Let It Out

Colossians 1:15-28

When Paul starts painting images through his masterful use of oratory, barely another thought beyond Christ can be achieved. At least that's how it feels for me. Last week I wrote about how Jesus was a Progressive for his time. The same can be said for Paul.

A Progressive is someone who questions traditions. A progressive works towards the acceptance of human diversity, especially focusing on social justice for the poor and oppressed. A progressive achieves change for the better of all humanity through compassion as well as social and political activism. Paul is most definitely a progressive.

Paul is also an Evangelist. Paul makes no quarrels about praising the work of Christ in his life. He makes no excuses for the person he used to be and he never shies away from the person he has become. In fact, in today's passage Paul tells everyone who will listen that he has become a servant of the church, or as he makes very clear, the body of Christ. He then goes on to say that as a servant of the body of Christ he will do his best to live out the commission given to him by Christ - to make the word of God fully known.

Paul says "word" and "known" not to mean everyone needs to begin reading the bible, after all the bible wasn't yet put together. What Paul means is that through his words and action everyone will understand the fullness of God's grace through the words and actions of Jesus Christ. Paul understands his commission to be an Evangelist for the unconditional acceptance of God, through the teachings of Christ. Paul does his best to achieve this as a modern day Progressive.

If we are to take to heart the words of Paul to the church in Colossae, we need to understand that Paul is speaking as someone seeking change at a time when change was difficult to come by. If we are to live Paul's words in today's societies we need to understand that that same message of change needs to be spoken, even though the change we seek will be just as, if not more, difficult.