Concentrating on Christ
I Corinthians 2:2
INTRODUCTION: Spurgeon said, “Christ is the great central fact in the world’s history; to Him everything looks forward or backward.” Paul declared “For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.” Nothing is more important in all of history than Jesus Christ in His incarnation and His crucifixion. Nothing should be more important in your life than to concentrate on Christ – Who He is and what your relationship to Him is. He is so important that He is the central theme of Scripture, the supreme message of the church, and the solitary song of the soul.
I. Christ is the Central Theme of the Bible
A. God the Father is the giver of Holy Scripture; God the Holy Spirit is the author, authenticator, and interpreter of Holy Scripture; and God the Son, Jesus Christ, is the theme of Holy Scripture.
B. John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they, which testify of me."
C. The Written Word reveals the Living Word
D. John 1:45 "Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
E. Luke 24:27 "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
F. From Cover to Cover every book speaks of Christ;
G. In GENESIS, He is the Seed of Woman (3:15).
In EXODUS, He is the Passover Lamb (Chapter 12).
In LEVITICUS, He is our High Priest (entire book).
In NUMBERS, He is Water from the rock (20:8 and 11).
In DEUTERONOMY, He is the Prophet like unto Moses (18:15).
In JOSHUA, He is Captain of the Lord’s hosts (5:13-15).
In JUDGES, He is our Judge and Lawgiver (entire book).
In RUTH, He is our Kinsman Redeemer (Chapter 3).
In SAMUEL, He is the despised and rejected King (I Samuel 16-19).
In KINGS and CHRONICLES, He is King of Kings (I Chronicles 12:38-40).
In EZRA, He is the Rebuilder of the temple (entire book).
In NEHEMIAH, He is the Rebuilder of the walls (entire book).
In ESTHER, He is our Mordecai (chapter10).
In JOB, He is our Ever-Living Redeemer (19:25).
In PSALMS, He is our Shepherd (chapter 23).
In PROVERBS, He is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother (18:24).
In ECCLESIASTES, He is our Wisdom (entire book).
In the SONG OF SOLOMAN, He is the "Chiefest among ten thousand"(6:10).
In ISAIAH, He is the Man of Sorrows despised and rejected (53:4).
In JEREMIAH, He is our Righteous Branch (23:5).
In LAMENTATIONS, He is our Weeping Prophet (1:12-18).
In EZEKIEL, He is the likeness of a man in the bright glory of the Lord (1:26-28).
In DANIEL, He is the Smiting Stone (2:34).
In HOSEA, He is the Faithful Husband married to an adulterous wife (entire book).
In JOEL, He is the Lord of bounty (2:18,19).
In AMOS, He is the Lord of Judgment (entire book).
In OBADIAH, He is the Deliverer upon Mount Zion (verse 17).
In JONAH, He is in the pit of death three days and three nights (1:17-2:10).
In MICAH, He is the Everlasting Ruler (5:2).
In NAHUM, He is our Stronghold in the day of trouble (1:7).
In HABAKKUK, He is God’s Anointed who goes forth for the salvation of His people (3:13)
In ZEPHANIAH, He is the Mighty Savior (chapter 3).
In HAGGAI, He is the Ever Present One (1:13).
In ZECHARIAH, He is the Fountain opened to the house of David for sin and uncleanness (13:1).
In MALACHI, He is the Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in His wings (4:2).
In MATTHEW, He is the Messiah , the King of the Jews (chapters 1 & 2).
In MARK, He is the Obedient Servant of the Father.
In LUKE, He is the Son of Man (19:10).
In JOHN, He is the Son of God (3:16).
In ACTS, He is the Ascended Lord (1:8,9).
In ROMANS, He is our Justifier (4:25).
In CORINTHIANS, He is the One who shall reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet (I Corinthians 15:25).
In GALATIANS, He is the Redeemer from the curse of the law (3:13).
In EPHESIANS, He is the One in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (1:7).
In PHILIPPIANS, He is the Supplier of all our needs (4:19).
In COLOSSIANS, He is the Pre-eminent Christ (1:18).
In I & II THESSALONIANS, He is our Soon Coming King (entire book).
In I TIMOTHY, He is the only Mediator between God and men (2:5).
In II TIMOTHY, He is the Crowning Lord and Righteous Judge (4:8).
In TITUS, He is our Blessed Hope (2:13).
In PHILEMON, He is our Partner (verse 17).
