ReFocus: Humility in Ministry
“He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
Colossians 1:17
Let me be honest, I am not a man of science. By this, I mean I don’t understand many scientific terms, formulas, or much of science’s reasoning. I am not intrigued by the job of combining certain liquids to form gases or mild explosions. The thought of dissecting anything, other than a fried and smothered-in-sauce chicken wing, provokes the same effect as riding upon a deep sea fishing boat. However, there is one scientific concept that strikes my interest; the thought of earth’s location and orbit within the universe is something that truly catches my attention.
It has been claimed that the earth has been placed in the perfect position in relation to the sun. Justification for this claim comes in this way: if the earth was any closer to the sun, the earth would melt and life upon it would cease. This can also suggest that if the earth was any farther away from the sun, the earth would freeze over, causing life to cease. In the same manner, it has also been thought that if the earth rotated any faster, then life upon earth would be impossible due to its quickening rotation. Though these theories entail vast areas of minutiae, much of which immediately flies over my head, there is one underlying principle that is presented: Christ is the One that consistently holds the earth in its place; this principle is the fact that Christ is sustainer.
This principle is one that is seen in Colossians 1:17, as Paul continues his descriptions of the manifold supremacies of Christ. Before jumping in, it may be necessary to recap what has been discussed thus far in this specific passage of Colossians. To start, in verse 15, Paul has stated that Christ is the “image of the invisible God” and that Christ was the “firstborn of all creation.” Verse 16 describes Christ as being Creator, as Paul states that “all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Immediately from here, Paul continues to assert that Christ “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (1:17).
The first part of this verse, “He [Christ] is before all things,” is added weight to what has already been presented in the previous verses. Christ is claimed to be creator of all things (1:16), and this verse adds nothing but support to this assertion. To say that Christ is Creator is to imply that Christ existed prior to all things created, much like what is being presented within the first part of the verse; because Christ is the Creator of all things, He is before all things.
The later part of this verse dovetails into the principle presented earlier in the post. In the later portion, Paul states that “in Him [Christ] all things hold together” (1:17). Paul is making an absolute statement that deserves some attention. This phrase has been translated a few different ways. It has been translated “in Him [Christ] all things consist,” and also “in Him [Christ] all things subsist.” This concept is also something that is mentioned by the writer of Hebrews. The writer states that Christ “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). Regardless of how this is translated, the underlying common denominator is that Christ is the Sustainer of life. Not only does Christ create, as noted in 1:16, but Christ utilizes this same power in order to uphold and sustain the things which He has created, including us. This adds a personal touch to creation as it affirms His daily involvement within our lives, even in the areas that we deem as unimportant and insignificant.
Again, this is a humbling thought. To claim that Christ is the Sustainer of life is to claim that we are not the sustainers of our own lives. This is something that is hard to do, yet something that must be done. We must come to understand that, ultimately, Christ is the One that is upholding our lives by His wonderful power, regardless of whether you recognize it or not…regardless of whether I recognize it or not. He does this so effortlessly, simply by His word (Hebrews 1:3), yet based from His love. This is something that must be remembered and applied daily. At that moment, when we fail to acknowledge that Christ is the Sustainer, we feed the lie that we are self-sufficient individuals. May we demolish the false thought of self-sufficiency by understanding and recognizing that we are only upheld and sustained by Christ? This should overflow into our ministries, as it should be considered a great honor to serve the One that is the Sustainer.
Happy Reading,
CBMaxwell
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Christ is Creator
ReFocus: Humility in Ministry
Christ is Creator
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
Colossians 1:16
One of the greatest hindrances in ministry is discouragement. It is a divisive liquid that congeals and solidifies within the walls of the heart if allowed to fester. It doubles over in our solitary, our relationships, and even in our ministries. It is not foreign; all are aware of the outcomes and consequences of its presence. But what exactly causes discouragement? If we are aware of what will be the outcome, why do we allow ourselves to fall into this over and over again? Ultimately, the cause, in some way or another, can be directed back to an improper view of Christ. What is presented within the first chapter of Colossians, specifically verse 16, will provide instruction for veering our view of Christ back in its proper place.
As mentioned a few weeks ago, Gnosticism was a prevalent religion within the church at Colossae. Along the same lines, it had also been thought that there were others that worshipped angels. With this being the case, Christ was claimed to be less than the angels, and thus, not revered in the proper status. Paul wrote this book to refute these false teachings. This is something that is absolutely evident, especially within our primary verse and the verse preceding as Christ is claimed to be both the image of the invisible God while also being the firstborn of all creation (1:15). Within verse 16, our primary verse, Christ is claimed to be Creator.
