PRAYING FOR WISDOM
Wisdom is, in many ways, the awareness of what is most real, of truth; and an ability to respond in life to this truth. And, our scriptures speak of wisdom in a way that implies we should pay whatever price is required to possess it, and at the same time that the credit for the purchase is already applied to our account. We can at times, assume that the credit was not gifted but an innate entitlement, a mere consequence of our being, of our character, of our history of faith. It is in these moments that we need to heed the counsel of Jesus to the Laodicea saints, to remember what is for purchase, by grace. Pray this confession and invitation in light of Jesus from Revelation 3, and enjoy wisdom like a fabulous dinner with a good friend…
Father, I assume too often that I have everything I need, even before I ask you to “give us this day our daily bread”. I live in such a manner that declares my faith adequate for the day, yet I am neither desperate for you as essential for life today, nor amazed by the rich mystery and grace of Christ in me, the hope of glory. But I stand here this day in light of the holiness of Jesus, the holiness and wholeness of his life and his work, and I now recognize that I am not as wise in myself as I think. Forgive me Father. Let me today take the counsel of Christ, to buy from him gold refined by fire so that I might be rich in the treasure you give me through him. Might I purchase white garments so that I might be clothed in the identity you give me, free of shame before you and others. And, may I acquire from Jesus a salve to anoint my eyes, so that I might see. You stand at the door and knock, I hear your voice and open the door. Dine with me today!
GETTING INTO COLOSSIANS
Watch The Bible Project’s video overview of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, which you can find here.
Now read Colossians 2:1-23 then work through the section below.
REFLECTING ON TRUTH
The renowned New Testament scholar, J.B. Lightfoot, once noted that “Colossae was the least important church to which any epistle of St. Paul was addressed.” No matter how much commentators attempt to paint a picture of Colossae as a consequential city in the ancient near east, the reality is that it was not. It was a common city for its time. Commonness is not a derogatory reference, but it is also nothing specular; no ancient songs or tales will enshrine Colossae in the annals of history. Yet, its neighboring cities have a bit more prestige, though only slightly. Laodicea lay less than twelve miles from Colossae, about three miles closer than the center of Richardson is from where we gather on Sunday afternoons.
Laodicea was not the typical New Testament named town either. While there was certainly a Greco-Roman flavor to this city, it also had a large Jewish population for at least 150 years prior to the birth of Jesus, so Jesus would not have been too foreign to them. There was a sense of familiarity with those like Epaphras who were teaching the way of Jesus. Additionally, from all accounts, there was no particular occult or god or goddess attached to this city that would make it a religious mecca for the pagan gentiles. It was, as Colossae, common. A city made up of men and women from around the Roman empire, resettled there for economic reasons, an ordinarily worldly city—not debase like Corinth or extremely “spiritual” like Ephesus. In modern comparisons, it was no Vegas or New York, no Seattle or L.A.; rather, it was Dallas; not on the cutting edge or even the center of culture, but right smack in the middle of it all.
Laodicea’s economics were driven not by being a port city or a city of great natural resources, but one dependent on the trade of capital (banking and finance) and fashion (a black wool that the sheep in the area were known for). Though a relatively large city, it was quiet, and yet it had its hands in the world of the moment but was not overly dependent on the affairs of others, and in this way, it was an independent city. For example, about the time of Paul’s letter a massive earthquake hit the region, but the Roman historian Tacitus bragged that the city needed no outside help to rebuild. Much like our city, it was a stable place.
Why do we mention Laodicea? Well, Paul mentions that he is praying for them in the first verse of chapter 2. It seems they need the same encouragement and exhortation as the church of Colossae, at least by Paul’s assessment having been to Laodicea himself but not to Colossae. Paul knows their leader, Archippus, and apparently wants him to be encouraged in the same things Paul is encouraging the Colossians on (see chapter 4:16-17). Thus, we can assume that these cities and their faith families are rather similar.
Now, we know something else about Laodicea, specifically the family of faith there. We know that they missed something in Paul’s affectionate pleas, or simply failed to heed them. Written 20 or so years later, the letter we call “The Revelation”, contains a special address to this faith family in chapter 3:14-22.
