1 Peter 4:12-19

Suffering for Being a Christian

Why do we suffer for being a Christian? We hit on it yesterday - the world doesn't like our light. It exposes their evil ways & makes them feel guilty. Rather than deal with their feelings, they blame Christians. If we would just go away, they could go on living the way they want without exposure. So, Christians will always be mocked, insulted, and treated unfairly. Realize once again that it's not about you, it's about them and keep on keeping on. Lean on your Heavenly Father and look to the good times that are ahead. You will have all of eternity to enjoy perfection, don't let this quick, little life get you down.

1 Peter 3:8-4:11

Forgot to post yesterday. It's so easy to get caught up in your day & the busy schedule ahead . . Let's get caught up on our reading.

Sunday: 1 Peter 3:8-22
Two things stick out to me: 1. You will always face "bad press." Someone won't like you, someone will spread rumors, someone will be plain nasty to you. Don't worry about it. Realize that people are people & not all of them are nice. Your self-worth isn't wrapped up in what people say, it's about what God says - & He says you're fabulous. So, go about doing good. Then, when people talk about you, you can just chalk it up to their own insecurities. 2. Baptism is a symbolic act. It says, "I am pledging to live my life according to God's will." Salvation only comes through Jesus Christ.

Monday: 1 Peter 4:1-11
Live as Christ lived - with compassion and self-control. When you change your life around, you become a light to others. Unfortunately, that light reveals the darkness in other's hearts, causing them to act out against you. Remember, it's not you, it's them. They are pushing against their own guilt. Continue to do good & live a life that pleases God. For in the End (which is fast approaching) He is the only One who matters. No one's opinion will determine your eternal life other than His.

1 Peter 3:1-7

More on Wives and Husbands

In keeping with the talk on submission, Peter basically expounds on the writings of Paul.

Wives are to submit to their husbands. Peter tells us that this submission will win over the hearts of our husbands as they watch us quietly live out our faith. Beauty is not skin deep - that beauty fades. Instead of spending so much time on our fading beauty, we should be focused on our inward beauty. It's the only beauty that counts in the long run.

Husbands are to care for their wives, treating them with respect as the weaker partner. Now, don't be offended girls! We all want the prince to ride in on the white horse and take care of us. This is simply what Peter is saying. Husbands, take care of your wives. Don't use your strength to beat them down or control them, use your strength to keep them safe.

It's interesting how Peter cautions husbands and wives in these verses. Wives, don't lean toward vanity, for it is fleeting and you will not develop a deep and wide relationship with your husband or with God. Husbands, don't dominate your wives, or you will not develop a deep and wide relationship with your wife or with God. Hmmmm . . . good words to live by.

1 Peter 2:13-25

Submission to Rulers and Masters

Again? More information on submission? It seems like this is all we've been talking about lately. First Paul and now Peter touch on this very touchy but important subject. Look - there's a lot of talk about peace and unity in the Bible. Frankly, the Bible is all about Relationship - relationship to God, relationship to the Church, relationship to others. God created relationship, so He knows how it best works. Unfortunately, we humans seem take very poor notes. We keep changing what relationship means to us & then we wonder why everything seems to work out so poorly. God keeps hitting this relationship stuff over & over & over - hoping the message finally sinks in. So, here we go again (pay attention)

1. Obey every authority instituted above you. Yikes - this means your government, the law enforcement agencies, your boss, your parents - even if you don't agree! Ugh. Well, really it's not so bad. God put these people in authority over you for a reason, so be smart and listen up. You have a freewill, but put it to good use and make wise choices. Disobeying an authority figure only brings consequences and punishment.
** once again, if the authority figure asks you to break one of God's laws, then you can RESPECTFULLY disobey. However, you better be very sure that your disobeying because of God's will and not your own!**

2. Slaves submit to your master. I look at this as: Submit to your authority, even if they are mean. But that's not fair!!! No, it isn't. Jesus wasn't treated fairly either. He was tortured, but He still did what He was called to do by His Heavenly Father & it all worked out for His best interest in the end. Remember, your time on this earth is very short compared to eternity. Do you want it great for a little bit of time & really, really bad for a really, really long time that never ends? OR Do you want it bad for a little bit of time & really, really great for a really, really long time that never ends?

You do the math.

