“He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation”. Colossians 1:22

In 1989 the Berlin wall came down. One of the girls in my class visited the site and brought back a piece of stone from that barrier, and her family were able to renew relationships with family in East Germany. Our relationship with God has been severed by a dividing wall of hostility; our sin, rebellion and apathy cut us off from the one true holy God. Those of us who trust in Christ’s atoning death for our salvation are in the privileged position of having that relationship restored. By God’s grace we have turned to Christ from our sins.

This reconciliation was costly – it cost Jesus His life. His blood was shed on the cross so that we might have peace with God (Col. 1:20). When Jesus lived on earth He was a real physical human being, yet perfect and sinless. Jesus paid the price for us, as 2 Corinthians 5:19 shows: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s sins against them.”

He took our sins in His own body on the tree (the cross). So this reconciliation is complete – we are presented holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
What should be our response? Firstly contrition, a deep repentance for all our wrong doings and selfish lack of doing, which causes damage to our relationship with God and with others. This involves a willingness to amend our ways and a desire to walk obediently with God.

Secondly compassion for all those who have not yet found their peace with God, and a desire to share the good news of salvation with them. “God reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18.

Lord God, we thank You for Your work for and through us in this ministry of reconciliation. Amen.

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily”. Colossians 2:9

Ten words set out a powerful statement here about Christ. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul is not hinting that Christ was in some way connected to God. He was not saying that Christ was some sort of representative or prophet of God. Paul was spelling it out for anyone who may have had their doubts: Jesus Christ, a man, was also God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No tricks, no mirrors, no fakery. He was the Real Thing.

Paul uses “whole fullness” together to emphasise the power here. Why not just “fullness” or perhaps,“whole deity”? When we try to explain something pretty amazing that we may have seen, we are excited, we use emphasis and colour to our conversation. Can you describe the Grand Canyon accurately or perhaps some wonderful thing that you have seen to someone who has not? Paul could have spent the rest of his life writing pages and pages about God, and still not explained God. Who can? But he does a pretty good job with these 10 words…

For the mystery of God Incarnate we thank You, Lord, and for the gracious revelation of it in Holy Scripture. Amen.

“For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:10

I like this verse because I find that it resonates with me long after I have read it. During my years in the wilderness, I always believed in God and felt that He was near me. At the back of my mind and under my skin; an imprint on my soul.

But this knowledge about my true self was something that only I knew about. It was a kind of secret me. In my daily life I struggled under layers of worldly vices, and I looked for answers in bottomless pits.

I don’t know how it happened but one day when things had been gloomy for a long time, God called me back. Not long after that I went to church.

It was only when I let my inner belief manifest itself in my outward actions that I could truly step out from the shadow of an old identity.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the miracle of changed hearts, enabling us to turn, confess and be saved. Thank You for never giving up on us, but giving us a way back. Amen.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The above text is part of Peter’s speech before the Sanhedrin after Peter healed a crippled man at the Beautiful Gate in the name of Jesus. This is the first miracle that Peter performs in Jesus’ name after being anointed with the Holy Spirit. Indeed it is the first miracle performed outright and in that, Jesus’ promise is fulfilled – that Peter would be the rock and foundation of the Church.

Peter became a shining example for us in what to do as a Christian and indeed preached it with one phrase, namely the phrase written above. It is a simple formula and not always easy to follow. But if we follow Peter’s example of doing everything in the name of Jesus in our daily lives – whether we be loving, caring or serving – then I believe we will be following powerful, blessed lives that point to Jesus’ wonder-working, saving power in our lives.

Peter had first-hand knowledge and experience of the power of the name of Jesus. He saw Jesus perform many miracles and speak with authority about the Kingdom of God. He knew that he couldn’t do anything unless Jesus commanded it – one great miracle being when Jesus asked Peter to come out on the water with Him, albeit that the miracle only lasted a few seconds (see Matthew 14: 22- 33).
Peter definitely knew that there’s power in the name of Jesus and lived his everyday life ever-ready with that potent knowledge.

Thank You God that You gave us Peter to be a shining example of proclaiming salvation in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36

So said John the Baptist when answering a question posed by his disciples about Jesus who, they said, “is baptising and everyone is going to Him.”

The text is the last sentence of a nine verse testimony about Jesus. John was not jealous of Jesus’ popularity but generous and God-fearing in his answer.

God’s wrath and our death, which we all deserve, is avoided only by belief in Jesus, the Son. Through belief we gain a different quality of life. It is life that belongs to God and is God’s gift to those who believe and trust in Jesus. Eternal life starts now (note the present tense) and it continues forever through physical death into the kingdom of God, which is to come.

As Jesus said in John 17:3, “this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”

Thank You, Lord God, for the gift of eternal life through Your Son. We pray that more and more people will come to trust in this wonderful work. Amen.