Week 28: Roots

Week 28: Roots

Today’s Text: Colossians 1-2

Key Text: Colossians 2:6-7

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

Do you remember the hugely popular TV miniseries called Roots?

It won numerous prestigious awards, and (according to Wikipedia) “still holds a record as the third highest rated episode for any type of television series, and the second most watched overall series finale in U.S. television history.” I was a sophomore in college – and the series made a big impression on me, my family, and my friends and classmates at the time.

Despite its historic impact, ask a young person about the series these days, and you are likely to get a big yawn and a “huh?” as a response. Time changes things. Ask about zombies and, well, you might have quite a conversation. Hmmm.

But I digress.

My real point is that long before this TV series and its important story came and went – there was this reference to “roots” – written by the apostle Paul.

For Paul, it was of central importance that his readers understand that they were “rooted” in their new life in Christ – and because they were – everything had changed for them, forever.

Genealogical roots are important, no denying that.

But equally – indeed, more important – are our spiritual roots. Paul uses words like these to try and make his point:

• Established
• Abounding

This rootedness establishes us in what? Faith.

This rootedness allows us to abound in what? Thanksgiving.

This is true, no matter what our physical, social, political, or cultural circumstances are at any given time.

They – we – have received Christ Jesus the Lord – and, in light of that, nothing can ever really defeat us.

What are the roots you cherish? I hope you can cherish your family roots, as many do. Some, sadly, cannot.

Either way, know that if you are firmly rooted in Christ – you belong to a family – and you have a heritage – that began before time itself – and will continue on for all eternity.

You can’t be much more established or have greater reason for abounding in thanksgiving than that.