Who Is Jesus: Reconciliation and Restoration (Part IV)

Sermon Title: Who Is Jesus: The Revealing of Someone Great

Good News Statement: Jesus invites us to know who he is

Preached: Sunday, May 05, 2024 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Colossians 1:15-23 Today’s scripture reading comes from Paul’s letter to the people of Colossae. Paul is hearing word from Ephesus that the Colossians are doing well in their faith but have lost sight of who Jesus is in their life. So, Paul writes a letter describing and defining who Jesus is. Let’s read Colossians Chapter One, verses Fifteen thru Twenty-Three. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding and meaning to your life.

 

The Supremacy of Christ

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, ¹⁶ for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

²¹ And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, ²³ provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a minister of this gospel.

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

I want to begin our time together by asking you all a few questions. So let’s begin: How would you describe your relationship with Christ? Are you good with Christ? Is Christ good with you? Are you currently upset with Christ? Are you currently happy with Christ? Are you currently or have you ever been frustrated with Christ? Do you feel connected to and with Christ? How would you describe your relationship with Christ? I remember trying to share about who Christ is and what Christ does with a neighbor once and this neighbor assured me, “Everything is just fine between me and the man upstairs.” Well, is everything fine between you and the man upstairs?

In the age of Facebook, Twitter, and texting, many Americans feel more connected to people than ever, but a new national survey by The Barna Group shows that Americans are not just connected to each other. One of the dominant connections in people’s lives is with Jesus Christ. In April of 2010, The Barna Research Center conducted among a random sample of 1,002 U.S. adults a survey that discovered that two out of every three adults (67%) claimed to have a “personal relationship” with Jesus, the man upstairs.

Here are a few statistics that came out of this research project.  “For instance, women (72%) were more likely than men (62%) to claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Protestants were more likely than Catholics to cite such a relationship (82% versus 72%).”[1] Furthermore, the survey suggested that one’s personal relationship with Christ comes from praying. “While an overwhelming majority of Americans claim to pray during a typical week (more than 80%), the new Barna study points out that a majority also believes that Jesus speaks back to them. Overall, 38% said they are “completely certain” that Jesus speaks to them in ways that are personal and relevant to their circumstances. An additional 21% said they are “somewhat certain” that He does so, while 10% contend that Jesus speaks to them but they were not as sure about that communication. Eight percent did not know if Jesus Christ speaks to them. In total, less than one-quarter of all adults (23%) stated that Jesus does not speak to them.”[2]

The study also listed several ways in which people believe Jesus speaks to them. Jesus speaks to them by influencing or connecting directly with their mind, emotions, or feelings; through the content of a Bible passage; by providing a sign; through sermon or teaching; and through miracles, words spoken by someone, or by an audible voice or whisper from God.[3] How does Jesus communicate with you?

The article pertaining to the Barna Group’s findings on Americans Connection to Jesus concludes by underlining Americans’ relationship with Jesus through feelings. “A large majority of Americans (59%) also believes that Jesus gets personal in their lives, going so far as to feel their pain and share in their suffering. One-fifth (21%) believes that Jesus is aware of people’s pain and suffering but does not feel it or share it with them. The remaining adults either contend that Jesus is not aware of people’s pain and suffering (8%) or that He does not exist (5%).”[4] Thinking about these statistics, I ask you again, “How would you describe your connection or your relationship with Christ?” Do you have one?

Today, we look at the remaining few verses of Paul’s description of Jesus to the people of Colossae. From our scripture reading, we not only see Jesus as the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), as the firstborn over all creation who is in, through, and for creation (Colossians 1:15-16), and as the one who is before all things and holds all things together (Colossians 1:17), but we see a Jesus who wants to have a relationship with us, who wants to have a relationship with you. After describing who Jesus is, Paul now makes his testimony and promise before the people personal and relational. Jesus is one who seeks to have a relationship; however, we must want to have a relationship with Jesus as a follower and as a church. But what does it take to have that relationship?

 

Body:

You see, there are two main problems when it comes to our relationship with God. First, there is the problem of our sin. We are sinful, and therefore our sins have separated us from God. But there is another problem which is just as serious and that is the problem of God’s wrath. God is holy and must punish sin, and therefore as sinners we are justly under his wrath. So everything is not fine between us and God. These are two huge problems that we cannot solve on our own.

