This Sunday we read the ancient hymn-text recorded by Paul in Colossians 1:15-20, a text intended to remind the church at Colossae that they could not be in the business of worshiping Jesus a little bit, alongside other gods.
It is either Christ alone or Christ not-at-all
but never "Christ & ____".
What does that look like today? What are the "& _____"s that we add to the work of Christ? If we are interested in claiming Christ's lordship over "every square inch in the whole domain of our human existence," we might do well to start in our own hearts, in our own lives. There can be no "Christ & _____".
So we threw our "& ____"s in the trash and posted Christ on the cross to remind ourselves that there can only ever be one source of salvation.
After the fact, though, one of you thoughtful people pointed out, "But I'm not going to throw good things, the gifts of God, in the trash!" And, you know what, thoughtful person? You are right!! I should have had a different option.
Some of the things we hold on to (our idolatries) are junk and they deserve to be thrown out of our lives (I'd say, for me, this is an inappropriate attraction to a comfortable or safe life, guarding myself against vulnerability.) But there are other things we hold on to (also idolatries if we hold onto them as though they can save us) that are good gifts and worthwhile endeavors. (Again, for me, this would be a sense of vocation. It is good to be a pastor. But being a pastor won't save me or earn me extra credit/favor with God.)
So I should have asked you to rip the paper and post Christ on the wall. He is our only legitimate Savior. Then I should have told you to toss out the bad and hold onto the good. But, dear ones, learn to hold even your good thing in such a way that
a) you would sacrifice EVEN THAT for the sake of Christ and
b) you are daily made aware that it will not save you.
You see, our daily lives are littered with "alternate liturgies."
We would do well to discern and reflect upon how our mundane routines demonstrate our allegiance to a certain perception of "the good life." What do the rhythms of work and play teach us about how we are broken and how we might be restored?
The shopping mall is one such example. There we learn that we are broken because we do not wear the right clothes, have the right hair or body or shoes. And we learn that we can be restored by one more hit on the old charge card.
So, your challenge this week is to investigate the "alternate liturgies" of your life:
- How you commute to work
- What you listen to or watch on TV
- How you do the work of running a household
- Where you invest your families resources of time and money
- Patterns of friendship and relationship
- Hobbies, leisure time and entertainment
What do these things teach you about how you are broken and how you might be redeemed/restored? Wonder deeply about these things because these are the habits that form your character and your life.
Do the liturgies of your life orient you toward
"Christ in you, the hope of glory?"
(more on that this coming Sunday.)
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