Living Fully Charged in the Lord

Text Passages

Colossians 2:9-10 (NIV) Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)

I.  You have been brought to fullness

• In Christ we have been – past tense – brought to fullness. But I am human and I live in this world so I don’t always feel  But I’ve never thought the problem was Christ.
• Somehow within me I knew I want Him and I need Him, and like Peter I realized there is no better place else to go.
• We have been given fullness. And we have it, even when we are feeling empty.

But what is fullness?

II. God’s love is the essence of that fullness

• God’s love is the active ingredient of that fullness. It is from His love that all other This is the active ingredient.
• God’s love is the root system of our spiritual fruit.
  • From it sprouts joy. I am loved by almighty God.
  • From it sprouts peace. I am loved by the Creator of the Universe
  • From it sprouts hope. I am loved by the One for whom nothing is too difficult.
  • From His love sprouts our love. I am loved.  And that frees me to love.  Listen to the words of Paul the apostle to the Ephesians from chapter 5, verse 1:  “Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God”

Sometimes we may feel unworthy of this love because we aren’t where we want to be or think we ought to be.  Or maybe we find it hard to grasp because of life’s difficulties.

But God’s love is constant and unwavering, even when we struggle to feel it.  He wants us to know it, believe it, luxuriate in it.

And that brings us to number 3 and why I say never miss Communion Sunday.

III. The cross is the ultimate reminder of God’s love

It is the ultimate display of God’s love.  It is the ultimate monument.

I thank the Lord for a lot of things, but some of the things I thank the Lord for today will be different or gone tomorrow.  Time is filled with swift transition.  But the cross remains forever.

I regularly thank the Lord for coming to earth.  For staying.  For persevering.  For resolutely setting His face towards Jerusalem, realizing my life depended on Him completing His mission.

And when He got there.  He did not hide His face from mocking and spitting and hitting and from having His beard plucked out.

Even though it happened 2000 years ago, there was a day in history when it did happen.  And Jesus faced that day and endured that day for us.

He suffered for a lot longer than Gethsemane and the cross, Lord.  Imagine knowing for years that you were going to die a gruesome death and knowing you have the opportunity and the right to avoid it.  There is only one reason Jesus did not.  That reason is you.  That reason is me.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will he not also with Him freely give us all things.

• If God would be generous with the most precious thing to Him, why would He be stingy with anything else? And if love caused Him to give what was most precious.  It is only love that causes Him to withhold anything less.

Love is in Charge!

• When we don’t get what we want. Thank God that love is in charge.
• When life doesn’t go as planned. Thank God that love is in charge.
• Through the tears and sorrow, thank God love is in charge.
• Because Love IS in charge.

The Lord was intentional in His payment through His shed blood.  He knew He was purchasing for us a Five-Star Redemption plan which includes:

• Eternal Favor
• The indwelling Holy Spirit
• Free access to Him at all times.
• And continual dividends from the unsearchable riches of Christ.

And all that is for us in the here and know, while we live in this world, in this body!

• The best awaits us when this life is over. And the Scripture says our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

So I say to the Lord…On that day, when I finally stand before You, my “case” for entering Your kingdom and receiving a full embrace and a “well done good and faithful servant” from You, my case will consist of but four words: “The blood of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:31 – Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

• Communion helps us to do that; it focuses us on the cross.

As Jesus chose to suffer for us.  Let us choose to believe in the love behind His choice.  And as a result, live a fully charged life for You.