Fortunately even though we could not solve these problems, God could and God did. And even though they are two problems, they actually both have one solution. And that solution is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us three things about the gospel in these verses. 1) The gospel begins with the incarnation. 2) The gospel has universal implications. And 3) The gospel has personal application. So let’s take a look at the gospel as presented to us in these verses so that we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Movement One: The Gospel Begins with the Incarnation

First, Paul writes to the people of Colossae in Colossians 1:19, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell….” Colossians 1:19 emphasizes the incarnation of Jesus. The incarnation is God coming to us in human form, while remaining fully God. Philippians 2:7, referring to the incarnation, asserts, “but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human….” The words of this verse closely reflect the beginning of the Gospel of John, especially John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus “set up His tent” among us, literally taking on the same temporary body as a mortal human being, identifying with our human weaknesses and limitations. He was in all ways like us, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Furthermore, the idea of “dwelling” or presence is important in Scripture. God lived among His people in the wilderness. His presence was in the tabernacle and later the temple. And yet, these were impersonal, non-human presences. Jesus, on the other hand, came in human form to dwell among people. Remember, Jesus not only dwells among people but dwells within the people (John 15:4). Jesus’ birth as a man offered a personal connection to fulfill the prophecies of the Messiah, who would offer eternal life to all who believed in Him (John 3:16). By dwelling among and within the people, Jesus is seeking to incarnate a relationship with you.

The second part is this. Jesus did not cease to be fully God. Colossians 1:19 tells us God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in him. How much fullness does God have? Well, he’s God, so a lot! We read in Jeremiah 23:24: “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24). All the fullness of God – God’s fullness that fills the whole universe that fills heaven and earth – all that fullness dwells in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ dwells within you. Let that sink in for a moment. The God of the universe, who holds everything together in His mighty hands, who created the heavens and the earth, who created the stars, animals, plants, and people in His image, became incarnate and walked this earth in the form of Jesus Christ, who was before all creation and dwells within you. You have the presence of Christ within you. That is the same presence that is over all creation. How wonderful and amazing is that!

I feel like sometimes during our walk with Christ we forget that: we forget that Jesus lives within us. He suffers with us, he cries with us, he walks with us, he grieves with us, he worries with us, and he is happy and joyful when we are happy and joyful. Jesus lives within us, experiencing life right by our side. We forget this and sometimes take matters into our own hands, neglecting his teachings and promises in our life: focusing on disagreements and differences more than his grace and understanding. We have Jesus within us, so why aren’t we living like that?

Last week we saw that Jesus was fully God from the very beginning – that he was before all things and that all things were created by him as he holds all things together. Jesus was fully God before the incarnation, and now we learn that he did not cease to be fully God after the incarnation. Jesus said in John 10:30: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He spoke these words in his physical body after he had taken on flesh. Even as a human being all the fullness of God dwelt in him. Jesus was fully God and fully man. He became fully human without ceasing to be fully God. And he dwells within you today and every day because he wants to have a relationship with him. Don’t forget that Jesus dwells within you. Don’t forget you are the hands and feet of Christ on this earth. And don’t forget that he wants to have a relationship with you.

 

Movement Two: The Gospel has Universal Implications

Next, the gospel has universal implications. Just as God created all things through Christ, so God will also reconcile all things through Christ. Look at verse 20: “…and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).

There are two main things we learn from this verse. First, that God will reconcile all things to himself through Jesus. The word translated “reconcile” here literally means “to reconcile back” or to restore something to its original state. Last week we learned that all things were created by Christ and that all God’s creation was good. But now we read about this need for things to be reconciled. So what happened? Here’s what happened. Sin entered the world, and that changed everything. Therefore, God, through Jesus, wants to restore creation back to what He called “good.” God has seen the corruptive power of sin and is saying, “No more.” God is reaching out to His creation, all of His creation, to help it become good once again.

The fact that God will reconcile “all things” through Christ tells us that Christ’s work is broader than just saving individuals. Creation itself will be restored, as we read in Romans 8: “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21). When God created the world, all things were in perfect harmony with His will. Sin changed all that, but through Jesus God will change it back.

