Related Message
The 24/7 blog that we've called Resources is intended to be a multifaceted exploration of the Christian life. It is a place where we expand the conversation about what God is doing in our lives and in our community, and further reflect on what it looks like to live a life of full devotion to Christ, 24/7. This post is a reflection on the message of July 8, 2012 by Ron Esau, a longtime Southridge member and Bible teacher in a variety of contexts.
The message on Sunday, July 8, 2012 by John Ortberg, Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Menlo Park, California, was about one thing – Jesus. He centred his talk around Colossians 1:15-20 by describing Jesus as our Icon, Creator, Sustainer, Authority, Death Defeater, Reconciler and Sin Sacrifice.
- Jesus is our ICON: Icon is defined as “an image; or a representation“. He is the image of the invisible God. Jesus, Himself, stated “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). Another definition, “One who is the object of great attention and devotion”, describes Jesus over the last 2000 years.
- Jesus is our CREATOR: Verse 16 states, “By Him [Jesus] all things are created…”. That means Jesus has total control of the world and as John Ortberg stated, “He’s got the whole world in His Hands.”
- Jesus is our SUSTAINER: Jesus not only created everything, He is the glue that holds it all together.
- Jesus is our AUTHORITY: Paul, in verse 18 states, “He is the head of His body, the church.” Following His victory over death, the church became His new creation.
- Jesus is our DEATH-DEFEATER: Jesus became “the beginning and firstborn from the dead”, so that “in everything, He will have supremacy”.
- Jesus is our RECONCILER: “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in [Jesus].” Now, Jesus is our world's one hope for reconciliation.
- Jesus is our SIN-SACRIFICE: He is the MAN on the cross.
With all these attributes given to Jesus, we can be sure of one thing; it is not about you and it is not about me. It is all about Jesus. No matter what we may think about our own importance, it does not matter and the only thing that does is JESUS.
Even in John’s writing about his vision in Revelation 5 where he is weeping because no one is worthy enough to break the seals of the scroll that is in God’s hands, he describes Jesus as,
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9-10)
John follows this description of the humanity Jesus with,
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:11-14)
Do you see any mention about us, no, only about the Lamb. To think that even in heaven, the elders bow down and worship Jesus and all the angels (huge numbers) gather around to sing praises to him. Yes, as scripture says; one day all creation will all bow down and worship Jesus. The entire focus is on Jesus.
If it is all about Jesus, where do we fit in? I would like to answer this with a quote from an article, It’s All About Jesus: Creator, Sustainer, Reconciler, Redeemer that also references Max Lucado’s book , It’s Not About Me. Lucado writes:
G.R. Tweed looked across the Pacific waters at the American ship on the horizon. Brushing the jungle sweat from his eyes, the young naval officer swallowed deeply and made his decision. This could be his only chance for escape.
Tweed had been hiding on Guam for nearly three years. When the Japanese occupied the island in 1941, he ducked into the thick tropical brush. Survival hadn’t been easy, but he preferred the swamp to a POW camp.
Late in the day July 10, 1944, he spotted the friendly vessel. He scurried up a hill and positioned himself on a cliff. Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a small mirror. At 6:20 P.M., he began sending signals. Holding the edge of the mirror in his fingers, he tilted it back and forth, bouncing the sunrays in the direction of the boat. Three short flashes. Three long. Three short again. Dot-dot-dot. Dash-dash-dash. Dot-dot-dot. SOS.
The signal caught the eye of a sailor on board the USS McCall. A rescue party boarded a motorized dinghy and slipped into the cove past the coastal guns. Tweed was rescued.”
As you read that story, did you think, “What an amazing mirror that was!”? Or, “Boy, was Tweed ever lucky to have a mirror like that!” Did you wonder, “Where can I get a mirror that can save my life?” Of course not! You probably gave only a passing thought to the mirror. It isn’t the mirror that makes the story remarkable. It is the way in which the mirror was used.
The same is true for us. We are mirrors in the hands of God. Our purpose and our goal are to be used by God to reflect the Son—His Son. We are God’s creation, therefore we should be loudly and boldly proclaiming God’s splendor and grandeur and beauty.
I think one of the recent songs by Matt Redman, 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord), helps to describe what our responsibility is.
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Remember, it’s all about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. So let us praise Him with ten thousand reasons.