1 Peter 2:4-12

Jesus is the living cornerstone. The cornerstone is the foundational stone of the building - it sets the mark. The cornerstone must be perfectly aligned because every other every other stone is based off this one. Jesus is the perfect cornerstone. All humanity is set around this stone:

1. Believers are built upon this stone to form the Church. The perfect alignment of the cornerstone shows us the way to go & as Christians we are to follow His example.

2. Unbelievers are tripped up by the cornerstone. They don't fit into the alignment & are tripped up by it. Since Jesus is perfect, these people will always be aware of the imperfect lives they are leading.

As a Christian, stay focused on the cornerstone & find the place where you fit.

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Be Holy

Peter is calling us to look past the things of this world - money, possessions, food - for it will all perish. Instead, we need to look to spiritual things - for they will never perish. Since we should value the eternal live like you are already there. Stop falling back into worldly attitudes and start living the life that God has called you to live. Crave God's Word like milk & grow strong in your faith.

Catch Up - Phil 3:12-4:23 & 1 Peter 1:1-12

Sorry for the silence. I woke up on Sunday feeling like I had been run over by a Mack Truck and have spent the last two days sleeping. Hopefully those taking the 21 day challenge followed the reading guide posted on Thursday. If you have, you have read the remainder of Philippians. Let's catch you up -

Paul reminded us that it's not who we are or what we do, it's who we trust. Since we trust Jesus, we look totally to Him for all things. In Him we will be made perfect in our eternal lives. Therefore, live as though you have been made perfect in Him. Continue to press towards a deeper relationship with Him. Don't live like you use to, caught up in worldly concerns. Instead, focus on Him.

Finally, think on good things - the things of God. Spend your time there. And put into practice all you have learned from the Word of God. Don't just read it & put it back on the shelf. It's not there just for your perusal. This is a manual, not a novel. It's here to help you, so do what it says.

Let's move on to today's reading. We begin in 1 Peter. Peter is writing to the Christians in Asia Minor who are being persecuted for their faith. Peter writes to encourage them to continue to live holy lives that follow Christ's example.

Peter begins by encouraging the Christians: even though they are experiencing troubles and tribulations now, they have already received their eternal inheritance in Jesus Christ. They can rejoice because they know that this world only lasts for a little while in comparison to forever. The trials they are dealing with now only help to strengthen their faith and increase the joy of the things to come. Have you ever experienced that? Ever walked through a trial and come out on the other side? Did you acknowledge the benefits of the trial? That it made you stronger and wiser? That the joy of life is so much sweeter after you've experienced the sorrow of tribulation? There will always be troubles in this fallen world we live in. Don't get stuck in the trouble, look to Jesus for He is your help and your Salvation. He experienced more sorrow and pain than you can even imagine that you might belong to Him. He overcame, so that you might. Trust in Him in all things, and let Him help you through.

Ephesians 3:1-11

No Confidence in the Flesh

What is Paul talking about here? Paul is comparing what you do/are to what you believe. Your heritage and bloodline are not going to win God to your side. Nor will how well you follow the law. It's not about who you are or what you can do or how awesome you think you are. It's all about Jesus. Do you trust Him or not? It's as simple as that.

Philippians 2:1-30

Imitating Christ

Has God ever done anything for you? Ever brought you encouragement, comfort, tenderness, compassion? I know He has for me - all the time. So, turn that around and treat others the way you have been treated, remembering that it's all about other people. Your attitude should be like Christ. He was a servant - to God and to others.

Put everything you have into living a life of humble service. It's not enough to just talk the talk. It's all about the walk - what you do & your attitude behind it. Live this life with joy and excitement, not complaining and arguing. This positive attitude will catch the eye of others around you and make them wonder why your life seems so different, so much better. Paul says it will cause you to be like shining stars in the universe. With a society so caught up with celebrities, I can't think of a better way to shine.

Philippians 1:1-30

Paul also wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome, around A.D. 61. This is his most personal letter. He writes to thank a church body for their love and support; and he writes to encourage the church to continue to live in harmony with others and obedience to God. This is a letter full of joy . . .

Before we begin, I will give you a list of readings for the next several weeks as the youth group has taken on a 28 day challenge to read the Bible every day.

