Matt Nelson - August 7, 2022
Reimagining a Jesus-Saturated World
COLOSSIANS Reimagining a Jesus-Saturated World 8.7.22 In a city dominated by the Roman empire, false teachings and a blending of beliefs, Paul writes a subversive letter to the church at Colossae calling them to a different way of life. In this letter, Paul invites the church to reshape their imagination around a world saturated with Christ, to stand faithful against the bombardment of false gospels, and to set their hearts, minds, and lives on the reality of the resurrection of Christ. Paul is reshaping the imagination of the church in Colossae in light of the cosmic scope of Christ’s work. Colossians 1:15-20 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.17 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 and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. The Son (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God… He is the Firstborn over all creation… For in Him all things were created… Things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities: all things have been created through him or for him… Wherever you look or whatever realities you imagine, even if they do not acknowledge Christ, they owe their existence to Christ. They are his handiwork. One of the primary responsibilities of the church is gospel proclamation. To empower the church to reimagine the world as if Christ, and not the powers, were sovereign. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…
From Series: "Colossians"
In a city dominated by the Roman empire, false teachers, and a blending of beliefs, Paul writes a subversive letter to the church at Colossae calling them to a different way of life. In this letter, Paul invites the church to reshape their imagination around a world saturated with Christ, to stand faithful against the bombardment of false gospels, and to set their hearts, minds, and lives on the reality of the resurrection of Christ.
