Colossians 1:15-28 (TEV/GNT)
5 Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things. 16 For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him. 17 Christ existed before all things, and in union with him all things have their proper place. 18 He is the head of his body, the church; he is the source of the body’s life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that he alone might have the first place in all things. 19 For it was by God’s own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God. 20 Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son’s blood[a] on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.
21 At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought. 22 But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence. 23 You must, of course, continue faithful on a firm and sure foundation, and must not allow yourselves to be shaken from the hope you gained when you heard the gospel. It is of this gospel that I, Paul, became a servant—this gospel which has been preached to everybody in the world.
24 And now I am happy about my sufferings for you, for by means of my physical sufferings I am helping to complete what still remains of Christ’s sufferings on behalf of his body, the church. 25 And I have been made a servant of the church by God, who gave me this task to perform for your good. It is the task of fully proclaiming his message, 26 which is the secret he hid through all past ages from all human beings but has now revealed to his people. 27 God’s plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God. 28 So we preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one into God’s presence as a mature individual in union with Christ.
Devotion
I have been watching the news about the new pope, Pope Leo XIV. It is interesting to watch how the pope is presented in a high and lofty way. He wears very elaborate robes and addresses people from a very high balcony. Yet the news media tells us that Pope Leo is very down to earth and friendly to all people.
In the reading from Colossians, the Apostle Paul begins with a very high and lofty description of Jesus (vs. 15-20). By the end of verse 20, we could conclude that Jesus is so high and lofty that he is unapproachable. But then Paul writes “But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends.” (vs. 22 TEV) We are friends of Jesus rather than puppets of a mighty king. If you need proof, look to the cross where Jesus was willing to die for us because of his loving friendship with us.
Prayer
Our dear friend, thanks for showing your love for us by willingly giving your life on the cross and claiming us as your precious children. Amen.
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