36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at the very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 2:36-40
“Anna: A Prophetess for Jesus” by Sarah Reeves
In Luke 2:36-40, we meet Anna who was a prophetess at a time when there were no prophets. Anna was Jewish, from the tribe of Asher. She was eighty-four years old and was widowed without any children. She had slowly watched as God stripped everything away from her, but she remained faithful. Anna believed the teachings from her childhood that one day the Messiah was coming, so she waited. She rarely left the temple as she prayed God would let her live to see the Messiah. Every day she worshiped at the temple and asked in her heart, “Will today be the day He comes?”
The long-awaited day finally came. Joseph and Mary brought their eight-day old son Jesus to the temple for His circumcision. Anna and her friend Simeon, who had also been waiting a long time for the Messiah, were overjoyed that God had let them recognize Him!
This touching story is such a reminder for us to never give up. We all face sorrows, tragedies, and heartaches in this life. We all lose our beloved family and friends. We ourselves have illnesses and pain. We all get discouraged, heartbroken, and sometimes bitter and mad at God for allowing those things to happen. There are broken homes and broken hearts. But in the middle of all these things there is one thing that has never changed: God is still on His throne!
He still loves you so much He sent His only Son to die for you (John 3:16)! So, let’s be like Anna and trust Him and know He is coming back just as He promised!
Reflection Questions:
Anna’s life was marked by patience, faithfulness, and hope – devoted to God’s promise – despite experiencing immense loss personally. How does her perseverance challenge your understanding of faithfulness amid personal struggle and hardships?
Anna’s unwavering faith allowed her to recognize Jesus for who He truly is – the Messiah. How can her story serve as an example for us in the world today?
In today’s devotion, Ms. Sarah characterized Anna with the question: “Will today be the day Jesus comes?” How can living our lives with the expectant hope of Anna, asking ourselves, “Will today be the day Jesus comes back?”
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25
“Hope in Emmanuel: God With Us”
As we approach Christmas, seeking solace in the presence of King Jesus amid the trials of this year, our focus turns to the facets of hope, joy, and love that emanate solely from the Lord. To commence this journey, let’s delve deeper into the profound narrative of Joseph, often overshadowed by Mary’s pivotal role.
Joseph, described as a “just man” (v. 19), faced a dilemma when confronted with Mary’s unexpected pregnancy. Despite the social norms and legal avenues available to him, Joseph chose a path of grace rather than justice. In a society quick to condemn and shun Mary, Joseph’s decision to spare her from shame embodies God’s profound mercy and compassion. It’s a poignant reflection of the gospel – choosing redemption over condemnation, displaying the heart of God toward His people.
The angel’s revelation to Joseph validated the truth behind Mary’s conception and urged him not to fear but to embrace his role in God’s divine plan. This narrative mirrors Christ’s embrace of the flawed yet beloved Church, demonstrating the beauty of redemption amid societal scrutiny and judgment.
The significance of the name Jesus reverberates throughout history. Beyond its literal meaning of salvation and divine assistance, it embodies the unparalleled authority and saving grace encapsulated who Jesus is (Acts 4:12, Philippians 2:9-10).
Emmanuel – God with us, a promise foretold by Isaiah in 7:14, served as a beacon of hope for Israel amid turmoil. It assured them of God’s presence, dispelling fear and fortifying their spirits against adversity. This promise resonates with timeless relevance today, assuring us that God’s presence transcends circumstances, offering unwavering hope and strength.
To close, let’s meditate on Romans 8:31-34, a profound reminder encapsulating the essence of Emmanuel:
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
These verses reassure us that with God on our side through Jesus, no force or circumstance can overpower us. Christ’s intercession for us solidifies our hope and assurance in His unwavering love and support. Despite uncertainties that lie ahead, remember this truth: while challenges may arise, the throne of heaven remains unshakeable. God’s sovereignty prevails, and He orchestrates all things, offering us an unshakable foundation of hope.
Embracing the profound truth encapsulated in the name Emmanuel – God with us, let’s find rest, solace, and hope in the promises it holds. In acknowledging God’s abiding presence with us, both now and forever, may this Christmas season be a source of renewed hope and unwavering assurance.
Reflection Questions:
Think about the name Jesus and its meaning of salvation and divine help. What does this name mean for you personally, and how does Jesus bring hope and rescue into your life?
Reflect on times when you have felt overwhelmed or anxious. How does the idea of Emmanuel – God with us – offer comfort and strength in these moments in your life?
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Luke 1:46-56
“Rejoicing in God’s Care: Lessons from Mary’s Song”
When thoughts of God occupy our minds, what shapes our perceptions? Each person has their own view of God, influenced by feelings, family, and life. Some see God as distant, others as always present, loving, or serious.
Think about Mary, a big part of the Christmas story. She sang a song about God, not herself. This song came from her heart, filled with feelings. This song, called “The Magnificat,” reflects the reversal of fortunes people will experience through her son, Jesus (vv. 52–55). It shares themes and language with Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1–10, foreshadowing God’s acts of deliverance and echoing thanksgiving psalms in the Old Testament (Psalms 30, 34, 138).
In this song, Mary first speaks personally, saying that God paid attention to her, even though she was lowly. She says God chose her, a regular girl, for an important job (Luke 1:46–48). Mary doesn’t only talk about herself but also about God caring for everyone. This connects to God’s big plan for His people, reversing the fortunes of the poor and marginalized, remembering His covenant with Abraham (v. 55).
Mary’s song shows God’s care and strength. It shows that God knows us closely, even when the world might not see it. Despite what the world thinks, God shows His care, promise-keeping, and actions toward His people. He’s the caring God, who knows us deeply despite what people think.
