True fulfillment thriving amidst unfulfilling circumstances

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

The man who had every reason to be unfulfilled
At the time of his composing the letter to the Colossians, Paul had been following Jesus Christ for nearly 30 years.  He had been on three missionary tours, saw many conversions and even wrote other New Testament books.  With a resume like that, one would think Paul's life would be filled with ease and great comfort.  Yet quite the opposite was the case. 

In surveying the wider context of Acts 21-28, we can see what all Paul had went through in the four years prior to his writing of the Letter to the Colossians.  Though having every reason to be bitter and unfulfilled, yet Paul, by Christ's supernatural power, was able to retain his true fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  Merrill C. Tenney in his book "New Testament Survey" writes: "Furthermore, these chapters of Acts have great biographical and theological value because they reveal more of the inner thought and teaching of Paul than do most others passages in Acts." (313)  With those thoughts, let's consider what Paul experienced:

1. Persecution.  Acts 21:15-40
There are some remarkable parallels between what Paul experiences here in the closing chapters of Acts to that of Christ's experience in the closing chapters of the four Gospels.  Just like Jesus, Paul experienced increasing persecution for his preaching and missionary activity.  And just like Jesus, Paul ended up being siezed and brought into the temple courts at Jerusalem.

2. Prosecution. Acts 22:1-26:22
Just like Jesus, Paul stood before three Jewish groups and three Gentile groups in which he was being prosecuted.  In each of those settings, Paul testfied of how Christ aone was His fulfillment.  He did this before the Jews in the temple (Acts 21:15-40); before more Jews (Acts 22) and before the Jewish Council (Acts 23:1-35). 

Paul also testified of God's saving grace in his life before the governor Felix (Acts 24).  Paul continued to have personal conversations with Felix for two years.  The next Gentile group was Paul having audience with another official named Festus (Acts 25:1-22) and Agrippa (25:23-26:32).  Despite intense prosecution and false witnesses, Paul's faith remained intact, because his true fulfillment was in Jesus Christ.

3. Peril. Acts 27:1-28:10
After Paul's series of prosecutions, it was decided he would be sent to Rome to be under house arrest and chained to a Roman Soldier.  Had Paul been faithless? No.  Had he done anything wrong? No.  As he was under chains on a Roman ship, a huge storm swept in on the course of the journey, eventually leading to a ship wreck.  Things were going from bad to worse.  Yet Paul testified of God's saving work in Jesus Christ.  Despite the peril to his physical life, Paul still found fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

4. Prison. Acts 28:11-31
It is in these set of verses that we get the more specific setting in which Paul wrote his Colossians letter, urging his readers to find their true fulfillment in Christ.  After the ship wreck, Paul was delivered to Rome under guard.  Day and night, for two years, Paul was chained to a Roman guard.  Though he could receive visitors, he was nonetheless a prisoner.  However, his faith and ministry were unchained.    

The man who had the only reason for being fulfilled
But despite those circumstances, many of which would had made many people bitter and unfulfilled, Paul persevered.  He kept on preaching the Word.  Despite his hard circumstances, Acts 28:31 records: "preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered."  If Paul had not been imprisoned in Rome, the Gospel would not had been preached in that area.  If anything, this season of intense persecution, prosecution, peril and prison enabled Paul's ministry and message to circulate to a wider audience.

Paul's true fulfillment was in Jesus Christ.  As we saw in the opening verses of today's blog, he did what he did through Christ's power that worked mightily in Him.  May the same be said of us. 

____________
Resource quoted in today's blog:
Tenney, Merrill C. New Testament Survey. WM. B Eerdmans  
         Company, Intervarsity Press. 1985
This wonderful book is an excellent summary of the background and overview of the New Testament.  I would recommend it to anyone desiring a greater grasp of a general understanding of the main thoughts, background and key figures in the New Testament. 

The resource for true fulfillment

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

In recent days I have found much blessing in reading and studying Paul's letter to the Colossians.  In this short little book of the New Testament we find the theme of: "True Fulfillment".  Today I want to set before you dear reader an outline of this book that underscores how we find fulfillment in Jesus Christ:

We find true fulfillment in Jesus Christ in the following ways in Colossians:

Spiritual Maturity 1:1-12

Supreme Revelation of Christ 1:13-20

Service to God 1:21-29

Assurance of Christian Identity 2:1-23

Solid Godly Living 3:1-25

Certainty of God's Will 4:1-18

By noting key verses in each chapter of this wonderful book, we can explore the main points of Paul's argument for the true fulfillment we find in Jesus Christ.  Some of the verses below were quoted or commented upon in yesterday's blog - however they are worth looking at again.  I would encourage the reader to look at these verse references and ask the Lord to show them the significance of Christ's fulness.

