JESUS IS LORD AND SAVIOR OF THE WORLD

Please read Col 1:15-20.

The Apostle Paul is very clear as lays out the supremacy of Jesus Christ: the same “all things” that Jesus Christ created and sustains are the very same “all things” that Jesus Christ is reconciling back to himself through his blood, shed on the cross. In other words, Jesus Christ died because of our sin, but he did not die just to save us; all of creation is groaning because of our sin (Romans 8), and he died to save his whole creation. Amen!

Sometimes we make the gospel all about us and only for us. We should correct this. Two points from Colossians apply here. First—the gospel is ultimately about God, not us. Second—the gospel is for us AND for all the rest of creation. It is God’s good news about the reconciliation of ALL THINGS by Jesus Christ, through his blood that was shed on the cross.

Consider the unified voice of the global evangelical church through the official statement from the Lausanne Congress last year (aka the Cape Town Commitments):
“We remind ourselves that the Bible declared God’s redemptive purpose for creation itself. Integral mission means discerning, proclaiming, and living out, the biblical truth that the gospel is God’s good news, through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for individual persons, and for society, and for creation. All three are broken and suffering because of sin; all three are included in the redeeming love and mission of God; all three must be part of the comprehensive mission of God’s people.”

What a big vision God has! And what an inexpressible privilege that he invites us to join him on this divine mission! I’ll unpack the implications of this more in future devotions. But for now let us simply be in awe of God’s matchless mercy and grace, which covers all our sin and heals the deep brokenness of the world we share. We worship him as our personal Lord and Savior, and we worship him as Lord and Savior of the whole world. God is good!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise him all creatures here below, praise him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.