R1655 Looking to Jesus, Pt.2

We all could use some encouragement will find together today in the Bible based Dr. Don Wilton on the Encouraging Word. We continue to message Dr. Wilson began: you're more than just a moment about the way we can grow in our focus on Christ and also discover more on our website tewonline.org know our what he tunes these believers in the bottom line is he sees look. I did all of that and I realize the battle that you face and I'm using the word you what I want to tell you right out the hatch is look to Jesus, just look to keep your eyes on Jesus. Verse 15. This is why, because Jesus is the image of the invisible God is the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created things in heaven on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities all things were created by him and what's the next fall for him. 17 he is before all things, and in Jesus all things hold together.

Jesus is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything Jesus might have the supremacy of God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus and through Jesus, to reconcile to himself all things will on earth. Things in heaven by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. Once you believers were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your sinful your evil behavior, but now Jesus, but now God has reconciled you to himself because of all things. This is being done. Look at this verse guys and breaking it down here in the middle of reading. Look at how this happens.

Verse 22 through Christ's physical body which through day was the only means by which to present you holy in his side without blemish and free of accusation so that if you continue in your faith establishing firm not from the hope held out in the gospel.

This is the gospel which you good and that is being proclaimed of every creature on the heaven of which I pull the rug. This had become a servant. Now I rejoice, what and what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my face. What is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, which is the church believers. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness.

The mystery that is being kept hidden for ages, but is now disclosed to all believers by none to all the signs to them God's chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this ministry which Christ in you the hope of glory. We proclaim Jesus. Verse 28 admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. This end policies are labor, struggling with all of God's given energy, which so powerfully works in me. I look there's a lot of things we can say to each other in our world. There's a lot of things I like you like moms and dads and teachers and coaches and everybody we all want to give advice. I'm tell you the greatest thing we can ever say or note is to point everyone in all things to Jesus. That's what poolside so here's the question why Paul gives seven major reasons why Jesus I'm just going to give them to you. I want you know, pray for me as everyone of the seven is a humdinger all right. I mean this. Can you imagine so yes point number one why Jesus, why would he tell these people were facing pagans and religious people and the cruelty of the Roman empire and who are suffering with diseases and who are struggling with the children and who are struggling financially and need to find something to eat and and all things that we go. Why would he point them to Jesus.

Number one because Jesus is the image of God, not automation. This view, we are lost week, so decide quickly. Verse 15 the party starts with Jesus is the image of the invisible God is saying here believers, let me tell you how you going to be strong, look to Jesus number one because when you look to Jesus, you're actually looking to go the image of God, by the way the word the is the word icon eat. He is the exact representation abroad, but is not only the representation of God. He is the manifestation of God which means that Jesus is the full, final and complete revelation. The making known that's the word revelation revelation is to take back the covers to make known the book of Revelation, John, a lot of people asking me to preach on the book of Revelation. Again, because it's in times it's so critical. What is that it throws back right. But, and it shows us what God is thinking. What God is saying about the end of the world. Jesus is the throwing back all that we need to know about God.

You want to know about God look to Jesus, the image of is the image of God he is the exactness of God because he is God Geiser number two.

Second reason why Paul tells them to look to Jesus because Jesus is the create a toll of all things guys watch this. Don't look to anybody else look to Jesus because he created everything, even you and employee essays look look to Jesus, he's he is in the image of God he is God and he's creator and number three he's the sustainer of everything. He's the sustainer I mean look at look at verse 17. Here God comes out he is before all things, and the second thought I think is a fantastic mood and in Jesus. What I've just spoken about this Jesus holds all things together, the heavens, and the glory of God and the expanse of the heavens declare the works of these hands because he sustains all everything he maintains this delicate balance necessary for life's existence that we talked about on the God creator, but it's specific to God. Jesus sustainer P is the power behind every consistency in the universe. He is gravity and centrifugal force.

He is Jesus. He is the one who keeps all entities in motion. He is the very energy of the universe take Jesus out of what you doing right now you understand Charles Jesus is God made the universe existed outside it existed before any exists living in it, sustaining it by the might and power of his grace, love and wisdom in your these people like you and me.

