Being Transformed

“Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).
Audio Sermon: Colossians 3:8-11

Jesus is everything - not just for Christians, but for the whole world:

• “All things have been created by Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16).

• “In Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).

• “He Himself gives to all life and breath” (Acts 17:25).

• “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

You cannot grasp with fullness Jesus’ allness unless you study those whose likenesses to Him allow inquirers to enter the genus of Christology. Abel manifested Jesus’ righteousness, Enoch His perseverance, Abraham His trust, Moses His humility, Daniel His courage and Jeremiah His compassion for His people. You would be well-served to deliberate upon Jesus’ throne-names of Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, Chief Shepherd, King of kings and Lord of lords (Isa. 9:6; I Pe. 5:4; Rev. 19:16, respectively).

Be ever mindful that though you have been made in God’s image, Jesus was and is God Himself (Jn. 10:30; 14:9). He is the Lord of the Old Testament thereby uniting the two Testaments (Mal. 3:1; Acts 2:36; I Cor. 12:3; Phil. 2:11). Jesus is so much better than His followers because He perfectly couples the function of divine warrior and healer (Ex. 15:3, 26). The Lord Christ is the prophet of a new day, the high priest with the only offering acceptable to God and the king whose reign shall know no end.

Consider all of the kings, princes, presidents, prime ministers, governors, legislative bodies, courts, military personnel and officials who have held any position of authority in the history of the world. If you accumulate all of those holding these offices and in these positions preceding and following the tenure of Christ upon this land, you will discover that the lastingness of their influence is insignificant when compared to His.

Give deliberation to Jesus’ learned eloquence, boldness, unquestioned authority, inimitable verifiable miracles and the strength wherein He addressed the lives and souls of men. Who else could unite Jews and Gentiles? (Eph. 2:11-22). The God-man, your gladiatorial champion, wore His power lightly and yet diseases, winds, waves, devils and death obeyed His every desire. He could call a rich Zaccheus from the boughs of a sycamore tree and the sons of Zebedee from their fishing. A tax-gathering Matthew could not resist forsaking all he had to follow the One who is all in all.

Perhaps the words of those who have gone before will afford clarity concerning Jesus’ allness:

• “Christ’s performances outstrip His promises.” Nehemiah Rogers

• “The Physician did die that the patient might live. The resurrection of Christ is the Amen of all His promises.” John Boys

• “Christ did not die to purchase this world for us.” Thomas Adams

• “He hath got but a little of Christ that fears to get too much.” Thomas Taylor

• “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C. S. Lewis

Jesus is in every circumstance, contact and movement. We would be remiss if we failed to note one other voice giving tongue to Christ being “in all.” Tertullian (c. 155-220) said, “See how these Christians love one another!”

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS GLORIA