Sunday's Comin' #252 - Colossians 2: 13-15

Jeff Klein, Pastor of Outreach

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Jeff Klein  0:07 

Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose in the word of God. It's Tuesday, November 15. This is Jeff Klein, Pastor of Outreach at the church. I'll be reading today from Colossians 2, verses 13 through 15.

Jeff Klein  0:18 

You were dead because of your sins and because of your sinful nature, was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all your sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us, and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Jeff Klein  0:43 

In this passage, Paul is explaining what Jesus did for us when he died on the cross. He is explaining what happened; what was healed in the universe when Jesus gave his life. He is explaining why Jesus died and what his death accomplished. Have you ever read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis? Lewis does a brilliant job of explaining what these verses are all about. In the story, Edmund betrays his friends and makes an agreement with the White Witch to get his Turkish to light. Aslan rescues him, but a penalty must be paid. He must be ransom from the agreement that he has made with the White Witch. Aslan offers himself, forgives Edmund's sins, and cancels the record of the charges against him, disarming the White Witch (and her emissaries) and shaming them by his victory over them on the stone table. The Witch was not aware there was a deeper magic than the one that allowed her to shed blood. Aslan explained this after he rises from the dead. He says this, "Though the Witch knew the deep magic, there's a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back into the stillness, in the darkness before time dawn, she would have read a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the table would crack and death itself would start working backwards."

Jeff Klein  2:04  

Paul here in Colossians, is telling us about this deep magic, written before time began, the rules of how the universe works, how it is consistent with the character of God. Jesus is the victor over the enemy and his minions. Jesus through his death on the cross and his cancelling of the charges against us brought by the enemy, establishes his reign and rule once again - both on planet Earth and the hearts of people like us. Jesus is King. Have you ever pondered the cosmic significance - what was done for you on the cross? It is way bigger than praying a prayer. It is way bigger than just you or me. It is a cosmic remaking the universe, reversing the temporary curse and the work of the enemy to take slaves and ruin lives.