Tag: Colossians

Two Places at the Same Time: MT episode 35

The movie Mrs. Doubtfire is comedy about a divorced man who was simply wanted to spend time with his children and help raise them.  Because had been denied access to his children, he then applied and was hired their nanny.  This meant he had to dress up as an elderly woman.  And it worked, until . . .

He was at a restaurant where his nanny persona and his actual father persona had to be there at the same time.  There was a very comedic rush to transform back and forth into each persona.

It would be so difficult if not impossible to be ONE person in two things at the same time. 

In the beginning of Colossians, we find this letter written to people who are two things at once.  It reads, “To the Saints and faithful in Christ at Colossae.” (1:2)

Those who are reading this letter are 1. Saints and faithful and 2. In Colossae.  The readers are in two places at the same time.  In Christ and In Colossae.

What is the implication of this for us?  We are also just like the people in Colossae.  As believers, we are in Christ and in Springfield.  Or in Christ and in Columbus.  Or in Christ and in Cincinnati.  You get the point right?

As believers we look to grow and mature in Christ while we also are where we live.  Being in Christ means we represent Him where we live.  This changes many things like how we talk, how we handle anger, how we present ourselves to others and even how we love.

Because we are IN two things at once.  We do this to live for His glory alone.

Have a great day.

A Peculiar People: MT episode 17

On Monday’s episode I closed our time together noting that while it is great Christ that was born into this world, it is more important Christ be born in you.  Let’s consider this thought further and from a different angle.

“Jesus, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous for good works.”  Titus 2:14

I picked this passage because it uses the word “peculiar.”  As Kenneth Weust says, “Christians are the peculiar people of God.”

This is a word sometimes we use for people who are odd or strange.  I have definitely met some people who claim Christ and are strange but that is not what is meant here. 

The word here in the original language is a compound of two words, “around” and another word “to be”.  Mentally, picture a circle with a dot in the middle.

As the circle is around the dot, so God is around His people.  He has the dot all to himself.  These people are His own unique possession. Peculiar!

There are days when my obedience and pursuit of God, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would put at a 7 or 8.  Then there are those days or seasons, where things just are not going well.  I might put it at a negative 5.

God is the constant.  In speaking about the believer’s security, Jesus says, “My Father, who has given me (the sheep) is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:28

Good seasons and bad, we are circled by the Father.  Keep that picture in your head and let it be and encouragement.  As a believer, we are God’s circled people. His possession.

So, the different angle is, this season, it is not only to have Jesus in us (Colossians 1:27) but also, us in Christ (Colossians 2:6).  What a beautiful gift!

S.D.G.