CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OF OUR CHURCH // 17th January 2021

Speaker Helen Jenkinson

INTRO

This week we’re continuing our series on Christ at the centre of everything. Olivier has spoken about Christ at the centre of our lives. Today and next week we’ll look at Christ at the centre of our church. 

The way I imagine our mission statement is a series of concentric circles. Christ is at the centre. The first circle is our lives. That could include our personal life, our work life and our family life. Then the next circle is our church, then going a bit wider our community and the biggest circle - the world. 

I wonder what first comes into your mind when you think about the phrase Christ at the centre of our church? Do you think about lots of activities for every age group? Fantastic worship? Every seat filled on Sunday mornings (in a post covid world!)? People coming to faith on a regular basis? People being miraculously healed? Today and next week we’re going to look at what Paul wanted 2 New Testament churches to focus on. This week we’re going to look at the church in Colossae.

BACKGROUND

So what is the background to this passage? Paul is writing to the Christians at Colossae which was in what we would know now as Turkey. He had never met them personally but Epaphras, who was probably from Colossae, had become a Christian through Paul’s ministry and had started the church there. Paul was in prison in Rome and Epaphras had come to see him to serve him but also to get advice on false teaching that was creeping into the church there. In short, the false teaching was that what you REALLY need is to have knowledge of deeper, new-fangled teaching and you weren’t ‘in’ unless you had it. 

How did you get this deeper knowledge? By performing certain rituals. What we would know now as a ‘7 steps to spiritual enlightenment’. And Paul is saying NO!! You have everything you need in Christ. You don’t need any of these extra things. Christ is enough. 

And then he goes on to give that wonderful passage in chapter 1 that talks about the pre-eminence of Christ - the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation.  Chapter 1:19 says He is head of the body, the church. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. In verses 21 to 23 he tells the Christians that through Christ’s death on the cross we are made holy and blameless. We are made righteous.  

But then as in all Paul’s letters, after theology comes application. If we have everything we need in Christ, if Christ is the be all and end all of all things then how should that change us? How should that impact our personal life and our church? We have been made saints- so start behaving like them too! So this morning we’re going to look at what a church with Christ at the Centre should be focused on.

READ COLOSSIANS 3: 1- 17

In verse 2 Paul tells the Colossians to set their minds on things above, not on earthly things. The false teachers were saying that deeper knowledge is what’s needed and the way to get this is to participate in certain rituals, but Paul is saying set your focus on getting to know Christ better and all that belongs to living with and for him. 

This includes seeking first the kingdom of God as Jesus taught in Matthew 6 that Olivier talked about last week and living a life that is worthy of Him. He tells them to put to death - make a break with - the sins of their past. 'Put to death' has a lot of finality to it doesn’t it? And he goes on to mention a whole range of attitudes that should have no place in a Christian’s heart and life: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, malice, rage, malice, slander, obscene talk, lies. He tells them to take them off like you would a dirty coat. Those things belong to your old self and put on your new clean coat, or as Paul calls it your 'new self'. 

He uses the ideas found in 2 Corinthians 5:17, 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation'. The Greek word used here is KAINOS (Kahee-nos) which means new in terms of form or quality, of a different nature from what is contrasted as old. It’s the same noun as John uses in Revelation where he talks about 'a new heaven and a new earth'. When Paul talks about having put on your new self he’s talking past tense. It has already happened. We are new creations. But we need to start living in the truth of it.  This is the process of sanctification. As we know Jesus more we become more like him. The old self is replaced by KAINOS. 

You may think that’s all something we do on a personal level - and that is true. But Christ is doing something even bigger. If the church is made up of new creations, then the church is a new society with a new way of living.  What Paul is keen to point out is that putting off our old selves will have a positive impact on the whole church. If everyone is seeking to know Jesus more and to see his kingdom come, that’s obviously going to change the way we view each other, the way we treat each other and the way we serve Christ as the boss of the church. That’s us too at MCC! 

Don’t you want to be part of a church that is demonstrating God’s new creation, his new society to those who don’t know him yet? You bet I do!!! And so will others. 

So what does a church who are new creations make sure they are spending their time on?

A CHURCH WITH CHRIST AT THE CENTRE IS FOCUSED ON

1.    UNITY v 11

Here is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and Scythian, slave or free but Christ is all and in all.

