Jesus Centered

-Whenever I sin- I have first dethroned Jesus- counterfeit gods illustration perhaps- I live my life like I am supreme- the chief task for us as a church in everything we do is to make Christ supreme- why? Why would that change my life? Our Church?

The center of gravity of any object helps to keep it balanced. If for instance you have a simply object, like a ruler, the center of gravity lies in the center, however, more complex objects are far more difficult to discern the center of gravity. But thats a very important determination, because the center of gravity helps an object keep its balance- if that is off its easy to tip it over, toppling it to the ground.

Friends, this concept can be applied to other things as well, organizations have a sort of invisible center of gravity that hold them in balance and when its off and they lose focus on that point that holds them in balance and together, they topple. Families are the same. And even individual lives- your life has a center of gravity that holds it together, a point at which everything on your life turns and when its off, your life seems to topple- what friends, is strong enough to hold the center of gravity in your life which is so complex with so many stresses and challenges pulling in one direction or another? In the lives of your friends? Or in the life of this church? What can hold the center and have the gravitational pull to balance our life together? And maybe even expanding the question, not just us, but the world, the universe- is there any one thing that holds the whole thing together in balance? Can anything have that kind of weight and importance that it is the center of the universe?

Friends, nothing short of that question lies before us this morning in our text. And I’m not going to leave you guessing at the answer. Its Jesus. Paul here argues that Jesus is the center of the universe and that ought to have a massive influence on how we live our lives and how we as a church function. It ought to mean that we are centered on the same thing the universe is centered on- both individually in our lives and corporately in our life together.

But, if I’m honest friends, I don’t always live like that. I don’t always center my life on Jesus, but so often think the universe revolves around another center- me. And so I seek to pull others towards that center- catering to my desires- only serving others when its convenient or benefits me. Lashing out when my comfort is disordered. Using people to build myself rather than emptying myself to serve and love others. Obsessed with how the world sees me, assuming that they are thinking about me most often. This friends, is the reason we have so much conflict in our lives and in the world today- everyone is competing to be the center of gravity in the universe and we all jockey for position and weight to pull others into our orbit. And we need to awake from this nightmare of self-centeredness and navel gazing to a greater reality. And thats what Paul calls us to in this passage.

Christ Solution:

-Jesus is supreme- and that is supremely good for you.-pleasures of God quote maybe.

What do we mean by Jesus-Centered and Holy Spirit Dependent:

JESUS-CENTERED AND HOLY SPIRIT DEPENDENT

We are a people formed by the work of the Triune God. This means we are a people who are focused on the person and work of Jesus Christ because we believe that God has definitively revealed himself in the person of His Son Jesus. Because of his life, death, and resurrection we can have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus and by the work of the Holy Spirit. Everything we do at City Hope Fellowship will seek to bring glory to God the Father as we center on Jesus and depend on the Holy Spirit. To be dependent on the Holy Spirit means to be firmly rooted in the Bible, the perfect Word of God, which the Holy Spirit himself inspired. We will focus our attention on understanding, knowing, and living the Bible because we believe that it is through these ancient words that God speaks to us today. City Hope Fellowship will be shaped by the Bible, not our favorite section of it, but the whole Bible. And we will seek earnestly to apply it in relevant ways to our lives today.

Colossians 1:15-23

Colossians 1:15–23 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Hymn

We are just going to walk through this passage and not simply talk about- what does it mean to be Jesus Centered- but display it. by seeking to answer two things- Who is Jesus? Why does this matter?

Who is Jesus?

Answer this by statements made in this hymn by Paul about Jesus.

Image of the invisible God

- what does that mean?

Jesus displays God- you want to know what God is like- look at Jesus

This is the amazing reality of God coming in the flesh in Jesus. You see, everyone likes Jesus- as long as Jesus is safe, moral, teaches good things, tells you to love your neighbors. Everyone loves that Jesus- But, thats not what this passage and indeed the whole NT says about Jesus. Certainly he is a good moral teacher, and tells you to love others- but this says that Jesus- a first century middle eastern Jew is God in the flesh. That he makes the invisible one and only God of the universe who flung the stars into place visible. Thats what this is saying friends. That Jesus is God.