This important truth shows God cares about us and is stronger than us. It changes how society sees things, making proud people humble and surprising rich people. Mary’s song talks about this, showing how God’s strength changes what people think (Luke 1:49–53).
As we think about Mary’s song, look at how it is similar to Nahum 1:7: “The Lord is good. He is a stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who are His.” Thankfully, through Mary’s willingness, she gave birth to the One who had come to be all of those things for us too. Let us look at her example of praise and worship Him!
Reflection Question:
How does Mary’s emphasis on God’s attention to the humble and lowly challenge the way society bestows value or attention?
In what ways does Mary’s song reveal the intimate relationship between God and His people? How does this contrast with the way the world views God’s involvement in our lives?
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Luke 1:5-25
“Divine Surprises and Unforeseen Grace” by Will Goff
Imagine with me for a minute here: you work at a restaurant and at the end of each shift, you draw straws to see who is going to have to stay late and cleanup. Your name gets drawn and so everybody else leaves. You’re alone and you know that nobody else should be in the building, but when you’re cleaning the counter, out of your peripheral vision, you see somebody standing there. Talking about jumping out of your skin! I would probably throw the rag at the person and kick the bucket as I’m scrambling to get away. That’s what it was like for Zechariah when the angel appeared to him.
The angel says, “Do not be afraid,” but it was too late for that. He was already shaking and overwhelmed with fear – like the shock you feel when something really startles you. But then the angel gives Zechariah good news. The angel tells him that they will have a son. This is special for multiple reasons, but the biggest is the fact that Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, well past childbearing age with no children – so at least in their 50s or 60s. Can you imagine having your first child in your 60s? They thought they couldn’t have kids (v. 7). Talk about shock on top of shock!
And Zechariah did what most of us would do. He had questions and doubt instead of faith, but he gets answers for his questions and then some. Because of his doubt, the angel told him he wouldn’t be able to speak until the child was born. One of the most common verses we use at our house is James 1:19, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.” We use this at our house because we all are too quick to speak instead of being quick to listen. What is God trying to tell you right now? Maybe you can’t hear him because you won’t stop talking. Silence may feel awkward for us, but many times God speaks in a still, small voice.
Picture this: despite Zechariah’s wavering faith in that divine encounter, God had monumental plans for both him and Elizabeth. The answer to his questioning wasn’t just a clarification; it was a revelation about their son—John the Baptist. Zechariah, entrusted with tending the temple’s incense and interceding for Israel in prayer, seemingly also pleaded with God for a child. Remarkably, both requests were met with overflowing abundance. The child born to them would be “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 15), leading many of Israel’s children back to their God (v. 16), and paving the way for a prepared people for the Lord (v. 17). It wasn’t just good news for Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Israel; it resonates with us today.
Zechariah’s response to this revelation resulted in a temporary silence imposed upon him. And Elizabeth? Her words are few, but their impact profound: “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people” (v. 25). Swift to listen, slow to utter. Yet, God removed her shame. He granted her a son destined to ready His people for His imminent arrival. It’s the narrative of God stepping in to remove the reproach of all who turn to Him. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son’s name would be John – literally translated, “Yahweh has shown grace”. He showed grace to Zechariah and Elizabeth by sending John, and to the whole world by sending Jesus. That, my friends, is indeed good news!
Reflection Questions:
Zechariah was overwhelmed with big news that made his fears and faith clash. What happens (or has happened specifically) when such clashes happen in our lives?
Reflect on Elizabeth’s statement in v. 25: “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” How does God’s grace in removing shame or reproach resonate with your own experience of God’s power to save?
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through Him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about Him, and cried out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’”) 16 For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.
John 1:1-18
“And the Word Became Flesh” by John Goldwater
The greatness of the incarnation (an important doctrine expressing that Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father, is God made flesh, emphasizing that Jesus is fully God and fully man[i])of JESUS Christ cannot be overstated. No one could ever rightly say, “Friend, you are putting too great an emphasis on this passage of Scripture.” John, the beloved apostle, writes concerning the greatest manifestation of all time and eternity when he writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).We who believe stand at the greatest vantage point, bask in the glory of the grace and truth of this majestic scene.
The Great GOD of creation, the GOD of the beginning, the GOD of light and life, has come to us. His light and life have touched all people, and all people owe their existence to their Creator. His light and life cannot be stopped or altered by darkness or rejection. Further, He has given witness to His to His arrival and His power to animate and regenerate mankind. There is no higher calling than “to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe” (John 1:7). There is no greater promise than to say, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of GOD, those who believe in His name: who were born…of GOD” (John 1:12). This great privilege and great promise are by GOD’s gracious design.
The Word made flesh, the bringer of grace and truth, the only begotten of the Father, is clearly identified as JESUS Christ. This unmistakable identification of the Word with JESUS Christ leads to the greatest of confidence. Not even the Israelites, who followed Moses on dry ground through the Red Sea or stood at the foot of Mt Sinai as GOD’s voice boomed and the Mountain smoked, were afforded such confidence. JESUS is the Word that perfectly exegetes (analyzes/explains what something is by use of the Bible[ii]) the Father!
Personally, in all my study of the Bible, I don’t know of a more significant passage of Scripture. John 1:1-18 is an Everest among the greatest peaks of GOD’s Word. We who hold our deepest love, loyalty, trust, and hope in JESUS Christ do so for good reason considering this passage. So, this season go big. Go big with your worship. Go big with your witness. And go big with your confidence in JESUS. The all-powerful GOD showed up and showed out, and He will never stop being Him, being the only one, He will never stop being JESUS Christ the Word made flesh!
“Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee, how great Thou art!”[iii]
Reflection Questions:
Reflecting on John 1:1-18, why is the incarnation of Jesus considered so important?
How does v. 14 calling Jesus the “Word made flesh” help us understand why the incarnation is so important?
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
[i] Lisa Woicik, “Incarnation,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
[ii] Douglas Stuart, “Exegesis,” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 682.
[iii] George Thomas Kurian, Nelson’s New Christian Dictionary: The Authoritative Resource on the Christian World (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001).
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; You have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of His burden, and the staff for His shoulder, the rod of His oppressor, You have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:2-7
“The Eternal Salvation and Kingdom of GOD” by John Goldwater
Isaiah the prophet is given an incredible vision of the eternal salvation and kingdom that GOD will bring. GOD’s fight will bring light to darkness, hope to gloom, and victory to defeat. All these wonderful transformations will be accomplished by His power and experienced by His people. GOD Himself will accomplish all that He promises.
In Isaiah 8:19-22, the prophet describes those who have forsaken GOD and His Word in favor of occult practices. This practice of abandoning GOD and seeking spirits, sages, philosophies, religions, sciences, theories, or just man-centered feelings and wisdom, is still a practice prevalent in modern times. These twin sin of abandoning GOD and seeking others always and inevitably leads to darkness, hopelessness, and fruitlessness. And this is the backdrop into which GOD announces His coming eternal salvation and kingdom.
Isaiah 9:1-3 identifies the people and the place where GOD’s great initiative will first impact the earth. Ground zero of GOD’s great work will be the northern section of Israel, “Zebulun and the land of Naphtali…beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 9:1). These lands were devastated by the cruel Assyrian invaders and the residents there suffered greatly. The people described as the distressed, the lightly esteemed, the heavily oppressed, the Gentiles, the people who walked in darkness, and those who lived in death’s shadow. It’s just like GOD to take on the lowest people in toughest places during the darkest darkness, so that His light and glory will shine brightest.
This mighty and gracious act of GOD is meant to be experienced by His people. The light of GOD’s glory is meant to be seen and felt. They “have seen a great light…Upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2). The bright future of those who put their trust in GOD will not be hidden forever, eventually the darkness will flee in the light of the brilliant dawning of GOD’s saving power. GOD’s brilliant victory over darkness brings an ever-increasing joy. Joy like a bountiful harvest and joy like soldiers coming home from war will sweep away the years of want, suffering, and shame.
Isaiah 9:4-7 describe the perfect Savior and King in action. Verses 4, 5, and 6 all start with the word “For” to confirm that it is GOD alone who causes this victory, therefore it is to GOD alone to receive glory and honor. GOD will destroy the power of the enemy to oppress and burden His people. Just like the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, the special born Son who will crush the head of the serpent, implies, there cannot be lasting peace if there is a lasting enemy. Like when GOD struck down the Egyptians and the Midianites, He again will break the power of the His enemies. Furthermore, He brings an end to war itself. The uniforms and the gear used for war will become useless except for burning. This is all GOD’s doing.
GOD’s mission, His fight, is going to take place in close quarters and in the filth of this world. The Child born and the Son given will be none other than the Mighty GOD, God the Warrior, and Everlasting Father. These titles cannot rightfully and especially not biblically be address to any other being but GOD, the One True GOD. He will enter the fray and penetrate the darkness. He will be King at His birth and even His vulnerability is stronger than man’s strength (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 2:1-2, 1 Corinthians 1:25). His wisdom and counsel will be unstoppable because He is the Wonderful Counselor. The idea of Wonderful here carries describes that which is beyond human and worldly understanding. He is the Prince, the Ruler, of peace (Genesis 14:18, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 7:1-3). He manufactures peace like a car manufacturer makes cars (Colossians 1:19-20). GOD, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (note He is both Father and Son=Prince), will both Give His Son and the Child born will be GOD with us, Immanuel – God with us. Because of this mysterious, gracious, and glorious incarnation the victory is assured.
The loving governance that He brings will rest on His shoulders and will last forever. For those who hope for real justice and righteousness to rule this world, hold it is coming. GOD will fulfill His promises through His Son JESUS. JESUS was born of the tribe of Judah and of the family line of David (Genesis 49:10, 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Romans 1:2-4). JESUS is the Child born, He is the Son given, He is the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14), and He is the personification of the “Zeal of the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 9:7). Take time this season to think about how wonderful it is that GOD Himself, the perfect Savior and King, came to establish His Eternal Salvation and Kingdom.
“Joy to the world! The LORD is come; Let earth receive her King!”[i]
Reflection Questions:
Reflecting on v. 2, how does it describe the powerful impact of the light of Christ on places and people in darkness and despair?
Think on the titles and roles of Jesus in vv. 6-7. What do they tell us about who Jesus is?
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
[i] George Thomas Kurian, Nelson’s New Christian Dictionary: The Authoritative Resource on the Christian World (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001).
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Introduction
Tony Merida calls those 1 Peter was writing to “grieved saints gladdened by the gospel”.
Martin Luther believed 1 Peter contained all a believer needed to know to be a faithful follower of Christ.
Author (v. 1a)
v. 1a — Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ….
Peter is an example of great faithFULness.
He is the only non-Jesus human to walk on liquid water (Matthew 14:29).
He took his eyes off and nearly drowned after standing on liquid water (Matthew 14:30).
He tried to rebuke and correct Jesus after a prophecy by Jesus regarding His soon-to-come death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 16:22-23).
And, of course, Peter denied Jesus three times while He was being beaten, mocked, and tortured.
Peter’s life is a beautiful example of redemption and repentance.
Jesus restored Peter three times after His resurrection (John 21:15-19).
