The Essential Jesus Day 3

Who is Jesus: It’s All About Jesus

PRAY: Yesterday was an awesomely beautiful day, Lord!   Thank you for the perfect weather and for the amazing colors of the leaves. Help me to see the beauty of your creation all around me. Amen

READ: Colossians 1:15-23

REFLECT: I remember when my youngest daughter was in kindergarten. One day a few weeks into the school year, I was driving her to school and asked her about school and friends. She responded as only a 5 year old can, “you know dad, it’s not all about me!” Indeed. And today’s reading is a reminder that it is not all about you or me, either. It is all about Jesus.

The reality is that once you were an enemy of God and alienated from him. If you doubt it, then look at yourself. The proof is in your behavior.

So God decides to do something about it. God is the one who takes the initiative. God is the one who takes the first step. God decides to give you an inheritance and rescues you from darkness by bringing you into his kingdom and granting you forgiveness of sins. How did he do this? Through his Son, Jesus Christ. (Col 1:12-13).

As with our previous readings, Paul expands upon the identity of Jesus. He is “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15) and God’s fullness dwells in him (1:23)! He is far more than a mere human being. Jesus is God. The poem emphasizes the great power and divinity of Christ. He is all powerful and through him everything in creation has been made—things on earth as well as in heaven, things we can see and things we can’t see, every source of power and authority, every king or prime minister or president, were all created through Christ. He has authority over both life and death since he existed from the beginning and has conquered death. Nothing and no one can escape his power and authority.

Through the blood of Jesus, everything is reconciled to God. You are no longer God’s enemy. Your relationship is restored. Your sins have been washed away. You have been made clean and blameless in the sight of God.

That is the good news! Jesus is the one who saves. He is the center of our faith and life. If not, then we have totally missed the point.

Paul has become the servant of this gospel—this good news. This gospel has been proclaimed and you have heard it (Col 1:23).

APPLY: How do you respond to this amazing gift? Trust the promise, continue in your faith, hold on to the hope you have in Jesus Christ! How does the idea that it is all about Jesus—and not about you—effect your understanding of life and salvation? How does this view of Jesus as all powerful affect the way you live? Is this good news or bad news? What promise do you hear in this passage?

PRAY: Come Lord Jesus. Be my Lord, my Savior, my King. Amen.