Scripture Text (NRSV)
Colossians 1:11-20
1:11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from
his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with
patience, while joyfully
1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in
the inheritance of the saints in the light.
1:13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred
us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation;
1:16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created,
things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers
or powers--all things have been created through him and for him.
1:17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold
together.
1:18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place
in everything.
1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
1:20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all
things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the
blood of his cross.
Comments:
What a beautiful picture this passage offers of Christ the King. Maybe
we need to relook at this passage in light of the events of today.
JB in MB
I see so much material which could be developed into a sermon here. I
think I will focus on the theme of reconciliation. Using the title
"God's Mission Statement," I will simply talk about the fact that
God's goal is to reconcile all things unto himself. It's quite a goal,
one that only God can pull off. -Dale in Chattanooga
There are so many events and issues that pull us apart. Politics, war,
economic downturns, and competition pit neighbor against neighbor.
Though September 11 gave us some unity against a common enemy, the
divisive elements are still around. We are still in a mess; we are
still a mess.
We need a savior, one who can hold things together. We are
intelligent, sophisticated, ingenius, creative, wealthy and powerful.
But we are also self-centered, envious, dysfunctional, and powerless
over our own problems. We really do need a savior.
God has seen fit to provide what we could not provide for ourselves,
an inheritance of the saints in the light, redemption, forgiveness of
sins. God has done this in and through Christ. In Christ all things
were created. In Christ all things hold together.
While many families will enjoy each other feasing this Thanksgiving,
some will be alone. Victims of divorce or death, they will try to hang
in there while feeling as though things are falling apart. Some
families will depart thanksgiving happily after old fights and
memories are revisited. They have no hope of family togetherness and
dred the next thanksgiving.
Terrorism continues to threaten peace. Arab Americans are victims of a
government endorsed racial profiling. Tensions between Christians and
Muslims increase in some areas.
Who can hold this world together? We need a savior!
There are so many events and issues that pull us apart. Politics, war,
economic downturns, and competition pit neighbor against neighbor.
Though September 11 gave us some unity against a common enemy, the
divisive elements are still around. We are still in a mess; we are
still a mess.
We need a savior, one who can hold things together. We are
intelligent, sophisticated, ingenius, creative, wealthy and powerful.
But we are also self-centered, envious, dysfunctional, and powerless
over our own problems. We really do need a savior.
God has seen fit to provide what we could not provide for ourselves,
an inheritance of the saints in the light, redemption, forgiveness of
sins. God has done this in and through Christ. In Christ all things
were created. In Christ all things hold together.
While many families will enjoy each other feasing this Thanksgiving,
some will be alone. Victims of divorce or death, they will try to hang
in there while feeling as though things are falling apart. Some
families will depart thanksgiving happily after old fights and
memories are revisited. They have no hope of family togetherness and
dred the next thanksgiving.
Terrorism continues to threaten peace. Arab Americans are victims of a
government endorsed racial profiling. Tensions between Christians and
Muslims increase in some areas.
Who can hold this world together? We need a savior!
Happy Thanksgiving! Fred in LA
Fred in LA, I just read your comments--after I had already planned my
sermon theme as Holding Things Together. Our lives are so fragmented
that it difficult to make sense of them. Better than the glue that
holds us together, Christ's Spirit weaves through our lives to help us
make some sense of things--if we only just let him in. Sharon in
Bethlehem
For those of us who have trouble identifying with the image of a King,
(being democratic North Americans and all that...) this passage
provides the same idea, without the foreign imagery. "Head of the
body." "One who rescues, redeems, forgives." "The One for whom all
things were created." "The Peacemaker." "The One in whom the fullness
of God dwells."
DGinNYC
After having been at Ground Zero yesterday, where the funeral pyre
still burns, the air still tastes and smells like death, this pericope
speaks of hope. The hope that our God, who is STILL God, WILL get the
last word!
pastorkat PA
That last verse is a sticky one. "God was pleased to reconcile to
himself ALL things? Terrorists? Gentiles, Romans, Christ
killers? All things? Hitler, Stalin, Hirohito, Mao, bin Laden? Jesus
prayed from the cross," Father forgive them", who took his innocent
life. "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good things to your
children, how much more will the heavenly father give..?" Could this
scripture be the grounds for believing in Universal Redemption? Very
sticky indeed, especially in these times when forgiveness toward
killers of the innocent is a hard message to preach, or even to
ponder. tom in TN(USA)
Tom in TN: I like the way Verna Dozier says to her Bible discussion
groups: "We're all going to heaven. We're ALL going to heaven... And
SOME of us are going to LIKE it!" After that sinks in a little, she
goies on, "So our job now is to practice liking being with EVERYONE."
