Why are people abandoning any faith in Christ?
For over a decade, the number of Christians in America has been steadily declining, while the number of people claiming to have no religion at all has nearly doubled. http://christianpost.com/Society/Polls_reports/2009/03/survey-non-religious-americans-on-the-rise-in-every-state-09/index.html A recent study by George Barna reveals that Christianity is no longer America’s default religion.http://barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/15-christianity-is-no-longer-americans-default-faith
When I was in Bible College I used to think I would need to travel to a foreign land to be effective for God. Nothing could be further from the truth! Nearlyone thirdof Americans are not expecting any kind of religious ceremony upon their death. Think about that for a moment. These are people who do not have a church home, who don't know Christian friends or even a pastor, and who have removed themselves from Christian influence. http://barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/196-evangelism-is-most-effective-among-kids
When the Harris poll recently asked people to name their greatest personal hero, an overwhelming number of Americans chose Barack Obama. Who is at a distant second? Jesus Christ. This is the first time that Jesus has been less popular than any one person.http://www.christianpost.com/Society/Polls_reports/2009/02/americans-pick-obama-as-personal-hero-jesus-comes-second-21/index.html
So what does all this mean? What is happening Why are people abandoning any faith in Jesus Christ? I would contend that the Church has stopped talking about Jesus. We talk about church growth. We talk about the purpose driven life. We talk about angels and Christian experiences. We talk about marriage, parenting, exercise, dieting, financial management, and personal happiness. One thing we are not talking enough about is the utter supremacy of our secret, Jesus Christ!
How do I know this? Because our secret is so powerful that the mere mention of him unleashes his power in our lives and gives him instant fame. Our secret doesn't tell us toput our hope in government,put our hope in Wall Street, put our hope in health care, exercise, or diet, put our hope in our own willpower, or put our hope in our own strength.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ, who is supreme over all things.
No. Our hero is Jesus Christ. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Our faith is in Jesus Christ. The only one who can deliver genuine change and usurp the dominion of darkness is Jesus Christ. He is our King, our Lord, and our Savior. He is supreme over all things.
Last week I told you that when Paul starts talking about Jesus in Colossians 1:9 andhe doesn’t even try to catch his breath again until Colossians 1:20. In the Greek,these versesform a single uninterrupted sentence, packed with insight, spontaneous praise, and intercession. These verses are about the supremacy of Jesus Christ in everything.
Christ is supreme over the dominion of darkness.
Consider the words in Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV). These verses establish Christ’s supremacy over the dominion of darkness. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
I cannot let go of that word dominion; the dominion of darkness. God’s work is to free us from the power, the authority, the control, the influence, and the tyranny of darkness. God’s work is to bring us under a new authority and a new control. This new authority is an authority that is redemptive and restorative.
Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV) expresses this brilliantly."As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For
we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
How can we describe the supremacy of God's work?
How can we even begin to describe the supremacy of God’s work? An emotionally disturbed man entered a church in Maryville, Illinois, murdered the pastor in cold blood, and left his wife and children without the head of the family. One might conclude that darkness scored a victory that day. It was a day of death.But if you’ve been following the story in the media, the real victors that day were faith, hope, and love.
The widow urged the church members to reject hate and take comfort in their faith. To a standing room only crowd she said, "On Sunday my husband didn’t die. He simply got a promotion." One of thewidow’s two daughters told her mom, "I want everyone to come to know Jesus through this. I hope the man who did this learns to love Jesus." Christ’s fingerprints are all over that church.
Christis supreme overcreation.
Colossians 1:15-17 (NIV) describes Christ’s supremacy in creation."He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Jesus is the perfect image, the perfect reflection, and the perfect revealer of God the Father. In the face of Christ, we can know God fully. But more than this, Christ himself is the creator and sustainer of the whole universe. All things were created by him, and they were created for him. All things are held together in Jesus Christ. He is the organizing principle of the universe. Jesus is sovereign and is in control of everything seen and unseen.
Hebrews 1:1-4 (NIV) says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."
Christ is supreme over his Church.
In Colossians 1:18 (NIV)we see Christ’s supremacy in the Church. "And he is the head of the body, the church..."Elsewhere, Paul describes Christ as the head of his body, the Church. And as the head of his body, Christ exercises influence over every member of his body, instructing the hand, the foot, the eye, the ear, and the mouth. The Church represents the sphere of Christ’s kingdom on earth. His word holds supreme sway over our lives, our thinking, our conduct, our beliefs, and our profession.
Christ is supreme over death.
In Colossians 1:18 (NIV) we also see Christ’s supremacy over death. "...he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Sin,darkness, andeven the power of death could not contain Jesus. After being crucified for the sins of the world and being laid in the grave, he arose victorious on the third day. And heascended to the right hand of the Father to dwell forever in heaven.
Our baptism is a way in which we identify with Christ’s supremacy over death. Just as Christ died, so in baptism we die. Just as Christ was laid in a tomb, so we are laid into a watery grave. Just as Christ was raised, so we are raised. Just as Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father, so we are raised to live a new life under Christ’s authority and power.
Christ is supreme over his enemies.
In Colossians 1:19-23 (NIV)we see Christ’s supremacy over his enemies."For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,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.Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. 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."
Is Christ supreme over your life?
All this talk of Christ’s supremacy leaves us with one all-important decision. If Christ is supreme over the dominion of darkness,if he is supreme over all creation,if he is supreme over his body, the Church, if he is supreme over death, offering us a resurrection hope, if he is supreme over his enemies, conquering their rebellion by shedding his blood,then there is really only one area of supremacy left!
This morning will you allow Christ to become supreme in your life? Will you let him rescue you from the dominion of darkness? Will you allow him to redeem you and give you a new start? Will you allow him to forgive your sins? Will you allow Jesus to reveal the Father’s perfect love to you? Will you put your faith in his sovereign control over all things, seen and unseen? Will you come to understand that all things were created by Christ and they were created for Christ’s pleasure?
And will you allow Christ’s will to reign supreme in his Church, so that we are always carrying out his purpose and will in this place and in his world? And will you let Christ reign supreme in your death— celebrating your resurrection hope? And will you draw near to God through Christ’s shed blood, being reconciled to God, crucifying your rebellious spirit, and being presented holy in God’s sight without blemish and free from accusation?
If you are ready to grant Christ supremacy in your life this morning,pull out your connection card and mark "Become a Christian." This means that you will submit to Christ inbaptism.