God's divine plan is a profound mystery that unfolds through the ages, revealing Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of time. This plan is not merely a sequence of events but a divine administration where all periods of time find their ultimate meaning in Christ. The essence of this plan is that history and the universe reach their consummation in Him. This means that the ultimate purpose and meaning of history, and indeed the universe, is found in Christ. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that our lives are part of this grand narrative, and our ultimate purpose is also found in Him. [02:33]
Ephesians 1:9-10 (ESV): "making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."
Reflection: How does knowing that Christ is the fulfillment of time change the way you view your daily life and decisions? What steps can you take today to align your life more closely with this truth?
Day 2: Love as the Essence of Fulfillment
The concept of "summing up" in Ephesians is paralleled in Romans, where love is described as the sum of all commandments. Just as love encapsulates the essence of the law, Christ encapsulates the essence of all things. This parallel illustrates how Christ, like love, is the essence and fulfillment of all things. The fullness of the law is love, and similarly, the fullness of time and history is Christ. This understanding invites us to see Christ as the embodiment of love and the fulfillment of God's plan. [05:38]
Romans 13:9-10 (ESV): "For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,' and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Reflection: In what ways can you embody the love of Christ in your interactions with others today? How can you make love the guiding principle of your actions?
Day 3: Christ as the Ultimate Goal
The fullness of time and history is Christ. Just as love fulfills the law, Christ fulfills the purpose of all creation and history. Everything points to Him as the ultimate goal. This truth challenges us to reorient our lives towards Christ, recognizing Him as the endpoint and climax of all things. Our lives, like the universe, are meant to point to Him, and our ultimate fulfillment is found in aligning ourselves with His purpose. [07:41]
Colossians 1:17-18 (ESV): "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 4: The Universe Centered on Christ
The universe, history, and all creation are centered on Christ. He is the endpoint, the climax, and the sum of all things, revealing the profound truth that everything is about Him. This understanding calls us to see the world through the lens of Christ's supremacy and centrality. It invites us to live with the awareness that our lives are part of a larger story that is ultimately about Him. [09:27]
Hebrews 1:2-3 (ESV): "but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power."
Reflection: How does recognizing Christ as the center of the universe influence your perspective on your personal challenges and goals? What changes can you make to ensure that Christ remains at the center of your life?
Day 5: Christ's Supremacy in Creation
Colossians 1:16 reinforces the truth that all things were created through and for Christ, emphasizing His supremacy and centrality in all things. This passage reminds us that Christ is not only the creator but also the purpose of creation. Everything exists for Him, and our lives find their true meaning and purpose in Him. As we reflect on this, we are called to live in a way that honors His supremacy and aligns with His purpose. [10:03]
Colossians 1:16 (ESV): "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."
Reflection: Think of an area in your life where you struggle to acknowledge Christ's supremacy. How can you begin to submit this area to His authority and purpose today?
Sermon Summary
In this session, we delve into the profound mystery of God's plan as outlined in Ephesians 1:7-10. This divine plan, set forth in Christ, is described as a household administration for the fullness of time, aiming to sum up all things in Christ. The essence of this plan is that all periods of time, with their unique meanings and purposes, will reach their consummation in Christ. This means that the ultimate purpose and meaning of history, and indeed the universe, is found in Christ.
The concept of "summing up" is further illustrated by drawing a parallel with Romans 13:9-10, where Paul speaks of love as the sum of all commandments. Just as love encapsulates the essence of the law, Christ encapsulates the essence of all things. The fullness of the law is love, and similarly, the fullness of time and history is Christ. This is not to say that Ephesians is solely about love and commandments, but rather to highlight the parallel in how summing up and fullness are used in both contexts.
The overarching message is that God's good pleasure is being enacted in history with the ultimate goal that everything will point to Christ. The universe, history, and all creation are about Christ. He is the endpoint, the climax, and the sum of all things. This is further emphasized in Colossians 1:16, where Paul states that all things were created through Him and for Him, underscoring Christ's supremacy in all things.
