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November 5, Sunday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Unselfish Service — Jesus is, again, presented as an example in this passage. First, He is a model for pleasing others. Paul challenged us to help those who are weak and “to please his neighbor for his good, to his building up” (v. 1). That is what Jesus did for us. Instead of doing what comes naturally, “Christ did not please Himself” (v. 3). It is natural for us to please ourselves because we were born sinfully selfish. Jesus is our standard, and the more we become like Him, the more we will be desiring and trying to please others. What do they need? How can I help them? Jesus’ second example was that of accepting others. We are called to accept others: “… accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God” (v. 7). Since the context here involves Jews and Gentiles, this command about acceptance certainly includes prejudice against groups of people who are different. Differences challenge harmony, but we are commanded to accept one another. What can you do to reach out to someone in your church community who may be feeling “different” than the majority? Go after them! Make them feel welcome! Accept them! Jesus’ third example was that He reached out to others: “Christ has become a servant to the circumcision [the Jews] … and for the Gentiles” (v. 9). Notice how Jesus reached out to them—by serving them. This is, again, an unnatural act — we want to serve ourselves. It takes the example of Jesus and the power of the Spirit to enable us to be willing to reach out to others by serving them. It goes back to following Christ’s first example: “How can I help you?”
Let Others See Jesus in You – YouTube
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November 6, Monday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Firstborn — The word “firstborn” is used primarily in the OT when referring literally to the first person or animal to be born from a womb. It is also used figuratively, however, to represent a position of greatest honor, e.g., God said of David, “I also shall make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (Ps. 89:27). That is the sense intended here when Christ is said to be “the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15). He was not created, because it says, “all things have been created through Him and for Him” (v. 16). He is the head of creation. The word “firstborn” is also used in this passage in a different way: “He is … the firstborn from the dead” (v. 18a). This speaks of His resurrection, which does involve a time element. Although Jesus raised others from the dead, they were not truly resurrected, having to die again. Jesus’ resurrection was for eternity, as ours will be at His Second Coming. He was the first to be permanently raised from the dead. There is great honor involved here as well. His resurrection was “so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (v. 18b). Jesus, as the Son of God, has always been Yahweh.
At the Name of Jesus – YouTube
Meditation: There are several other important characteristics of Jesus mentioned in this important passage. He “is the image of the invisible God” (v. 15), which shows His fully divine nature. When His disciples saw Him, they saw the Father. He is not only the “firstborn” of creation, but also the center of it. Creation was accomplished “in [or by] Him … through Him and for Him” (v. 16), and it is maintained by Him (“in Him all things hold together”—v. 17). He is also “the head of the body, the church” (v. 18) in leadership and eminence, and He bought it with the price of “the blood of His cross” (v. 20). Jesus is Lord!
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November 7, Tuesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Treasure and Fullness of God — This passage emphasizes two very important things about Christ. The first is that treasures are found in Him — “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (v. 3). Jesus is the ultimate source for wisdom and knowledge. This statement is made in the context of a warning about false teachers, those who would “delude you with persuasive argument” (v. 4) and those trying to take “you captive through philosophy…” (v. 8). All we need to know about Jesus and about the Christian life is found in His words in the Gospels and the words the Holy Spirit gave in the rest of the New Testament. All present-day cults are based on Jesus plus something else—another writing, another message, another vision, etc. No, all spiritual wisdom and knowledge is found in Jesus. He is the treasure of God. The second fact in this passage is that deity is found in Jesus: “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily” (v. 9). Jesus was God in the flesh. He was greater than the prophets who came before Him. They communicated God’s truth, prophesied about the future, and performed miraculous acts, but they were only God’s representatives, God’s tools. Jesus was the only human who was also God. He is the fullness of God.
O Savior, Precious Savior – YouTube
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November 8, Wednesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Cooperative Renewal— Jesus is the Christian’s purpose and power for living. We were “raised up with Christ” (v. 1) at our conversion, our “life has been hidden with Christ” (v. 3), and “Christ … is our life” (v. 4). Does our outward life reflect that inward spiritual condition? It often doesn’t, so we must work at it. Christ will work with us in giving us the power, but we are to intentionally participate. We must “put off the old man with its evil practices” (v. 9)—Paul lists 11 of them—and “lay them all aside” (v. 8). When we take the initiative to rid ourselves of these practices, Christ steps in to help. Then, our “new man … is being renewed” (v. 10). That verb (“is being renewed”) uses the Greek passive voice, meaning that someone else is doing the action on us; it is Christ’s action. It is a cooperative renewal. When you “consider the members of your earthly body as dead” to sinful practices (v. 5) and “keep seeking the things above” (v. 1), you will be gradually changed into “the image of the One who created” you (v. 10).
Take My Life, O Lord, Renew – YouTube
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November 9, Thursday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Discovering Blessings — The adult class I teach at church is currently going through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. I spent nine weeks teaching through the 12 verses of our reading for today. It is also packed with material about the Son of God. Eleven times in this passage, Paul recounts blessings we have, using expressions like, “in Christ … in Him … [and] in the Beloved.” It is not only that Jesus provides them for us, but that we find them “in Him.” That suggests a relationship. The more we experience intimacy with Him, the more blessings we discover. What are these spiritual blessings? We were chosen to be holy and blameless (v. 4), adopted as sons (v. 5), given grace (v. 6), provided redemption and forgiveness (v. 7), granted wisdom and insight (v. 8), understood mysteries (v. 9), made an inheritance (v. 11), and sealed with the Holy Spirit (v. 13). No wonder it is said that we are blessed with “every spiritual blessing” (v. 3) in Christ.
Count Your Blessings – YouTube
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November 10, Friday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Head of the Church — In this long prayer for believers in the church started by Paul in Ephesus, he shared several important things about Jesus Christ. First, we should consider a statement that might appear to take away from the deity of Christ, when Paul mentioned, “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory” (v. 17). Here, God is described as “the Father,” which is contrasted to Jesus Christ as the Son. The Father is “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ” in the sense that He voluntarily submits Himself to the Father. He is not less than the Father; they both are Yahweh. Second, as we have seen many times, Jesus was raised from the dead (v. 20a). It was that miraculous act that proved Jesus’ claim, that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Third, He was seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven (v. 20b). That is a position of ultimate authority, placing all other supposed powers under His feet, and making Him “head over all things to the church, which is His body” (vv. 22-23). Jesus is the Senior Pastor of His Church. He directs us, teaches us, corrects us, encourages us, and empowers us to be obedient and faithful.
Head of Thy Church Triumphant – YouTube
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November 11, Saturday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Unity of Peace — Our world is plagued by a lack of peace. There are currently four major wars going on that have killed at least 10,000 people in the past two years. There is a lack of peace in our cities where gangs fight against each other. Peace is also lacking in families that are existing in turmoil or broken by strife. It should be, and is, much different in the Church of Christ. Why? The answer is contained in a wonderful statement in our passage for today: “He Himself is our peace” (v. 14). When we come to Christ for salvation, we step into the realm of peace. He is peace. The closer our relationship, the greater our peace. When this is viewed from a larger perspective, the collection of people who come to know Jesus and find peace find themselves at peace with each other. That is the Church of Christ. Jesus’ death broke down the wall that divided Jews from Gentiles, and it broke down the wall that divides groups of people today. People of different skin color and from different countries can worship together in peace. People with and without tattoos, different clothing styles, and economic levels, worship God together. That is because the Church’s foundation is Jesus Christ, and He Himself is our peace.
The Church’s One Foundation – YouTube
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