Reconciling to Himself all things

Nov. 12 – Colossians 1:15-20     The last day of the Climate Change Conference

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

I have put in bold the use of “all” or “everything”.

The he and him through this passage is Jesus. Through Jesus the creation came into being – that includes the creation things and animals “in heaven and on earth” – along with the physical and the spiritual “visible and invisible” – and all the powers of the world. All of this was created through Christ and for Christ. In Jesus Christ the creation holds together – vs. 17.

Vs. 18 turns to think about the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the reconciliation that comes into being because of that – and it feels like at the end of vs. 18 and into vs. 19 – that we are headed towards praise and worship of Jesus Christ. Of which he is more than worthy.  

But vs. 20 takes an unexpected turn – and we are back to the question of reconciliation that the cross brings into being. It is not just human beings that are reconciled, rather all things will be reconciled in and through Jesus Christ. All things – on earth or in heaven – all things - -that would include the creation. Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection was not just to save human beings – it was to bring about the salvation of all things – of creation. In Christ, the creation is being reconciled – saved – redeemed.

We have been very human centered in our thinking about what God is doing in Jesus’ death and resurrection – this passage invites to see that God desires that all things be reconciled and that peace come between all things. Jesus has come to bring reconciliation to all of creation. The creation is being saved along with us, human beings. 

PRAYER:

God of hope, we rejoice in the reconciliation that your Son, Jesus Christ, has begun in the world – we look forward to the day when that reconciliation is fully revealed. The day when we are reconciled with all people – with all animals – with all things. We look forward to the day when enmity and division is no more. Teach us to live into the hope of that day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.