In HEBREWS, He is our Eternal High Priest after in the order of Melchizedek (7:13-14).
In JAMES, He is our Great Physician (5:15).
In I PETER, He is the Chief Shepherd from whom the Christian shall receive a crown of unfading glory (5:4).
In II PETER, He is the Lord coming unexpectedly as a thief in the night (3:10).
In the EPISTLES OF JOHN, He is Love (entire book).
In JUDE, He is the Lord of Vengeance (verse 7).
In REVELATION, He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (21:6).
II. Christ is the Supreme Message of the Church
A. Acts 5:42 "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
B. Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
C. Christ, in his person and offices, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister’s preaching. His business is to display the banner of the cross, and invite people under it. Anyone that heard Paul preach found him to harp so continually on this string that he would say he knew nothing but Christ and him crucified. Whatever other knowledge he had, this was the only knowledge he discovered, and showed himself concerned to propagate among his hearers. – Matthew Henry
D. A young man had been preaching in the presence of a venerable divine, and after he had finished, he foolishly went to the old minister and inquired, "What do you think of my sermon, sir?" "A very poor sermon indeed," said the older man, "because there was no Christ in it. Don’t you know, young man, that from every town, and every village, and every little hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London?" “Yes," said the young man. "Ah!" said the old divine. "And so from every text in Scripture there is a road to the metropolis of the Scriptures, that is Christ. And, my dear brother, your business is, when you get to a text, to say, ’Now, what is the road to Christ?’ and then preach a sermon, running along the road toward the great metropolis-- Christ. I have never yet found a text that had not a plain and direct road to Christ in it. And if ever I should find one that has no such road, I will make a road; I would go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master. For a sermon is neither fit for the land nor yet for the garbage heap unless there is a savor of Christ in it." Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)
E. 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."
F. 1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
G. It is by the death of Christ that we have redemption – Colossians 1:14
It is by the death of Christ that we have justification – Romans 5:9
It is by the death of Christ that we have acceptance with God – Ephesians 1:6-7
It is by the death of Christ that we have deliverance from judgment – 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
It is by the death of Christ that we have righteousness – 1 Peter 2:24
It is by the death of Christ that eternal and abundant life – 2 Corinthians 5:15
H. Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
III. Christ is the Solitary Song of the Soul
A. John 15:11 "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
B. Dr. R. G. Lee once said this about Christ: His name blossoms on the pages of history like the flowers of a thousand spring times in one bouquet. His name sounds down the corridors of the centuries like the music of all choirs, visible and invisible, poured forth in one anthem…He is Literature’s loftiest ideal. Philosophy’s highest personality. Criticism’s supremest problem. Theology’s fundamental doctrine. Spiritual religion’s cardinal necessity.
C. Whatever a person needs Christ is sufficient to meet that need.
D. Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
E. There is no time too busy for His leisure
There is no task too hard for Him to share
There is no soul too lowly for His notice
There is no need to trifling for His care
There is no place too humble for His presence
There is no pain His bosom cannot feel
There is no sorrow He cannot comfort
There is no sickness He cannot heal – (from the Banner – Bethany Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
F. He is all-sufficient for all mankind. For the
Artist – He is Altogether Lovely – Song 5:16
Architect – He is the Chief Cornerstone – 1 Peter 2:6
Astronomer – He is the Sun of Righteousness – Malachai 4:2
Baker – He is the Bread of Life – John 6:51
Banker – He is Unsearchable Riches – Ephesians 3:8
Builder – He is the Sure Foundation – I Corinthians 3:11
Carpenter – He is the Door – John 10:9
Editor – He is the Good News – Luke 2:10
Electrician – He is the Light of the World – John 8:12
Farmer – He is the Lord of the Harvest – Luke 10:2
Florist – He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valley – Song 2:1
Jeweler – He is the Living Precious Stone – 1 Peter 2:4
Lawyer – He is the Counselor and Advocate – Isaiah 9:6, 1 John 2:1
Laborer – He is the great Giver of rest – Matthew 11:28 -
IV. Christ is the Crossroad of Your Eternal Destiny.
A. As Spurgeon said, “Christ is the great central fact in the world’s history; to Him everything looks forward or backward.” So everything in your life focuses upon what you do with Christ.
B. 1 John 5:12 "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
C. To the believer – He is life
To the unbeliever – He is the Righteous Judge Who will pass judgment upon them
D. What is your relationship to Him?
E. Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
