The Supremacy of Christ

On Tuesday I'll be leading the Bible study again. The group has one  member who is a very new Christian ( at the age of 82), and very recently baptised, so we will be looking at just one passage rather than taking a topic through the Bible so that he doesn't have to be embarassed when he is last to look up a passage or needs help. This time we will be looking at Colossians 1 v 15 onwards  - the supremacy of Christ . I t is one of those grand passages which sounds really well when read aloud,  but sometimes we need  to contemplate just a tiny section and take in what it really means for us.

Yesterday I was told quite vehermently that religion is the biggest cause of division in the world and how the person concerned wanted no more to do with it. And in one sense he is of course correct. The passage however takes a very opposite view  - "He is before all things , and in him all things hold together." It is about relationships and priorities. If there is no real relationship with God, but only 'religion' i.e practice which is just because of custom  - in this person's life because he was married to a Chrisitan and went along to church with her , but never really engaged with the experience or with God, then it is meaningless for him.

I wish it were otherwise and pray that one day it will be  

For those who do have the blessing of such a relationship we need to live out the truths in this short passage. We must believe that Christ is the image of the invisible God  - that is he who has the authority and power, that it is his blood that makes peace  - not in worldly terms , but peace with God, holding on to the good news of the gospel - the glorious riches of the mystery which is Christ in us.