The church that has Christ at the centre cannot have deep division based on nationality, tradition, geography or social and cultural status. That’s what the world sees as normal and often promotes. But look what Paul says - 'Christ is all and in all'. Christ is all that matters. If we belong to Christ we are no different to someone who has had maybe a different upbringing or has a different job. As Paul says, Christ is in all. 

I love going to Keswick Convention. Thousands of Christians all together. I always get a foretaste of what the new heaven and earth will be like. Keswick’s motto is All One in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28) There’s no one asking you what type of church you belong to when you enter the tent. You don’t have to explain your view on election or the gifts of the Spirit. You don’t have to say where you are from or what job you do. You could be sitting next to someone with a completely different background to you but that never enters your head. 

One of the most moving times I’ve ever had was at the end of Keswick 2019. It was the last evening of the convention and the last time Keswick would be in the tent on that site.  3-4000 people all singing 'And Can It Be' unaccompanied. 

You can actually watch it on You Tube. But You Tube doesn’t show you just how many people there were and the volume of the singing. All one in Christ Jesus, singing his praises for the salvation he brings. 

The world experiences division - you only have to see recent scenes in America to notice that. Or get people talking about Brexit! Or lockdown! But the church needs to show the world that we are different because we are the new creation. What message does it send out when people in the church are fighting or struggling for supremacy? When one church belittles another? Christ is all and in all. 

In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, on the night before his crucifixion this is what he prays for -

Verse 22: The glory that you have given me I have given to them that they may be one as we are one. I in them, you in me. That they may become perfectly one.

Why? So we can become a holy huddle? NO! 'So that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me'. Our unity is a witness to Christ’s love for them. Is Christ in you? Is Christ in the person sitting next to you? That should be enough for us. I love watching 'The Blessing' You Tube video. And every time I see it, I get a lump in my throat. I don’t think it’s just because it’s a great song. I think its because when each person sings their church is written underneath. All these people from different backgrounds all praising God. 

I’m reminded of Psalm 133: 1  How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) dwell in unity

That’s why Bury Churches Together is so important. But on a more personal level - when brothers and sisters at MCC dwell in unity.

However, you might be thinking. Well that sounds great but does it mean we always have to agree? Is Paul promoting a church where different opinions are quashed? Where we are not taught to think for ourselves? Of course not. We are all made differently and sometimes think differently but the key to unity is keeping the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

How do we do that? By focusing on our next characteristic of a Christ centred church
 
2.    LOVE v 12-14

In the Old Testament God chose Israel to be a people for his own possession. Was it because they were worthy of that title? Not a bit of it! God set his love upon them to show his love to the world, to show all people what he was like. In singling Israel out he called them to be a holy nation. 

Now Paul uses the same titles to describe the Colossians in verse 12. The titles that had been given to Israel are now given to the church - chosen, holy and beloved. Just think about the transformation that must have had to take place in Paul’s thinking to call Gentiles chosen, holy and beloved. Paul who actively sought to annihilate Christians. What or who could have caused this transformation? Only him knowing Christ. 

But just as God’s intention for Israel was to demonstrate God’s character and love to the world, here Paul names the qualities that should be evident in his people, the new Israel, who are chosen, holy and beloved.

 
Verses 12 and 13: compassion, kindness, humility. Gentleness and patience. Forbearance (Bearing with one another) forgiveness.

These were the qualities that God had demonstrated to Israel and that he demonstrates to us in his work of salvation and sanctification. So what Paul is saying is that as God has demonstrated all these qualities in relation to you, you need to demonstrate them in relation to each other. If the Lord has done that for you then you must do that for your brother or sister in Christ. 

Has Christ forgiven you? Then you need to forgive your sibling in Christ. Is Christ patient with you? Then be patient with your Christian siblings. This is often really difficult to do isn’t it? People rub us up the wrong way. We take offence by what people do or say (or don’t do or don’t say!) But Paul is saying. Look - you are demonstrating God’s new society to the world. The world is used to people holding grudges, flying off the handle, promoting themselves. You need to demonstrate a different way. Love covers a multitude of sins.
 
