1212. Christ Is All and In All

Welcome to The Daily Platform program printer sermons from travel services Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Every day students are blessed by the preaching and teaching of the Bible from the University Chapel platform today on The Daily Platform were continuing a study series entitled seeking things above, which is a study of the book of Colossians. This study explores and applies the timeless truth that Christ is our sufficiency in all relationships, responsibilities and circumstances.

If you would like to follow along in the study booklet you can order a printed copy from the Bob Jones store website shop.BTU.edu. Let's listen to today's message from chapter 3 verse 11 Paul lists the diversity of people, groups, Greek Jew, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free, but as will learning today's message Christ is all and all turn with me to Colossians chapter 3. Last week we started out on our introduction of our theme of seeking things above and this morning my message is actually not going to go directly in the beginning of the passage, which is Colossians 31, but I'd like to do one more message that sort of sets up once again the big picture of what Paul is talking about because were starting in the third chapter in basically skipping the first two, but we don't want to skip main points of the main emphasis as I like to read the text of this morning that we will focus so and that's Colossians chapter 3 in verse 11 where the apostle Paul says these words where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor on circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all last week we saw 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 Colossae church and in particular, it was affecting or impacting the life of the Christian so it's it's a teaching that didn't have to do with specifically how to be saved, but more after your salvation. And essentially these instructors declared that the gospel that had been preached by Pam, Chris and I remind you that Pappas was the man who came to visit Paul in prison the gospel that he was preaching was actually good enough or sufficient enough to save them.

But it was not sufficient enough to complete them in a path for us essentially had given them a message that was not sufficient and they needed something more. They needed more advanced teaching and essentially what the teachers claim to be able to provide for the Colossians was two things. Number one of or if I can say a deeper knowledge of God and secondly a greater freedom over sin and I think we all realize that is a Christian we want to know the Lord in a greater way and we want to have more power in our life to overcome the struggles of our life the sins of our heart and so therefore it's very appealing message. The problem was the focus of the teaching and that is it.

Emphasize what we simply call ad owns. In other words, a higher plane.

A deeper life, but the focal point is away from Jesus and I urged you to do this allergy again to take time to read through the book of Colossians is only 95 verses, you can easily read it in a week if you read it once a week and what you find, especially in chapter 2 is Paul addresses some of these issues. Things like mystical experiences or secretive knowledge or philosophical knowledge beyond Christ or legalistic rule or severe bodily discipline in the message or the problem with these teachers is that they were implying that the gospel that have been preached, was insufficient and it was in complete and they did not make much of Jesus. If Jesus is not the center of this the substance the source the star the finish of our message that what is our message really all about. Because Paul says Christ is all and he is in all. So Paul begins the letter by confirming the ministry of the path Chrissy endorses him as a legitimate preacher of the gospel and he accurately preach the right message. He further confirms that Pappas's credibility by announcing that the message that he was preaching was a message that God had blessed throughout the what we call that message historically as Orthodox Christianity and by simply defined Orthodox were talking about that which conforms to the truth of the gospel.

We we don't have a corner on the market to the truth. The truth is revealed in God's word, and so Paul establishes that the ministry of a Pappas and then he focuses our attention on the supremacy and the sufficiency that is in Jesus Christ in the keyword that unlocks the theme of Colossians is the word all in the Greek three letters PAS costs and Paul uses this adjective to emphasize Jesus Christ who is who is everything. Who is the one who is everything to everyone and then summarize here in verse 11 of Colossians 3 where there is neither Greek, Jew, circumcision or on circumcision but Marion Scythian, bond or free but Christ is all and in all. So this morning. What I'd like to do is say to basic thing and that is I want to explain what is it mean when it says Christ is all and what is it mean when it says Christ is in office. Let's start with the phrase what Paul says Christ is all and essentially what he is saying is that Jesus Christ is the source of everything that's the truth. He is reality. Because when you say Jesus you have set it all and so appalling. Colossians 1 verse 15 reveals Christ. First of all, as the source of the created world look in verse 15 of Colossians 1.

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

I were all things created. Now we know the book of Genesis in the first verse of chapter 1 that Moses announces that all creation.

Everything that exists. What we know as reality came into being through the power of God in the beginning God created when you read the Old Testament. It reveals the name of the creator of his personal name is we would translated in English as Yahweh or Jehovah, and essentially, the meaning of that name is the is the phrase I am and what that means is key.

Yes, he's the reality he's the truth he's the one who was the self existing God. He always has been. He always will be.

He lived in eternity past.

