852. Christ Is All and In All

Welcome to The Daily Platform sponsored by Bob Jones University today. BJ you president Steve Pettit continues his series entitled seeking things above from the book of Colossians you please take your Bibles and turn it this morning to Colossians chapter 3 today.

Colossians 3.

They want to welcome all the Bob Jones Academy students that are here with us today.

They were not here last Monday so welcome this morning to our Chapel, our reading this morning and Colossians chapter 3 and verse 11 which is really the tax verse that I'd like to sort of lay once again the foundation of what we are looking at this semester.

Our theme is seeking things above. On the third chapter of the book of Colossians as we are learning to walk with Christ. And last week we started with an introduction in this morning, I like to do one more introductory message that is found in our tax verse here in Colossians 3 and verse 11. The Scripture says where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor un-circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all last week we found out that the purpose of Paul's letter to the Colossians was to address a certain kind of false teaching that had worked its way into the church.

So what was being taught. We know a man name of Pampers came all the way from Colossae to Rome because he had a problem and he didn't know the answer.

He was dealing with a form of teaching that was slippery.

It was hard to get a grasp on what happened is certain instructors had come, declaring that the gospel that he Pampers had preached to the Colossians with sufficient enough to save them. But it was not sufficient enough to complete them or to mature them. In other words, a path for us gave them a message that was incomplete and they needed something more. And what these teachers claim to be able to provide for the Colossians was a fuller knowledge of God, along with a greater freedom from sin, and of course it appeals to all believers because all Christians want a greater vision of Christ and all Christians want greater victory over sin, seeing and knowing Christ and being able to live for him.

That's the heart of all Christians.

So their message appealed to that. But the problem with that was not focusing on Christ instead their emphasis was on some Addo's like mystical experiences.

You can read it all. In chapter 2, secretive knowledge, legalistic rules based on Old Testament laws severe bodily discipline what they call asceticism denying your self of certain bodily appetites, but their message had a problem and that is it implied that Jesus in the gospel were insufficient and they were incomplete for the spiritual life of the Colossians, you could say this way. They did not make much of Jesus in a lot of sermons in my lifetime. And if I hear a sermon after sermon in Jesus is not spoken of.

We've got a problem, and so Paul begins his letter by confirming the ministry of a Pappas he endorses him as a legitimate minister of Christ.

This man a path Pampers has accurately preach the gospel. He also confirms a Pappas's credibility by announcing that the message of the gospel that he was preaching is the same message that is being preached throughout the whole world and so once Paul establishes the credibility of a Pappas his ministry. He then launches into war.

He focuses on the believers vision of Jesus and Colossians chapter 1 beginning in verse 15 down to verse 18 and 19. We are at some of the highest points and biblical truth that speak of the supremacy and the sufficiency of Jesus.

Let's read those verses beginning in verse 15 of Colossians 1 where Paul says, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and for him and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church was the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence for please the father that in him should all fullness dwell the keyword that unlocks the theme of Colossians is the word all you see that in this passage is used some 30 times to emphasize. Jesus Christ is the one who is everything to everyone in our text first. Colossians 3 in verse 11 is actually a summary of that he's everything to everyone.

Christ is all in Christ is in all. So let's look at that meeting this morning. What is he mean when he says Christ is all I want to see me when he says in Christ is in all two things this morning.

Number one when he says Christ is all he means that Jesus Christ is described as the source of everything when you said Jesus, you said it all. Christ is all and Colossians 1, Paul tells us that Christ is the source of the created world.

Notice what he says in verse 16 for by him were all things created in the book of Genesis, Moses announces that all creation finds its origin in a supernatural creator God. Genesis 11 in the beginning God created the Old Testament reveals that the name of the creator is Jehovah Jehovah means the self existing one or the great I am. That is, he is a God that is a self sufficient being he depends on no one for his existence. Everything in creation finds its source and finds its sustenance in the God who made everything and Paul declares that this self sufficient. One did something amazing and bad is he took on human flesh and he became a person just like you and I the moment that Paul does this this announcement of the incarnation of Christ, he is simultaneously declaring that Jesus of the New Testament is Jehovah of the Old Testament. Remember what Jesus said, before Abraham was, I am in the incarnation means that God has fully revealed himself to me and in a man think of that God became one of us and there is no clearer picture of God. Then Jesus for Jesus said if you see me you sing the father so Paul announces that Christ is the creator. For by him were all things created.

He is the one who made everything the physical and the spiritual.

There's nothing made that he didn't create visible and invisible human or angelic. Everything finds its source in Jesus and since Jesus is the source of everything. He's also the one who sustains everything and by him all things consist writer of Hebrews says it this way. He upholds all things by the word of his power.

Christ is the one who keeps everything together. Everything would fly apart or fall apart without him. I'm convinced that marriages would fly apart without Jesus life would fall apart without him. A church without Christ. Could you imagine what it would be like an organization and institution, a university, you know what keeps us together focuses Jesus even your own discipleship group.