Peter repented after being confronted regarding sin by the apostle Paul (Galatians 2:11-14).
1 Peter, at least in part, is an answer to what Jesus prayed about for Peter’s life, faith, and ministry (Luke 22:31-32).
Audience (v. 1b)
v. 1b — To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia….
“elect exiles”
This is almost an oxymoron. To be an exile means to have been rejected, but to be elect means to have been selected.
This phrase could be understood as resident aliens and is reminiscent of Philippians 3:20 — our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior!
“of the Dispersion”
Some Jews were already dispersed throughout the Greco-Roman world (John 7:35).
During the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54AD), Christians were expelled from Rome and the areas that these elect exiles lived were where some of those outcasts settled.
Jerusalem Christians were dispersed after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1-4).
According to… (v. 2)
v. 2a — …according to the foreknowledge of God the Father….
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.[1]
Colossians 3:9-11
Greetings Sojourners!
When we first started in these devotions a few years ago, all we had was an opportunity to help people dive more deeply into God’s Word and a desire to make that possible. We have, for the most part, been able to keep that going on a weekly basis, but for the next little while that will not be possible. Our desire has not changed. We still want to give opportunity to help people study God’s Word. The study that makes it possible sometimes requires a bit more time than life offers.
Part of that study will be completed in May. As I have mentioned before, I am getting to be part of a Master of Theology program at William Carey University. I began this past February and am thankful for all I have learned, am learning, and will learn before it is over (as well as continue to learn as these skills are applicable for the rest of my life). But that level of study, especially as a husband, father, teacher, pastor, and aspiring writer, takes time – time that takes me away from writing Bible studies like these, but time that also better equips me to write them.
Please, do not take this as complaining. I am thankful to get to do everything God allows! However, I am definitely learning my own limitations as He grows me more into who He is making me to be.
Having said all that, I am glad to be back in our study of Colossians, especially as we transition out of what we once were in our trespasses and sins (dead) and into looking at what new life in Christ is meant to look like.
When a person comes to Christ, more happens than simply joining a church or walking an aisle. Everyone who is not in Christ is dead in their sin (Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 2:1-2) no matter their religious affliliation. So for us to say that we have new life in Christ recognizes 1) that the old has gone/died and 2) there should be a marked difference in the new because that which was dead now lives through Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5)! When Paul transitions in our passage today from taking off the sins of the old life to putting on Christ, he is doing more than talking about behaviors; he is showing the Colossians what the new life in Christ is supposed to be like (and what it is not).
Seeing That You Have Put Off the Old Self with Its Practices (vv. 9-10)
The last of the sins Paul told the Colossian believers to “put…away” in verse 8 was to put away “obscene talk from [their mouths]”. In verse 9, he tells them not to “lie to one another, seeing that [they] have put off the old self with its practices” (emphasis added). You can see here that this is more than morality and the monitoring and modifying of behavior – it is about the “new self” (v. 10).
Too often, Christians and church-folks[2]put either too much or a wrong emphasis on behavior, so, for us to understand what Paul is talking to them about, it may be helpful for us to first clarify what we are not talking about.
Church-folks worry a lot about the way behaviors look. They hurry up and stop arguing as they pull in the church parking lot. They have expectations about the way that people carry themselves while at church, too. They think no cussing should occur in the church building; no obscene talk in there. If a lost person comes into the building, they want them to learn how to act and behave because the image of being sanctified or reverent or holy is more important than being sanctified, reverent, or holy. They are a caricature of Jesus said the Pharisees were like: “whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). Basically, they want to look like they have been changed by Jesus – look like they have new life – when they are actually still dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-2, Colossians 2:13).
If they were to repent of their sins and seek Jesus, everyone would know that they are not perfect. Everyone would know they are sinners. If this describes you, I hate to tell you, but people already know. Church-folks ain’t fooling anyone.
What Paul is telling the Colossians when he says “you have put off the old self with its practices” (v. 9) is a reminder that they have encountered Jesus. It is a reminder that they do not have to live like dead men and women because Jesus has made them alive! That would be like Jesus coming back to Bethany to visit Lazarus after he had been raised (John 11, 12:1) and finding him hanging out back at the tomb. That would be foolish, right? No, after Lazarus had been called out of death and hopped out of the tomb, Jesus found him in the house reclining at the dinner table (John 12:2). He was eating and hanging out. He was alive and no longer dead because Jesus made him alive (John 11:43-44, Ephesians 2:4-5)!
What about you?
Has Jesus made you alive, or are you still dead in your sins? Are you trying to convince others that you are not a sinner or yourself?
Paul wanted the Colossians to be reminded that they have “put on the new self” – that who they are after coming to Christ is “being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (v. 10). Everything that sin has done, is doing, and will do since the Fall (Genesis 3) has effectively marred how man bears God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). When Jesus saves us – when He brings us from death to eternal life in Him, He begins correcting that image. We go from looking like the world, little-by-little and day-by-day, to looking like Him again. The longer we walk with Him the more significant the change!
That’s good news!
Here There is Not…. (v. 11)
Think about all of the categories and labels that Paul lists in verse 11 and how that compares to the image of God: Greek, Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free. Each of those words was a worldly description of somebody in the church at Colossae. Some of those categories were even Biblical or are part of the unique and beautiful way that God created that person. Others came from the way that other men had labeled them to either belittle or marginalize them. But none of them compare to what it is to be in Christ!
Those who are in Christ are His (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Titus 2:14). They have been adopted into His family (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5). The labels and categories that are so emphasized here on earth just cannot compare to belonging to Him – to being alive in Him. That is why Paul tells them that their ethnicity, their religious affiliation and practices, their nationality, or even whether they are free or owned by another person pales in comparison to “Christ [being] all, and in all” (v. 11).
