I have a long list of pastors that I admire, but I have to admit that I admire this pastor for a whole other set of reasons.  Enjoy the drama.

 

 

Lesson from Feburary 15th, 2009

Colossians 2:16 – 23

Last week, we studied Col 2:6 – 2:15.  Note that 2:16 begins with “Therefore,” linking our verses this week with the prior verses.  Let us first review part of last week’s lesson.  We saw that Paul was giving the Church at Colosse a warning.  Apparently, like many of the early churches, the church in Colosse had individuals whose teachings deviated from the purity of the Gospel as preached by Paul. 

Riverside has partnered with Terry and Teresa Allen, pastors of Elim Covenant Church in Elim, Alaska, to help them meet the physical and spiritual needs of their rural Alaska community.

 

This week I am in Chicago at our denomination’s Midwinter Conference. My roommate is a close friend from seminary and the Worship Director at Cascade Covenant Church in North Bend, Washington.

 

Lesson from February 1, 2009

We know Jesus best when we share his deepest humiliation with him. It is the glass through which we see God most clearly
-David E. Garland

The opening verse in this passage can throw us off a bit if we imagine that Paul is referring to the sufferings of Christ. His reference is to his own sufferings on Christ’s behalf, which he incurred in the process of spreading the gospel and in particular in bringing it to the gentiles. He was in prison as he wrote this letter, and had and would experience many hardships.