Luke 23:3-7 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. 4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” 6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
 
PILATE is an unwilling participant in this unholy act. He is also a coward. Consider the man has complete control of Jerusalem. At his word, a man can be crucified, and a man can be set free. His word commands legions of highly trained soldiers who will professionally and violently defend Rome’s position in Judea.
    But Pilate acts as if he is equal, even less than Jesus’ accusers. His quick question to Jesus causes him to say, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” One question is enough. He wants to free Jesus and be free of this responsibility. Yet, he listens to the Jews. Instead of holding firm to his decision, he passes Jesus on to Herod.
    Pilate is as weak as the teachers and priests. The Jewish authorities wanted to pass on Jesus to the Roman authority. Now he passed Jesus on to Herod, Galilee’s authority. It seems no one wants to be bold and say, “Condemn this man.” Why?
    The apostle Paul wrote something that can be the reason why. Romans 1:18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 
    These wicked men know they are wicked. Their conscience is disturbing them. The Lord stands in their presence, silent to their sin; yet, he speaks loudly and clearly into their souls. The authorities are right to hesitate to use their earthly authority to judge the heavenly Judge. It is no wonder they want to pass of Jesus to someone else. Their souls are at risk, and they know it.
    We often do the same, don’t we? Asking God, “Are you my King?” we become uncomfortable when he says, “Yes, it is as you say.” We judge that God’s will and purpose doesn’t fit our understanding. Ill at ease in the presence of Holiness, we judge God to be “out of touch”, “irrelevant”, or “the guy upstairs”. The more we judge him to be on our level, the less we fear his judgment.
    If you see yourself anywhere in there, remember who is the King: Psalms 24:7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
 
Prayer: May I never judge you, Lord God, King of glory. Amen.
 

Colossians 4:2-4 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 
 
OFTEN those who are passionate to see the Word of God spread and for the church to grow ask, “What are we supposed to do?” The question comes during meetings or after years of trying different approaches to ministry that seem to bear little, if any, growth in the Kingdom of God. That question comes from leaders in many churches as they view years of declining attendance. And the question increasingly comes from godly parents who wonder why their children avoid or ignore church. How do we answer the question?
    The only answer is in the prayer focus of Paul’s words here. To strengthen and grow the church, Paul urges the church to commit to the one strategy: Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
    To be earnest in prayer is to be constantly diligent to persevere in prayer and to follow closely a pattern to pray. It means the church sticks to praying as if its very life depends upon prayer because it does.
    Prayer is God’s invitation to you to speak to him with trust and faith. Praying tells God you know you need him to do his will in his church and on earth. Praying lifts your faith to the throne of God.
    Jesus was devoted to prayer. This is to be the way of his church, too.
 
Life Thought: Stop meeting and start praying.

Colossians 4:1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. 
 
NONE of us are masters over slaves, are we? Thankfully, our country long ago put away that hideous enterprise in which people owned and sold other human beings. So how does this verse apply to us today?
    Perhaps one way of looking at this is your attitude toward all people. For example, do you speak with “mastery” over others, using critical words? Do you see others as less capable than you at work, at home or at church? Might you have thoughts of mastery over others because you hold to certain political beliefs?
    As we are born in sin that separates us from God, we are prone to separate ourselves from other people. In an attempt to master life, we find ways to feel superior through our language and behavior. With vain hearts, we consider others as slaves to our own cause. “How dare you cut me off? Would you please hurry up! Can’t you get it right? I’ll come when I’m ready!”
    With such words we create a strident master-slave discord over others. We attempt to enslave others’ thoughts and actions to serve our own. And too often we even compromise what is good and right in our lives to gain more mastery over things and people.
    In all ways of life, we must remember Paul’s reminder that we, indeed, have a Master in Heaven. Masterfully, God has created you and given you life. He has called you to be his in a deep, abiding love relationship. God alone is Master because God alone is the source of all life.
     Want to master life? Seek the Master’s truth.
 
Life Thought: Isn’t it good God is the Master, and you don’t have to be?

Colossians 3:18-21 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
 
THERE’S Paul, writing in Col 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”  And you say, “Great, I’m going to do that!” Then Paul writes “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”  
    What do you think, ladies? I wonder if you are you still saying, “I’m going to do that.” Submission draws pictures of husbands controlling their wives, and you see a life imprisoned by a man’s desires.
    But in truth, the way of submission is an agreement to follow God. That’s where the husband enters. Note, men, that whatever you do, whether in word or deed means you must love your wife. This is not merely with a romantic love, but this is a Godly love. You know that love, don’t you? It’s the love that caused Jesus to submit to the cross to die for you. Jesus displayed that love with his servant-like works on earth, his submission to the Father’s will and his sacrifice on the cross. Godly love is a deep, high, wide and long love that extends to every fabric of your being and relationship with your wife and children.
    Men, do your love your wife enough to die for her? Do you honor your wife because God has brought her to you? Do what is right. Teach her God’s ways and submit to her needs as well (see Ephesians 5). And men, you must be gentle and loving with your children. They, too, are God’s gifts to you.
    The family is very, very precious to God. He designed it to be the image of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father reigns. The Son submits to the Father. The Spirit acts to make known the Son. All is done in love.
 
