Kingdom Building

July 19, 2019

Scripture Reading:
Colossians 1:15-28

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. –Colossians 1:24-28

What does Christ in you, the hope of glory mean. I love the image of

 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

I think it illustrates best what Paul is trying to describe when he talks about Christ in us. I was raised on a farm. Although the experience did not stick with me like it does with the rest of my family, I did gain good perspective on key things agricultural. Plants must be nourished by rich soil full of nutrients and appropriate amounts of water. The vine in Jesus’ illustration supplies the water and the nutrients to the fruit so they can develop and be a source of food for humans and other animals. Similarly, in our faith development we must be nurtured to produce the fruit necessary to feed a world in need of God’s love and justice.

Christ in us means that we function within the mindset that God has infinite, intrinsic worth that can be the catalyst for the love and justice that our world is lacking and through Christ’s nurturing us we can be a part of making God’s righteousness the norm of the world because of God’s love that flows through us to the peoples of the world. Now see even Paul has rubbed off on me. I just wrote a very long sentence which he did all the time.

Prayer:
Make me a blessing, make me a blessing,
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,
  Make me a blessing to someone today*. Amen.

*Chorus from Out in the highways and byways of life by Ira Bishop Wilson. See at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/929

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.