First of All: Embracing Grace

No part of our human experience or existence remains unaffected by the love and reign of the risen Christ! Since Jesus is "First of All," we are invited to reprioritize every aspect of our lives under Christ's Lordship. Colossians is a letter that exalts this incredible reality.

As Paul begins his letter of encouragement to a group of Christians he's only heard about, he begins with an essential foundation. The love of the saints is a product of the faith they have as a result of their hope in heaven, Jesus Christ (vs. 4-5). In hearing the good news, the gospel, the fruit they are bearing occurs after they have come to understand and appreciate God's grace (vs.6).

Often, Christians give lip service to grace as they attempt to live "godly" lives only to find themselves tired and frustrated.

Learning to appreciate God's grace means moving through the discomfort of realizing what God's grace is. Unlike anything we've experienced in our transactional, sin-stained world, God's grace is opposite our expectations. Freely given because of who God is, this grace can not be earned, awarded, or merited - only received. This confronts our ego and comes face-to-face with our tendency toward self-righteousness. God's grace is truly amazing.