Last Sunday of the Church Year

Today’s devotional reading is drawn from Concordia Commentary: Colossians, focusing on the Epistle reading that describes Christ’s intricate involvement in creation and the world’s reconciliation.

Scripture Readings

Malachi 3:13–18
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:13–20
Luke 23:27–43

Read the propers for today on lutherancalendar.org.

Introduction

Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the one who was and is and is to come. As we arrive at the completion of this Church Year, we are reminded of Christ’s completed work of redemption. May He who created the world and won for us salvation keep us in the true faith until His coming again on the Last Day.

Devotional Reading 

Up to this point [in Colossians], Paul has made passing references to Jesus Christ. Now in this concluding and climactic portion of the overture, . . . he focuses full attention on our Lord, presenting Him as Creator, Lord, and Reconciler of the entire universe. In this way, Paul shows his readers how rightly to view the creation, both material and immaterial, earthly and heavenly. Moreover, he begins to demonstrate that in the incarnate Christ and in His redemptive work those who stand in a saving relationship with Christ have everything they need, including the “wisdom” and fellowship with God that the heresy plaguing the Colossians claimed to provide. . . .

Christ came in the form or image of God. That is, not only is He fully God, but He also is the second or last Adam. As the second Adam, Christ acted in a manner completely opposite of what the first Adam had done, for He did not
count equality with God something to be grasped for (Philippians 2:6). Instead, having emptied Himself in taking on the role of a slave, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to God’s will that He endure death on a cross (Philippians 2:6–8). Because of this obedience of Christ, the restoration to us of the image of God (holiness and righteousness) is now actualized in that God for Christ’s sake forgives us and therefore finds us acceptable to Him. God now deems us forensically to be as innocent as Adam once was in Eden. In Christ “we are being transformed into the same image”—the image of Christ.

Devotional reading is from Concordia Commentary: Colossians, pages 43, 50 
© 2003 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.
 

Prayer for the Day

Praise to You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In Your great mercy You have given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. You have given us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for us. Shield us by Your power until Christ comes with the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Amen.

Prayer is from The Lord Will Answer, page 440 © 2004 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.