People used to believe that the sun and all the planets revolved around the earth. From where the
naked eye could view the universe, standing on this fragile planet, it seemed that Earth was huge and that all the stars, tiny points of light in the distance, were very small, inferior in fact to planet earth.
The sun was thought to be the largest star. It was thought to exist solely to give us heat and energy. It was understood that the sun must be very large, larger perhaps than Earth itself, but nevertheless, no matter how big the sun was, it revolved around us.
We have learned a lot through science. Galileo, a devout Christian, helped to bring us to a clearer
understanding of things. All the planets revolve around the sun, in fact. The planet we call home is but one of a family of planets.
It was terribly humbling for people back in Galileo’s time to realize that their planet was not the centre of the universe. People reacted violently. Galileo was thrown in jail. How dare he suggest that God had not made our home planet the exact centre of everything created?
When I was a child, I believed that all the world
existed in relationship to me. People lived in Russia somehow because they had some connection to me. The fact that this made no sense didn’t matter at all to me. One night I lay in my bed and realized for the first time that one day I would die.
I was nine and had been told that men lived to be 75
years old. I thought to myself, “I only have 66 years left to live. How will life exist after me? How will the world get along without me? What purpose will it have without me? That just can’t be”
Webster Dictionary defines the word“Centre as a place or point at which activity is concentrated or toward”. Well, it’s painful to realize that we are not the centre of the universe, but it has to happen in order for us to mature. Although we would like to be the centre of the universe, we are not. That’s terribly humbling. That something else - not us - might be the centre of things, can be hard to swallow.
So, you see, the earth is not the centre of the universe. Science has proven it. And we ourselves
are not the centre of existence. God’s Word let’s us in on that one.
I don’t know what are the things in your life that compete for your time and energy, that demand front and centre seats in your lives. Often it’s things that we give permission to. TV, I’ve noticed, is terribly, terribly important to a lot of people. Being entertained is considered a right in our culture. Some peoples’ lives revolve around watching their favorite shows, living vicariously through TV characters and their experiences. TV is the centre of some peoples’ lives.
Sometimes life revolves around money and its worries, or taking care of the family. This can happen very easily. People we love have needs and problems and we want to help. To make a difference, to lighten the load of people.
Sometimes people live for their work. The most important thing in life is that I do my job well.
For such folk, job performance, or their perception of how they’re doing matters the most. We ask ourselves continually, “How am I doin’?”. Am I doing as well as so and so? What’s wrong with me that I am not as efficient of as creative or as attractive as so and so?
Whatever it may be that your life revolves around, I want to suggest that it pales in comparison to God’s intention for each of us. God knows that the things I’ve described are important. He would never belittle them. I don’t believe he would criticize us harshly for any of it. He simply wants us to understand that a) there’s something more important and b) when we commit to that thing which is more important, He will take care of the rest.
Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.31 So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
I want to suggest that the best way to seek God’s Kingdom is to seek the King. The surest way to reorient our lives so that they have the balance and the blessings that God intends for us is simply to orient our lives around Jesus.
Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God has plans for your life. The old joke says that “God loves you, and I have a wonderful plan for your life”. Human agendas, human planning, pales compared to God’s planning. Anything that’s ever gone wrong in human relationships - including all wars past and present - are the result of faulty human ideas. Heavy-handed human planning. Wrong agendas and misplaced intentions.
But, you see, it’s very, very different with God. And God has a purpose and a plan for you. In fact, the most important thing I have to say today is that God has no plans, no purpose for you and I which is not centered around his Son, and which did not begin at the cross.
Put positively, All of God’s purposes and plans for your life are centred on Jesus, and they began to be possible at the cross.
Colossians 1:15 He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 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. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
SO WHAT?
Well, let’s look at this passage, because it’s our key passage tonight.
1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 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. 17 He is before all things, and in
him all things hold together.
To put it simply, Jesus is important because he is the one through whom everything we know has come to us. There’s nothing in all creation that hasn’t been touched in some way by him. The only exception is evil.
But...actually, Jesus has touched evil. Scripture says: 2 Cor 5: 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
And this is why I stated that God has no plans, no purpose for you and I which is not centered around his Son, and which did not begin at the cross.
There’s the story of a soldier frantically digging in during battle as shells fall all around him.
Suddenly his hand feels something metal and he grabs it. It’s a silver cross. Another shell explodes and he buries his head in his arms. He feels someone jump in the foxhole with him and he looks over and sees an army chaplain. The soldier thrusts the cross in the chaplain’s face and says, “I sure am glad to see you. How do you work this thing?”
We could ask the same question: ““How do you work this thing?” “What is the purpose of the cross?”
On the cross Jesus came to mean more to us than the one who got things going and through whom all creation came. On the cross, Jesus Christ, our God and Creator made us who believe to be the very “righteousness of God”.