Back to Colossians 1:20, Paul goes on to say all things will be reconciled “whether things on earth or things in heaven.” We have heard similar language before when Paul described Jesus as the one who “all things in heaven and on earth were created” (Colossians 1:16). You might wonder why heaven would need to be cleansed as well as earth. Well, remember Satan’s great rebellion took place in heaven and Satan continued to have limited access there even after his fall. And so both heaven and earth needed to be cleansed. This also was part of Christ’s work at the cross. As we read in Hebrews 9:23: “It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices [speaking of the animal sacrifices], but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these [speaking of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross]” (Hebrews 9:23)

And so both the material and the spiritual world, the visible and the invisible things, all things will be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. As we read in Philippians 2: “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). All things will be reconciled before Christ because all things need to be restored. We need to be restored because we have walked away from God. We need to be restored because we have not done what Christ would do. We need to be restored because we have sinned. Reconciliation is not just a “one-and-done” event: it is a lifelong process because every day we need to be restored, to be set from our burdens and sins. Having a relationship with Jesus helps you become restored in love, faith, and grace.

So how does this amazing, universal reconciliation take place? Reconciliation comes through Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. Back to Colossians 1:20 Paul writes, “to reconcile to himself all things … by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” It is the blood of Jesus shed for us on the cross that brings us the reconciliation and peace we need. Jesus’ blood was the necessary price for our redemption; his blood is the blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

And where did this shedding of blood on our behalf take place? On the cross. The cross is central to Paul’s teaching; it is central to the gospel, to salvation, and to all of history. At the cross Christ took away our sins, and at the cross he took away God’s wrath making reconciliation possible. The gospel has universal implications. All of creation is stained by sin, and therefore all of creation needs to be reconciled. Jesus shed his blood on the cross fulfilling his role as the mediator reconciling and restoring all of creation. Once you have a relationship with Jesus, the process of being restored begins and “peace like a river will attendeth your soul.”[5]

 

Movement Three: The Gospel has Personal Applications

First, the gospel begins with the incarnation. Second, the gospel has universal implications. And then finally the gospel has personal application. After looking at the big picture of God reconciling all things to himself through Jesus, Paul now moves on to the personal application of the gospel. He writes in verses 21-22, “And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him…” (Colossians 1:21-22). God reconciled you when you put your faith in Jesus. And here Paul gives us a “before and after shot” of the Christian.

First, the “before” shot. You were alienated or estranged from God, and you were an enemy of God. You were separated from God because of your sin, and you were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. Romans 8:7 talks about the sinful mind: “The sinful mind is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” And why were our minds hostile to God? Because of our evil behavior. Look at John 3:19-20: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” Because our deeds were evil, we hated the light. We were enemies of God in our minds and in our actions. The “before” shot is that we were once enemies of God because of our sin: we were hostile and doing evil deeds.

Second, the “after” shot. Look at verse 22: “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death” (Colossians 1:22). God removed the barrier. God overcame our love for the darkness and our hatred of the light. He turned us from enemies into friends. How did he do this? He did this “By Christ’s physical body through death.” There is an emphasis on Christ’s physical body here once again. Christ was not an angel or a spirit-being pretending to be human. Jesus was fully God and fully man. He was born into our world so he could die for our sins. His death took away our sins that separated us from God, and it took away God’s wrath that was justly on us for our sins. Romans 5:10 says, “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.” How did God reconcile you to himself? God reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death. Because Jesus was fully human and divine, we saw the physical torture of his body redeem us from our sins. Jesus’s physical body set us free: “By the cross we have been set free.”

The “after” shot continues in verse 22: “to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22). You are not only reconciled to God in the present; you will be presented perfect to God in the future. The reason God reconciled you to himself through Christ’s death on the cross is so that he may present you holy and blameless in his sight at the last day.

We read in Ephesians 5: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). This is the ultimate “after” picture of the Christian. You will be presented perfect in God’s sight. God reconciled you when you put your faith in Jesus. You were separated from God in the past, you have been reconciled in the present, and you will be presented before him perfect in the future. This is the before and after shot of every believer in Jesus Christ who seeks to have a relationship with him.