Colossians 1:9, 13-20; Colossians 2:9,10; Colossians 3:16
Colossians 4:12,17

True Fulfillment

Colossians 1:28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Tackling what breeds spiritual unfulfillment
As Paul wrote the short letter of Colossians to the church of Colosse, he was under house arrest in Rome. (Acts 28:11-31).  The church at Colosse was situated East of the Seven churches of Asia Minor to whom John wrote the book of Revelation.  The reason why the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write this letter was to deal with a heresy that had arisen in that local church body.  Among it's beliefs was a diminished view of Christ, an elevated view of angels, an emphasized view on keeping the law and a mystical view of seeking mystical knowledge in addition to Christ. 

When you try to find fulfillment in anything else but Christ, you will remain unfulfilled spiritually and emotionally
The people of this small church were living in an atmosphere where they were told that Christ is both inadequate and insufficient to meet their spiritual needs.  By tacking on ritualistic practice and pagan philosophies, only then - according to these teachers - could one attain some sense of fulfillment. (compare Colossians 2:21-23)

Throughout this short letter such words as "fill", "fulfill" and "complete" appear, indicating Paul's main point: Fulfillment in Christ's Fulness.  Even where such words do not appear, the idea of the richness of Christ or His Word points to the chief point of Colossians: the Christian finds all they need and desire in Christ.

Below we will quickly jog through this short letter and show you how Paul communicates the idea of: "Finding Fulfillment in Christ's Fulness".

1. Spiritual Maturity is fulfilled in Christ. Colossians 1:9 "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding"

2. Service to God is fulfilled in Christ. Colossians 1:24-25 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God."  Colossians 4:17 "Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ."

3. Assurance of Christian identity is fulfilled in Christ. Colossians 2:9-10 "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority"

4 Solid Godly Living is fulfilled in Christ. Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God"

5. Certainty of God's will derives from fulfillment in Christ. Colossians 4:12 "Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God."

As you read through Colossians, note particularly Colossians 1:13-20, since it gives you a description of Christ Himself in all His fulness.  When you realize just how sufficient He is, you can understand why Paul's little letter of Colossians is so powerful in communicating true fulfillment.

Christ our King in Leviticus 23

Leviticus 23:44 So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD.

Yesterday we explored Leviticus 23 in search of specific ways in which Jesus Christ is pictured.  We noted that Leviticus 23:1-3 pictures Christ our Creator and Leviticus 23:4-22 pictures Christ our Redeemer.  Today we continue by focusing on the last three feasts or festivals of Leviticus 23:23-44, noting how they picture for us Christ our King.

1. Feast of Trumpets. Leviticus 23:23-25
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words. We also see these words in 1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

2. Day of Atonement. Leviticus 23:26-32
As Christ returns the Bible promises that Israel will be saved. (Romans 11:26).  She will look upon the One who she pierced. (Zech 12:10) Since the promise for Israel's restoration still remains, we know that at His return, her destiny as God's light to the nations will culminate and begin at the same time!

3. Feast of Tabernacles. Leviticus 23:33-44
In passages such as Ezekiel 40-48; Isaiah 60-66 and Revelation 20 we see reference to a literal, visible Kingdom set up here on earth.  This particular feast was prescribed to Israel before she entered the promised land - thus its immediate fulfillment would be carried out once she conquered the land in the book of Joshua.

However the full realization of that will not occur until as a nation (not all individuals) is converted by grace at His return.  This feast is to remind Israel of all she went through and God's faithfulness in bringing to fruition her destiny as His people. 

We know that Christ's mentioning of the Kingdom first began as His domain in the heart of the saints, followed by His invisible rule over His church in this present age.  However there is a visible, earthly aspect that has yet to occur.  Once that has happened, Christ will then usher in the Eternal state as described in Revelation 21-22. 

How Christ is at the Center of Biblical Revelation as seen through Leviticus 23
Thus Christ as King is an already and at the same time "not yet" reality.  He is Creator, He is Redeemer and He is King.  The Bible's three chief themes are Creation (Genesis 1-2); Redemption (Genesis 3-Revelation 19/20); and Kingdom (Revelation 20/21-22). 

We also note that Christ occupies three offices in His current and perpetual ministry to believers: Prophet (revealing the Father, who in turn by the Spirit points to the Son with Him as Creator worthy of worship); Priest (our Redeemer) and King. 

Thirdly, each Testament in the Bible can be viewed in these three headings: Old Testament has Creation and the origin of Reality, Life, Humanity and Israel (Law); Redemption unfolded through History (Writings) and Kingdom unfolded through the activites of Kings and the writings of the Prophets. All these three sections have their own overlaps of the themes. 