Do you remember the teenager Anthony Walker who was murdered in an unprovoked attack in Liverpool in 2005. I always remember his mum being interviewed on North West tonight and Gordon Burns who was interviewing her asked how she felt about the person who had murdered her son. You could tell her response caught Gordon off guard. This is what she said: "I can't hate. We're a forgiving family and it is extended to outside, so it wasn't hard to forgive because we don't just preach it, we practise it.” 

Gee Walker was demonstrating the characteristics of Christ’s new kingdom in the most horrific of circumstances. Paul is saying here, put on - dress yourself in - these characteristics, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, forbearance and forgiveness, because in doing so you are showing the world what Christ is like. 

In 2 Cor 5:20 Paul talks about us being 'Christ’s ambassadors, reconciling the world unto himself'. An ambassador represents the country they are from. Their primary role is to uphold and protect their country's national interests in the country where they are posted. So if we are Christ’s ambassadors, our role is to promote the kingdom of God’s interests in our families, at work and as a church in the local area. To model the values of the kingdom that we are serving. Anywhere where we can have influence. To make us look good? To get us in the papers? To get a medal off the queen? NO! Because we are seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness as Olivier was talking about last week.

So a church that has Christ at the centre is focused on unity and it’s focused on love.
 
3.    ENCOURAGEMENT v 16

Let the word of God dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one other in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

From this we see that the church who has Christ at the centre is a church who encourages. But there is a basis for that encouragement- our encouragement is from the truth of God’s word. But before we can encourage someone with the truths of scripture we need to know scripture ourselves! Last week Olivier mentioned the verse in Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Those who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness will be hungering for more of God in his word. But what should we do with that? Keep it to ourselves and stay warm and fuzzy? NO! Pass it on! One of the loveliest things to come out of lockdown is the WhatsApp groups that have started up. The ones I belong to are always full of encouragement. Thankyou. Last week Cynthia put a verse on the ladies WhatsApp that I had just been reading and God was speaking to me about. So Cynthia, allowing the word of God to dwell in her richly and passing it on was a real encouragement to me as it confirmed what God was saying. I was reading the other day about our need to feast on scripture. But then to take what we feast on and use it as snacks during the day! How about asking God to reveal a particular verse to you in your daily devotions then having your bible open at that verse during the day and keep coming back to it? Or writing it out on a piece of card and sticking it somewhere you will look at regularly? You could do the same with your favourite hymn. Then pass it on to encourage others. Make use of the discussion questions that have been published. In that way the word of God starts to dwell within us, and we can show support and encouragement to others using words of life.
 
So a church with Christ at the centre is focussed on unity, love, encouragement and finally

4.    SERVICE v 17

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 
This verse must be taken in context with the previous verses that talked about unity. It is the name of the Lord Jesus who unites. 'Whatever you do' takes in our words which will include our teaching but also our deeds which is our plans, decisions and activities. And that is what we are going to focus on next week. If you have time this week it’d be really good if you could read Ephesians 4:1-16 so the word of God can take root in you this week before next Sunday.
 
How does Paul end this section? By reminding the Colossians of all they need to be thankful for. Thankful people appreciate how great their salvation is that is theirs in Christ, and that in turn draws them into a deeper appreciative fellowship with other members of their church family.
 
In the last lockdown Keith recommended to me a fantastic book called ‘In His Steps.’ It’s a true story of a group of people in a church who decided to take the What Would Jesus Do motto seriously. They hungered and thirsted for His righteousness and instead of just agreeing with what Jesus says, decided to put his words into practice, regardless of the personal consequences. The results of ordinary people taking Jesus at his word brought extraordinary results.  

Do we want to see God’s kingdom come in Bury? Do we want to demonstrate God’s new creation? Let’s be a church that actively puts Christ at the centre. A church who are focused on unity, love, encouragement and service.
 
Let us pray
 

Let there be love shared among us, 
Let there be love in our eyes, 
May now Your love sweep this nation, 
Cause us O Lord to arise. 
Give us a fresh understanding 
Of brotherly love that is real, 
Let there be love shared among us, 

Let there be love.

Questions to ponder

1. Col3: 1-17. We are new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) How can we demonstrate God's new creation, His Kingdom in our church?

2. v11: How can we promote unity within our church and with other churches?

3. v12-13 Is God speaking to you about any of these characteristics of a loving person?

4. v16: How can we encourage each other?