even more amazing.
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