[24] Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, [25] of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, [26] the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. [27] To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [28] Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. [29] For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Category Archives: Memorize
Week 4 :: Col. 1:17-23
[17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. [21] And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [22] he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, [23] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Week 3 :: Col. 1:11-16
[11] May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Week 2 :: Col. 1:6b-10
[6b] – as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, [7] just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf [8] and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. [9] And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Week 1 :: Col. 1:1-6a
[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, [2] To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. [3] We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, [5] because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, [6] which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—
Memorizing Colossians
We began memorizing Colossians this week. Our mission, so to speak, is the commit Paul’s letter to memory in the next fifteen weeks. We should be done by Christmas.
I am excited about learning this book. Each week, I will post the verses we are learning. In between work and home, I will write up notes learned from my study — and from my partners, I hope to get their thoughts posted as well.
Paul teaches about the doctrine of Christ more fully and systematically than in his earlier epistles. Paul teaches about what they already have: a hope laid up in heaven, an inheritance with the saints, deliverance from the tyranny of darkness, a seat with the risen Christ. Against the false teachings facing the Colossians, Paul reminds them Christ had done all that was necessary for their salvation (O’Brien). From the ESV Study Bible, the key themes of Colossians are:
- Jesus Christ is preeminent over all creation, Lord over all human rulers and cosmic powers (Col. 1:15–20; Col. 2:9–10; Col. 3:1)
- God has worked through Christ to secure redemption and reconciliation for all who put their faith in him (Col. 1:13–14, 20–22)
- Believers are in Christ and thus participate in a relationship of solidarity with Christ in his death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, his new life, and his fullness (Col. 2:9–14; Col. 3:1–4)
- Christ has defeated the powers of darkness on the cross, and Christians share in his power and authority over that realm (Col. 2:10, 15; see also Col. 2:8, 20)
- Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish expectation, and Christians now share in the heritage of the old covenant people of God through their union with him (Col. 1:12, 21–22, 27)
- Believers are called to grow in maturity in Christ by getting rid of sinful practices and cultivating Christian virtues (Col. 1:10–12, 28; Col. 3:1–4:6)
Psalm 2
[2:1] Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
[2] The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
[3] “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
[4] He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
[5] Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
[6] “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
[7] I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
[8] Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
[9] You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
[10] Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
[11] Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
[12] Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Summer Memorization
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to travel in Israel and Jordan on a tour group led by my father-in-law. Traveling in the Holy Land sounded so cliche, and at first, I resisted taking the trip. My wife had gone already on another tour, also with her father, and she could not stop talking about it — and she signed me up to go when her dad began setting up another group. It was a wonderful trip, one that I am glad I took.
Yet, this post is not about the trip or pictures or food. It is about the Psalms. As we wrapped up our tour, we spent several days in and around Jerusalem. Our guide, Harrison Cohen, read from Psalm 122 as we ascended in the bus to Jerusalem. As you might guess, he read Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” Later as we began our tour of the temple mount area, we stopped by the Western Wall. Many of the men were praying aloud or reading aloud, so I decided to read the “songs of ascent” (Psalm 120-134) while standing at the Western Wall.
When I finished memorizing Philippians using the “memory moleskine,” I wanted to make sure that I did not lose the momentum I had gained. I wanted to learn more Scripture. As a summer project, I laid out the songs of ascent. I had always heard great things about the Psalms, yet it was not until this effort to learn them that I grew to share that opinion. The songs of ascent seemed so real, so down-to-earth, focusing on what felt like our own real life struggles. The songs covered times of blessing and times of despair, times of worship and times of scorn from others, times of excitement and times when all seem against you.
Each summer if the schedule allows it, I am going to work through the Psalms. This summer, I will start at the beginning, working through the first twelve psalms. I have several books to help me as I study these, but I am most excited about reading “The Way of the Righteous in the Muck of Life” by Dale Ralph Davis.
Psalm 1
[1] Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
[2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
[3] He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
[4] The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
[5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
[6] for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Week 5: Isaiah 53:10-12
[10] Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
[11] Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
[12] Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.