Key Takeaways
1. God's plan is a divine administration for the fullness of time, where all periods of time find their ultimate meaning in Christ. This plan is not just about events unfolding but about revealing Christ as the sum of all things. [02:33]
2. The concept of summing up in Ephesians is paralleled in Romans, where love is the sum of all commandments. This illustrates how Christ, like love, is the essence and fulfillment of all things. [05:38]
3. The fullness of time and history is Christ. Just as love fulfills the law, Christ fulfills the purpose of all creation and history. Everything points to Him as the ultimate goal. [07:41]
4. The universe, history, and all creation are centered on Christ. He is the endpoint, the climax, and the sum of all things, revealing the profound truth that everything is about Him. [09:27]
5. Colossians 1:16 reinforces this truth by declaring that all things were created through and for Christ, emphasizing His supremacy and centrality in all things. [10:03] ** [10:03]
What is the "household administration" mentioned in Ephesians 1:10, and how does it relate to the fullness of time? [00:31]
How does Romans 13:9-10 illustrate the concept of "summing up" in relation to love and commandments? [04:24]
According to Colossians 1:16, what is the purpose of all creation, and how does it relate to Christ's supremacy? [10:03]
What does the sermon suggest is the ultimate goal of God's plan as described in Ephesians 1:7-10? [09:27]
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Interpretation Questions:
How does the concept of "summing up all things in Christ" in Ephesians 1:10 help us understand the purpose of different periods of time in history? [02:33]
In what ways does the analogy of love being the sum of all commandments in Romans 13:9-10 deepen our understanding of Christ being the sum of all things? [05:38]
How does the sermon explain the relationship between God's good pleasure and the unfolding of history? [01:09]
What implications does Christ's supremacy in all things, as stated in Colossians 1:16, have for our understanding of the universe and history? [10:03]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on a period in your life that seemed meaningless at the time. How might viewing it through the lens of God's plan to sum up all things in Christ change your perspective? [02:33]
The sermon suggests that love is the sum of all commandments. How can you actively demonstrate love in a specific relationship or situation this week? [05:38]
Consider the idea that the universe and history are centered on Christ. How does this perspective influence your daily decisions and priorities? [09:27]
In what ways can you align your personal goals with the ultimate goal of God's plan, which is to point everything to Christ? [09:27]
How can you practically acknowledge Christ's supremacy in your life, especially in areas where you tend to take control? [10:03]
Think about a time when you struggled to see the purpose in a challenging situation. How can the understanding that Christ is the sum of all things provide comfort and guidance? [03:11]
Identify one area of your life where you can better reflect the fullness of Christ. What specific steps will you take to make this change? [08:56]
Sermon Clips
"According to God's good pleasure, which he set forth in Christ as a plan, it is a household administration for the fullness of time. All the periods of time, so a household plan for the fullness of all the periods of time to sum up all things in him, in Christ, things in heaven and things on the earth." [00:27:21]
"The great deepest good pleasure of God is now being set forth that is realized and enacted in history as a plan and as a purpose to sum up all in Christ. If God's administrative plan for the universe or for history and particularly the plan of redemption in history, if that household plan comes to pass, it will be the fullness of all the periods of time." [00:65:50]
"The meaning reaches its consummation, its climax, its completion when that administration is done according to God's will. So the fullness here, I think, means the fullness of the meaning of these periods of time. The point, the reason they exist, the reason all these periods of time in this household plan exist will reach its fullness when this household plan is fulfilled the way God means for it to be fulfilled." [00:126:28]
"The effect will be that everything, and I think this all things here is the all things that are included in how this plan works. All things will find their sum, their meaning, their head, their goal, everything they were pointing to will be in Christ. So the administration of all things will prove to be a fullness of meaning when those things are carried out as God plans." [00:182:38]
"Christ will be the endpoint, the climax, the main thing, the point, the goal, the sum of that entire plan. And the all things now, let me try this, this is Paul is just about flying so high here, we can't go with him because it's pretty amazing and high." [00:240:24]
"Love is the sum of all commandments, right? Any other commandment, all these commandments and any other commandment are summed up in this word, namely love. So love is the sum of all the commandments. Now he says, I think again, same thing in verse 10, love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fullness of the law." [00:326:00]
"Love is the fullness of the law. You see how parallel these are: commandments, law, sum, fullness, love, love. Now I can't help but be amazed that this is the only other place in all of Paul's writings where the word sum up occurs, and it occurs with the same word fullness that we have back here." [00:364:24]
"When all the commandments are added together, this is like a mathematical thing, the sum you get is love. And when the law is filled up with full and perfect obedience, the sum you get is love. And I'm suggesting that since these are the same for both the sum word picture and the fullness word picture, that back here Christ is the same for the fullness and the sum up." [00:442:28]
"Just as Christ is the sum of all things, all things, so if you add all things together, the sum at the bottom will be Christ. And I'm saying these all things here are the way this household administration is to be carried out. Everything in this household administration in running history is to be done in a certain way, namely in a way that shows the fullness of the periods of time." [00:490:14]
"Christ is the fullness, the fullness of the meaning of all the periods of time in history is Christ. If you were to ask, fill up the meaning of every period of time, what's the meaning of every period of time in redemptive history, the answer is going to be Christ." [00:533:16]
"The good pleasure of God is being enacted or set forth in history with one main overarching goal, namely that when it's all done, the fullness and the sum will be Christ. The world is about Christ, the universe is about Christ, history is about Christ, everything in the world is about Christ." [00:564:14]
"All things created through him and for him is the sum of all things that he might be supreme in all things." [00:605:12]