As Paul sits in a Roman prison and hears the report from Epaphras about the church in Colossae we know there were concerns. Paul writes to the Colossians to remind them of the centrality and the supremacy of Christ and to help them understand how their position in Christ should change the way they think, speak, relate to others and see the world. But while there were concerns, Paul also writes with spirit of gratitude. As Paul begins his letter to the Colossians he tells them of his gratitude to God for what has happened among them. The Gospel came to them, they heard and understood it and it has begun bearing fruit in their lives. Paul thanks God that there are followers of Christ in Colossae (saints and faithful brothers) whose lives bear the fruits of faith, love and hope.

Christ Over All. This is one way of saying that Christ is supreme; that He is preeminent; that there is nothing before Him and there is nothing above Him. Christ is the one who created all things and all things exist for Him. So, Christ Over All speaks to who Jesus is in relation to all things and all people. But, Christ Over All can also speak the place we as the people of God should give Jesus in our hearts. As the people of God, as people who have been saved through the sacrifice of Jesus, we should be a people who recognize the supremacy of Jesus and who maintain hearts that exalt Him Over All. The letter of Paul to the Colossians helps us both in seeing who Jesus is and in applying the impact of our position ‘in Him’ to our daily lives. Colossians reminds us that Christ is over all and calls us to Iive in light of the realty that Christ is over all.

A Reading of the Letter of Paul to the Colossians

We all know the value of good leader. We all desire to have leaders who are committed to what is right and who give themselves to upholding what is good. We should desire and pray for the success of our leaders, knowing that their success will lead to the prosperity and success of our society. As we come to Psalm 72 we have a prayer for a new king. The reign of King David is coming to an end and Solomon is the heir to the throne; this psalm is a prayer for his reign and for his kingdom. But while it is clear that this psalm is intended for Solomon, it is also clear that Solomon could never fully live up to the hopes of this prayer. This is a prayer that can only be fulfilled by a greater king. We know that God made a covenant with David about the kingdom that would be fulfilled through the reign of his descendants and Jesus is the fulfillment of that covenant. With that in mind we can recognize that while Psalm 72 was an appropriate prayer for Solomon it is also a portrait or a prophecy of the ultimate heir to the throne of David, King Jesus.

When we think about missions and worldwide evangelism the normal instinct is to turn to the New Testament. After Jesus rose from the dead, as He was preparing for His return to the Father He commissioned His disciples to go and take the message of salvation to the world (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). But while the command to go into all the world is highlighted in this part of the Bible, the plan of God to spread His fame and His glory worldwide was by no means a new agenda. The plan of God to take His message of salvation to all the world actually begins in Genesis. In Genesis 12 God tells Abram that he and his line will be blessed and that through him, “all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Here we see that from the time God formed Israel He had a plan for all nations. And Paul makes it clear in Galatians 3:5-14 that all those who believe in Christ through faith (Jew and Gentile) are a fulfillment of the promise of God to Abram. As the people of God it is important for us to know the emphasis that God has placed on reaching the nations and we should long to see that plan move forward. In Psalm 67 we read the prayer of a man who longed to see the praise and the glory of God spread worldwide and we can learn a lot about missions and worldwide evangelism from this passionate prayer.

As we come to the Lord’s Table and eat of bread and drink of the cup it is something that most of us are very familiar with. We know that the Table is a means of remembering the body and the blood of Jesus and proclaiming our trust in His sacrifice. This is the heart of the Lord’s Supper, but there is another level of significance that is often overlooked. The Bible teaches that to be joined to Christ is to be joined to His body. When we identify with Christ we are also brought into fellowship with all those who are in Him. With that in mind, there is a sense in which the Lord’s Supper communicates our identification, not only with Jesus, but with His people.

As the people of God there is nothing that we should value more than the praise of God. He is worthy of all praise and we should long to see Him praised worldwide. In Psalm 66 we have a man who has experienced the salvation of God and longs for all people in all places to join him in praise.

In Psalm 63 David once again finds himself on the run for his life. His son Absalom has spearheaded a revolt and David has fled to the wilderness for safety. However, despite the situation David doesn’t despair. Instead of being overcome with fear or discontentment David turns his attention fully to God. He expresses his longing for God and his confidence that God is the only source of hope and rescue and satisfaction. This message is divided into two parts: First, we are going to consider David’s view of God and then, second, we will consider David’s longing for God, or the way in which He pursues God.

As we come to Psalm 57 we come to a Psalm that was written during one of the lower points in David’s life. While David has been anointed as the future King of Israel and is growing in respect among the people, not everyone is eager to see David prosper. Saul, the current king despises David’s growing popularity and eventually determines that David must die. In God’s plan David finds out about Saul’s intentions and flees. Before long David finds himself hiding in a cave from Saul and those who seek his life. It’s from this experience of hiding in a cave that Psalm 57 is written. What’s incredible is that for all that David is going through, the contents of the psalm are much different than what may be expected. Even though he’s hiding in a cave as the king hunts for him, David doesn’t write a Psalm of lament or complaint. He does desire deliverance but his primary aim is the praise and the glory of God. David desires for God to be known and praised throughout the earth and he asks God to use his salvation toward that end.

In Psalm 53 we have one of the clearest statements in Scripture on the condition of mankind apart from God. On our own we are ‘totally depraved’ and we will never seek God or do anything to please Him or earn His favor. Psalm 53 should remind us that our condition without Christ is far worse than we ever could have imagined. But, it also helps us recognize the beauty of salvation. Once we see the seriousness of our diagnosis, the miracle of healing becomes that much sweeter.