There will not be a gate for entrance into heaven for American Christians, Evangelical Christians, Catholics, or Protestants. Their will not be gates per ethnicity or culture. Those are qualifications sinful people make up to either lift themselves up, tear others down, or some mixture thereof. No, in heaven there will be none of that foolishness! I love the beautiful picture from John’s vision of heaven in Revelation 7:
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Everyone will be together. All those who are in Christ will stand before His throne. He will be the focus. Amen!
He is either “all, and in all” – or He ain’t. To paraphrase Ricky Bobby: if Jesus ain’t first, He’s last.
Wrapping Up
Since today’s verses are transitioning from our last passage to what comes next, I am afraid that this might have come across a bit disjointed, so I want to clear things up a bit. To do so, there are two statements my pastor John Goldwater has made at Christ Community Church recently that stand out in my mind as I write this. Let me paraphrase them for you:
There was a Sunday a while back where we had a noticeably large group of visitors. During the announcements, he told them that if they had come to Christ Community looking to see their social status raised by attending or are looking for some sort of worldly benefit they had come to the wrong place. He told them all we had to offer was Jesus and His gospel and that those looking for social capital would never find it with us.
He is preaching through Matthew and was going through the passage where the Pharisees were angry at Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:1-14). As he talked about how the morally-elite and religiously-superior Pharisees were lecturing God Himself on what He should and should not have done, he reminded us that we do not have time to teach people how to act in church because that is all they will learn (acting). No, he reminded us that if we point them to Jesus – if we share His gospel with them, they can learn Christ, be saved, and Jesus will change their lives. All acting will do is teach lost, dead sinners how to hide how dead they are.
What Paul was doing for the Colossian church, and for believers today, is helping them to see that there is supposed to be a difference between those who have been saved – those who are in Christ – those who have been made alive by grace through faith in Christ alone – and those who are still dead. I hope you can see, beloved Sojourner, that there should not even be a comparison here much less confusion. We should be able to easily tell the difference between death and life. We should not be satisfied going back to the cemetery when Jesus is preparing a room for us in the Father’s house (John 14:1-6)!
But, sadly, we allow ourselves to be. “But that is not the way you learned Christ!” (Ephesians 4:20)
If someone taught you to act like a Christian but you have not been born again (John 3), you are dead in your trespasses. No amount of service or behavior or the Academy Award quality acting that even has your grandmama fooled will get you through the gate. Those who are not in Christ will not hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) because they are not His servant. They will cry out that they had preached in the name of Jesus, done mighty works in the name of Jesus, and had even cast out demons in the name of Jesus (Matthew 7:22), but they had never believed in Jesus (Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9-10) – they had never called upon His name to save them (Romans 10:13). No, all acting will get is this declaration from Him: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).
On the other hand, there are those who have called upon Him and have been saved. They have been convicted in their hearts of their sins (Psalm 73:21), repented (Psalm 51), and confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9). They were dead, but Jesus made them alive.
They may not always act right, but Jesus is still working on and in them. They need to be reminded like their Colossian brothers and sisters of old to stop doing the sins of the old self and put on Christ and His new life. They need to be reminded to get out of the cemetery and come to the table. They need to be reminded that Jesus has more for them than this world. He has given life and His Spirit to help them live it.
Which describes you?
John was right. No amount of social capital can compare with an encounter with Jesus. And no amount of acting will earn heaven when the credits roll.
I am reminded of my son Xander when he got saved about a month ago. He had asked questions for months and months. He understood that everyone is a sinner and that those who die without believing in Christ go to hell. He knew lots of information and details. The more he asked, the worse he acted. There were times where he was so worried over acting this way or that – over trying to seem like he did not sin at all – that his behavior was worse than it had ever been before. He seesawed between trying to earn salvation and acting like hell until he finally changed his question. Mid-sermon one Sunday morning, he turned around and, instead of asking how to be saved, he asked, “How do you know God will save you?” He was shocked at how simple the answer was: “You do what the Bible says to do to be saved, and you trust God will do what He promised for them.”
He was relieved. None of it depended on him. It all depended on Jesus. I imagine the Colossian church was relieved, too. They did not need to be circumcised because they had been saved. They did not need to act this way or that, or celebrate this religious festival or another, because they had been saved. All they needed was Jesus. And, dear Sojourner, that is all you need as well. If you do not know Him, I would be glad to talk to you or help you find a pastor or believer where you live to sit down with you. If you are part of a church that gives acting lessons over the gospel, I would love to help you find one where the Word of God is open and His gospel offered freely. As always, know that I am praying for you and thankful that the Spirit works through His Word!
[2] When I say church-folks, I mean religious people who go to church who use the name Christian without actually having been saved. The area of the southeastern United States where I live is inundated with church-folks. Even within my denomination, Southern Baptist, which prides itself on regenerate church membership (fancy seminary term for you must be saved to join the church), there are people who are allowed to join the church for what they bring to the table – for their gifts, talents, or, sadly, the size of their bank account – instead of having been made alive in Christ. This is important to clarify because, despite how it looks to the outside world, a church building full of dead people is not a church. It can’t be because the church is a people not a building or organization. Christ’s church is made up of those He has made alive. Church-folks are something else entirely.
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. [1]
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
Suffering. Over the last few weeks of studying to write these Bible studies, I have found myself thinking about it again and again, and with it a question: is there anything in my life for which I would willingly suffer?