He lives in eternity future time means nothing to God because these eternal and God is a self-sufficient being he doesn't depend on anybody else for his existence, but we depend on him for everything he has our reality and everything in creation finds its source in its sustenance in the God who made everything so what is Paul telling us in Colossians 1 is saying this self sufficient one took on human flesh and became a person's name is Jesus Christ. In the moment. Paul does this he is declaring that Jesus of the New Testament is Jehovah of the Old Testament and we know that Jesus said this about himself because in John eight in verse 58. He said he said, verily, verily, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. That is, he was taking the place or declaring himself as the one revealed in the Old Testament, the creator and so what is the art what is the incarnation, it means that God has come to reveal himself to the world in the person of Jesus. There is no clearer picture of God then Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God.

And so Paul announces here in Colossians that Jesus who is God is the creator. For by him all things were created. He's the one who made everything everything that's real everything that exists. Physical, spiritual, visible, invisible, human or angelic.

Everything finds its source in Jesus and because he's the source of everything.

He's the one who sustains everything. Look at verse 17 and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Hebrews says it this way, upholding all things by the word of his power, God spoke and creation came into existence and is not only created by him as the source, but it is sustained by him.

Jesus is the one who keeps all things together. Everything would fly apart or everything would fall apart without him. You know the history of our lives. You know, we all fall apart without Jesus, our life is a mess you ever ready my Satan I'm a mess. Of course you are mess were all messed up. But Jesus into the power of the spirit into the power of his word is what brings our life together. You want to get your life together.

Then it comes through Christ. Nothing in creation will ever find its meaning in life apart from being connected to Jesus. Verse 16 he says all things were created by him and for him.

Everything finds its purpose in Christ, if you want to find purpose in life.

Don't look for something outside of you. Look for Jesus who lives with you. Get to know him and he will direct your path. If you don't live for Jesus, you will really never never understand why you're alive. So what is he saying Christ is the source of all creation. But he also says in verse 618 that Christ is the source of the new creation and that's what he means by the church. Look at verse 18 and he is the head of the body, the church, Jesus came into the world to start a new race. The first race Adams race fell in sin. Jesus Christ came to start another race and that is it is alive or resurrected in him, the church came into existence through Jesus by his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave and his ascension into heaven, and through his blood and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Spiritually dead sinners are made alive and what is he do with us. He resurrects he places us.

He immerses us he baptizes us into his body on an organism that is called the church. You see, you just don't go to church. You are the church and Jesus is said in verse 18 that he is the impulse as he is.

They had of the body obviously if you separate the head from the body is called decapitation and it means your dad, our life is dead without Christ Jesus edited another way in John 15. He said I am the vine that provides life to the branches. Jesus sustains the church by his power, Jesus supplies the church with his strength.

Jesus guides the church with his wisdom. He is the source of life for the church, for in him we live and move and we have our being. And let me say this, that when Jesus is diminished in the church. It will begin to shrivel up and die.

My oldest daughter a number of years ago was living with her grandmother for summer and she was working in a sales job and she been there about nine weeks and I called her one day and she was attending church and I said sweetheart I sit house church and it was dead quiet and when I hear it's dead quiet. It's like it's like a lot is being said. She said dad I just really struggling with the sermons.

It's like it's all rhetoric and I said okay I want to encourage you to go to this church on this Sunday morning and I went in and I want you to go and just listen to the sermon as she went in after the service.

I called her up. I said I was church and she said dad I sat through the service, and I cried the whole time because the preacher preached on Jesus out of Colossians chapter 1 everybody in this room who is born again you have the spirit of God living inside your body.

What is the work of the spirit, but to magnify Jesus in our life.

Jesus is the source of everything. So this is what Paul means Christ is all my prayer for us as a student body is a university is that Christ will be will be big in our life. You will be magnified. He will be glorified in the notice. Secondly he says not only is Christ all but says he is in all these not only the source of everything. But he is to become the focus of everyone.

The idea that Christ is in all. In this passage of Scripture is speaking of the unity of the church of the solidarity of believers because all believers from all places at faith are connected to Jesus, they are united to him. Let me just say this is by way of an announcement during our Bible conference.

This year we have our special speakers. Our theme is on sanctification that spiritual growth but were also going to something this year that is I think pretty unique and that is about 45 minutes before the morning in the evening services at 915 and 615 and the beat will be six opportunities I'm going to show us here is a video series of a man is probably the foremost teacher in preacher on the theme of our union with Christ over anybody in the whole world.

His name is Dr. Sinclair Ferguson and I've worked with.

We've actually contacted Ligon near ministries there, allowing us to show the videos from basically almost nothing to been very gracious to us and next Monday in chapel, I'm going to show one of those videos is sermons are about 22 minutes.

It's basically like. It's like a shortened chapel service and I just it.

If you're hungry for that kind of teaching of your union with Christ. I think you will be super blessed to attend these. It'll be a video Sert series as of next Monday will show that in.