Life Thought: Submit to God’s holy Word. Lovingly submit to one another.
 
 
 

Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 
 
WHEN you are rich in money, you put your money to use, don’t you? What do you do when you are rich in the words of Christ? Paul effectively says, “Put Christ’s rich words to use.” Then he tells you how. First, teach one another Jesus’ words. It’s always true, isn’t it, that we are to tell others of Jesus’ Gospel, the good news of life.
    Second, Paul says to “admonish one another with all wisdom”. That doesn’t sound very nice, does it? But it is nice. In fact, it is even necessary and loving to admonish people when they incorrectly use Jesus’ words. “Admonish” means to gently put a truth into someone’s mind, so he or she will know more of Jesus. If you don’t tell them the truth in a loving manner, they may never know.
    Third, go ahead and sing. Yes, sing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Don’t you love that? You get to sing of God’s glory and riches. You like to sing about Jesus, don’t you? Even if you can’t sing, I know you find a place to sing because you are rich in Jesus’ words. And note the singing can be psalms, hymns and spiritual songs! Rejoice and be glad in the variety of songs you get to sing for Jesus. Encourage others to sing and make music to the Lord.
    Then what? Use Jesus’ rich words in love. Lovingly tell others. Lovingly praise God for what he has poured into your life. Lovingly put Jesus’ rich words to use. There is no love such as Jesus’ love. Spread it around and watch it grow.  See it return repeatedly to bless you.
 
Life Thought: God enriches you with truth, so you will enrich others.
 

Colossians 3:13-15 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
 
YOU see that, don’t you? “Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
    How timely and truly God’s Word works. As I write this, I had been thinking of someone who made me very angry some time ago. You know what that’s like, don’t you? Out of nowhere comes this memory of someone’s attitude, words or actions against you. You feel your pulse rising, and your mind considering what you really wanted to say or do.
    But wait a minute. Do those thoughts really come out of nowhere? In reality they come out of an unforgiving heart, don’t they? My second thought was, “Let it go. Forgive him.” But I didn’t. My heart has too much unforgiveness to feel forgiveness. So what do I do?
    Ah – the answer is here in this Scripture: Bear with the man and realize I’m a sinner, too. Put on love and consider how in his love, Jesus died for me when he could easily have held judgment and righteous anger in his Heart against me. I need to forgive the man as the Lord forgave me.
    Without Jesus’ love in my heart, I have no capacity to forgive unless. Oh, Jesus’ love is the love that brought him to serve the world. Jesus’ love is the love that confronted the devil, the legalists and the sinners. Jesus’ love is the love that healed disease, healed sin and healed death. Jesus’ love is, “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down his life for His friends”. (John 15:13)
    Jesus’ love forgives.
 
Life Thought: Time to forgive, isn’t it?

Colossians 3:9-11 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of God who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 
 
THIS Scripture is one of the many, many references in the Bible that describe the people of God as being united in God. Another of Jesus’ great “unity teachings” is his affirmation of the two great commands: “Love God and love one another” (Mark 12:30-31). Have you ever wondered why Jesus joins loving others with loving God?
    The answer comes from the very beginning in Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
    Humanity bears God’s image. We have some of his character – ability to think, work, love, know right from wrong and govern. God gave to man to be his ambassador on the earth. He formed humanity to worship God and enjoy his blessings. In that worship is obedience, love and honor to God and one another. Mankind was given to command to rule the earth in a faithful love relationship with God that would extend to one another.
    That is God’s great love to His creation. Sadly, as we know, sin broke that image-bearing gift. But God made a clear pathway back to loving him. As you are saved into the Kingdom of God, you become a “new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
    Bearing God’s image, you are indeed to love God as a child loves her loving parents. And you are also to love those who bear his image – brothers and sisters who have new life in Jesus. Loving others is your expression of loving God. Loving God is obey his love command toward others.
    Yes, in Christ, you are blessed to bear the Creator’s image. He loves you. Express your love to him. Love others in Christ.
 
Life Thought: Connected to Christ, you are connected to all who are connected to Christ.