Colossians 1:1-23
Continually give thanks to God
Most people, even today in secular societies, would recognise that Jesus was a great historical figure. They might rank him alongside Moses, Buddha, Socrates and other great religious leaders.
But is Jesus the unique and universal Saviour of the world? This was an issue in the first century just as much as it is now in the twenty-first century. For those in Colossi some cosmic forces were being put on an equal footing with Jesus.
In this letter, Paul, with great humility and gentleness, declares that Jesus is the unique and universal Saviour of the world. It is the God and ‘Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (v.3) who is the one who is worthy of all our worship, praise and thanksgiving.
As he prays for the Colossians, he gives thanks to God for their faith and love springing from the hope that is stored up for them in heaven (v.5).
He prays that they may, in turn, be thankful to God. He summarises the ways in which he prays for their faith to develop – asking for ‘spiritual wisdom and understanding’, fruitfulness and ‘knowledge of God’, ‘endurance and patience’. The list builds to a crescendo as each quality feeds into the next, ending on the note of ‘joyfully giving thanks to the Father’ (vv.9–12).
Paul is praying that they will give thanks to the Father for transferring them ‘from the dominion of darkness’ to the kingdom of light – for his redemption, the forgiveness of sins (vv.13–14): ‘God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating’ (vv.13–14, MSG).
The one you are to thank is ‘the image of the invisible God’ (v.15) – ‘We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen’ (v.15, MSG). Jesus is the one by whom all things were created. Everything was created by Jesus and for Jesus. It all ‘got started in him and finds its purpose in him’ (v.16, MSG). Jesus is the head of the church (v.18). All the fullness of God dwells in him (v.19).
Jesus has made peace with God ‘through his blood, shed on the cross’ (v.20). He has reconciled you to God (v.22a). You are now holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation (v.22b).
This is the gospel for which we give thanks: Jesus ‘was supreme in the beginning and – leading the resurrection parade – he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone... Every creature under heaven gets this same Message’ (vv.17–23, MSG).
Lord Jesus, thank you for peace and reconciliation with God through your blood shed on the cross for me. Thank you for giving us the immense privilege of proclaiming this gospel and seeing other people set free.