The reason I emphasize that is because this is what Colossians 3 is really all about. The church is the body into which all believers from every background are joined or united together in Christ.

Christ is all racially, culturally and geographically and economically and believers though they are united are actually very diverse because they come from all kinds of different backgrounds, but what Paul is telling us in Colossians 3 is that we though we are unified in though. There is a diversity there are some commonalities in other words, because we are united we have certain things in common with believers all over the world.

One of those things. And, number one, we actually have a commonality in doctrine. All believers, regardless of their background, embrace the same truth of the gospel, by the way, that's why we say the creed every day. Those of the commonalities of the Christian faith.

Paul said in Colossians 15. He said it is the truth, the gospel. These truths are not mysteries hidden from people.

Paul declares that Jesus is divine. His dad was sacrificial as an atonement for our sins.

He resurrected from the dead. Paul tells the Colossians that this is the same message that is preached by others all over the world is been my privilege to preach and I don't know 2530 foreign countries and you know what, everywhere I go I preach the exact same message. Whether it's in a tribe in Africa or the village in India or a city in Russia or whether it's an island in the Caribbean, or whether it's a town in South America and I preach in all of those places. I don't preach something new. I preach the same message the gospel because there is a commonality in what we believe. Secondly, there's a commonality in what we experience every body is saying the Satan everybody say the same way is not that you get in heaven.

One way and somebody else gets in the heaven.

Another way Paul says were saying the same way is by faith. Verse four of chapter 1. We've heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. Chapter 2 verse six as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, all believers are saved by grace through faith in Jesus and Paul says that when we are saved, the same way we have the same experience. What we all experience were forgiven. We are redeemed we are reconciled and we become new creations and that all happens the moment that you're safe but also the work of Christ not only saves us at that very moment, but it is through his life that we find victory over sin.

Jesus's death on the cross is the power to overcome our own flesh because we die with him.

Christ resurrection is the power to live the new spiritual life because his life is literally in us. He is cancel the debt of our sin and therefore we are freed from the walls demands we don't have to live in perpetual guilt because of our failure. We live in perpetual victory because of what Jesus did for us.

Crisis defeated the demonic powers and therefore we are freed from those evil spirits. All believers share in these big glorious experiences through Christ and in the final commonality we have is not only in doctrine experience, but actually we have a commonality in conduct as I traveled around the world.

You have learned about Christians.

They essentially live the same basic way. I'm not talking about cultural traditions or practices.

I'm talking about a behavior that is reflective of the nature of Jesus Christ. We talk about Christian morality as a connection to spirituality because you can't separate the two. The old life of sin is put all the new life of righteousness is put on. That's what Colossians 3 is all about is talking about putting to death. Sin is talking about putting own Christ. So what we find about believers. They avoid immorality all over the world. They are kind to one another. They don't live in greed or malice or envy or jealousy, but they are holy. They are humble, they are thankful they are grateful people. They are joyful people and so you find there's a consistency in conduct in doctrine and experience in the point that Paul is making in Colossians is that Jesus is to be everything to everyone. Christ is all in and all he is totally sufficient.

The word of Christ is sufficient for preaching the presence of Christ is sufficient for a living.

The power of Christ is sufficient to overcome sin.

The fellowship we have in Christ is sufficient for our unity. The priest the peace of Christ is sufficient general rule, the church and the relationship we have with Christ is sufficient to build the family of God. So what should our response be and that's what Paul concludes with in Colossians 1. He says that in all things he might have the preeminence. What is at me just simply means he's in first place.

So I ask you, in conclusion is Jesus in first place of your life. I got saved in the age of 19 years old and I can honestly say for about a year and 1/2 God was constantly working on me to surrender every part of my life my future my family, my hopes, my dreams, my education, my finances, my hopes for marriage. What I was going to do with my life and I finally came after about a year to year and 1/2 after I got saved where I came to the place where I believe that Jesus Christ had preeminence over my whole life. I want to ask you is Jesus Christ preeminence over your whole life. Why, because Christ is all, it's the reality bow the knee and make that a reality in your life. Father, thank you for your word and we thank you that Jesus is everything to everyone and may you grant us the grace to live under your preeminence in Jesus name, amen. You been listening to a sermon from the study series in the book of Colossians by Dr. Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University.

For more information on Dr. Pettit series, visit the Bob Jones University store website shop.BJ you.edu where you can get a copy of Steve's study booklet entitled seeking things above, that's SHOP.BJ you.ED you I'm Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University. Thank you for listening to The Daily Platform, please visit our beautiful campus in Greenville, South Carolina to see how God is working in the lives of our students both spiritually and academically.

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