Fri, Jan 20 - Phil 2:1-30
Sat, Jan 21 - Phil 3:1-11
Sun, Jan 22 - Phil 3:12-4:1
Mon, Jan 23 - Phil 4:2-23
Tues, Jan 24 - 1 Peter 1:1-12
Wed, Jan 25 - 1 Peter 1:13-2:3
Thurs, Jan 26 - 1 Peter 2:4-12
Fri, Jan 27 - 1 Peter 2:13-25
Sat, Jan 28 - 1 Peter 3:1-7
Sun, Jan 29 - 1 Peter 3:8-22
Mon, Jan 30 - 1 Peter 4:1-11
Tues, Jan 31 - 1 Peter 4:12-19
Fri, Feb 1 - 1 Peter 5:1-14

Let's read -
Paul starts his letter with his traditional thanksgiving and prayer. You can tell that he really loves this church. After his prayer, he encourages his brothers and sisters in Christ to stay strong in their faith no matter what their circumstances. Paul is actually joyful about his imprisonment because he is able to look past his circumstances and see the big picture. Because he is under house arrest, others have stepped forward to preach the gospel in his absence. He has also been given the opportunity to preach to the guards about Christ. So, Paul is overjoyed that the Word of God not only continues to spread, but it is being spread courageously and fearlessly.

As Paul has contemplated his circumstances, he has come to the opinion that no matter what happens - whether he is released or put to death - only good will come from it. If he goes on to preach, then the gospel (the message of Christ) will continue to spread. If he is put to death, then he will gain his reward of heaven. (and really what better reward is there than spending eternity with the One who Loves you so very much?)

And that is really the attitude we need to have. So often it is easy to get bogged down in our own problems. Paul encourages us to look at the big picture. It's not always evident right away, but God tells us that "all things work together for good for those who love him and are called to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) If you are a Christian, then you are called to his purpose and it will always be good. So be encouraged in every situation. Trust in the Lord in all things - for he has your best interest at heart.

Ephesians 6:10-24

The Armor of God

We learned yesterday that unity within the body comes from submission to one another; and we took a look at the practical application of submission. Today, Paul will tell us how to use the weapons available to us to maintain a strong, united Christian lifestyle. You see, we aren't fighting against people, we aren't even fighting against ourselves. We are fighting a spiritual battle against spiritual forces - namely the devil. I always think of him as a three-year-old who didn't get his way, so he's going to make sure no one else gets what they want either. He's embittered and out for revenge. Unfortunately, since we are what is most important to God, he's determined to destroy us just to hurt our Heavenly Father. How do we battle against something we barely understand? With the armor of God.

- a belt of Truth around our waist - knowing God's truth will open our eyes to the lies around us.
- a breastplate of righteousness - staying away from sin and temptation keeps the devil from being able in influence us in negative ways.
- feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace - walking in unity and peace prevents us from falling into the traps of anger, rage, and discord.
- the shield of faith - really believe that what you believe is real. Don't let the devil speak doubt into your heart.
- the helmet of salvation - Jesus has saved you. Don't let the devil tell you you're not good enough for God.
- the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God - read & know your Bibles! The truth contained in this book will help you defeat everything the devil throws your way. Sword play is all about pare and thrust. Stop the attack and fight back with God's Words.
- pray, pray, pray - talk to God & He will talk back to you. He will help you in every difficulty.

Paul now closes his letter by asking for prayer. The encourager and teacher recognizes that he can't do it alone. Neither can you. Never be ashamed to ask for help and prayer from others!

Ephesians 5:19-6:9

Submission -


Paul deals once again with the issue of submission. He dealt with this issue in his letter to Colossians. This issue of how to deal with one another in these very intimate relationships is some of the best advice you will ever get. A lot of the turmoil in our lives comes from our inability to relate to those people with which we are yoked (stuck). Now, I'm not saying that these relationships are undesirable. It's simply a matter of overcoming our selfishness & putting the ones you love first that is so very difficult for our fleshly natures. So, let's revisit what it means to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.


Submit:
1. to give over or yield to the power or authority of another (often used reflexively).
2. to subject to some kind of treatment or influence.
3. to present for the approval, consideration, or decision of another or others: to submit a plan; to submit an application.
4. to state or urge with deference; suggest or propose (usually followed by a clause): I submit that full proof should be required.


Wives: submit. In any relationship or organization there must be a leader. Women, your husband is your leader. That doesn't make him more powerful. You are still equal partners, but someone has to have the last say. Men NEED respect, so submit.

Husbands: love and do not be harsh. The other side of the coin requires men to love their wives. Women NEED love. Husbands, it's your job to love you wife as much as you love yourself. Remember, it's easy to submit to a loving and gentle husband.