Immediately following the claim that Christ is the firstborn, Paul continues the list of supremacies by claiming that Christ is the Creator of all things. He states “for by Him all things were created…” (1:16When Paul was making this statement, he was essentially referring to a universal idea of creation; Paul was not claiming that Christ just created the physical, but that He also created the spiritual. The idea that is present is the same that is seen in John 1:3 when it is claimed that all things that came into being can be attributed to Christ, as nothing came into being apart from Him. This was to be an all-encompassing idea in relation to creation. By stating this, the writer made his point extremely clear; Christ created all things. He could have stopped here without going any further in the debate, yet he chose to state even the specifics of creation. It has been thought that Paul’s purpose in doing this was to blatantly refute the false teaching that Christ was lower than the angels.
Paul takes this a bit further by stating that all things within the heavens and the earth were created by Christ, whether visible or invisible. The writer goes out of his way to be intentional, so as to specifically state the obvious; the heavens and the earth were created by Christ. He also states that the visible as well as the invisible things were created by Christ. This is a very interesting concept. The idea that Paul presents here is that all things visible on earth, and even in heaven, were created by Christ. This extends from the concept of the, now visible, creation of land to the creation of heavenly bodies that will one day be seen. Paul also stated that Christ created those things which are invisible. It has been thought that this was a reference to the soul of man that is not necessarily visible to the human eye. It is unseen, yet Christ created it.
It is evident that Paul was being intentionally thorough as he was writing this letter. He finalizes this topic of creation by stating whether there are “thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities” all things were created by Christ (1:16). Again, this is thought to stand in contrast against the previously mentioned false teaching that placed angels in a status to be worshipped. This is due, primarily, to the fact that the thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities mentioned within the verse could refer to specific ranks of angelic beings. Regardless, the point is extremely clear. There is nothing in this world that has existed or will exist that Christ did not create; He is the sole Creator, and to label Him as anything less is to neglect His omnipotence. He also created all things for Himself in order to showcase His glory and power.
Even though Christ’s ability to create is seen within this verse as the primary theme, there is another that is implied, though a bit more subtle. With the specifications of all that He has created, Christ’s sovereignty cannot be overlooked. Because Christ has created all things, He knows all things; even more, He knows how to fix all things, we do not. This is a slap in the face to pride. One of man’s biggest downfalls is the false sense of self-sufficiency that he possesses, which will, inevitably, lead to discouragement. With Christ being absolutely sovereign, we should trust that He has the ability to handle whatever situations we are facing, regardless of the circumstance. The challenge I present to you is the same challenge that faced me: trust in the sovereignty and ability of God; the first step in doing this is to loosen the reigns and to allow Him to be God.
Don’t allow discouragement to sour your ministry.
Happy Reading,
CBMaxwell
Christ is Creator
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
Colossians 1:16
One of the greatest hindrances in ministry is discouragement. It is a divisive liquid that congeals and solidifies within the walls of the heart if allowed to fester. It doubles over in our solitary, our relationships, and even in our ministries. It is not foreign; all are aware of the outcomes and consequences of its presence. But what exactly causes discouragement? If we are aware of what will be the outcome, why do we allow ourselves to fall into this over and over again? Ultimately, the cause, in some way or another, can be directed back to an improper view of Christ. What is presented within the first chapter of Colossians, specifically verse 16, will provide instruction for veering our view of Christ back in its proper place.
As mentioned a few weeks ago, Gnosticism was a prevalent religion within the church at Colossae. Along the same lines, it had also been thought that there were others that worshipped angels. With this being the case, Christ was claimed to be less than the angels, and thus, not revered in the proper status. Paul wrote this book to refute these false teachings. This is something that is absolutely evident, especially within our primary verse and the verse preceding as Christ is claimed to be both the image of the invisible God while also being the firstborn of all creation (1:15). Within verse 16, our primary verse, Christ is claimed to be Creator.
Immediately following the claim that Christ is the firstborn, Paul continues the list of supremacies by claiming that Christ is the Creator of all things. He states “for by Him all things were created…” (1:16When Paul was making this statement, he was essentially referring to a universal idea of creation; Paul was not claiming that Christ just created the physical, but that He also created the spiritual. The idea that is present is the same that is seen in John 1:3 when it is claimed that all things that came into being can be attributed to Christ, as nothing came into being apart from Him. This was to be an all-encompassing idea in relation to creation. By stating this, the writer made his point extremely clear; Christ created all things. He could have stopped here without going any further in the debate, yet he chose to state even the specifics of creation. It has been thought that Paul’s purpose in doing this was to blatantly refute the false teaching that Christ was lower than the angels.