The good school to go to their decisions to make money to earn my need to put bread on the table. They listen then how many of our people are we praying with right now that all on the image I read numerous cold saga.

Numerous. We had numerous friends were hurting badly today. Number four has the fourth one was just piling on top. I you you want to keep Kelly here so he's the image of God is the creator of all things. He's the sustainer of everything that I love the fourth 20 cities look to Jesus because he's the head of the church. Now the word here to storm out of building. He's talking to a local congregation of believers, but he's talking to believers, we the church body of Christ believers me tell you why you can be strong. That's what he say you you are strong because Jesus is the head of the church. Look at verse 18. I say this God said, and he is the head of the body, the church, so if he is the head of the church. Think of your own head you again here.

I'm getting into dangerous waters, but you know that this little thing.

Yeah, this head controls your whole body.

So I'm putting coming this summer, you gonna croak over this.

Your head keeps telling the rest of your body what to do, how to respond. I get this one ready for this. Your head is the only means by which your body cooperates.

I brought a couple of good friends who have suffered strokes. When a person suffers a stroke. It affects the coordination of the body because it affects the brain to see that Paul looks at believers at the church. He said church. You don't ever want to suffer a stroke. You want to become problematic just mess with the head and who's the head.

Jesus keep our focus on Jesus, the head of the church will be back in just a moment the doctor will remind you were here for you ready to pray with you and for you anytime at 866-899-WORD 866-899-9673 or would love to connect online as well. If you haven't been to our website lately. It's wonderfully refreshed TE W online.org that's the address TE W online.org. The resources we had in the holidays. Wonderful gifts like the book Dr. Wilton wrote about Dr. Billy Graham.

All sorts of resources and the free daily devotional.

It's easy to sign up for@tewonline.org about today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton so when when you understand that is what you understand about the headship of Jesus means number one Jesus controls everything. Number two. Jesus energizes everything and get this one Jesus coordinates everything he coordinates the diverse view of gifts. So if you take us meeting like this and you look out and you think about all the gifts all the abilities evening one audience. People usually so gifted, so how do you bring that altogether to bring glory to the Lord, the head doesn't. He coordinates say controls.

He energizes any coordinates.

He's the very source of the church. Number five look to Jesus. Right now we've got it. He's the head of the church look to Jesus why because he is the fullness of God. I let's go to verse 19 for God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus. Oh wow go down to chapter 2 chapter 2 in verse 10, which at this rate we never going to get to chapter 2 in verse 10, the court decision.

Pilots reverse not for in Christ all the fullness of the detected of the deity lives in bodily form and you have been given the fullness of Christ, who is the head is all coming together here can I listen to my question how many of you just right now would say you know you've given your heart to the Lord Jesus, you're a Christian man, a Christian lady boy girl you've you've given your heart to Jesus.

Raise your hand. All right, just because what just what Jesus says to you, you, my friend believer you've been given all the fullness of God. You know when you get married one of the things married couples say to each other is what's mine is yours and what yours is mine and then we spend the rest of our lives trying to do that is all. Can you imagine when you give your heart to Jesus that this great God says because of Jesus. Everything that I am is yours.

That's strong.

That's church strong. That's why you can say greater is he that is in me then that there were two. I am in Christ and when he talks about all the fullness he is the fullness of God.

Yet these people are colossi were in the community where there were so many pagan gods and religious beliefs, and they believe that divine power was assigned to different deities. It was Connor spread out among the guards you get a little dab of it of yeah and you get a little dab, but rather they do this and you don't do that and you read this and you don't play that and you stand up for you.

Sit down or you this send you that you this fullness comes to you from all Jesus said look to me because this is what I've given you. I am the fullness of God. Number six. Why look to Jesus. This could be my favorite point, but I got one more after that because Jesus is the reconciler for all sinners to how many of you I'm I'm ready getting carried away with us, but how many of you right now would really say before God that your center and thank you and evaluated before. If your hand was not because you just too big to do it. You just send all of us and come short of the glory of God. Anyone here today that in a sense you are living.

Alas on the accusation.

Are you feeling accused are you living in bondage because of something you did listen, my friends, listen, saying, look to Jesus because he set you free. You are no longer accused some of us go through life dragging this thing behind us all the stuff we did all the sin all the mistakes all the wrong things we said we may stop we made the wrong choice.