Just a small microcosm of reality having to live with people you don't know and perhaps people you would never become friends with.

What is it that bind your group together.

It's always Christ is what sustains us and ultimately Paul says Christ is the purpose for everything.

All things were created by him and for him. Nothing in creation will ever find true meaning in life apart from a connected relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don't know Jesus. And if you don't experience Jesus and if you don't live for Jesus. Then you'll never understand why you're alive, let me just say this to the student body.

Just because you're in a Christian environment and sitting in Christian classes and surrounded by Christians doesn't mean number one your Christian and number two it definitely does not mean that Christ is your life being lived out. If you learn anything in your years here Bob Jones University.

I hope it is this that you will come to find out that life without Christ doesn't make any sense. Find your life in Christ, no Christ is the meaning he's the purpose he's everything so Paul describes Christ as the source of creation.

But not only that in verse 18 Paul describes Christ as the source of the new creation. Look at verse 18 and he is the head of the body, the church, the church was brought into being through Jesus's resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into heaven. The cleansing blood of Christ and the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost makes spiritually dead sinners alive. We come alive, and God takes every believer and enters him into a living organism or baptizes him into a body and that body is called the church. It is a glorious thing to be a part of the church.

In reality you really don't join the church. You get born again into the church not think you all to join the local church, which is an assembly of the. The ultimate reality of the greater church and Jesus is both the head of this body, and he is the one who had superiority over everything. He's the source of the life of the church. He's the true vine who provides life for his branches, Jesus sustains the church by his power he supplies the church with his strength. He guides the church with his wisdom. He's the source of the life of the church, for in him we live and move and have our being. When Jesus is diminished in the life of the of the church that church will begin to shrivel up and die. I'll say it again if Jesus is not the source the substance the sustenance. The ultimate purpose of the church that church will dry up and die my 30 years of evangelism. I went to churches that later own.

I couldn't go back to because they were no longer in existence. Something happened.

The church died.

But thank God the ultimate church Christ body is not dead is very much alive in the church without Christ cannot be sustained.

He's the source of everything Paul says Christ is all that's what it means he's always everything but the notice. Secondly he says not only is Christ all, but it's is he Christ is in all. Not only is Jesus, the source of everything, but he's to be the focus of everyone you see the phrase in all is emphasizing the unity of the church he's in. All believers when he says Christ is and all he is speaking of the solidarity believers have all of us have with our connection or our union with Christ, we are all united to one another because we are all connected to him in the church is a body into which all believers from every imaginable background are joined together. Fact is, go back and look at verse 11. In chapter 3 when he says where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor un-circumcision. Barbarian Cynthia Bonner frequency talking about. He's talking about all the kinds of different people that are in the church and he says Christ unifies, he says, for example, Christ unifies people rate will racially the Greek and the Jew you couldn't find any more racial differences than Jewish people and Gentile people. They were completely different circumcision nor un-circumcision.

Christ unifies people culturally, the lifestyle of the Gentile and the lifestyle of the Jew were radically different, but in Christ they all come into one body, and then he says barbarian and Scythian Christ unifies people geographically, the barbarian were those who been conquered by the Roman empire. They were slaves. The Scythians were those who were uncivilized and unconquered and yeah that in the church there were barbarians and Scythian and then he says, bond nor free, that is, Christ unifies people economically. Whether you're poor or whether you're wealthy with you with your in chains are out a change.

Christ brings believers together and believers are incredibly diverse and yet they are all viewed as one number years ago I was preaching in New York City in the church of 200 people what what's interesting is the church had 40 different nationalities and that's just flat cool I love it I love going to churches where you have people there from from all kinds of different backgrounds, tribes and tongues and nations because the diversity speaks of the unity that we have in the Lord and this unity of believers here that Paul is speaking of Christ is in all is impossible without some commonalities in other words, for us to have unity. There are some things we have to have in common and what are the commonalities of believers, wherewith there are three of them number one we have a commonality in doctrine and what we believe all believers, regardless of their background embraced the same primary trues of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's what Paul says in Colossians 15 when he says that he pampers preach the word of the truth, the gospel now these trues are not mysteries that are hidden to us. Paul tells us what these trues are. He speaks of the deity of Christ Jesus is God. He speaks of the sacrificial atoning death of Christ. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, and he shed his blood so we could be forgiven.

He speaks of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and he has come alive in his ascended into heaven, so we as believers are connected to him in his death in his life. So Paul tells the Colossians that this is the same message.

This being preached throughout the world. There is a unity in that message. I think his point is very clear that these are primary trues. These are main trues. Now we know and in Christianity. There are secondary truth and there are tertiary or third level true.

