Experiencing the Fullness of Christ in Our Lives

Devotional

Day 1: Centering Faith on Jesus Christ

In our journey as Christians, it is easy to become so focused on religious activities and moral living that we lose sight of the essence of our faith: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul warns against being led astray by seemingly wise principles that distract us from Christ. Our primary goal should be to experience the fullness of Jesus, as this is where true power for a godly life resides. This means more than just attending church or reading the Bible; it involves a deep, personal knowledge of Jesus that transforms every aspect of our lives. [00:15]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to deepen your personal relationship with Jesus, beyond your regular religious activities?

Day 2: Equipping for the Fullness of Christ

Church leaders are called to equip believers to attain the fullness of Christ, which involves a deep, personal knowledge of Jesus that transforms every aspect of life. This equipping is not just about imparting knowledge but about fostering a relationship with Jesus that empowers believers to live godly lives. As we grow in this knowledge, we receive the divine power necessary for life and godliness, enabling us to live lives that are pleasing to God in every role and relationship we have. [01:21]

Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV): "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

Reflection: How can you actively seek to be equipped by your church leaders to grow in the fullness of Christ this week?

Day 3: Living as New Creations

The fullness of God is realized in living a life that reflects the character and actions of Jesus. This involves being transformed into new creations, guided by the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are called to live in this fullness, embodying the character and actions of Jesus in our daily lives. This transformation is not about mere religious observance but about being renewed in our minds and hearts to live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. [05:24]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: In what ways can you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in living as a new creation today?

Day 4: Bearing the Fruit of Righteousness

As believers, we are called to bear the fruit of righteousness, demonstrating qualities like kindness, patience, and self-control, which reflect the reality of God to the world. Paul's prayers for the early churches reflect his desire for believers to be filled with the knowledge of God's will and to live lives worthy of the Lord. This involves bearing fruit in every good work and being strengthened with all power. [15:14]

Philippians 1:9-11 (ESV): "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Reflection: What specific fruit of righteousness can you focus on cultivating in your life today, and how can you demonstrate it to those around you?

Day 5: Rooted and Established in Christ

The fullness of God is found in the person of Jesus Christ. As we live in Him, rooted and established, we experience His fullness, transforming us to be more like Him. This is the goal of our faith: to know Jesus deeply and to live in His power and presence daily. Being rooted in Christ means drawing strength and nourishment from Him, allowing His presence to transform us from the inside out. [24:20]

Ephesians 3:16-19 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: How can you ensure that your life is rooted and established in Christ today, allowing His fullness to transform you?

Sermon Summary

In our journey as Christians, it's surprisingly easy to miss the essence of our faith: Jesus Christ himself. We can become so engrossed in church activities, Bible reading, and moral living that we inadvertently drift away from a personal relationship with Jesus. This is a concern that Paul addressed, emphasizing the importance of not being led astray by seemingly wise principles that ultimately distract us from Christ. Our primary goal should be to experience the fullness of Jesus Christ, as this is where true power for a godly life resides.

Ephesians 4:11-13 outlines the purpose of church leaders: to equip believers to attain the fullness of Christ. This means more than just attending church or reading the Bible; it involves a deep, personal knowledge of Jesus that transforms every aspect of our lives. As we grow in this knowledge, we receive the divine power necessary for life and godliness, as described in 2 Peter 1:3-5. This power enables us to live lives that are pleasing to God in every role and relationship we have.

The concept of fullness is central to our faith. In the New Testament, fullness refers to the complete realization of God's purposes. Jesus himself fulfilled the scriptures, embodying the fullness of God's righteousness. As believers, we are called to live in this fullness, which means embodying the character and actions of Jesus in our daily lives. This is not about mere religious observance but about being transformed into new creations, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Paul's prayers for the early churches, as seen in Colossians and Philippians, reflect his desire for believers to be filled with the knowledge of God's will and to live lives worthy of the Lord. This involves bearing fruit in every good work and being strengthened with all power. The fruit of righteousness—qualities like kindness, patience, and self-control—should be evident in our lives, demonstrating the reality of God to the world.

