Denver Community Church

June 20, 2010: Remember My Chains – Michael Hidalgo

Paul is an old man who is sitting in prison because of his  dedication to the gospel. There is no sign that he is getting out any time soon. So his final instruction is simple, “Remember my chains.” In other words, “Don’t let everything I have passed on to you be in vain.”

Do we remember Paul’s chains? Are we willing to live as an alternative community?

June 13, 2010: It Takes Everyone – Michael Hidalgo

It is amazing to me that we are always talking about Paul. Do you see the cast of characters that he lists, thanking them for what they have done. Unreal. These are people who are working for the same God and the same end as Paul. If they were not there, we may safely assume that Paul would not have been either. If the Kingdom was about one person (outside of Christ) there would be no kingdom. Likewise if DCC was any one person … there would be not DCC. 

June 6, 2010: Speaking at Last – Michael Hidalgo

Paul has gone through the entire letter telling the people in the Colossian Church how to live. In our world today, if faced with philosophical arguments, like the ones facing the Colossian believers, I suspect we would want to know how to respond … verbally. We often frame things in a very logical way … and attempt to assemble our words, thoughts, and evidence in a convincing way. However, all this does in the end is win and argument, rarely does it change minds.

Paul’s admonition is to be wise, redeem time, be full of grace, to allow the words to taste good … so that the Colossian believers would “know how to answer everyone.” It seems that they were to speak when they were asked. Some believe the assumption was that they were living such different lives that people would start asking. Their life was to speak … their word were to explain it. Perhaps this is why Paul says, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders …” first – because the way we act speaks louder than anything.

May 30, 2010: Always Aware All the Time – Michael Hidalgo

Most of our days are spent trying to accomplish a series of tasks. Often we just try to survive the day. Paul’s instruction challenges that. He speaks about a constant state of living. Being watchful … making the most of every opportunity. We are to live aware of our surroundings. We are to wake up to the world around us. 

What would it be like if we lived with greater awareness of God in our midst? What would it be like if we saw every encounter with another person as a divine appointment? I imagine that we would dwell more fully in grace, which, in the end, is what our speech is to be full of.

May 23, 2010: The Servant Master – Dave Neuhausel

So masters it seems are slaves to. After all Paul does speak about their “Master in Heaven.” He also calls them to a higher standard. Telling them to “provide what is right and fair …” Is Paul telling the masters to pay his people, or at the very least give them a good living – maybe pay “room and board?”

If Paul gives this instruction to masters, in reflection of their Master in Heaven, what does this tell us about God and his loving-kindness? What can we learn about his provision for us?

May 16, 2010: Slaves of All – Michael Hidalgo and Steve Cohen

Today, slavery is wrong. There are few who would say differently. Yet Paul does not come right out and say that slavery is wrong. A few things to keep in mind (not that any of these things make slavery right). First, slavery in the Roman world was much different than slavery as we have seen in American history from our founding right up until today. Second, some of these slaves worked for Christian owners. So what do we make of this?

 

We will spend time looking at abolitionist theology and the perspective of those who were slaves. With slavery being a large human rights issue today, what can we do and how should we think about this so as to make a difference?

May 9, 2010: From Father to Son – Michael Hidalgo

Paul addresses little kids and fathers. From our perspective, who is the one more responsible? Certainly children have to listen and obey, but if we think about the roles we would most certainly hold the father more responsible. In the Colossian context fathers were the heads of the household. They were in charge. It was “their way of the highway.” Here, Paul calls on them to be a more gentle kind of person. 

Which is understandable. Why is it that father’s play such a large role in our lives as kids? What connection does this have to our understanding of God as father? How can those, who were embittered, no longer live a discouraged life, but find healing from the wounds of their Dad?

May 2, 2010: An Institution We Can Live With – Michael Hidalgo

For some the idea of marriage is intolerable. Not just the idea of being married but the idea that one has to submit. Or one has to lead. Or one has to have a certain role. At first glance it seems that Paul is supporting Aristotle’s ideals in which he suggests that a man is more fit to lead than a woman. This however is not the case. The reality is that in marriage both husband and wife are called to be more like Christ. Paul compares marriage to Jesus’ love in Ephesians 5 … maybe the posture of both husband and wife, in their relationship, should be to allow themselves to be “crucified” daily. Sacrificing oneself for the other.

April 25, 2010: Faith As Culture – Michael Hidalgo

Many followers of Jesus frequently try to understand how to engage the culture we live in. But what if our faith was our culture. What if everything we did emerged out of our Kingdom mindset and loyalty to the Kingdom of Heaven? How would this affect our politics? How would this affect our consumerism? How would this affect the way we use our hard earned cash? 

We will look at our engagement with our world as Kingdom citizens. What is it that informs our actions? When is it okay to “get political”? Why is it that we are comfortable talking about all sorts of things outside of a Sunday morning context … but on Sunday morning we get very uncomfortable?

April 18, 2010: Calling It Something – Dave Neuhausel

How do I do everything in the name of Jesus? Doesn’t Paul know how mundane much of my day already is? Perhaps this understanding begins by what Paul has just said, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you …” If this is the reality then our minds and hearts are fixed more fully on him. And everything we do is for him, in him, and through him.

As we move toward this way of living, we may just end up in a place that we enjoy being. All of words, tasks, deeds, and our very lives will be lived not out of our drudgery but out of joy. One might even refer to this kind of living as a “calling.” Maybe this is what the message of Christ is after all.