The New Testament too reveals the advent of the promise of Eternal Life and the New Creation in Jesus Christ as acted out in the Gospels and preached in Acts; Redemption explained further in the Epistles and The Kingdom manifested in Revelation.  Again, the three themes are interwoven throughout the 27 New Testament Books, while seeing the distinctions can be helpful. 

Certainly these three themes overlap one another quite significantly, showing us that there is no division in neither Christ nor the revelation of Himself. 

Picturing Christ the Creator and Redeemer

Leviticus 23:44 So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD.

God is a God of perfect timing.  In no less than five places we see mentioned here in Leviticus 23 - "the appointed times of the Lord".  Why is God so concerned about time? For what end did He prescribes these festivals here in Leviticus? Certainly they aided the Jewish people in not forgetting the One who had redeemed them.  Some five times does He address them as "sons of Israel" in this chapter. 

However the grander purpose in all this was to prepare the people for the "appointed time" in which the "Appointed Person of all time", Jesus Christ, would come on the scene.  As we consider these seven festivals in Leviticus 23, I want to give you three headings by which you can see more clearly the Person and work of Jesus Christ: Our Creator; Our Redeemer and Our King.

1. Christ our Creator. Leviticus 23:1-3 
In Leviticus 23:1-3 we are hearkened back to Genesis 1-2 when God created the Heavens and the earth.  I find it interesting that in Genesis 1:14 we see this phrase "appointed times and seasons" being used to describe the purpose of God placing the stars, moon and sun in the heavens.  The whole universe would be required to communicate the immensity of God's glory to puny tiny man. 

Was Christ present at creation? Consider these New Testament Texts:
a. John 1:1-3 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

b. 1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

c. Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.

2. Christ our Redeemer Leviticus 23:4-22
a. Feast of Passover - Christ was crucified on the day the passover lamb was sacrficed. (Mark 14:12; John 19:14)  He also functioned as the passover sacrifice for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

b. Feast of Unleavened Bread - Living for Jesus is like celebrating the unleavened feast. (1 Corinthians 5:8).  Christ of course was the spotless sacrifice without sin. (1 Peter 1:17-18)  Leaven often, but not always, pictures sin in the Bible. (Again compare 1 Cor 5:8)

c. Feast of First Fruits - First fruits were the first stalks of grain taken from the Barley fields of Israel and brought to the temple.  They were a foretaste of things to come.  Christ raised from the dead is the firstfruits of the resurrection that He will bring about of all the saints at the end of the age. (1 Corinthians 15:23)

d. Pentecost - This was the ingathering of the the remainder of the Barley Harvest that occured 50 days after the festival of firstfruits.  When Jesus told His disciples to wait in the upper room in Acts 1 after His ascension, He had already been raised from the dead 40 days.  According to Acts 1 into 2, they waited an additional 10 days.  In Acts 2, God the Father sends the Holy Spirit in Christ's name, verifying that Christ is ascended and enthroned over His church.  That event occured 50 days after Christ's resurrection.

Tomorrow we will continue this study by noting how Leviticus 23 pictures Christ our King.

The thrill of discovering Jesus Christ in the Old Testament

Luke 24:44 "Now He said to them, 'These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.'

The thrill of discovering Jesus Christ pictured in the Old Testament
When Jesus had raised from the dead He engaged some disciples walking on a road near Jerusalem who were distraught over the recent events surrounding His crucifixion.  In disguising Himself from their recognition, Jesus Christ began to teach them from the Old Testament all the things concerning Himself. 


As a Christian begins to study God's Word, the common practice is to only focus on the New Testament and skip the Old, since it is assumed that the Old Testament was only for Israel, and now that Jesus has come, we as the "New Testament Church" should only focus on the New Testament.  This is tragic on several fronts:


1. 2 Timothy 3:16b plainly tells us that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God,, and is profitiable...".  The phrase "all scripture" is referring by extension to all 66 books.  The point being we cannot skip 2/3 of the Bible - it is "all profitable".


2. When we consider that 333 Old Testament prophecies made predictions about the person and work of Jesus Christ (109 pertaining to His first coming and 224 to His second), it lies incumbent upon us to know the Old Testament, since it aids us to a deeper understanding of Christ.


3. Jesus Himself took seriously the Old Testament, acting out, preaching upon and living out some 600 Old Testament texts.


It truly is a thrill to study the Old Testament because even though I may not find Jesus named in every verse, yet from each of the 22,314 Old Testament verses I can find my way back to Jesus Christ.  He is pictured in such things as Noah's Ark, The Tabernacle of Moses and the Priesthood.  He makes personal appearances in such figures as Melchizedek in Genesis 14 (compaare Hebrews 5 and 7)  The Angel of the Lord, who is ascribed divine characteristics some 15 times in the Old Testament. 


