Remember my chains.
Summary: When Paul asks us to remember his chains, he has something very specific in mind. When we realize what it is, we discover the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.
As we come to the end of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he asks one last thing: “Remember my chains.”
Why?
Why does Paul want us to remember his chains?
Since we can’t ask Paul until we meet him in heaven, we have to guess. So, let’s give it a try. One reason might be that Paul wants us to remember that being a Christian is not a cakewalk.
That sounds a bit weird when we consider all the glowing things Paul has to say about knowing Jesus Christ and receiving his offer of salvation. However, when we think about what Paul has gone through during his life, we start to understand his point of view.
Paul started out life as a free man. He was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28) which gave him special rights and privileges. He was trained as a Pharisee (Philippians 3:4-6), which gave him special status and assured him of a bright future.
From a human perspective, Paul had it all. Then he met Jesus (Acts 9:1-19).
After meeting Jesus, Paul’s perspective changed.
Suddenly, after encountering the risen Christ, Paul’s priorities shifted. Instead of his rights as a Roman citizen being important, he wanted to be a citizen of heaven. Instead of the privilege of being a Pharisee, he wanted to honor Jesus.
Nothing else mattered to Paul.
Instead of human praise, he was flogged. In place of honors, he was beaten with rods. In every instance, Paul had given up any hope of a “bright future” in human terms. In its place, he had allowed himself to be stoned, shipwrecked, in danger from man and animals (2 Corinthians 11:21-29).
The things normal people care about no longer mattered to Paul. So when he ended up in chains because he was promoting the Gospel, he wasn’t surprised or worried.
What he was concerned about was Jesus. He was completely focused on finishing the work Jesus had assigned to him (Acts 20: 24).
The only thing that mattered was Jesus.
Paul wants the same thing for us (Acts 26:29). He wants us to remember the chains because the chains mean nothing. Jesus is everything.
Application: Jesus is everything.
Food for Thought: What can we do to help ourselves stay focused on what Jesus wants instead of ourselves?
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