Bring to the wrong place. We did the wrong thing. We sinned against God, I once was and what Jesus does is he just cuts that dirty old box. You have to go through life dragging all that stuff anymore. You free you without accusation. Fantastic unbelievable summary closes with one more.

What's the number seven is look to Jesus in verse 27 because Jesus is our hope and glory trapped in verse 27 Roth and he said to them, God's chosen make known among the Gentiles doors riches of his ministry, which is Christ in you, our hope of glory. Our hope we would.

Where would this life be if we didn't have real hope you not being with our young people for years. 2027 years. We went to prisons all over America and always remember that means happen many times but always remember a man one time in a big old ugly prison and he had a life sentence and we shared Jesus and the young people saying there's is fantastic and I remember my brief conversation with this man because he talked to me often as he gave his life to Christ and we were able to talk to the inmates and never forget that particular man. He said you know cost reset. I got a good consecutive life sentences infected three life sentences you want me to roughly translate that for you. He was 40 years old.

He was telling me what it would which he did. He said I will never get out of prison. I'm in prison paying the price for the race my life. And then he looked at me with tears running down his cheeks and he said you know whether I'm on the inside of the outside today I gave my heart to Jesus and I have been saved free guys that's our hope in our glory. It speaks to me now, but I'm going to go ahead and say this. It also tells me that I can look forward to eternal life with Jesus that big mystery that thing called death that's going to happen to everybody. The Bible says when you absent from the body you present with the Lord that fantastic. Would you just bow your heads with me from an as our band comes and joins me just just for a few seconds here today just while just before anybody leaves.

I know you got a gun pick up beautiful children get lunch ready and we got all the things good life, we gonna leave your coming to go back out.

They into this wonderful crazy, challenging, exciting, not so good sometimes. Sometimes flat out awful. I know where you are. We all have a life to live, but that will soon be parsed. You know what Paul was saying, it's only what's done for Jesus that were lost would you give your life to Jesus you trust in him. I can only tell you I've given my heart to Jesus in this little world that we live in these made all the difference to me and you do the same thing because he treats us all the excitement he doesn't do something for one of us and not for another he loves you and I want to invite you today to put your faith in your trust in Jesus. That's the starting point would you pray this prayer with me today and I'm tiny you if you are right on the edge just do this. Pray this prayer from your heart because Jesus will save you and he'll reconcile you to God, your life will never be the same again. You pray this prayer dear God, I I know that Jesus is God and I believe that Jesus died for me on the cross because of Mohsen that he was raised from the dead that he's alive because of that I can be saved from us and reconciled to God. I confess my sin to you, Jesus. Right now, and I put my faith in my trust in you and I pray this prayer in Jesus name. I'm lost with every hit God you pray that prayer would you lift up the handmade card. Bless you and you and you too. God bless you and you up there. Perhaps moments ago.

As Dr. Wilson was leaving out in the decision to say yes to Jesus Christ or to rededicate your life to Christ, you made a decision or right now you're ready to make a decision, let us talk and pray with you about it. Our phone numbers 866-899-WORD that 86689673. We would love to put resources in your hands actually free if you've given your life to Christ dedicate your life today listening to The Encouraging Word as a matter fact we have wonderful resources that you can connect with us on our website TW online.org is the spot you find great things like this are excited to announce that a friend of the ministry has done to kind. Housing spellings balance to our donors additional $300 by December 30. This challenge I. Donations to this challenge, please call 8899 where 866-9993 donation would tell them that Max challenged thinking The Encouraging Word that's just one of many resources available on our website TW online.org that's TW online.org is there a favor and just dig a little deeper in the two Dr. Don's relationship to other ministries like the ECF, a evangelical Council on financial accountability. All that to say, we would love you to prayerfully consider getting involved both financially and prayerfully in our ministry in these last few days middle of a remarkable $200,000 challenge gift that you may not be able to give $200,000. That's quite alright starting the ministry just 120 families getting two dollars you decide that between let us know because right now it's a perfect time to get involved online@twonline.org or give us a call at 866-8996