OPEN: A young sentry was on guard duty for the 1st time, and he had orders not to admit any car unless it had a special identification seal on its bumper. About the middle of the night, an unmarked car approached his guard shack and the sentry stopped it. Inside, was a general and his driver.
When the Sentry advised them that he could not admit any car that didn’t have the special seal on it, the General became impatient and somewhat angry. Ignoring the sentry, the officer leaned forward and told his driver: “Don’t worry about it, just drive right on through.”
When the sentry heard this he looked into the back seat and politely said, “I’m sorry sir, but I’m new at this. Could you please tell me who I should shoot first - you or the driver?”
APPLY: Who should I listen to? Who has the authority to tell me what is right and what is wrong? In the story above, the sentry fully understood his responsibilities, but he was being sorely tested by a man of powerful rank and importance.
As far as the Sentry was concerned, he only had one authority - the authority of the person who gave him his orders. No one else was sufficiently important or powerful enough to override those instructions
I. There are times when people get worried about who is in charge in the Church
In some churches, the people in charge are those with positions of authority
Whether it is the Pope
Or a church hierarchy
Or church councils that have met down thru the ages to determine doctrine
Or Elders
Or Preachers
Or Church Boards
There always seems to be someone who ends up saying “I’m in charge here!”
In other churches, the people with authority are the ones who have had “experiences” that intimate they have a special relationship with God
They’ll say things like “God told me to do this or that” (a couple weeks ago I encountered a man who used that very phrase several times throughout his conversation)
Or they’ll go beyond what God has said to them… they’ll tell you God has given a special message for you to them - “the Spirit gave me this message for you.”
Such people can be driven by the desire to have authority or influence in your life.
ILLUS: John Maxwell (a charismatic) tells of the time he encountered this in his church. There was a woman in the congregation who desperately wanted to sing. And she’d come up to him before the worship began and tell him that the Lord had told her she should give a special that morning. Maxwell, being a Charismatic couldn’t very well contradict her – and he let her sing.
Maxwell later commented “One thing I’m sure of – God never told that woman to sing – she was awful.”
But Sunday after Sunday, she’d approach him before the service and tell him God had told her to sing. And there didn’t seem to be a thing he could do about it… she was controlling him by claiming to have an “experience.”
Then, one Saturday night, as he was praying about this matter, a thought came to him. The next morning, when she approached him and told him “God has told me to give a special this morning,” he smiled back and said, “when God tells me to call you up to sing, you come on up.”
He said, “It’s the oddest thing… God never told me to have her come up again.”
So, there are people who try to exert authority by virtue of their position or their supposed experiences.
In fact, I even knew of one Elder that combined both of these. He believed that since he had the position of being the oldest elder in the church, he had ultimate say in what took place there
AND he had survived a life threatening experience (for which, to be fair, he gave God the glory) and he believed God had saved him so that he could lead in the church and guide its decisions. I loved this man dearly, but his intention to "rule" the church made him very difficult to deal with on occasion.
II. So… who is in charge in the church???
Who has the ultimate authority? – is it someone with authority or experience?
Well,… in case you had any doubts Paul tells the Colossians that...
There’s only one individual has the authority
There’s only one individual who has “the experience”
There’s only one individual who has the credentials required to make the ultimate decisions of what a church should do..and that’s Jesus Christ
Amen?
Look at the text again with me - Colossians 1:15-18
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
In other words… Jesus is EVERYTHING… There is nothing in heaven or on earth that could exist without Him. He holds everything together.
ILLUS: British scientist, Stephen Hawkings observed: “The eventual goal of Science is to provide a single theory that describes the whole universe”. Well, we know what that "theory is – It’s Jesus. He is the one uniting force that holds all of life together.
Jesus is everything... AND,
Because Jesus is EVERYTHING,
Because Jesus has supremacy over all of creation whether things in heaven or on earth, whether things that are visible or invisible… then He has the right to be (vs. 18) "… the head of the body, the church; (because) he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy."
