Read Colossians 2:8, addressed to Christians. Anything that may take us away from Christ is a danger to our Christian walk. “A fundamental test of any religious teaching is ‘Where does it put Jesus Christ – His person and His work?’ Does it rob Him of His fullness? Does it deny either His deity or His humanity? Does it affirm that the believer must have some ‘new experience’ to supplement his experience with Christ? If so, that teaching is wrong and dangerous.” Wiersbe This is the reason we need a Biblical Worldview that centres on Christ. He is sufficient to meet all our needs. Christ is all we need!

I want to teach you a simple chorus. I will sing it, and then I want you to join me. “Christ is all I need, Christ is all I need, All, all I need. Christ is all I need, Christ is all I need, All, all I need.”

Transition

Our text this evening gives us makes three statements about the sufficiency of Christ, both comforting and encouraging.

Christ contains all the fullness of the Godhead bodily

  1. What is the Godhead?
    1. The Godhead speaks of the Persons of God. It is the state of being God. It is divinity.
    2. This word speaks of the Trinity. Though the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, the concept is clearly taught. In the very first verse in the Bible, the word for God is Elohim, a plural noun. (Genesis 1:1) “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the waters during creation (Genesis 1:2). John declared that the Word (who was Jesus) created all things (John 1:1-3). In Genesis 1:27, God described himself as plural saying, “Let us make man in our image…” Though the human mind cannot grasp it, the Godhead is three Persons in one Being.
    3. Thus, the word Godhead refers to Jehovah God.
  2. What is the fullness of the Godhead?
    1. The word “fullness” simply means filled full. A cup that is full of water cannot hold any more. When your stomach is full of food, you dare not put any more in it.
    2. To this definition, Wiersbe adds, “It means the sum total of all that God is, all of His being and attributes.”
    3. What is it that fills God?
      1. Scripture tells us that he is omnipotent (filled with unlimited power), omnipresent (filled with the ability to be everywhere at the same time), and omniscient (filled with unlimited knowledge).
      2. We also know that God is love (1Jn 4:8). God is caring (1Pe 5:7). God is compassionate (Ps 86:5). God is faithful (Lam 3:23). God is good, forgiving, merciful (Ps 86:5). God is full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). God is holy (Ps 99:9). God is eternal, immortal, invisible (1Ti 1:17). God is righteous (Ps 116:5). Etc.
  3. What then fills Christ?
    1. All that fills God fills Christ. The word “all” means ALL, with nothing excluded.
    2. The KJBC states, “All attributes and the essence of deity are in Christ; not just divinity, but deity; not Godlike, but God; not a nature like God’s, but a nature the same as God’s.”
    3. Christ is filled with all the abilities and qualities possessed by Jehovah God.
    4. If Jesus was not fully God and equal to Jehovah, how could ALL that fills the Godhead dwell in Him?
    5. If Jesus were full of all the fullness of the Godhead, but not part of a Trinity with Jehovah and the Holy Spirit, then He would be a separate God. This contradicts scripture. Turn to (Isaiah 44:6) “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.“
  4. How does the fullness of the Godhead dwell in Christ BODILY?
    1. While on earth, Christ had a physical body. All of God’s fullness dwelt in Him, even while living in that physical body.
    2. After His crucifixion, Jesus arose to life with an immortal body that still possessed the fullness of the Godhead.
    3. Jesus is sufficient to help us in every way because in Him dwells all that dwells in Jehovah God.
    4. When cults claim that Jesus was not God or that He is a secondary god, remember this verse (Colossians 2:9). Jesus IS God. You have God’s Word on it!

Christ has filled those who are in Him (v.10)

  1. What does Paul mean by the words “in Him”?
    1. Paul was writing to the Colossian believers.
    2. It is speaking of those in Christ.
    3. If you have trusted Christ as your Saviour, you are also in Him. He lives in you.
  2. What does it mean to be complete in him?
    1. The word “complete” comes from the root word that is translated “fullness” in verse 9. It, too, means to be full to the top.
    2. Since this is a perfect tense verb, it is a past, completed action, never to be repeated. This assures us that at salvation, Christ filled us with His presence, with the Holy Spirit, and with all the grace and power we will ever need.
    3. Because all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ, He is able to fill us full with His grace and power to live the Christian life.
    4. Acts 11:26 states that, “the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Their lives were so filled with the character of Christ that people called them “Christians”. PONDER THIS! If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be sufficient evidence of the presence and character of Christ in your life to condemn you?
    5. If you are truly a Christian, Christ is sufficient to meet all your needs, since He has filled you with all that you need to live a victorious life for His glory. He is all that we need. Our part is simply to depend on Him.

Christ is head over every principality and power

  1. Look with me at the words used here.
    1. Head refers to the position of master or Lord. Christ is above all and over all.
    2. A principality is a ruler. It speaks of the beginning, one in first place or a leader. The Bible uses it to describe angels or demons. (Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against POWERS, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” It also describes human rulers. (Titus 3:1) “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and POWERS, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,“
    3. Power speaks of those in positions of authority, whether angelic, demonic or national leaders. See POWERS in the last two verses above.
  2. What does this phrase teach us?
    1. Christ is the head of the most powerful principalities and authorities in the physical and spiritual world. He is God. He is supreme. He is above all.
    2. We do not need a second blessing. We do not need an additional book to follow. We do not need a vision or revelation. We do not need to speak in tongues. We do not need literature from an organisation to interpret the Bible. We have Christ!
    3. Since Christ lives in us, and has filled us full of His own grace and power to live the Christian life, Christ is all we need to live in victory for God’s glory. Turn to (Romans 8:31) “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:37) “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Turn to (1 John 4:4) “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Christ is sufficient. He is all we need.

Conclusion

Review the Godhead, fullness, complete, head, principalities, and powers. Christ is God. Even when He took on a physical body, all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him. He fills every true believer at salvation with Himself, the Holy Spirit, and all the grace and power necessary to live in victory for His glory.

Song: Christ is all I need, Christ is all I need, All, all I need. Christ is all I need, Christ is all I need, All, all I need.
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The Sufficiency of Christ
11 June 2023 PM – Colossians 2:9-10 – Col23 – Scott Childs