Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
I thank my God every time I remember you.
Summary: Paul’s thankfulness for the church at Philippi is a sign of his love for them and his memories of his time with the Philippians.
Do you know anybody you’d do that for?
Do you know someone, whom every time you think of them, you literally thank God for that person?
Continue reading “Philippians 1:3 – A Special Place”
Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
Summary: The mention of Nympha and the “church in her house” opens the door to considering other women of renown who served the Lord in different ways.
As we find our way through the last few verses of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we have found several that are “greetings” from Paul and his associates to specific people. In this passage, we focus on the “brothers and sisters at Laodicea” and on a woman named Nympha who hosts a church in her home.
The mention of Nympha is a good reminder to focus on the role of women in the early church.
Continue reading “Colossians 4:15 – Nympha”
I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Summary: This passage invites us to indulge in the heart of meditation: Imagining what is possible.
This passage is a bit of a puzzle.
Paul is vouching for Epaphras’s work. Unfortunately, all we know for certain is that he is “working hard” and that the work is “for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”
Continue reading “Colossians 4:13 – Faith in Action”
… as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…
Summary: Paul’s words on teaching and admonishing lead us to reflect on what the Lord’s church was intended to be and to meditate on what it might become in the future.
When was the last time you attended a church where the Statement of Beliefs page included these words, “Members are expected to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom”?
I’m guessing the answer is, “Never.”
Continue reading “Colossians 3:16c – Something to Think About”
Bear with each other …
Summary: Bearing with others means we suffer with them and put up with their differences.
What does it mean to “bear” with someone?
The word “bear,” like most words, has more than one use depending on context. What sets it apart, however, is the number of ways this word can be understood. It is extremely versatile!
Continue reading “Colossians 3:13 – Versatility “
… from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
Summary: The body Paul describes can seem elusive in a world marked by divisions in the church. Exploring the concept in more detail leads us to a place of hope and introspection.
Paul raises a very interesting question in this passage: Does the body grow from the head?
It seems like a silly thought, but then I’ve never seen how the body of a human (or anything else) begins life. The miracle of life always begins hidden away from sight.
However, if we use the body as a metaphor for an organization, then yes, it begins with the head. Jesus is not only the “head” of the church, he is also the heart and the soul.
Continue reading “Colossians 2:19b – In Search of a Body”Therefore do not let anyone judge you …
Summary: Paul continues to explain what it means to be a believer in Jesus. Human rules count for nothing. All that matters is faith in our Savior.
As I sat down to write this meditation, I was debating with myself about whether or not I should tackle the whole verse. The more I stared at it, the more the first seven words cried out for special attention. So … before you judge me, know that I at least thought about including the whole verses before I chopped it up.
When Paul says, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you …” I tend to think to myself, “Yeah, right.” How does Paul expect us to stop people from judging us? On top of this is a larger question: How is the church supposed to function if people are not to judge?
Continue reading “Colossians 2:16a – Only Jesus”…rather than on Christ.
Summary: As we come to the end of this verse, Paul points us, once again, to the only one who can save us: Jesus.
Wait a minute! How did we get here again?
Let’s review:
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)
In this one sentence, Paul has outlined a major threat to those of us who believe in Jesus. A “hollow and deceptive philosophy” is a persuasive argument that looks substantial on the outside but inside is empty, void of any real value.
Continue reading “Colossians 2:8d – The Path to Unity”… which depends on human tradition …
Summary: This passage continues Paul’s thoughts on protecting the church from “hollow and deceptive philosophy.” The challenging part is trying to figure out what he is talking about.
In this passage, Paul explains a bit more about the “hollow and deceptive” philosophies that he has in mind. Here, he adds that they depend on “human tradition.” Interestingly, the word Paul uses for “tradition” has a particular meaning in Greek.
“Parádosis” is the Greek word for “a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law:—ordinance, tradition” (Strong’s G3862). It appears that he was thinking of the Jewish believers who insisted that circumcision was still necessary for salvation (See Galatians 2:12 and Titus 1:10).
Continue reading “Colossians 2:8b – A Touchy Subject”Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction;
Summary: A single meditation on this passage seems insufficient. The whole of human history is a testimony to the truth of Paul’s statement.
Continue reading “Galatians 6:8a – A Personal War”