Of the seven churches assessed by Jesus in the opening chapters of the Revelation, only the gathered in Laodicea have no affirmation spoken to them. They, unlike the other six churches, have missed Jesus totally. And, somewhat surprisingly, they are the least aware of their miss-relating, their unfaithfulness or unfruitfulness.
To the other six churches addressed in Revelation by the risen and magnificently kingly Jesus, Jesus gives names to the issues / ideologies / opposition / heresies they face—either well or poorly. Each of the other six churches had explicit, observable opposition to the way of Jesus amongst them and in their cities. Whether the opposition posed as a friendly complement to the way of Jesus or was in direct conflict with it; the enemy was nameable. But to Laodicea he gives no name, rather only the effects—an apathy stemming from presumption. Apparently, the opposition had been successful, so successful that the Christ followers of Laodicea didn’t even realize it!
They presumed to have all they needed for life, for a good life, even a godly life; but without zealousness for the giver of life. They were neither desperate for Jesus nor in awe of Jesus. Jesus was “important but not central”. The reality is they were poor, unclothed, and blind to the reality of the One they claimed to follow because of the subtleties of the pressures to which they had succumbed. They are not called heretics but passionless. Not loveless but unimaginative. Not licentious but comfortable.
The pressures that they faced would not lead them to apostasy—a rejection or abandonment of Christ—but rather to apathy towards Christ. Christ would not be forgotten but simply enfolded into common life, enculturated into images, rituals, tattoos, slogans, etc.; but not abandonly followed, not fervently obeyed, not transformatively imitated. Merely worshiped in song and attendance, in study and association but not abidingly in his love, in his words, in their submission.
This lukewarmness, this comfortable temperature, was like room-temperature coffee that when sipped inspires an involuntary and grotesque action: spitting up. Colossae has the potential to become Laodicea, and so do we. And the danger is not the embracing of some pagan heresy or explicit idol worship at the pantheon; but rather a diminished view of Jesus and the otherness of the kingdom we have been transferred into.
USE THESE QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU PRAYERFULLY REFLECT INDIVIDUALLY AND/OR DISCUSS AS A DNA GROUP.
Like Laodicea, the saints in Colossae faced the subtle pressures of their culture that were not in out right opposition to Jesus, but nonetheless, could erode the vibrancy of their faith. As you consider that region’s similarities to our own time and place in history, what “pressures”, do we face that—while not explicitly demanding we chose between Jesus and them—nevertheless erode the vibrancy of our faith? To help you think through this question, consider the following:
How do the ways we shop (with limitless options and disconnected from the producers) and the ways we interact (virtually, texting, dating apps, etc.) impact how we relate to God, and his family?
What do we do and possess that distracts us from engaging with God? How so?
In what ways does our access and consumption of information impact the way(s) we attempt to access and “consume” God?
What does our culture accept as the primary way we help / support people? How does that compare to the way Jesus helped / supported people?
What does our culture, often implicitly, assume is the purpose of difficulty and suffering?
What are the images of a good life that our culture gives us (in various ways like movies, adds, news media, etc.)?
What does our society find offensive? How does that compare to what Jesus found offensive?
BE ZEALOUS & REPENT
Repenting is one of the most ordinary and extraordinary practices of our faith heritage. The stories and letters that ground our faith are replete with exhortation to and examples of repentance. In a nutshell, repentance is the turning away from one thing and grabbing hold of something different. It is not merely the ceasing of action or attitude, but the replacement of what is let go with something completely other than what is released.
Discernment is the term our faith history has for those that live wisely, mature in their faith. Often, we seek from God answers, rather than this discernment. We want to remain children, rather than grow up. Yet our Father desires for us to walk in the freedom of maturity, the leisure of those who find themselves enmeshed in the reality of his presence, always creating, always re-creating. Today, spend some time letting go of those “childish” things that keep you from growing up; those fears, that arrogance or ignorance; and grab hold of what is yours, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”