“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” - Col. 3:11

Recurrent Thought:

Christ followers from all people groups are one in Christ regardless of their personalities or ethnicity or cultural background.

A recap of Last week’s message

Last week we had a message that was presented by the Senior Pastor Rev Dr Enson Lwesya entitled The Good in the Gospel. The Pastor brought out two powerful thoughts out of that message:  (1) the paradox that the holy died for the unholy and (2) the undeserving being saved. We saw how God went to extreme lengths to give eternally life changing good to humanity. He deserves our worship.

In today’s message we are focusing on Christ is all, and in all

The city of Colossae probably included all of the people groups Paul mentions in (Col 3:11). There could have been both Greeks and Jews, with Greeks generally being "uncircumcised" and Jews "circumcised.  At the root of it all people groups need a Savior “For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23). However, Christ is sufficient for all things, including the ability to create unity among the diverse people who have been made new in Him.

In this message we are discussing the adequacy of Jesus Christ

1. Christ must be all in our personal lives
   Practically this begins when you trust Him as your savior and Lord.  If you haven’t done that, you can’t go any farther.
   • It’s a lifelong walk of “seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). 
   • It’s the daily discipline of setting “your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2).
   • It requires “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
   • It means daily casting off the dirty clothes of the old life and putting on the clean clothes of new life in Christ (Col. 3:9-10).
   • It’s a lifelong process that happens as you look daily to Christ as your all.
   • As Paul states (2 Cor. 3:18): “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
2. Since Christ is all and in all, we must be Christ-centered in our church life.
   When Paul says that there is no Greek or Jew, barbarian, Scythian, slave or freeman, he does not mean that God obliterates our personalities or ethnicity or culture when He saves us. But he does mean that these things must no longer be a source of pride for us. Before salvation, we all took pride in things like race or background or education or in various cultural advantages. But now, none of that should matter.
   • As Paul told the arrogant Corinthians (1 Cor. 4:7) “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” God has freely given us everything, including salvation. The external things that divide worldly people should be set aside. Christ must be our unifying center.
   • As Paul has shown us (Col. 1:18), Christ is the head of His body the church.
   • We are only members of His body because God chose us in Christ (Col. 3:12), “rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13).
   • If He had not done that by His grace, we’d all still be alienated from Him and His people, “having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12)

Thus being a member of His body, the Church, is a tremendous privilege! We’re now members of His family. We all serve a common Lord, under His headship. We all hope for His coming. We’re all seeking to grow to know him better. And thus we all need to work at Christ-centred relationships. Paul Spells out what this means (Col 3:12-14)

“So as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity”.

He goes on to show how to make Christ our all in our Church, our homes and our work relationships (Col 3:15-25, 4:1). The fact that he exhorts us to patience, forgiveness and bearing with one another shows that harmonious relationships are not automatic! We have to work at loving one another, making Christ central in our relationships because He dwells in all who truly know Him.

Conclusion

Paul says we should “keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1)

We should set our minds “on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2).

Problems, difficulties, and trials should cause us to seek Christ as our all-sufficient Savior even more than we do. When we’re depressed, we should seek Him as our joy. When we’re anxious, we seek Him as our peace. When we’re empty and emotionally drained, we seek Him as our fullness. When we lack wisdom, we seek Him and His Word for the insight we need. Whatever you lack, go to Christ!

When you face problems, lean on Him, trust in Him, and know more of Him, than you ever have before. Make sure, above all else, that you have Christ and seek Christ, because when you have Him, you have all!

Altar time

I don’t know what you are lacking this morning, go to Christ! He is all in all

Wisdom, direction, emotional strength, forgiveness, etc