Day 55 - Issue 43
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Colossians 1:15
'Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation.'
Most people have kind things to say about Jesus. They like the fact that he welcomed every kind of person; they admire the fact that he was willing to stand up to the religious rulers of his time; they enjoy the fact that he told compelling, down-to-earth stories and went out of his way to get alongside people; and they value the fact that he was so full of love. But the apostle Paul goes far beyond these kind comments. For Paul, Jesus showed the world exactly what God was like because he existed from before the beginning of creation. Just as we can look at a coin and see exactly what the sovereign looks like, by looking at Jesus we can see precisely what God is like.
We don’t know exactly what Paul’s opponents were teaching but it seems to have been a combination of Jewish and Greek thought. Paul’s answer was to give them the most magnificent and clear description of Jesus. Jesus is not only the one who existed before anything was created, but is now the one who holds all creation together. He is the first in everything and in him lives the fullness of God. Jesus is intimately involved in our world right now, and is the one who is the head of the Church, the community of people who love him.
In every age, there are people who will attack Christian teaching. We shouldn’t be surprised that many people seek to challenge us today. It is always good to engage in conversation with our opponents but we need to do so graciously, clearly and thoughtfully. Our supreme task is not to win arguments but point to Jesus. We are most likely to bless people by helping them to see how magnificent he is, and to share with them how he has transformed and blessed our lives.
Question: In what way would you speak about Jesus to someone who felt that he was merely a really good man?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I worship you because you are supreme over all creation. Thank you for loving me and for giving me new life. Amen
Released on 24 Nov 2022
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