Dig Deeper - Sunday 11th October
Sermon Reflection: Becoming the Church God is calling us to be - Our Values: Jesus at the Centre
Colossians 1:15-20
Link to service
Dig Deeper notes from Sunday 11th October service -
The main vision that St John’s has always tried to embody and demonstrate within Walmley is that we are God’s community, in the community, for the community.
Over the part few months, the staff team, ministry team and PCC have spent time together in discussion and prayer, identifying what this looks like as followers of Christ.
After prayerful consideration, we are excited to launch our nine core values alongside our vision. These values are the areas within our church that are of great importance and showcase the love and need for God within our community. Values that we should all hold to and demonstrate throughout our lives.
The first value we are looking and reflecting on in Jesus at the centre.
From our Bible reading, we can see when writing to the Colossians in his letter, Paul is reiterating the authority of Jesus. He is explaining that Jesus was not simply a man and prophet, but God himself.
‘The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth.’
Jesus was fully human and also fully divine and his authority was over heaven and earth.
In John’s Gospel, the very first chapter says:
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him, all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.’
The Word, or ‘Logos’ in Greek means divine wisdom. In the beginning was the divine God who created all things and without him, nothing was created at all. Everything that is created or produced first and foremost comes from God.
It goes onto say:
‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’
The divinity of God humbled himself in human form to walk on earth alongside his people and save us from sin and death.
‘He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is head of the body, the church, he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.’
We are told that Jesus is the head, and the church is the body of Christ. Without the head, the body cannot function, and it is through Jesus that everything within the church is held together. The apostle Paul is reminding the church in Colossae that Christianity is not built around a building or an idea, but around Jesus Christ, and apart from Jesus, the church does not exist.
‘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.’
The perfect sacrifice in Jesus, wholly clean and unblemished, being killed on the cross meant that His blood cleansed us all of the sin of the world.
Jesus’ glorious resurrection meant that death was defeated – and the offer for all those who believe in him will be given eternal life. And all of this was done because God loves us.
This is the gospel – this is the great news that we as followers of Christ know to be true. And it is this foundation and cornerstone of our faith.
Points to consider:
1. What would we consider to be central things in our lives? Perhaps it’s relationships, family, money, career, etc.
2. How can we change our focus to have Jesus at the centre?
3. How would this shift impact our lives for ourselves and others around us?
4. Take time in prayer to ask God to highlight all the things that are currently central, and ask Him to guide us so that Jesus is at the centre.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we pray and lift ourselves to you and ask – Jesus be the centre of everything we do and say. Help us to focus our sights on you and live our lives for your glory.
Amen.