Children: obey your parents. Teens, that means you. The only "out" in this obedience is if your parents ask you to break one of God's rules. Even then you should be respectful in how you go about it.

Fathers: do not embitter your children. Basically, treat them with kindness and love.

Slaves: obey your masters. Work like you're serving the Lord.

Masters: treat your slaves fairly and provide for them. Remember, we spoke of slavery in Roman times in Philemon. Rather than change an institution, the church attempted to change the hearts of men. Also, many slaves were working in a welfare-like program. They had no other means of support.

So, how should we treat others? WWJD - what would Jesus do? When you get fed up, enraged, bitter, or just plain hurt by the people closest to you - take a deep breath, spend some time in prayer, and then follow these guidelines. Watch how much easier life becomes.

Ephesians 4:17-5:18

Living as Children of Light

As Christians we are called to live a different life. You are no longer spiritually insensitive, doing wrong just because you want to. Now that your eyes are open you don't need to fill that God-shaped hole with sensual or impure pleasure. That's the old corrupted you & you don't need that any more. You've found the truth! So, accept this new attitude, embrace this new self, this better version of you. Be honest now, how many of you really like yourself? Who's proud of their actions? Who's patting themselves on the back thinking, "I've got it all together"? Hmmmm . . .

That old worldly attitude drags us down. We can feel the depression, the emptiness, all the way down in our bones. All that falsehood, anger, greed & laziness, unwholesome talk, bitterness, rage, brawling, slander, malice, and rebellion leave us with a bitter taste in our mouth. You don't need to live there anymore! God has shown us the way out - turn your lies into truth, your anger into forgiveness, your greed and laziness into good hard work and giving. Stop tearing people down & start building them up. Rid yourself of the bitterness, anger, and rage with kindness and compassion. Be an imitator of God. Really, who else is worthy? He is perfect and holy. He is the Creator who knows what is best for His creation. He is love & He loves you.

You've heard that you are what you eat. Well, you are how you act. Your actions tell the world & they tell God exactly where you stand. So, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. . . Be filled with the Spirit."

Ephesians 4:1-16

So, all the talk about how awesome Jesus is (because He is) and how we are all equal draws its conclusion in this reading.

Since Jesus has saved you & made you all equal - start acting like it! Live in unity. How do we do that? Well, Paul laid it out for us:

1. be completely humble and gentle
2. be patient, bearing with one another in love
3. make every effort to keep unity through the bond of peace

After all, there is only one body. Not two or three, or two hundred. No matter what your denomination you are bonded together by the Holy Spirit, Jesus, faith, baptism, and God. So, get over yourselves and work with each other. God gave us our gifts - some are pastors, some prophets, some missionaries, some teachers. Don't let your gift go to your head. It was given to you by God to use in order to bring glory to His kingdom, not to you. Understanding this & allowing each person to work within his/her gifting and acknowledging Jesus as our Lord and Master is what helps us to become mature Christians, strong in our faith.

Ephesians 3:1-21

Paul continues to build on his theological argument of unity in today's reading. Remember yesterday he established that everyone - Jew & Gentile (non-Jew) is equal in God's eyes. If you're wondering why Paul keeps hammering this concept home, it's because the Old Testament is all about the Jewish people. They were the chosen people who had a direct relationship to God. Gentiles included everyone else. It was very much an "us/them" world. After Jesus died, the Jews who believed thought Gentiles still needed to become Jews before they could become Christians. Paul spent much of his ministry correcting this wrong.

Today, our reading starts with "For this reason." This is a grammatical clue that the evidence given in the previous paragraph is relevant for the coming paragraph. So, here Paul is talking directly to the Gentiles to drive home the point that they have a place in God's family because of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.

Paul states that he himself was commissioned to preach to the Gentiles when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. At that point, Paul was a religious leader who received permission to hunt down and convict new Christians. He felt that Christianity was a cult that threatened the very fiber and being of Judaism. He was willing to stop it at any cost. Jesus Christ appeared to him personally and Paul's life took a 180. His eyes were opened, literally, and he gave everything he had to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Paul was also given a special calling to go preach to the Gentiles. This is especially interesting since before this he wouldn't have given Gentiles a second glance. His life had been all about Judaism. Because of his past, Paul considers himself the least of the apostles (the leaders of the Christian church). Yet, he doesn't let his past hinder him. Instead, he looks to the task at hand and gives it everything he has.