Sara in GR, MI
I like that, sara. thanx, tom
Tom in Tn asked:
"Could this scripture be the grounds for believing in Universal
Redemption?"
Only if taken out of context with the rest of God's revealed word.
Not sound practice.
Rick in Va
Wishing that Universal Redemption was true, especially for the sake of
loved ones, but trusting in God's revelation that this is not the
case, and believing that it has something to do with justice.
Previous:
As noted above in a an unsigned posting on Nov. 14th, the Liturgical
celebration of the Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope
Pius XI (baptismal name: Achille Ratti) on December 11, 1925, in the
text of his encyclical QUAS PRIMAS. The year 1925 was one of those
periodic years designated by Catholics as a "Holy Year." The
encyclical marked the closing of the year-long period of renewal of
life. "To enhance the glory of the Kingdom of Christ," he wrote that
it was his desire to close the Holy Year "with the insertion into the
Sacred Liturgy of a special feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus
Christ." (section #6).....He designated that it be observed on the
last Sunday of October, near the conclusion of the Liturgical Year,
and just prior to the Feast of All Saints. With the more recent
liturgical reforms this feast was moved to the last Sunday of the
liturgical calendar, so as to serve as a summary of the mysteries of
faith contemplated, proclaimed and actualized during the past
year....The document is dated in its style and in the historical
context of the cultural, political and social issues of the earlier
decades of this century. However, Pius XI drew upon rich scriptural
fondations for the feast, as well as early patristic writings...I hope
that this brief summary will be helpful to DPS readers who may be from
a Reformation or free church tradition...Whatever our denominational
background, I would hope that we all could utter a common "AMEN" to
the following aspiration of Pius XI: "If the kingdom of Christ, then,
receives, as it should, all nations under its way, there seems no
reason why we should despair of seeing that peace which the King of
Peace came to bring on earth--he who came to reconcile all things, who
came not to be ministered unto but to minister, who, through Lord of
all, gave himself to us as a model of humility, and with his principle
law united the precept of charity; who said also: 'My yoke is sweet
and my burden is light.' Oh, what happiness would be ours if all men
(sic), individuals, families, and nations, would but let themselves be
governed by Christ!..."(section #20) ....The quotation from Maritain,
above in the unsigned posting, is but one of many profound mediations
which illustrate the challenge to make "the reign of Christ"
contemporary to each decade and situation....I hope the above serves
as an aid to reflecing on this week's lectionary texts.... The Peace
of Christ the King to one and to all.... Gregory in Dot, MA
A few things "hit me" from this passage. I have been rescued and
transferred. Hmmm, God transferring funds. I'm a transferred and
transformed piece of flotsam and jetsam?
Another thing: the image of the invisible God. Jesus is God with skin
on 'im. Jesus says, if you've seen me you've seen the Father. The
invisible, awesome, almighty, Yahweh is now revealed.
I like vs. 19, pleased...how can the fullness of God be pleased to
dwell? I like this idea of the Father taking pleasure in the Son.
"This is my beloved with whom I am well-pleased." What pleases God? My
efforts or God's efforts?
God was (here it is again) pleased...I like the idea of something
catching God's fancy.
Just some ramblings.
JAL
I will approach this as a Thanksgiving text taking verses 11-12 where
Paul prays the Colossians will receive strength and endurance so they
can be patient and grateful. Their gratitude within suffering is for
What Christ has done and in who Christ is. This is really exalted
Christology and bridges Thanksgiving with Christ the King very nicely.
There are people in my congregation for whom Thanksgiving is a
challenge. I hope to touch them with a reason for gratitude,
Everything we endure is less than the gift of Christ. Hope is greater
than our losses. His fulness is greater than our emptiness. Lewis
Is anyone interested in exploring the connection between the
description of Jesus in this passage and descriptions of Wisdom in
various Old Testament passages?
IMG
Wisdom? Jesus? Is there a connection between those Old Testament
passages and Christ? Strange, how Proverbs and Colossians sound so
like each other? Or is it strange at all. I don't think so! MLB
Gregory in Dot,
Thanks and apology accepted { though I was about to vow never to
return to DPS! :) }
KenTucky (sometimes a Turkey!)