Paul takes this a bit further by stating that all things within the heavens and the earth were created by Christ, whether visible or invisible. The writer goes out of his way to be intentional, so as to specifically state the obvious; the heavens and the earth were created by Christ. He also states that the visible as well as the invisible things were created by Christ. This is a very interesting concept. The idea that Paul presents here is that all things visible on earth, and even in heaven, were created by Christ. This extends from the concept of the, now visible, creation of land to the creation of heavenly bodies that will one day be seen. Paul also stated that Christ created those things which are invisible. It has been thought that this was a reference to the soul of man that is not necessarily visible to the human eye. It is unseen, yet Christ created it.
It is evident that Paul was being intentionally thorough as he was writing this letter. He finalizes this topic of creation by stating whether there are “thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities” all things were created by Christ (1:16). Again, this is thought to stand in contrast against the previously mentioned false teaching that placed angels in a status to be worshipped. This is due, primarily, to the fact that the thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities mentioned within the verse could refer to specific ranks of angelic beings. Regardless, the point is extremely clear. There is nothing in this world that has existed or will exist that Christ did not create; He is the sole Creator, and to label Him as anything less is to neglect His omnipotence. He also created all things for Himself in order to showcase His glory and power.
Even though Christ’s ability to create is seen within this verse as the primary theme, there is another that is implied, though a bit more subtle. With the specifications of all that He has created, Christ’s sovereignty cannot be overlooked. Because Christ has created all things, He knows all things; even more, He knows how to fix all things, we do not. This is a slap in the face to pride. One of man’s biggest downfalls is the false sense of self-sufficiency that he possesses, which will, inevitably, lead to discouragement. With Christ being absolutely sovereign, we should trust that He has the ability to handle whatever situations we are facing, regardless of the circumstance. The challenge I present to you is the same challenge that faced me: trust in the sovereignty and ability of God; the first step in doing this is to loosen the reigns and to allow Him to be God.
Don’t allow discouragement to sour your ministry.
Happy Reading,
CBMaxwell
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Something to Consider: Spiritual Preparation
“Then Joshua said to the people, consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” – Joshua 3:5
Without a doubt, the book of Joshua is probably my favorite book from the Old Testament. I think that this is due, in part, to a class that I had the privilege to take that was centered on the book, along with the book of Judges. It also stands out remarkably because God’s faithfulness and providence are the all-encompassing themes presented within the book. Over and over again throughout the book, this can be seen. For instance, you can see very early in the book the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua as he leads them in the land that been promised years earlier. Not only this, but God continually illustrates His faithfulness to the children of Israel by keeping His word, and He does so in ways that are absolutely mind-blowing.
Getting into the text, chapter three of Joshua contains one of the most significant miracles recorded in the Old Testament. Within this chapter, God illustrates His faithfulness to Israel by allowing them to cross the Jordan into the land that had been promised. As mentioned, God illustrated His providence to Israel in ways that were astonishing. In this case, God allows the Jordan River to be parted in order for the Israelites to cross over on dry ground…much like what was seen previously with the Red Sea. Though this event is one that warrants much discussion and study, it will not be our primary focus within this particular post. Rather, I would like to bring into consideration the event that takes place prior to this miracle.
To set the stage, the book begins with Joshua stepping into command after the death of Moses. Before actually crossing into the land that was promised, Joshua sends spies into the land in order to know what could be expected after crossing the Jordan. After getting the report from the spies, Joshua and the Israelites set up camp at the edge of the River. At the end of three days, Joshua spoke to the people of the camp and stated “consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you” (Joshua 3:5). Joshua was instructing the children of Israel to prepare themselves for something that was about to take place.
What was Joshua telling the children of Israel to do at this point? What does this mean? Other versions read this as “sanctify” rather than “consecrate.” Regardless of which English word that is used, the concept that is being described is the action to “set yourself apart” or “to separate.” He was presenting a challenge to the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually for something that was brink of occurring, namely, the crossing of the Jordan.
