Welcome to church this week Sunday 11 am for a worship service, and Tuesday 5 pm to open the Food Pantry for the community. The sermon this week gives a reminder of who’s really in charge…
Call to Worship: Colossians 1:15-20
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Invitation, Prayer Concerns and Praises: Father in Heaven, Lord today we come to give thanks to you for our very being as we ask you to fill our hearts, lives, and actions with your grace. Please show us how to be servants in your kingdom, and grateful in the process.
Amen!
Message Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Message: “The Lord is Head of this Church!”
When Jesus was crucified Matthew 27: 37 tells us that the Romans had given Jesus a title;
37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: “this is jesus, the king of the jews”.
And indeed, He is, and more! Jesus is so much more than just the King over one of God’s people (even though the children of Israel are His chosen people). He is Lord of all creation, including those who made the mocking sign that was placed above His head, at the Crucifixion. Today’s message goes beyond worldly domain and titles. I am excited to talk with you about Jesus being Head of the Church, His Body, what that means for our worship, and what it doesn’t mean as far as worldly pursuits in our lives.
This is an opportunity for us to look directly at our Church, the Body of Christ, and to talk about what that means for our congregation specifically as compared to our brothers and sisters in other Christian Faith walks. What this is not is a critique of other churches. We are about expressing the joy that we have found in our walk not the supposed defects of other Christian Faithwalks.
Why, because if I am all consumed with what’s wrong with someone else’s perceived wrongs, ills, and shortcomings, I am not demonstrating much knowledge about my own. How can I be living my faith and joy of salvation when I am preoccupied correcting others? That doesn’t leave much time for me to work on me either.
So, what do we venerate here in our Faith-family at First Baptist Church of Ogden? Who do we believe is over our church and who do we follow? Those sound like lame and easy questions, but I think you would be amazed at just how many good people out there have never taken the time to step back and think about their church, their faith, and why they are where they are in their convictions about God. Are you a Christian in name or a real follower of Christ?
Today I wanted to use two different Epistles (letters) from Paul, to show not only his uniformity in writing, teaching, and preaching, but God’s consistency who is talking through Paul as well. This consistency reaches outward throughout all of scripture and is part of the joy of learning God’s word!
Both letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians, begin by establishing who our Lord is, what He has accomplished, and His authority. Beginning with today’s “Call to Worship”; Colossians 1:15-20 Paul explains who and what our Lord is.
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
To summarize, Jesus, God’s Son, is:
- In who all things were created, and reconciled through and for Him
- He holds all things together
- He is head of the body, the church, and supreme
- Through His blood there is peace on earth and Heaven
All the above actions are why we praise, glorify, and magnify God’s Holy and precious Name, and not some mere person. Let’s look at each summary statement beginning with:
- The image of God, His fullness dwells within;
In Genesis 1:26-28a we have a glimpse of who we as God’s creation are;
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them…
We are instructed that we are made in the image of God, but Jesus is the image of God, because He is God! We are invited into a relationship with God through our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, who is the source of our joy and faithwalk! Leading us to the next statement of fact;
- In who all things were created, and reconciled through and for Him;
As I mentioned before, God is consistent, even with other writers in scripture. The Gospel of John chapter 1 compliments what Paul has instructed us in Colossians;
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
We don’t only believe that the Lord created everything in all of the universe, but that we live in Him and Him in us. Additionally, we believe that;
- He holds all things together; again, from John this time from John3:16;
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The Lord not only holds everything together, but when it’s falling apart, is there to save us from ourselves. Which is why we have the next instruction from Paul:
- He is head of the body, the church, and supreme;
As head of all, Jesus is not to be replaced or substituted by anyone. Anyone! That means in our Church, the congregation works together as a family in God to discern the promptings of God’s Holy Spirit. Each church will have to determine the level of cooperation that works for their group and as outlined in scripture.
Since each member of God’s family has a unique relationship directly with the Lord, all of us are essential for the good health and robust relationship we have in the Lord. This is reflected in a true partnership we have in our worship and service to and in our Lord!
- Through His blood there is peace on earth and Heaven;
This may be a hard one to take in. Immediately, we begin to ask ourselves about the very lack of peace in our exitance. It seems like we are far away from the Nativity account from Luke with the proclaiming of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:13-14;
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
No, it seems to be that in our lives what Jesus spoke about peace in Luke 12:51-53, seems to be our reality;
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
The divisions and infighting, plus out and out rebellion, scheming, gossiping, slandering, and malice are all reflected by our replacing the Lord for our own selfish agendas. Confirming Jesus’ words from Luke time and again. But there is peace, an inner peace that we all are able to tap into when we are walking with and in our Lord.
When we stop trying to drive the bus that we all are riding within, and let God be God, the Lord be the Lord, and God’s Holy Spirit drive the peace that resides in a relationship with God.
That’s when I begin to realize that even in the midst of all of the disturbances that mark our realities right now, ultimately, we are the holders and the bacons of peace. Because we know where peace resides. It exists within our Lord the Price of Peace, or as Isaiah 9:5-7 makes dramatically clear:
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
(Side note; The discord that Jesus spoke of in Luke 12, will be triumphed over ultimately by our Lord!)
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
And indeed, He will and already does in ways we are only beginning to understand. Which leads me back to today’s Message reading from Paul to the church in Ephesus in chapter 1. If you recall from earlier, Paul began by expressing the thanks he gave to God for the people of the church, and then shares that he is always asking God to give them the Holy Spirit to know God better. Because it is through this consideration (with the Spirit), that we begin to understand our inheritance and the Lord’s majesty a little bit better.
Paul goes on to describe the power of God’s majesty, and the rightful place that Christ holds in all of us. Beginning this time at Ephesians 1:19-23 Paul instructs;
…19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
We not only get to be a part of Christ’s Body, but as the people of God, we are His family in this reality we live in. Regardless of what is happening in the World, the Government, or the News, we have a peace available to us in God’s Church, Family, and Body. Even when all around us, confusion, mayhem, division, and strife are the words of the day.
So, when all is said and done; “The Lord is, Head of this Church!”. I’m not talking about the larger world church but here and now, this church.And for all that has been said today and so much more, we come together as family each Sunday to celebrate. Celebrate, that God is God, and we are not. That He has given us a Savoir the Son to save us, and the Holy Spirit to sustain us and keep us on track.
My hope and prayer for you this week as you live your beautiful lives, lives that are a priceless gift from our God of majesty divine, that you are given a chance to step back and contemplate the splendor that is God! Reflected in some small way in the beauty of our mountains, the ongoing delight of our community, the wholesomeness of our Church family, and the grace emitted in the ones we love so dearly. That’s when I guess I begin to realize that I am completed as a person; only when its through our Lord, and then through you, my neighbor.
Amen!
Benediction; Romans 5:1-5
Today’s Benediction is reflected with our peace with God coming from the head of our Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, from Romans 5:1-5, followed by God’s Blessing to His people from Numbers 6:24-26
Romans 5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Numbers 6
24 “‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’