Firstborn of all creation

-what that can’t mean- born- because he made all things- all things were made through him and for him

John 1:3

John 1:3 ESV

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Firstborn- speaks of the intimate relationship of Father and Son- for all eternity God has been Father and God has been Son. It speaks of his authority as the Son, and his supremacy and the fact that he is the beloved Son of God.

Trinity- What this passage affirms is the doctrine of the Trinity- which fairly briefly stated is that God is one- there is only one God in the universe and that he has eternally existed in three distinct persons who are all fully God- The Father is God, The Son is God, the Spirit is God. And there is one God. Here we have the unique relationship of the Son and Father portrayed. And next week we’ll look at the Spirit

Creation exists for him

-Everything in creation exists for him

-by him

-heaven and earth

-visible and invisible

-thrones, etc.-

-everything- without question or exception- everything- there is no greater scope possible.

We will never find something way out in distant space, galaxies away that he hasn’t created. and that do not exist for his glory alone- thats why they are there.

He holds all things together

-What exactly does that mean?

Hebrews 1:3

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

The whole universe in all of its majesty is held together because Jesus says so. If he would decide to quit speaking it into existence it would cease to exist.

That means our planet continues to rotate at a speed of 1,000 mph because the Lord Jesus says so. And not only that- the smallest insect on the planet- we think- is the fairyfly wasp- the size of a ballpoint pen tip. Its wings flap because Jesus says so.

Your lungs right now are taking in breath because Jesus says so. Your heart is beating and pushing blood throughout the approximately 60,000 miles of veins in your body- if laid end to end. Thats happening- not because you are so smart and making it happen. Not because you are so powerful to make it happen. Its happening because Jesus Christ is holding the universe together by the power of his word.

The head of the body, the church.

all of this glory- and yet- Paul defines him by his relationship to the church- you see the place that God has for you- the love of God on your behalf- Jesus the king of the universe- is also the head of this- us- his body- he is the head- the authority of the church- he is that which gives the church direction, purpose and life.

The firstborn from the dead

His resurrection is the pattern for ours-

That in everything he might be preeminent

Why all these things- so that Jesus would be supreme over all

In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

All-

Through Him God is reconciling all things

What does this mean?

What does it not mean?

You are reconciled by the death of this one- who is supreme over all things.

Do you understand how lavish the love of God on your behalf is- this is the cost- his beloved, supreme son.

Why does this matter?

Why is a high view of Jesus necessary- isn’t this just head knowledge stuff?

-How do you love what you know nothing of?

-This is not just your distant god that it is good to know about- this is your King, your Head, the very God of the universe whom we worship! The question is not, is this important- its what could be more important that this question!

-practical benefits- unpack how your sin is first and foremost a dethroning of Christ- then how the peace of the supremacy of Christ can change your life, lead you away from sin.

-The greatness of glory— there are practical benefits- those are real- but that ultimately isn’t primary- the primary thing is worship. You don’t go to the top of a mountain ultimately because its good exercise- thats true- but you go for the view. Friends- us being Jesus Centered will have tons of practical benefits for your life- don’t come here for that- come to see, worship and love King Jesus who lived and died for you to know him. Who lived and died to reconcile all things to God- the cosmos reconciled with God.

We are so satisfied by lesser things- don’t settle friends for the joys of this life that are so fleeting- press in for greater joys in Jesus

How to cultivate this high view- Scripture, scripture, scripture

Set your mind on Christ

John Calvin quote about Jesus

Institutes of the Christian Religion 19. Christ Alone in All the Clauses of the Creed

We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ [Acts 4:12]. We should therefore take care not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else. bIf we seek salvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that it is “of him” [1 Cor. 1:30]. If we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, they will be found in his anointing. If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion; if purity, in his conception; if gentleness, it appears in his birth. For by his birth he was made like us in all respects [Heb. 2:17] that he might learn to feel our pain [cf. Heb. 5:2]. If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion; if acquittal, in his condemnation; if remission of the curse, in his cross [Gal. 3:13]; if satisfaction, in his sacrifice; if purification, in his blood; if reconciliation, in his descent into hell; if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb; if newness of life, in his resurrection; if immortality, in the same; if inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom, in his entrance into heaven; if protection, if security, if abundant supply of all blessings, in his Kingdom; if untroubled expectation of judgment, in the power given to him to judge. b(a)In short, since rich store of every kind of good abounds in him, let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other.

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