Ultimately, the fullness of God is found in the person of Jesus Christ. It is not in religious traditions or denominations but in a personal relationship with Him. As we live in Christ, rooted and established in Him, we experience His fullness, which transforms us to be more like Him. This is the goal of our faith: to know Jesus deeply and to live in His power and presence daily.

Key Takeaways

1. control, which reflect the reality of God to the world. [15:14]
5. Rooted in Christ: The fullness of God is found in the person of Jesus Christ. As we live in Him, rooted and established, we experience His fullness, transforming us to be more like Him.

** [15:14]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Missing the Essence of Faith
[01:21] - Purpose of Church Leadership
[02:47] - Experiencing the Fullness of Christ
[03:40] - Equipping for Godly Living
[05:24] - Living as New Creations
[07:22] - Fulfillment of Righteousness
[09:22] - Paul's Goal for Believers
[11:21] - Assurance in Knowing Christ
[12:16] - Paul's Prayers for the Churches
[14:41] - Fruit of Righteousness
[16:51] - Filled with the Holy Spirit
[19:38] - Grasping the Love of Christ
[22:36] - Fullness in Jesus Christ
[24:20] - Rooted and Established in Him
[28:29] - Living in the Fullness of God

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Ephesians 4:11-13
2 Peter 1:3-5
Colossians 1:28-29

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Observation Questions:

According to Ephesians 4:11-13, what roles are given to church leaders, and what is their purpose in the lives of believers? [01:21]
In 2 Peter 1:3-5, what does it say about the divine power given to us, and how is it connected to our knowledge of Jesus? [02:47]
How does Paul describe his goal for believers in Colossians 1:28-29, and what does it mean to be "fully mature in Jesus Christ"? [09:37]
What does the sermon suggest is the difference between being involved in church activities and truly knowing Jesus? [03:19]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of "fullness" in Christ, as discussed in the sermon, challenge the way believers typically view their faith journey? [05:24]
What might it look like in practical terms for a believer to be "rooted and established" in Christ, as mentioned in the sermon? [24:20]
How does the sermon explain the relationship between knowing Jesus and living a life that bears the fruit of righteousness? [15:14]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that church activities can sometimes distract from a personal relationship with Jesus? [00:49]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your current relationship with Jesus. Are there specific activities or habits that might be distracting you from truly knowing Him? How can you address these distractions this week? [00:49]
Consider the roles you have in your life (e.g., spouse, parent, employee). How can you seek to be fully equipped by God's power to live pleasingly to Him in these roles? [03:58]
The sermon emphasizes being transformed into new creations. What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to change, and how can you begin that transformation? [05:24]
Think of a recent situation where you struggled to demonstrate the fruit of righteousness. What steps can you take to better reflect qualities like kindness and patience in similar situations? [15:14]
How can you cultivate a deeper, personal knowledge of Jesus in your daily routine? Are there specific practices or disciplines you can incorporate to help you grow in this area? [01:54]
Identify one person in your life who might benefit from seeing the fullness of Christ in you. What is one intentional action you can take this week to demonstrate Christ's love to them? [17:33]
Reflect on the sermon’s message about being filled with the Holy Spirit. What is one practical way you can seek to be continually filled with the Spirit in your daily life? [38:46]

Sermon Clips

"you know it's uh a strange thing that being a Christian you can actually miss Jesus Christ you can miss him entirely and actually place your faith in things that are not Jesus the person and I want to just try to make sure that that does not happen to any of us that's what Paul is concerned about here so you do it that no one takes you captive through what appears to be wisdom or a basic good principle becoming involved in things that may even seem right and important and needy but at the same time causing us to drift away from the Lord Jesus Christ because if we miss the person of Christ we have missed the gospel" [00:00:15]

"so Christ himself gave the apostles the prophets of the evangelists the pastors and teachers to equip his people for for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach Unity of the faith and our own personal comprehensive knowledge of the Son of God and become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ that means as a pastor my goal should be equipping you to attain to the measure of all the fullness of Jesus Christ and it can't be my my purpose to just make sure you're here or make sure you have a Bible or make sure you give your tithe those are good things" [00:01:37]