Of course, you can imagine the answers that would receive a willing yes – or at least ones that I would hope to say ‘yes’ to or that I at least should be willing to suffer for: Jesus, family and loved ones. But what is the likelihood that I – in the normal scope of circumstances and the trajectory of my life – would have to be willing to suffer. At most, the things in my life that approach suffering are mere shadows of it or discomforts.
Last week’s passage looked at how Paul suffered on behalf of the church and, more importantly, why he was willing to suffer. First, he found the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ” (Philippians 3:7) to outweigh the discomfort of worldly suffering. But, second, he toiled and struggled to “present everyone mature in Christ” (ch 1:28-29) so that “no one may delude [them] with plausible arguments” (ch 2:4). He was willing to suffer so that the church would grow closer to Christ and be presented “mature” (ch 1:28) – that the church would have the life that the Bible talks about (and live it).
As a pastor and teacher of the Word – as a disciple of Christ who is supposed to be making disciples (Matthew 28:19), that is pretty much the goal: to reach people with the gospel of Christ and help them grow closer to Him. But that leaves me with more questions. I’ll offer them to you as well:
Is this a goal (making disciples and helping them mature in their faith) that would drive you to be willing to suffer, or is spiritual maturity something you care about at all?
Do the lives of those who profess Christ make everything that Christ has promised His people – the lifestyle and character traits as well as the blessings – seem right and true?
This would be an easy place to turn and bash the church. Bashing, or even just bad-mouthing, the church is a popular activity even among those who claim to be a part of it. I wish I could say that I have not done it, but I have come to realize that how I view – more importantly how I treat – the church, the Bride of Christ, says a lot about me. I cannot imagine someone coming to me to bad mouth Candice. Wrath would be readily available and grace in short supply. The church is to Christ what Candice is to me – and more.
The longer I walk with Christ and the more closely I am grafted into that body through my local church, I find that I have great hope for the church: His name is Jesus. And I pray that He sees fit to use me to help her – to make a difference through the ministry of the local church He’s called me to serve.
But that is never easy. Suffering may be involved. It is good that the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ” is more and better than any bad suffering can bring.
I cannot think about people who love and care for the church and who would willingly suffer to see her members grow in maturity without my mind being drawn to Dietrich Bonhoeffer (pronounced BON-hoff-er). He was a pastor, a theologian, a teacher, a spy, and later a martyr under the Nazi regime in Germany. His story is now viewed as remarkable, but he would not have thought it so. He pastored and trained pastors, many of whom were imprisoned or martyred by the Nazis themselves. Much of his time and ministry was spent helping young ministers know and grow in Christ.
The aspect of his story that comes to mind here is when his compatriots convinced him to be smuggled to America so that he would be safe and be able to continue to serve God and be active in Kingdom work. When he got to America, things were so much more peaceful than in WWII Germany, but he had no peace. The only Kingdom work he could think about or focus on was back in Germany – back where nothing good awaited him. He fell under the conviction that he had left where God had called him to be. So, he repented. He got smuggled back into Germany where he would eventually be arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in various places until he finally reached the Flossenburg Concentration Camp in Bavaria.
That is the kind of hope that comes only from Christ. The “surpassing worth of knowing Christ” makes every other thing of considerable value to be counted as “rubbish” or dung (Philippians 3:7-8). Knowing Him and seeking His Kingdom is like discovering a treasure worth more than everything you own – worth so much that you would cash it all in to possess it; it is realizing that you have found a relationship with the One whose value so outweighs your own and rejoicing that He loves you despite your unworthiness (Matthew 13:44; Romans 8:31-39).
That is the hope that made Paul willing to suffer and follow Christ’s example and sacrifice. Suffering paled in comparison to seeing others come to know Christ and follow Him. Suffering on earth is temporary, but God’s Kingdom has no end! And that is the hope that I want to help point us to today. If you have “received Christ Jesus the Lord”, you can “walk in Him” by being “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith”.
“received Christ Jesus the Lord”
There are so many ways that people describe what it means to be in Christ – saved, born again, Christ-follower, Christian, etc. Sometimes it can feel like people are speaking Christian-ese or some sort of church language. To a certain extent, those terms are simply biblical ways to describe what happens when people repent of their sins and believe in Jesus, but that also sounds Christian-ese. Then, there are some who use these terms to camouflage their disbelief and navigate the waters of church culture. Even Demas was able to serve alongside Paul, completing “Christian” work until he “in love with this present world” abandoned him to go to Thessalonica (2 Timothy 4:10).
There are many today who once claimed Christianity but have abandoned the religion – or deconstructed their faith to construct something different in its place. Where I live in the southeastern United States was formerly known as the Bible Belt. There was a church on every corner and everyone seemed to know (at least) about Jesus, but that is not the case anymore. In fact, the predominant worldview in America as of 2021 is “moralistic therapeutic deism” which helps people speak of God generically and hold to whatever beliefs make them feel most comfortable, even attending churches for community when believing none of the Bible’s teachings.[2]
In a world where we sometimes casually speak about Christianity, especially in the church, I think it is helpful for us to look at what Paul means here when he says “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord” (v. 6). Jesus did not die for community. I like the way Jesus Himself put it: He came “to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). He is “Jesus Christ the righteous…the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2). He, “being rich in mercy”, came to make those who “were dead in the trespasses and sins in which [they] once walked” to be “made…alive together with Christ”, saving them by His grace (Ephesians 2:1-2, 4-5)! He died – and raised from the dead – for more than shallow religion offers.
Surely Paul would not willingly suffer – much less Jesus die – for people to generically call on Him as a label for their community while denying Him as Savior and Lord. In fact, the Bible speaks to this specifically. Paul clarifies this as a spiritual matter in 1 Corinthians 12:3:
“Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.”