Maybe I can explain this art a preacher preach a number years ago, sermon entitled die fight and fuss. He said now there's some things as a Christian I want to die for example, put my life allow I want to die for the inspiration of the Bible. I believe the Bible sort of God and I want to die for. He said I want to die for the virgin birth and the sinless life of Jesus Christ you put it under my head and asked me did I not, he's not die for that is that I want to die for his resurrection, die for salvation by grace through faith. Those are top Larry top level primary thing is it now there's some things off. I said now the baptism of the five for baptism. So if you don't believe in baptism, punch in the nose but I'm not gonna die for. And then there's something some of us will you know Christians fuss for things that's okay. Why, because we look at the Bible read it. We have different interpretation limitations of the true believer has no problem with interpreting the gospel correctly and there is a commonality among God's people over the things that they believe that are necessary for salvation. That's the unity we have been let me say secondly we have not only a commonality in doctrine, but we have a commonality inexperience everybody could say the same way. It's not like five different ways to heaven. All roads may lead the Indianapolis but not all roads lead to heaven is one way to get into heaven, and that way is through Jesus. That's why says in chapter 1 verse four I heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. In chapter 2 verse six he says is you have received Christ Jesus the Lord how to get saved by your good works by your baptism by you could live by the things you don't know you are saved, not by saving yourself but Christ saves you. You are believing and trusting in his death, his resurrection, so there's a commonality inexperience all who are believers are saved are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone.

Paul says that those who were saved, the same way experience the same thing. You can read in the Colossians, he says, for example, your forgiven your debts been paid. Your redeemed you been brought out of slavery to freedom you been reconciled. The worst of enemies to become the best of friends you been re-created your wants debit now you're alive. This is what God does for all of us. We have a commonality inexperience and Paul even goes further. He says Christ's saving work accomplishes for all of us what is necessary to live a life of victory that is we all have inexperience. What is necessary to live the Christian life and so chapter 2 beginning in verse 10 he says were complete in him, and he explains that completeness, beginning in verse 11. For example, he says Christ's death is the death of our flesh in Christ we been spiritually circumcised so that the power the flesh has been cut off or broken. We don't have to be enslaved to our sin nature. Why, because in Jesus we died in that powers been broken because only says in verse verse 12 he says Christ's resurrection is our resurrection from the dead, so that now we have been risen to a new spiritual life.

We have a spiritual life. We have a relationship with God. We can read the Bible and not only understand it, but it can feed our spiritual souls and strengthen many tells us that Christ is cancel the debt of our sin, because our sins were nailed to the cross and therefore we are freed from the guilt and were no longer under the demands of the laws we don't keep walls to have a relationship with God.

Christ kept the law for us and through him we have a relationship with many tells us Christ is disarmed and defeated the demonic powers that wage war against our souls and so therefore as a believer. We don't have to fear demonism and satanic attacks because in Christ we are victorious. All believers share in these victorious experiences through Christ's saving work. This is what we have in common. This is what it means when Christ is it all and then thirdly, we actually have a commonality in conduct. Paul's command for Christian living.

In chapter 3 is not based on cultural traditions and practices. It's not applicable to some, but not to others. These applications in chapter 3 that will see over the semester are for all believers in all places. It's been my privilege to travel in various countries and preach the gospel to preach the gospel and least 25 different foreign countries you know and I discovered that I can go to a different culture by culture I mean language I mean grass I mean food I mean music. I mean, there's a huge difference between the music of Russia, India and Africa.

Believe me, there's a difference and maybe way things are Ron or how things are done but are done but what's very interesting is that when you meet with God's people who are truly redeemed people what you find is that they are distinguishable. He different from the culture in which they live there.

Not there not worldly, and secondly they all have a common morality to them.

It's the morality of the Bible because the morality of the Bible is based not on culture but on the character of God, the nature of salvation at conversion. The old life of sin is discarded and the new life of righteousness is put on. That's for all believers. Believers are in the process of being renovated into a new image.

The likeness of Christ. All believers in all places share the same commonalities in moral conduct and so Paul's ultimate point to the Colossians is that Jesus Christ is to be everything to everyone. He is all and he is in all. He is totally sufficient for every need in the church. The word of Christ is sufficient for preaching the presence of Christ is sufficient for living the power of Christ is sufficient to overcome sin. The fellowship we have in Christ is sufficient for our unity.

The peace of Christ is sufficient to rule the church and the relationship we have with Christ is sufficient to build our family. So what then should be our response to Christ's efficiency. If he is all and he is all in all, than what should it be. As we finish, he says, in Colossians chapter 1 there's a reason for all of this and that is that he might in all things, have the preeminence.

What is that mean it means that he has first place first place.

Superiority preeminence. The highest imminent spot in your heart you know your heart is like is almost like a throne and a master sits on that throne. The king rules on that. The front bathroom. The question is whose ruling the throne your heart Hoosier King is either you or Jesus and Paul exalts Christ to the highest place because he deserves the highest place in our heart you know my prayer is every last one of you sitting in this building. Every single one of you will make Christ preeminent that he already is preeminent, but as an act of your will and choice. Jesus, you have first place in my heart. Father, thank you that Christ is all and in all we ask this in his matchless name. Amen. I'm Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University.

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