Daily Reading February 9 2010 from Colossians 2:13-23 NIV

Day 30

Colossians 2:13-23 NIV
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self‑imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Disarmed the Powers and Authorities!
God made us alive in Christ, what a Savior! Jesus canceled our debt and reconciled us to the Father by going to the cross. He did much more than just save our souls though that would have been plenty. Isaiah 53 says it best:

Isaiah 53:3-13 NIV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

As we can see from this passage He took our sickness and sorrow, was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquities, took punishment so we could have peace that passes all understanding, He was wounded so we can be healed, He took on our guilt and shame, our oppression and judgment, died so don't have to, went to a hopeless grave so we could be risen with Him, He has become our intercessor. I have often said Salvation was greater than we could ask for but when I look at the totality of what He did for me I am forever overwhelmed. Paul says in verse 15 "having disarmed powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them. Jesus didn't do anything part of the way, He didn't leave anything undone. When He cried it is finished it was finished. He didn't just fire a warning shot to the evil rulers of this words instead after defeating them completely He led them around and paraded their shame so all can know that we are no longer subject to their deceit if we are found in Christ. Paul goes on in verse 20 and reminds us that since we died and were raised with Him that we are not subjects to this world and it's ways. We don't have to handle, touch or taste. We are not under a system of legalism but He raised us and restored fellowship with the Father, that's right a relationship was made possible again. Not a series of works trying to please God but a relationship where we speak to God and He speaks to us. A relationship not unlike that with Moses who was said to be a friend of God. We can have many perspectives about God and most of them are true. We will never totally understand Him until we enter eternity but we can know Him and fellowship with Him. He is best portrayed as a loving Father looking out for His children. Even those of us who were not His children He has provided for our adoption and made us equal with His own. He is just and God and perfect in all His ways.

-Pastor Larry