Why would anyone want to explore the Old Testament through New Testament light?  As one commentator has noted: "The New in the Old is concealed and the Old and the New is revealed". 

New Testament authority for finding pictures of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament
I want to briefly list verses below which encourage us to use the Old Testament as our picture book of Jesus Christ:

1. Luke 24:44 We have already looked above at this text.  This is from Jesus' own lips on the allowance of the Old Testament in picturing His person and work.


2. Romans 15:4-5 "whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus".  The "scriptures" of course are referring to the Old Testament.  Notice what they yield: "the same mind with one another according to Jesus Christ".


3. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, 11 (1-4) For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3and all ate the same spiritual food; 4and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. " (11) "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."


4. Hebrews 9:9-11 "The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. 11But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation."

Here we see the writer connecting the ministry of the Old Testament Tabernacle and Jewish system that pictures Jesus to the Person of Jesus in the New Testament!

As Dr. Steven Lawson, a Southern Baptist Pastor and prolific author has often said: "Although I may not be able to find Jesus Christ in every verse of the Bible, yet from every verse I can get you back to Jesus Christ."

The Jet Airliner of the Old Testament - Leviticus 23

Leviticus 23:1-2 "The LORD spoke again to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD’S appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these"


One of the grandest Jet airliners you'll ever ride - "Leviticus 23"
Imagine yourself at a large international airport, where thousands of flights are going in and out and over the runways into the air.  You know that anyone one of those planes will enable you to launch into the blue ocean of sky above, however the plane you are traveling in can take you way above the clouds.  Your aircraft of choice is the "Leviticus 23", a massive plane whose wingspan dominates the airfield and whose range is utterly limitless. 


Certainly there are other craft that can take you up faster, however this one is known for its gradual ascent and its big windows.  Everyone who boards "Leviticus 23" will be traveling first class.  The destination? Jesus Christ.  The Pilot: God the Holy Spirit.  I am but a steward, and you are the passenger.


Now this flight will be done in several stages - since our journey will span thousands of years and ultimately all of eternity.  However if you stay with me - I guarantee you that by the end - you will behold the point of our journey - Picturing Jesus Christ. 


The 7 Jewish Feasts or "appointed times" and "dress rehearsals"
As in all flights - timing is everything.  Furthermore, you have got to be prepared.  God has thought of everything, which is why He uses the term "convocations" (in the Hebrew = dress rehearsal) and "appointed times".  What we see commonly translated as "feasts" in our old English translations actually refers to the process of the Jews eating and celebrating to recall what God had done for them.


As much as these seven festivals were designed to recall the past (at least the first four feasts), the more important thrust of this text is to point forward to what God was going to do (thus the final three feasts).  The people of God were on a journey to the promised land - the land of Canaan.  Thus God prescribed these "seven feasts" to both remind the people and point the people ahead to Himself.  Today I will just list them, with a brief phrase about how they picture Jesus Christ:


1. The Feast (convocation) of Passover 23:4-5 - Christ crucified
2. The Feast of Unleaven bread 23:6-8 - Christ buriedThe, sinless
3. The Feast of First Fruits 23:9-14 - Christ raised ffrom the dead
4. The Feast of Pentecost 23:15-22 - Christ ascended and sending the Holy Spirit


Now these first feasts occured in the Spring and Summer of the year on the Jewish calendar.  The last three feasts occur in the fall, they are....


5. The Feast of Trumpets 23:23-25 - Christ's return
6. The Day of Atonement 23:26-32 - Israel as a nation saved at Christ's return
7. Feast of Tabernacles 23:33-44 - Christ's 1,000 years reign or what is termed "millennial reign".


How we can see nature, history and prophecy focusing on Christ through the windows of this big jet airliner of "Leviticus 23"
As we noted earlier, the first three feasts occur in the Spring (our March/April), Pentecost in the summer (our June) and the final three in the Fall (our September/October).  Note those three seasons: Spring (New Life), Summer (Dryness) and Autumn (Harvest).  Truly Christ came the first time to provide New life to all who believe, this current age is dry, however as Christians we anticipate the harvest season of the coming fall.  In our eagerness for Him to return, we know the fulfillment of God's word will be reaped.

All of history is pictured in this massive chapter.  If we include Leviticus 23:1-3, we see Moses reflecting back on creation.  Christ was there with the Father, for it was through God the Son all things came into being. (John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:16-17).  From beginning to middle to end, from creation to redemption to Kingdom we see Christ at every point.

Then prophetically, these seven feasts all point to Christ - the one in whom their appointed times find culmination.  No doubt, we have entered into the heights of scripture through Leviticus 23 - and Christ is the One whom we enjoy seeing!