Basically, one cannot decide to accept Christianity while rejecting – essentially saying “to Hell with” – the Christ of Christianity. He is the Lord of the saved and rejected by all others. Romans 10:9, the model for true belief and what it looks like to be in Christ, leaves no room for someone to claim Him without submitting to Him as Lord:
“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Submitting to Him is the confession – not lengthy or difficult doctrines. Confessing to the world that He is your Lord – with your mouth and especially your life – and that you commit to believing what the Bible says about Him, namely His death and resurrection are the hallmarks of being saved. The language is important because it comes from the Bible. It is important because it teaches us how to be saved and, then, what it means to follow Him.
That word “receive” from our passage today is a good indicator of what it means to “be saved” and for Jesus to be one’s “Lord”. In the original language, that word meant “receive with or to oneself what is given, imparted, delivered over…to receive into the mind, be taught”[3]; it meant that something of value had been offered or taught to be implanted and become part of the learner. The message of the gospel tells the truth about man, sin, and gives invitation and opportunity to repent of sin and believe in Jesus – to have faith and trust that He is who His Word proclaims He is and that He will do what He promised, namely bring lost sinners from death to eternal life. For those who get “saved”, they hear this message and respond to its call in repentance and faith, or they remain in their sins by rejecting the message and continuing on unchanged.
To reject the message means it is not received. This is clear. There are people who seek after many religions or philosophies. They would reject the idea that Jesus is who the Bible says He is. But, to “be saved” is to “receive Christ Jesus the Lord” – to believe what the Bible says about Him and live life the Life He gives following His example and commands. This is not a legalistic set of laws but a response of love to Him who loved us and thankfulness toward Him for all He has done and is doing on our behalf (v. 7).
This is a good opportunity, dear Sojourner, to assess whether or not you have received Him.
Jesus Himself speaks about this in His Sermon on the Mount:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’[4]
These words give me pause every time I read them. They do today. Salvation does not fall on me and my works, though. It lies solely on Him. Have I received Him – not just using His name and trying to work in His name? The Bible is clear that “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13) – those that call out to Him to save them, submitting to Him and trusting in Him as Savior.
Paul talks about a difference between the lives of the world and in those who have received or learned Christ in Ephesians 4. He describes those who have not received Christ as walking “in the futility of their minds” rather than walking in Him (Ephesians 4:17). He says that those who have not received Christ are “callous” – hardened due to “sensuality” and practicing all manner of “impurity” (Ephesians 4:19). Then, he issues one of the most chilling litmus tests for believers:
“But that is not the way you learned Christ – assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is with Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:20-24)
Paul – really the Holy Spirit appealing to the church through Paul – does not leave room for one to have “learned Christ” while living like the world. When he talks about “assuming that you have heard about Him”, it chills up my spine as I examine my own life. This is not a question of my perfection or track record – but His!
So, I ask you to examine yourself. Have you “received” Him? If so, He has surely received, saved, loved, and adopted you as His! If not, I invite you to repent and believe!
“rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught”
Until one has “received Christ Jesus the Lord”, there is no need to attain for maturity. Knowing Christ is not a class – although there are Bible teachers in churches who are meant to teach you what the Bible says for how to live your life. What I mean is that there is no program to progress through – no degree to attain. If one is not in Christ, he or she is dead. There is no maturity in death, only decay!
I find it interesting that Paul found presenting “everyone mature in Christ” (ch 1:28) as worthy of “struggling with all [Christ’s] energy” (ch 1:29) while all of our – honestly, I am speaking for me and the local church I serve – energy and focus goes elsewhere. We have to constantly be reminded that the Great Commission is about making disciples – not converts. Part of the reason is that making converts seems to be relatively easier – all we have to do is proclaim the gospel; Jesus does the saving!
Making disciples (discipleship) is difficult for us because it takes time. Sometimes we convince ourselves that we can travel somewhere, preach the gospel, and let someone else disciple the converts. But, unfortunately, we have many who profess Christ who no one disciples. They are handed a Bible, often given a job or ministry in the church, and wished good luck on their efforts. No one really took a concerted effort to disciple me until I had already been in ministry for over a decade and had burned out. To think, I was a little offended when an interim pastor approached me in my thirties and asked if I was interested in being discipled and growing in my walk with Christ. I am thankful for the offense, and, now, I seek to offend others in the same way!
I never realized what all it took to disciple someone – to truly labor and desire for their maturity – until a few years ago when my daughter received Christ. I also never fully understood the difficulties. She sees more of my walk with Christ than most anyone else, definitely more than anyone but Christ Himself and Candice. She sees my failings. She sees when I need to repent and whether or not I do. She sees when I read the Word and whether I worship God at home. What I try to teach her from the Word cannot remotely hope to compare to what she sees me living out. It is terribly frustrating at times, but, ultimately, it is a great joy to get to struggle and strive. I cannot imagine being satisfied with my own comfort if she would not be found mature in Him.
Paul did not have a wife or children. He cared that way for the churches he was called to serve. He looked at the Colossian church the way I look at Keri. He did not plant the church there, but the gospel he preached at Ephesus birthed that. Now, as I grow closer to Christ myself and mature to see more of what He has called me to, I understand more of what Paul wanted for the churches – and why he wanted them to be “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as [they] were taught, abounding in thanksgiving”.
Rooted
To be rooted in Christ lies in that foundation – “just as you were taught”. This reminds me of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-9. Some of the seed was sown on the hard packed earth of a path and was eaten by birds. Other seeds fell on shallow soil over bedrock; there was not enough depth for roots to develop that would sustain growth. Similarly, some seeds feel among thorns and were choked out. But the seeds that were sown on the good soil developed healthy roots, received all of the nutrients the soil offered, received all of the light and water they needed, and grew into healthy plants that multipled “a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:8).