 

Movement Four: Work that needs to be Done

As we continue to apply the gospel to our life, we learn from Paul that we have things that we need to do. Now not everyone who claims to be a Christian actually is a Christian. So how do you know if these things are true of you? How do you know if you are truly a believer in Christ, doing what Christ needs you to do? Paul goes on to say you know your faith is genuine if you continue in your faith. Look at verse 23: “…provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard…” (Colossians 1:23).

First of all, you need to stand firm in the faith. The word “firm” speaks of not being moved, of having a strong foundation. These words recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 about building your house on the rock where Jesus said: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). We must remain firm in our faith if we want to have a strong relationship with Jesus. By remaining firm in our faith, means that we are firm in Christ’s teachings.

Secondly you need to hold on to your hope. Paul says: “…provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard…” (Colossians 1:23). “Without shifting” or “not moved” means not to move or shift around from one place to another, like an earthquake shifting or moving the foundation of a house. Paul spoke in Colossians 1:5 of “the hope that is stored up for you in heaven.” This hope is what leads us to accepting Christ, following Christ, and taking up our cross for Christ. This hope, as a rather famous hymn notes, “is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Not only must we stand firm in our faith, but we must have hope in our faith; and not only hope in our faith but hope in the one that continually restores our faith: the one who became incarnate and dwells among and within us. We have to have hope in Jesus if want to have a relationship with Jesus.

Our work doesn’t stop there. We need to proclaim the gospel. Finally we read in verse 23, “This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant” (Colossians 1:23). First of all, the gospel is meant to be heard and then shared. If you have heard the gospel and God has reconciled you to himself through Christ, then you need to share the gospel with others so that they too may be reconciled with God. Secondly, the gospel offer goes out to the whole world. Paul describes the gospel here as that which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15). And lastly, we, like Paul, are servants of and for the gospel. Remember, who Jesus is, is what Jesus does; and what Jesus does is who we are called to be: we are called to be faithful, hopeful, and reconciling servants of and for Jesus Christ.

 

Conclusion:

The last two weeks we looked at the person of Christ. This week we have looked at the work of Christ. And we have seen that Christ’s great work in the gospel is the work of reconciliation. Although this has universal implications (God will reconcile all things to himself through Christ), it finds its primary application in God reconciling lost sinners to himself through Christ’s death on the cross.

Without Christ as reconciler we are alienated from God and enemies of God. Without Christ as reconciler we would spend eternity separated from God. Without Christ as reconciler we would have no hope and not a strong faith to stand upon. But because of Christ’s death on the cross, God will reconcile all things to himself through Jesus Christ. This is the amazing work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This is what God calls you to believe and then share with others. This is the gospel.

I end this message by returning to our opening questions: “How would you describe your relationship with Christ? Are you good with Christ? Is Christ good with you? Are you currently upset with Christ? Are you currently happy with Christ? Are you currently or have you ever been frustrated with Christ? Do you feel connected to and with Christ? How would you describe your relationship with Christ?” Your relationship to Christ will vary over time and from the person who you are sitting next to—as The Barna survey suggested. However, what should remain as the foundation of everyone’s relationship with Christ is the practice of reconciliation and restoration. If you want to have a faithful and hopeful relationship with Christ, then you must seek reconciliation so that your heart can be open to his salvation, grace, and love.

So, who is Jesus? Jesus is our eternal reconciler and restorer of our walk with God. How would you describe your relationship with Christ? Would you use the term reconciliation or would you use something else?

Let it be so…

 

Communion Transition…

Benediction:

Who is Jesus to you? How will you allow Jesus to strengthen your relationship with him this week? How will you allow him to reconcile your past? May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go forth seeking Jesus in your life. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

 

[1] https://www.barna.com/research/americans-feel-connected-to-jesus/

[2] https://www.barna.com/research/americans-feel-connected-to-jesus/

[3] https://www.barna.com/research/americans-feel-connected-to-jesus/

[4] https://www.barna.com/research/americans-feel-connected-to-jesus/

[5] This does not mean that all people will be saved, but rather that all things will be restored. The Bible does not teach universal salvation, but rather the restoration of all things under God’s rightful rule and power. Here is the biblical picture of the end times: unbelievers are punished; believers are saved; death is conquered; evil is overthrown; creation is restored. The gospel has universal implications.