What that means is this:
I’m not in charge in this church (the preacher)
Our youth minister Brad is not in charge in this church
The Sunday School teachers are not in charge in this church
The majority of the members here are not in charge of the church (in other words, you can’t outvote Jesus)
And the Elders are not IN CHARGE of the church
Now, each of us in this congregation may have certain responsibilities, certain areas roles that we play here… But make no mistake WE DO NOT HAVE the final say in how this church is to run.
Neither does any Pope, any council, any church board, or anyone who claims to have a special experience given them by God
This is a Church of Christ (that’s what it says on the Marquee out front)
AND as long as this is a church that…
belongs to Christ,
and listens to Christ,
and obeys Christ…
It will truly be a church of Christ! If not, we won’t be a church of Christ, no matter what the marquee says out in front.
III. Now, Jesus does tell us how we can be given a position of authority in this church.
It’s true! In spite of everything I’ve just said, Jesus wants to give us the possibility of greatness in this church
AND it has nothing to do with what position of responsibility you hold in the congregation
It has nothing to do with whatever experiences you may have had as a Child of God
It has everything to do with HOW MUCH Jesus is the Lord of your life
Turn with me to Mark 10:35-44
"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. ’Teacher,’ they said, ’we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’
’What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.
They replied, ’Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’ (Mark 10:35-37)
You see… they wanted positions of authority and power
"You don’t know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:38-41)
Now, why were the 10 indignant? Because they hadn’t thought of it first. Several times, we read of the Apostles getting into arguments about who was the greatest disciple.
"Jesus called them together and said, ’You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.’" (Mark 10:42-44)
You want to be important in this church? Then become a servant. Find a way to minister to others in a way that would honor Jesus. Because, I’ll tell you – the greatest servant in this church has more respect and honor in the eyes of Jesus, than your preacher, your elders, your teachers
Why? Because the person who lives their lives that way, shows that Jesus is Lord of their lives
CLOSE: What Colossians 1 is telling us here is that Jesus has the right to be our Lord because of who He is.
An elderly black Baptist minister named S.M. Lockeridge gave this description of Jesus: (a note to readers… I’ve made a few modifications)
He’s the King of righteousness.
He’s the King of the ages.
He’s the King of Heaven.
He’s the King of glory.
He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. That’s my King.
… I wonder if you know Him?
David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show His handiwork.
My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure or define His limitless love.
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
Well, well, He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.
That’s my King. He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s savior.
He’s the centerpiece of all civilization.
He stands alone in Himself.
He’s honest. He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s pre-eminent.
He’s the grandest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of all proven theology.
That’s my King.
He’s the miracle of the age. He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously.
He the supplier of strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves. He’s our strong God and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. Do you know Him?
My King is a King of knowledge…the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.
He’s the master of the mighty.
He’s the captain of conquerors.
He’s the overseer of the overcomers.
He’s the governor of governors. The prince of princes. The King of kings and the Lord of lords. That’s my King. Yes. yes. That’s my King.
His office is manifold.
His promise is sure.
His light is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous.
His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Well, well… I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable…. He’s indescribable.
Yes. He’s incomprehensible.
He’s invincible.
He’s irresistible. I’m coming to tell you, the heavens of heavens cannot contain Him,
…let alone a man explaining Him.
You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands.
You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.
The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilot couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him.
That’s my King. Yes. Praise the Lord. That’s my King.
Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We’re not here to talk about black power or white power or green power - it’s God’s power.
Thine is the power. Yes. And the glory.
We try to get prestige and honour and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His.
Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever.
How long is that? It’s for ever and ever and ever and ever. And when you get through with all of the evers, then, Amen.
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES
· Remembering What We Have - Colossians 1:1-1:14
· He Is Lord Because Of Who He Is - Colossians 1:15-1:23
· The Mystery - Colossians 1:21-1:29
· Jesus is Lord Because Of How He Rules - Colossians 2:1-2:23
· Feet On The Earth, Head In The Sky - Colossians 3:1-3:17
· Prescription for a Healthy Family - Colossians 3:17-3:21
· Working For Jesus - Colossians 3:22-4:1
· Thinking Like Jesus - Colossians 4:1-4:6
· Someone Else - Colossians 4:7-4:18