"we see this in second Peter chapter one I think it's verses three through five his divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of him so God has given everything we need for life and godliness but that comes to us through fully knowing the Lord Jesus Christ personally and we must understand being in church having a Bible being moral voting conservative is not the same as knowing the Lord Jesus Christ fully that's what we want to focus on what does it mean to come to the fullness of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ" [00:02:49]

"each one is seeking to emphasize the term of maximum to maximize you and I should be seeking the maximum experience of the power of God available to us in Jesus Christ power to control our mind power to guide our words power to affect our actions living under the guidance and direction of God in such a way that we are so different than who we used to be that the Bible describes it as we are New Creations the old things have passed away and all things have become new because we are fully equipped by God's power in Christ to live a new Godly holy righteous life" [00:05:04]

"Paul said Jesus is the one we Proclaim admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom so that we may present everyone fully mature in Jesus Christ so that was Paul's goal for all the churches he established that everyone in his churches would be fully mature in Jesus now that's that's different than sitting in a pew paying your tithe being moral voting conservative doing what you think is right fully mature in Jesus means acting like Jesus speaking like Jesus thinking like Jesus doing right is Jesus did blessing those who curse you doing good to those who hate you" [00:09:34]

"Paul prays for this reason since the day we heard about you we have not stopped praying for you and we continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that this holy spirit gives so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way remember with the idea of worthy in case you weren't here the idea of Worthy is is from the the balancing scales on the one side God is holy God is righteous Jesus is Lord and if you believe in him you obey him" [00:12:33]

"the fruit of righteousness are the things that other people around us can see in US a beautiful attitude they can see meekness they can see lowliness they can see self-control they can see the fruit of kindness they can see the fruit of patience they can see the fruit of gentleness and Paul's praying that these Believers be filled with this beautiful spiritual fruit so that so that God is honored by the lives of his people and it and what when when that's how we're living when when the fruit of righteousness is being displayed in our life we're pure and blameless not just pure and blameless before God pure and blameless before men" [00:15:06]

"for in Jesus Christ all the fullness dwells that's what he said in 119 and then he restates it again in Colossians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9. he says for in Christ all the fullness of the godhead dwells in bodily form and in Christ you are being made full so one source for all so for fullness and now I want your attention for fullness it's the person of Jesus Christ that's where the fullness of God dwells in the person of Jesus Christ the fullness of God does not dwell in the church it won't dwell in your Sunday school class it does not dwell in any religious tradition or denomination" [00:22:09]

"listen to this language very carefully in Colossians chapter 2. listen to this language this is verse six and seven so then just as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord and that means for those of us who are Christians at one time we receive Christ Jesus the Lord but here's the language listen carefully just as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord continue to live in him okay you hear the in him rooted up and built up in him now I want you to what you focus on in him" [00:24:02]

"the church that's to me this is the whole Direction and goal of the church is it all of us every one of us not just me not just your Sunday school teacher every one of us know Jesus this way we walk with Jesus this way so that there's so that being a saint being Godly being holy being righteous is normal that's what normal for us that's who we are because we know Jesus that's who we are now some are young and need help growing into them that's where we started remember Paul said that the reason God gave pastors and Prophets and apostles and evangelists is to help every one of us come to this place" [00:44:00]

"and I will tell you this as I close the more of us or each of us I should say each of us that begins to experience this will be like a billboard proving the existence of God to all the people in our life carrying your Bible is not going to prove it knowing you drive over here to attend this church service that's not going to approve it telling them that you believe Jesus died on the cross is not going to prove it there's a whole lot of people that believe that and that we're at the bars last night I know proof is in the evidence that God is so at work in you filling you with the holy spirit that you are coming to this fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ" [00:47:22]

"when you experience Jesus in a way in this way the the truths in the Bible become the way you live if you like for example if you read The Book of Proverbs and you see the wisdom there that's that that would be how you live because the spirit of God in you is bringing that fullness of the work in you okay" [00:49:05]

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Experiencing the Fullness of Christ in Our Lives

Devotional

Day 1: Centering Faith on Jesus Christ

Day 2: Equipping for the Fullness of Christ

Day 3: Living as New Creations

Day 4: Bearing the Fruit of Righteousness

Day 5: Rooted and Established in Christ

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Experiencing the Fullness of Christ in Our Lives

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