I think we can learn a lot from Paul. Through him we see that it doesn't matter who you were in the world. What matters is who you will be in Christ. Jesus died for all of us - royal lineage or not. He died for the police officer and the serial murder, the doctor and the junkie, the nun and the prostitute. If Paul, who was so completely off the mark of God's will during his years of persecution and bloodshed, can so radically change - so can you. It's simply a matter of understanding that it's not about you, it's about HIM. Put your life in His hands, put your focus on Him.

I'll leave you with Paul's prayer, as translated by the Message Bible. This prayer is for every Gentile - that's you and me. Those who were on the outside looking in. With Jesus there is no outside anymore. So, write this one down & say it often . . .

"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
20-21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!"

Ephesians 2:1-22

The next two chapters of Ephesians tie in together. Paul is building a theological argument. We see this in the grammatical cues "therefore," and "for this reason." Let's take a look at this argument today & tomorrow.

Everyone starts life disobedient and dying. We are ruled by Satan and find gratification in our sins. What is sin? Simply put, disobedience to God's law. More specifically, sin hurts you and others and it disrespects your Creator. But God loves us so much that He never gives up on us, no matter how often we spit in His face. In fact, He sent Jesus to us as a gift of salvation. We didn't earn it, God chose to give it to us.

Because of this, there is no longer Jew & Gentile. Meaning, there is no longer a chosen race, the Israelites, & then everyone else. We are now all equal under Christ. As equals, we are also citizens and members of God's household. God's household is not a building or a place of worship. The household is the body, the people of God. This is the church.

So, Paul has established here that no one is better than anyone else. (Remember our theme of unity.) We all started in the muck. We were all willing sinners. Our bloodline doesn't matter. Our social-economic status doesn't matter. Our physical appearance doesn't matter. It's all about Jesus and the gift of salvation He brings. If you have faith in this salvation - if you trust it's for real & applies to you - then you are a part of God's family - a member of the dwelling in which God lives. How awesome is that?

Ephesians 1:1-23

Ephesians is the last of the three letter Paul wrote during his house arrest in Rome, around A.D. 62. Ephesus was a large, important city and this letter was probably sent to many churches in the area. The letter shares a lot of the same information as Colosians. However, the emphasis in Colosians was correcting false doctrine; whereas, the emphasis in Ephesians is unity.

Paul begins his letter once again with greetings and an acknowledgement of the greatness of God and His Son, our Savior - Jesus Christ. Through Christ we have redemption and forgiveness. This is a foundation of our faith and can never be stated too much. Not only is God so, so good, He has put into place a perfect plan that includes you as a believer.

Now we come to a passage that leads to a lot of misinterpretations and troubles. Verse 11-12 Paul talks about predestination. Some people interpret this to mean that God has already decided who will become a believer. It's out of your hands. However, this removes free will & our relationship with God is based on our free will to choose Him or to deny Him. So, God does not choose who will be His child & who will go to hell. I look at it this way - God exists outside of time. He knows the past, present, and future. It's like He's already been to the theater & seen the movie. Since He knows what will happen, He knows who will choose Him & who will deny Him. He knows every decision you're going to make before you make it. This allows God to choose men and women who will willingly carry out His plans. It's not forced, God simply works within our free will. If I as a parent can determine which of my children will make a certain choice or be best for a particular job since I KNOW them so well, God - who knows EVERYTHING - can certainly work His plans through us.

Paul finishes his greeting by telling the church how he prays for them, much like in Colosians. Then he sets up his thesis statement - Jesus is the head of the church. He will expand on this issue as he begins to speak on the unity of the church body and our place in it.

Colossians 4:2-18

Final Instructions: don't forget these things are critical to a healthy Christian lifestyle!

- devote yourself to prayer. What does that even mean? Well, let's turn back to our dictionary. Devote: 1. To give or apply (one's time, attention, or self) entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause ...

Pray for/about everything. Pray for those around you. Pray for your leadership. Pray for your friends, your neighbors, your enemies. Pray that you remain faithful and alert to what's going on around you. PRAY. I've always said that it's hard to have a relationship with someone you don't talk to. So, start talking to God. You will be amazed how your life and attitude change when you spend time talking to Him. No, He's not a magic genie that just gives you everything you want. But He will give you everything you need at any given moment.

- also, look for opportunities to share your faith. That doesn't mean you go around hitting people over the head with the Bible. Lead your life according to God's rules (visit yesterday' post for a list of rules). Your actions often speak louder than your words. And give God the glory (credit) for your life. When someone says, "hey you're different, what's your secret?" - tell them about what God has done in your life.