It is interesting to look at Joshua’s discernment in this situation; he knew that something great and monumental was about to happen and his response is very unusual. Rather than challenging the Israelites to be prepared physically, which could have consisted of gathering food and other necessities, he challenges the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually; he presented the challenge to remove from their lives anything that was unholy. This instruction was also given previously in the Old Testament. Before God had given the Ten Commandments to Moses, He presented the challenge to the Israelites to “consecrate” themselves (Exodus 19:22).
The reasoning for Joshua’s instruction is pretty clear. He knew that God was about to do a work and he wanted everyone to be aware of this. He was aware that minimal distractions were needed to shift focus from God to something of less significance; he wanted the Israelites to have their focus solely on God so that they could see that magnitude of the miracle that was about to take place. The same is true in our lives, especially in ministry. Whether it is the people that we are involved with or even the ministry itself, we are easily distracted.
We should be willing to consecrate ourselves, as well. Hebrews 12 provides clear instructions as to how this can take place within the life of a believer. The writer commands to lay aside every weight and sin that hinders from running the race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). The writer also shows where focus is to be placed; he states to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The challenge that has been presented to me and that I pass to you is this: be willing to set the weights aside and consecrate yourself unto Christ; prepare yourself spiritually; fix your eyes on Him so that you are able to recognize the great things that He does in your life on a daily basis.
Happy Reading,
CBMaxwell
Without a doubt, the book of Joshua is probably my favorite book from the Old Testament. I think that this is due, in part, to a class that I had the privilege to take that was centered on the book, along with the book of Judges. It also stands out remarkably because God’s faithfulness and providence are the all-encompassing themes presented within the book. Over and over again throughout the book, this can be seen. For instance, you can see very early in the book the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua as he leads them in the land that been promised years earlier. Not only this, but God continually illustrates His faithfulness to the children of Israel by keeping His word, and He does so in ways that are absolutely mind-blowing.
Getting into the text, chapter three of Joshua contains one of the most significant miracles recorded in the Old Testament. Within this chapter, God illustrates His faithfulness to Israel by allowing them to cross the Jordan into the land that had been promised. As mentioned, God illustrated His providence to Israel in ways that were astonishing. In this case, God allows the Jordan River to be parted in order for the Israelites to cross over on dry ground…much like what was seen previously with the Red Sea. Though this event is one that warrants much discussion and study, it will not be our primary focus within this particular post. Rather, I would like to bring into consideration the event that takes place prior to this miracle.
To set the stage, the book begins with Joshua stepping into command after the death of Moses. Before actually crossing into the land that was promised, Joshua sends spies into the land in order to know what could be expected after crossing the Jordan. After getting the report from the spies, Joshua and the Israelites set up camp at the edge of the River. At the end of three days, Joshua spoke to the people of the camp and stated “consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you” (Joshua 3:5). Joshua was instructing the children of Israel to prepare themselves for something that was about to take place.
What was Joshua telling the children of Israel to do at this point? What does this mean? Other versions read this as “sanctify” rather than “consecrate.” Regardless of which English word that is used, the concept that is being described is the action to “set yourself apart” or “to separate.” He was presenting a challenge to the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually for something that was brink of occurring, namely, the crossing of the Jordan.
It is interesting to look at Joshua’s discernment in this situation; he knew that something great and monumental was about to happen and his response is very unusual. Rather than challenging the Israelites to be prepared physically, which could have consisted of gathering food and other necessities, he challenges the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually; he presented the challenge to remove from their lives anything that was unholy. This instruction was also given previously in the Old Testament. Before God had given the Ten Commandments to Moses, He presented the challenge to the Israelites to “consecrate” themselves (Exodus 19:22).
The reasoning for Joshua’s instruction is pretty clear. He knew that God was about to do a work and he wanted everyone to be aware of this. He was aware that minimal distractions were needed to shift focus from God to something of less significance; he wanted the Israelites to have their focus solely on God so that they could see that magnitude of the miracle that was about to take place. The same is true in our lives, especially in ministry. Whether it is the people that we are involved with or even the ministry itself, we are easily distracted.
We should be willing to consecrate ourselves, as well. Hebrews 12 provides clear instructions as to how this can take place within the life of a believer. The writer commands to lay aside every weight and sin that hinders from running the race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). The writer also shows where focus is to be placed; he states to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The challenge that has been presented to me and that I pass to you is this: be willing to set the weights aside and consecrate yourself unto Christ; prepare yourself spiritually; fix your eyes on Him so that you are able to recognize the great things that He does in your life on a daily basis.
Happy Reading,
CBMaxwell
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)