“A collection of 100 daily meditations on Paul’s letter to the Colossians designed to deepen one’s knowledge and enjoyment of the glory and greatness of Christ” by Dr. Sam Storms the president of Enjoying God Ministries.
I have found this book to be one of the few devotional books that actually delved into the biblical text in a meaningful way. Storms offers up a book of meditations that is not quite a commentary, but is far more than the simplistic “this is how the text made me feel” kind of devotional that fills the shelves of most Christian bookstores. Each meditation is written in a very clear and simple style and can be read in five to ten minutes. If you decide to read this book please contact me as soon as you get to chapter 49: Why I am a Baptist. In this chapter Storms tries to lay out different Christian teachings on baptism. As a Baptist he gets it wrong. I would be glad to sit down with you and and help you get it right. But overall I would have to say that this book has been one of the most challenging, inspiring, and Christ centered books I have read in a long time. You will learn a lot about the book of Colossians, the Cross of Christ, and how the Gospel can shape your life.
You can order the book, download the Introduction and Chapters 1-7 in PDF format, and preview each chapter (yes you can literally try before you buy!) by clicking HERE.
You can listen to an interview with Dr. Storms about The Hope of Glory and the nature of meditation in streaming audio format by clicking HERE.
+++
Here is a brief excerpt from chapter twenty three in which Storms discusses the ancient hymn to Christ imbedded in Colossians 1:15-17 [show]Colossians 1:15-17
[15]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16]For by(1) 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. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:16] That is, by means of; or 'in'
.
+++
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. Colossians 1:15-20 [show]Colossians 1:15-20
[15]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16]For by(1) 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. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:16] That is, by means of; or 'in'
Here’s my point. Jesus Christ is all of these in relation to the whole of the universe. He is the architect. This is what Paul means in Colossians 1 [show]Colossians 1
[1:1]Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
[2]To the saints and faithful brothers(1) in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
[3]We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4]since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, [5]because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, [6]which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing--as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, [7]just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.(2) He is a faithful minister of Christ on your(3) behalf [8]and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
[9]And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10]so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. [11]May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, [12]giving thanks(4) to the Father, who has qualified you(5) to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [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(6) 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(7) under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
[24]Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, [25]of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, [26]the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. [27]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. [28]Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. [29]For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:2] Or 'brothers and sisters'. The plural Greek word 'adelphoi' (translated "brothers") refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, 'adelphoi' may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church
2. [1:7] Greek 'fellow bondservant'
3. [1:7] Some manuscripts 'our'
4. [1:12] Or 'patience, with joy giving thanks'
5. [1:12] Some manuscripts 'us'
6. [1:16] That is, by means of; or 'in'
7. [1:23] Or 'to every creature'
:16a when he says that all things were created “in” him. He is the artisan. He is the one in whose eternal mind the blueprints for every nook and cranny of the cosmos were conceived.
And Paul is pretty specific about the extent of Christ’s creative input. It encompasses literally everything: “all things” (v. 16a), by which he means everything “in heaven and on earth,” be they massive galaxies billions of light years away or the dust mites beneath your feet. The “all things” include what you can see and can’t see, whether visible but intangible, like a mirage or beam of light; whether invisible but tangible, like a summer breeze or the heat of the sun; whether visible and tangible, like an oak tree or a book or a baseball; even
things invisible and intangible like a proton or gravity or a feeling or a dream. He conceived them all
But it doesn’t stop there. He is the architect of every spiritual being, here described as “thrones” and “dominions” and “rulers” and “authorities,” typical Pauline language for every conceivable variety of angel, both good and evil, both hellish and holy. They were all Christ’s idea.
He is not only the architect who conceived their existence and their manifold properties and powers, he is the artisan who actually constructed their being. They were made through him, says Paul (v. 16b). John echoed this thought by saying that “all things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3 [show]John 1:3
[3]All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (ESV)).
Yes, he is both architect and artisan, as well as the aim for which they were created. As Paul put it, “all things were created . . . for him” (v. 16c; oh blessed preposition). Whatever is, is, that he might be glorified and praised and enjoyed forever. He is the reason, the goal, the aim, the intent, the point, the purpose, the end, the terminus, the consummation and culmination of every molecule that moves.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