Paul closed his letter with some personal greetings. Note that Paul mentions Onesimus, the runaway slave spoken of in Philemon. He is being sent back as a slave, but also as an equal brother in Christ. Never forget that your circumstances do not dictate who you are. You may be a CEO, or you may be a homeless man. In God's eyes, you are equally valuable.

So, quick wrap up: PRAY, WITNESS, KNOW YOU ARE VALUED & LOVED. Talk to you tomorrow.

Colossians 3:1 - 4:1

Rules for Holy Living & Christian Households

Before we start reading, let's define "rule." A rule is 1. a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.: the rules of chess. 2. the code of regulations observed by a religious order or congregation. Basically, this is how we are to act as God's representatives. I heard a sermon recently that dealt with Christian rules. What struck me as interesting is that the pastor said, "[These are rules for Christians. Don't force them on non-Christians, and realize that you have a choice. You can be a Christian and follow these rules, or you can choose to be a non-Christian and ignore these rules. The choice is yours.]"

Why do we need rules anyway? Well, rules are everywhere. At home, at school, at work, in our government - they define the appropriate way to behave. When you represent the Holy and Perfect God, you should follow His rules. Besides, He created the world and everything in it. Don't you think He knows the best ways? What are these rules anyway? Let's take a look:

1. Set your thoughts on the things of God, not earthly things.

- Earthly things include:

• sexual immorality, impurity, lust


• evil desires and greed


• anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language


• lying to each other


• racism

- Godly things include:

• compassion


• kindness


• humility


• gentleness


• patience


• endurance & forgiveness of others


• love


• peace


• The Word of God - read your Bible!


• teaching and admonishing one another


• songs of praise & thanksgiving to God

It's very simple - stop using people for your own selfish gain. Stop making it all about you - what you want, what you can get, what you think you need for pleasure. Instead, make it all about God and other people. Treat others the way you want to be treated & love your neighbor. But above all that, get in the Word and get to know God.

Paul ends with Christian household rules of conduct:

• Wives: submit. Let's define this word too. Submit: to give over or yield to the power or authority of another. In any relationship or organization there must be a leader. Women, your husband is your leader. That doesn't make him more powerful. You are still equal partners, but someone has to have the last say. Men NEED respect, so submit.


• Husbands: love and do not be harsh. The other side of the coin requires men to love their wives. Women NEED love. It's easy to submit to a loving and gentle husband.


• Children: obey your parents. Teens, that means you. The only "out" in this obedience is if your parents ask you to break one of God's rules. Even then you should be respectful in how you go about it.


• Fathers: do not embitter your children. Basically, treat them with kindness and love.


• Slaves: obey your masters. Work like you're serving the Lord.


• Masters: treat your slaves fairly and provide for them. (remember, we spoke of slavery in Roman times in Philemon. Rather than change an institution, the church attempted to change the hearts of men. Also, many slaves were working in a welfare-like program. They had no other means of support.)

Colossians 1:24-2:23

Paul starts this section by establishing his authority as given to him by Jesus Christ. He states his purpose is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and to admonish and teach everyone that they may be complete in Christ.

Now, Paul establishes the necessity of Christ Jesus. His death on the cross is the only redemption available to man. We were born into sin - dying - and there was no way out of our situation, but Christ's resurrection changed all that. It's all about Jesus, there is no other way, no other hope for our future.

So, let no one make it about anything else. It's not about obeying a bunch of rules, it's not about what you eat, it's not about the holidays or festivals you celebrate, it's not about how good you are. It's not about the spiritual realm, angels, or even the goodness of man. It's all about Jesus. The Colossian church had been lead astray from this truth. They began to believe that it wasn't about Jesus, he was just a part of a bigger picture. This lead them to start worshiping the supernatural and themselves. It also lead to legalism - how good can you be? Well, I know I can never be good enough. I fail time & time again. I make mistakes, I lose my temper, sometimes I even choose sin over what I know is right. If I lived by a balancing scale, sometimes I would be up and sometimes I would be down. What an awful way to live - constantly worrying about whether I was good enough.

Instead, Paul reminds us, it's all about Jesus. He took our place. He was perfect when we couldn't be, died for you and me, and then conquered that death to rise again. Through Him we find ourselves forgiven & in the presence of God, clothed in white robes and accepted. Why would we ever turn to anything else?