What does that mean? Volumes, but suffice it to say that Jesus has made it possible through his blood shed on the cross for us to be very, very close to God. To be intimately known by Him. To be given the desire to known Him ever more intimately. That’s heavy. That’s worth thinking about.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
No pastor is the head of any church. No leadership group functions as the head of the church. No bishop, archbishop or pope heads the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and we are all under Him. This is of prime importance. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again...we are all equal in the church. Each one matters as much as any other. God has created order in the church because he is not a God of disorder - that’s why we have servants that are called pastor, teacher, bishop, etc. but Jesus Christ is and must be understood and honored as the Head of the
church.
Why? “So that in everything he might have the supremacy”. Now us recognizing his supremacy doesn’t actually give him supremacy. He’s not dependant on us for who he is.
When you and I grow to understand and recognize that Jesus Christ is God - when we see that he is the supreme One - we align ourselves with reality. We move into a place where we can start to get the picture that we don’t have to be the centre, that we’re not the centre.
And we can start to see that it is in focusing our lives on the King, on learning of him and serving him and obeying Him, that our lives have more meaning, more purpose and more power.
And here’s the last few lines of our passage today. Listen again very carefully. You are in this passage: 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
God reconciled. That means God fixed things. It means God prepared a clear, precise path for us so that things can be made well. Broken relationships are brutal things. Once something goes so wrong in a relationship that it’s past fixing - well I don’t think thee’s many things more painful than that in life. But when a broken relationship is restored. Man is that worth celebrating.
When one party-it always has to start with one party-takes the initiative to fix things. When the other
person responds and says, “Yes, this relationship really matters to me. I’m willing to do what needs to be done as far as I can to fix that relationship”. That’s worth partying over!
Our relationship with God is broken because of sin. Isn’t that the way all relationships get broken. Someone does something wrong or says something wrong, or fails to do something they should do, and then the pain of strained communication comes. And then the decision to end it all. Our sin has gotten in the way of our relationship with God. The things we do, the self-centred thoughts and actions that are part of our life...these things separate us from God. The relationship is broken. Ended.
Well, on the cross, God did something absolutely amazing. God did not just say of humanity, "The relationship is broken. It is ended!”
And on the cross, Jesus didn’t just say, “Alright. I’ll overlook your sins, your faults and well just
get along anyway”. He didn’t whitewash the problem.
Let be honest. Sin is a real problem. And no where is it more of a problem than for God, who is absolutely pure and right, perfectly holy in every single way. Sin is a terrible problem because I can’t be with a holy God when my sin is not dealt with. And...God can not dwell in the presence of sin. You know what that does? It makes any relationship with God impossible. And sin shuts me out of heaven forever.
Sin is not a thing that can be swept under the carpet. God didn’t just cover up, gloss over or hush up the problem of sin. No. What does the Scripture say
Is 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Our infirmities? Our sorrows? That means each of us. That means me. My God. You did that for me?!? I mattered to you this much? You have carried my sorrows, my sickness, my sin? The punishment that I deserved, you took that on yourself? You made peace? At who’s expense did you do this?
My God, it was your very Son. Your very self you subjected to this torture on the cross.
I am like a sheep, God. Gone astray. Turned to my own foolish way. And you did what? Laid my sin on your Son. He who knew know sin was made to be sin for me?
Do you get the picture? Do you see that hope is centred on the cross of Jesus? Do you see why love - God’s love - was centred on the cross of Jesus? Do you see yourself at the cross? Can you sense your sins causing Jesus arms to be outstretch on the cruel cross. The cross - another one of man’s great inventions - our great plans - intended to shame and humiliate criminals and to serve as a warning to all who would dare break Roman law.
God took this terrible instrument of suffering and turned it into the symbol of His love. So that
forever we when would see the cross we would be reminded of Jesus who hung on the cross, taking upon Himself our punishment. And thereby bringing us peace with God.
Now what?
Well...if we believe this, if we believe that Jesus deserves to be at the centre of our lives. If we want to have a restored relationship with God...what can we do?
Well, tonight, if you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, you can say a big “Yes!” to God by receiving Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You do that simply by telling God that you are sorry for your sins,that you desire with His help to turn from sin, and by receiving Jesus Christ into your life.
What if we’ve been a Christian for a long time, but we feel that we’ve wandered from Jesus. That we’ve allowed other things, other worries to take front and centre in our lives. Or what if we recognize that we’re still trying in vain to be the centre of our own lives, but we realize that the only way for us to truly be at peace is to let Jesus be the centre?
Well, I’ve got good news. Is 44:22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."
Jer 24:7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
Zec 1:3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ’Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ’and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
We serve an amazing God...who pours out his mercy and love without limit when we humble ourselves. His desires is to lift us up.
Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
It is God’s desire that each of us here tonight move closer to Him. It’s not a problem where you are tonight in your own eyes. What matters is that we each take at least one step nearer to God.
In a moment we will being having communion. I encourage you to spend time asking God to draw nearer and to enable you to draw near to God.
Let’s pray.
God, you have done so much for us. At the cross you poured out your love and your life that we might be restored to you. Jesus, thank you that you died on the cross for me. Please take away my sin and cause me - cause each of us here tonight to turn away from sin and toward you.
Jesus, be the centre of my life.
In your name, Amen.
