There’s more than one reason Jesus has the right to meddle in our lives, to be the One whom our lives revolve around. While one reason is he made us, a second reason is he bought us. As Pastor Jeff Manion describes in the video clip below, Jesus’ death on the cross allows us, when we believe and receive, to have peace with God.
This was imagery very familiar to the Colossians. As part of the Roman Empire, they knew Roman peace was achieved through violence. Those who disrupted this peace were hung on a cross. If you got in their way, they would kill you. Rome’s “peace” was rapidly spreading and was bearing “fruit.” Paul’s words were not only counter-cultural, they were counter-empirical. These Colossian believers knew they’d have to decide to which empire they belonged, which one brought real peace.
Because Jesus bought us, “by making peace through his blood” (Colossians 1.20), he has the authority to be at the center of our lives. But, like the Colossians, we get to choose. We can choose the world (relationships, money, achievements, or status) or we can choose Jesus. Where are you looking to find peace? Discuss this question with a close friend or with your family around the dinner table this evening.
