SURVIVAL STRENGTH
Colossians 3:11
“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”
Singing and shouting during sunny days does not reveal true faith in Christ. The true test of faith is how one survives storms. The attributes of Christ form two logical, major scriptural divisions relating to Christians experiencing and surviving testing storms.
1. CHRIST IS ALL IN HIS PERSON.
A. Christ Is All Sinners Need for Redemption.
1) Christ is our salvation from sin.
Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
2) Christ is our sanctification for service.
1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”
a) Sending aids sanctification.
John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
b) Supplication aids sanctification.
John 17:17-19, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (18) As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. (19) And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”
3) Christ is our sufficiency for survival.
Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
a) Paul shows its certainty. (v.19a)
b) Paul shows its conditions. (v.19b)
c) Paul shows its character. (v.19c)
4) Christ is the security for saints.
John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”
a) This is based upon a saving relationship. (v.27-28)
b) This is based upon a Sovereign relationship. (v.29)
B. Christ Is All Saints Need for Resurrection.
Our surviving strength includes hope beyond the storms we endure in a sin-dominated world. Redemption in Christ guarantees a resurrection, because Christ is all. Paul describes two fascinating facts of a Christians' resurrection.
1) It includes a rapture.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
2) It included a rewarding (John 5:22; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).
a) Who rewards? (John 5:22)
John 5:22, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:”
b) Who receives? (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
2 Timothy 4:6-8, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. (7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: (8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
2. CHRIST IS IN ALL IN HIS PRESENCE.
They magnify Christ's love, and Lordship. Faith in these glorious truths sustains Christians during their storms. Glory in these.
A. Christ is All Love Permits.
Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent love permits and permeates storms to produce His conforming purpose.
He works "all things together," for the purpose of conforming Christians to Christ's image.
1) Christ is present during difficulties.
Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
a) What is its character? (v.28)
b) What are its consequences? (v.29)
2) Christ is present during death.
2 Corinthians 5:1-8, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: (3) If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. (4) For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (5) Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. (6) Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (7) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
The last and most testing storm we experience on earth is death. Paul expected, explained, and entered that storm. His explanation provided strength for Christians' during storms.
a) What are our condition before death? (v.1-7)
b) Where is our confidence beyond death? (v.8)
B. Christ Is All Love Provides.
Our last facet of hope is that Christ is all, and in all at the resurrection.
1) Christ is in all its adoration.
Revelation 4:10-11, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
a) Look at adoration's character (v.10).
b) Learn from adoration's causes (v.11).
2) Christ is in all its activities (Revelation 22:3-4).
Revelation 22:3-4, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”
a) Heaven's activities all center upon serving (v.3).
b) Heaven's activities concentrate upon surrender (v.4).
We are His possession. Christ is all, and in all. All we are and have will declare that Christ is all, and all.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full into His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace."
