From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Wed, Sep 20, 2023 at 5:24 AM

Subject: 9-20-23 THOUGHTS

9-20-23   THOUGHTS

The place of Jesus in our eternity is the subject of the New testament.  Our reading this morning is as good as anywhere!   Verse 9, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”  There is a spiritual cutting off of the body of sin in the burial of baptism. It is called the circumcision of Christ and “the working of God” is said to be involved!   Then it says in verse 13b “He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions”.  We see the sense of Jesus’ statement in John 14:6b   “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  The reading closes with a major “COVENANT” decree, that the Mosaic Law was “nailed to the cross”!  Col 1:19 “For it was the [Father’s] good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,”  Read the first 2 chapters of Colossians.  Jesus calls us “brethren” and God calls us His children!  Be encouraged loved ones!

Col 2:6-15     Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7  having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 8  See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.  9  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10  and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11  and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;  12  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  13   When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,  14  having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  15  When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

My Prayer:
O God, who has adopted us in Christ Jesus, we thank You and praise You, and love You. How lovingly mindful You are of us.  We are weak and unworthy, yet You have provided all that we need for peaceful access to Yourself.  Your Spirit is our seal as we await Your eternal presence.  Teach to boldly approach Your throne in Jesus, our new and living way.  May the Good News be proclaimed as we lift up the name of the One who saves us.   We need Your help, O God, as witness the joy of Your salvation.  Help us to be useful disciples as we make disciples.  Please raise us to this level, Father.   In the name of our Savior,    Amen.