Colossians 1:1-23

Today we open up our Bibles to Colossians. This book was written around A.D. 61, along with Philemon and Ephesians, during Paul's first imprisonment in Rome. Paul wrote to the church in Colosse to combat errors in the church and to remind the believers that they can find everything they need in Christ. Philemon, the wealthy man Paul wrote to in yesterday's reading is from Colosse.

The Greeting:
Paul begins his letter in his usual manner by thanking God for the faith of the church. He reminds them of his personal prayers for the church's well-being. I love the things he prays over them:
1. that God will fill them with the knowledge of His will
2. for spiritual wisdom & understanding
3. to live a life worthy and pleasing to God
4. to bear fruit
5. to grow in knowledge
6. to be strengthened with all power so they might have endurance and patience
This is such a great prayer to pray over your own life & the life of others. Put it on a note card & carry it with you!

The Supremacy of Christ:
Who is Christ? Paul reminds the Colossians that He is:
1. The image of the invisible God
2. Firstborn over all creation
3. The Creator of all things both in heaven & on earth
4. The glue that holds all things together
5. The Head of the church
6. Supreme
7. Our reconciliation

Before Paul gets into any other subject, he establishes who Christ is. Never let yourself forget that Christ is the Supreme Creator who hold all things together. The Colossians had forgotten who Christ is and it lead to a demoralization with in the church. So often we allow ourselves to forget exactly who Christ is. He becomes a vague figure who long ago died & rose again. He becomes somebody we hear about in church & read about in our Bibles, just some figurehead that we don't really know. If that's were you are at - COME BACK! Jesus is alive today. He is everything you need, everything you're searching for, everything you long for. Find Him & get to know Him. Make Him supreme in your life and always, always remember that He is Awesome.

Philemon

Happy New Year! As we continue with our reading through the Epistles, or letters, of the New Testament, I though I would take a moment to let you know why we are reading them in the order we are.

In the Bible, the Epistles are organized in two main groupings: those written by Paul and those written by others. In the Pauline letters, there are two sub groupings: those written to churches and those written to individuals. Within these three groupings, the letters are placed longest to shortest.

I have no problem with this organizations; however, I though it would be interesting to read these letters in the order they were written to give us a more complete picture of the history of the new church and the issues that they dealt with.

Today we read Philemon. It's an individual letter written by Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome. Ephesians and Colossians were written about the same time & we will get to those in this week. I chose to start with Philemon because it deals with the issue of how to treat a slave. We just got through reading Corinthians, which deals with conflict resolution and how to treat others. So this little letter seemed like a perfect segway. Let's take a look:

Paul writes to Philemon, a fellow believer in Colosse, in regard to the slave Onesimus. Onesimus ran away from Philemon and made his way somehow to Paul. Paul lead him to Christ (vs. 10). Paul and Onesimus have a close relationship. It seems Onesimus has been a great help to Paul and Paul thinks of him as a son. However, Paul does not want to offend his fellow brother in Christ, so he is sending Onesimus back to his owner. Philemon has the right to put Onesimus to death, but Paul asks him to forgive his slave and welcome him back into the household as a brother in Christ.

There are two main points I think we need to focus on here:
1. Paul focused on RELATIONSHIP. Paul did not abuse his authority, nor did he make any demands or commands. Instead, he appealed in love. He asked & he backed up his request with facts and an offer of compensation. Once again Paul modeled the correct behavior of a good leader by putting others first.

2. Paul did not condemn or defend slavery. Slavery was widespread throughout the Roman empire. A lot of times, slavery worked as a welfare system. People who had no way of taking care of themselves could sell themselves to a wealthy person for a period of time. Basically it was a work situation: they exchanged work for room and board. Paul isn't trying to solve any political problems here. Instead, he is working to change the hearts of individuals.

So, I guess both of my points are about relationship. It always seems to come back to that.

Final question: what does this mean for us? I would say that we are to learn that it's all about relationships. Put God first, put others second, put yourself last in everything you do. Our circumstances will always change. There will be times in our lives when we don't like our circumstances and we have no power to change them. Our circumstances don't need to dictate our attitude! Every time I start getting down about my life, I am reminded of the Christians around this world who live under persecution. There is no way out of their circumstance, it is out of their control. Yet, you hear their stories, you see their shining faces. Where does that joy come from? God! Put Him first and let Him change your heart. Then you will find joy regardless of your situation.