FILLED UP!

Ephesians 1:22-23

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. 

These two verses bring chapter 1 to a close. Chapter 1 has revealed a lot about the gifts that God has given to the church. Here's a reminder: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (vs. 3) We have talked about predestination, grace, forgiveness, redemption, wisdom and understanding -- all gifts to us who believe. It doesn't stop there, however. Our verses today reveal another stunning truth. The supremacy of Christ, His Lordship over all, is yet another gift to us. Paul tells us that God appointed Jesus to be our head, our ruler, and He did this for us. Not in spite of us. Not to control us. He did it for us. It is God's gift bestowed on the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and the head over all things on earth and in the heavenly realms, above all rulers and powers and authorities and dominions, and, He is head over the church. Take comfort, friends. Because of this fact, there is nothing that the church cannot overcome -- no opposition that can overtake us because of the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ. That is good news for you and me.

The church IS Chist's body. It is more than symbolic. It is a fact. The church is not an institution, it is an organism. It exists and functions only because of its vital connection and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, who overcame the greatest setback to life there is: death. I love the analogy of the church as a body. All the different pieces working and moving together in perfect synergy. All of it affected when one piece is in pain or not right and all of it working in joyous health when every piece is doing its part and working as it should. Cut off its head, however, and the body falls to the floor -- nothing about it can function or do any more to bring glory to its Creator. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-27) This is the supremacy of Christ for us. He is the head. Without Him, we have no power to function. We have no power to mourn or rejoice, love, laugh, sing or cry. We can no longer give glory to the God who created us. And even beyond His church, He is supreme. Over all.

"...the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." This is a bit elusive to even the greatest theologians out there, but here's what I've gathered. "Fullness" suggests two things. 1) That which is filled with Christ. The church contains the fullness of Him. Jesus is "all in" when it comes to the church. There is no part of Him that He withholds from His believers. 2) That which is filled by Christ. Jesus pours His life, His gifts, His blessings, His inheritance, His presence into us.

The church manifests the presence of Christ in the world, but only as His fullness lives in us and as He fills us every moment and every day. The church is His treasure. The church is who He is. The church is you and me. It's true. The church is a clay jar -- fragile, broken and cracked. But the holes and cracks of a broken pot allow more light to shine through -- the light of Jesus. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7, NIV The Body of Christ is a most beautiful place and His headship is a gift. Take it from someone who has had to leave and come back again, search for its beauty, health and usefulness and struggle to do her part to help the body function.

Filled,
Kerry

HE RULES ALL!

Ephesians 1:19b-21
 

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 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.

Who's the strongest person you can think of?  I'm always amazed at how strong my husband is.  He takes me down with no effort and I usually have to trick him somehow in order to escape his grip (this is all done in fun, of course).  I can think of some famous actors whose mighty muscles betray their strength.  Professional wrestlers . . . I wouldn't want to make them mad.  Human beings can make themselves relatively strong.  They can build up their muscle strength to the point of no fear when walking down a dark alley at night.  But, no matter how big and strong our muscles, we cannot and do not compare to God's strength.  1 Corinthians 1:25 says this: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."  No matter how big and strong our muscles, we have no power to raise someone from the dead.

Jesus Christ died on a cross.  He died.  But He did not stay dead.  God raised Him from the dead with His mighty power and strength.  This divine power, the same power that raised Jesus Christ from death to life, is at work in our own lives.  We, too, were dead in our sins.  But now we live! (Eph. 2:1,4-5)  This divine power is at work in us constantly changing us into something better than what we are right now.  It is at work guiding us in His divine will for us (which is ultimately eternity with Him) in spite of ourselves.  "...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Philippians 2:13, NIV

Once Jesus was raised from the dead, God seated Him at His right hand.  No longer among us in human form, He was completely transformed from man to God, from scourged to exalted, from death to life.  God exalted Him higher than anything or anyone.  No matter what title we can come up with to give a person, Jesus Christ ranks higher.  He rules over everything on earth and over everything in the heavens and beneath.  He rules all!  Only God has the power to exalt someone to such a position, and it's THAT same incomparably great power that is exerted in us every day of our lives as we live in Him.  So, live in the strength of the Lord, my friends.

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.  1 Timothy 6:15b-16, NIV

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.  Revelation 1:4-6, NIV

In strength,
Kerry