Roots not only provide a means to gain sustenance but also support and strength. Think about how many times following a storm there are large trees whose roots snap off below the ground. The roots were enough to sustain the tree to grow large, but they never developed enough to withstand the pressure that comes with winds and storms. Yet there are very large and extremely old trees that line areas of the Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi. Their branches are gnarly as they have been whipped by hurricane after hurricane. Their branches bear the marks of the wind, but their roots have sustained them and held them safely in the ground.
So it is with Christ. To become mature, you must be rooted in Him. Like the branches of a grape vine have no hope of producing grapes without being attached to their vine, “apart from [Christ] you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The same gospel that brings the invitation to receive Christ also sustains. A Christian will never outgrow the truth of the gospel but, rather, studying and knowing it more means that our roots are dug deep into its good soil. Continuing to study the Word and walk with Christ draws sustenance and leaves us firmly planted in Him.
In the coming weeks of this study, we will look at the winds of false teaching that were attacking the Colossian church. There are similar winds today. The only way to withstand is to be rooted in Christ.
Built Up in Him
What good is a foundation if no one builds on it? What good are roots if there is no tree?
We looked earlier at some of Paul’s words in Ephesians 4. Earlier in that chapter, he spoke to this:
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)
Disciples grow as they study God’s Word and put it into practice. That’s right: practice. Too many people have been allowed to profess Christ with their mouths on a single occasion and deny Him with their lives in every moment following it. (This typically cues a chorus of “Thou shalt not judge”.)
Paul illustrated being build up in Christ to the Ephesian church by talking about love being the catalyst. Jesus Himself said that all of the law could be summed up by loving God and loving people (Matthew 22:36-40). Love is an action. Love is a constant choice to remember what God did for us in Christ and to share that with others. Love requires effort. The church is not built with bricks and mortar but with those who have received Christ serving Him and sharing Him with others.
Established in the Faith
This word is more closely related to assurance – that one can know that they have received Christ. To be “established in the faith” is to have the Spirit of God in you, leading and guiding. Honestly, and I am trying not to generalize this too much, if any of the things written about in this Bible study (receiving Christ, being rooted, and being built up/growing in Him) are missing, there is reason for concern, especially receiving Him.
One of the greatest issues for people in the former Bible Belt is false assurance. If someone has been allowed to profess Christianity with no connection to Christ, no fruit for decades, there is little to convince them otherwise. Think back to that chilling warning from Jesus in Matthew 7; there will be people who have claimed Christ in name only who will not be welcomed into eternity with Him. This is why Paul was willing to suffer to see people presented as mature. They were faced either with assurance of faith in Christ or outed as frauds. Demas could only stay with him so long before his love for the world overrode his words.
It is an uncomfortable thing to be confronted with a harsh truth. The harsh reality that your life does not bear fruit of a relationship with Christ offers opportunity for repentance and faith – opportunity to receive Him. But it does no one any good to save their feelings on earth if only to allow them to die and go to Hell. One way is love; the other hate.
Maybe you do not feel as if you are “established in the faith”. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes our trees need pruning. Sometimes we need to be confronted with present sin and repent – to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). But, maybe, you have merely talked the talk. Maybe you learned enough Christian-ese to converse and fit in with the locals.
It is a good thing to be confronted with harsh truths. If you realize that you have never received Christ, it is not too late. The same words that showed us earlier what it means to believe show us how to receive Him now. Romans 10:9-10 says:
“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
There is no better time for such a confession than right now. If you would like to talk, I would love to help you; feel free to reach out any time.
I have gone on longer than normal, but I definitely feel that this is important. Anything worth suffering over is worth our attention. And the state of our soul in the face of the holy and righteous God of the universe is worth attention.
I began by talking about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and how his repentance led him back to Germany and, ultimately, to Flossenburg Concentration Camp. But I did not tell you what happened to him there.
This is usually the part of the story where something inspirational comes, and that definitely happens here. But nothing comes out of the wings to save Bonhoeffer from the fate one would expect at a concentration camp.
As WWII was drawing to a close – Hitler had already committed suicide and the Third Reich was preparing to surrender, the Nazis still harbored great hatred toward Bonhoeffer. They hated him so much, in fact, that one of their last official actions would be to have him executed rather than letting him go free after the surrender.
The morning of his death, he was not sad. He preached a sermon to people in the camp with a fellow prisoner, a British officer, standing watch and Nazi soldiers waiting to accompany him to his execution. When he finished preaching, he went with them willingly. In the moments before his hanging on the morning of April 9, 1945, he bowed his face to the ground, prayed to the Christ he would meet face-to-face minutes later, and uttered the words: “This is the end – for me, the beginning of life.”
From an earthly perspective, this seems like such a sad story. But, the longer I walk with Christ, it is a story of hope. How could a man not fight against his executioners? How could he proclaim the gospel truth to his killers on his way out of this world? Hope. Hope in Christ that comes from being “rooted and built up and established in the faith”. Hope that comes from receiving Christ Jesus the Lord.
I cannot boast of great courage like that in my future. I can boast only in Christ and the hope He gives me now.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.[1]
Colossians 1:13-24
Greetings Sojourners!
This week’s devotion is going to look a bit different.
The passage you see above is the end of the one we’ve been studying and the one we will be studying over the next few weeks. The focus of both is Jesus, the “beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (vv. 13-14).
Since the subject is Jesus – God in flesh, the King of kings and Lord of lords, I want to spend a little more time on the devotion that was meant to go out today.
In the meantime, take a look at this video that creatively shares the gospel – the Story:
Just Keith Harris 