ESV Colossians 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,...
ESV Colossians 2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,...
ESV Philippians 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Fullness and emptiness. Opposites. Jesus was filled with God. Jesus in some way "emptied" himself of God. As the Son of God in human form, the fullness of God was his by nature. He did not have to seek it.
As sons of God, the fullness of God is ours by our new nature. We do not have to grasp for it, it has been given--"and you have been filled in him..." (Col. 3:10).
Why don't we feel full?
1. We don't believe that we are filled ("blessed... in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places... Eph. 1:3).
2. We don't value what God has filled us with as much as what the world promises to fill us with.
3. We grab rather than pour. Fullness is expressed and experienced counter-intuitively. It's by moving in the direction of emptying (i.e. giving) that we enjoy the feeling of fullness.
Paul prays for a community, displaying and enjoying the glory (fullness) of God for the sake of surrounding world.
ESV Colossians 2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,...
ESV Philippians 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Fullness and emptiness. Opposites. Jesus was filled with God. Jesus in some way "emptied" himself of God. As the Son of God in human form, the fullness of God was his by nature. He did not have to seek it.
As sons of God, the fullness of God is ours by our new nature. We do not have to grasp for it, it has been given--"and you have been filled in him..." (Col. 3:10).
Why don't we feel full?
1. We don't believe that we are filled ("blessed... in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places... Eph. 1:3).
2. We don't value what God has filled us with as much as what the world promises to fill us with.
3. We grab rather than pour. Fullness is expressed and experienced counter-intuitively. It's by moving in the direction of emptying (i.e. giving) that we enjoy the feeling of fullness.
Paul prays for a community, displaying and enjoying the glory (fullness) of God for the sake of surrounding world.
posted by grateful talmid | 7:50 AM
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