Winter 2024-2025: Lesson 1.1 - All in Him

Text:

Colossians 2:9 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

LESSON CONNECTION:

A few years have passed since a familiar YouTube video circulated among Pentecostal audiences. Those privileged to be at the recorded service were in for a special treat as they witnessed Jesse T. Pugh, a well-known preacher in the United Pentecostal movement, sing. Many loved him and sat in awe at his amazing ability to paint pictures with words as he declared the truth, unwavering in his faith. He did not boast of being a singer, but every once in a while, he would suddenly interrupt an engaging message with a song on his heart.

In one of his sermons, Pugh told of meeting an older gentleman by the name of George R. Farrow at a fellowship meeting. As he talked with this elder, he realized Farrow was the man who penned the song “All in Him.” Pugh continued to explain that this song came “right off the hot coals of Pentecost” around the year 1920. Pugh began to sing the song to the audience: “The mighty God is Jesus, the Prince of Peace is He, the everlasting Father, the King eternally.”

The congregation joined in with no hesitation; they knew the song well. They continued singing, matching the spirit of the enthusiastic Brother Pugh as he lifted his hands with emphasis and continued to sing. “The wonderful in wisdom by whom all things were made, the fullness of the Godhead in Jesus is displayed. It’s all in Him. It’s all in Him. The fullness of the Godhead is all in Him. It’s all in Him. It’s all in Him. The mighty God is Jesus, and it’s all in Him” (youtube.com, “It’s All in Him by JT Pugh”).

The song “All in Him” has appeared in Pentecostal hymnals for many years and was also published in a hymnal Sing Unto the Lord by Word Aflame Press in 1978. Many Pentecostal churches were blessed to be able to sing this musical masterpiece about the deity of our precious God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today it is frequently sung at heritage services and vintage Sundays. However, the message is as powerful today as it was when it was first introduced to Pentecostal audiences. The song goes on to declare:

Emanuel, God with us, Jehovah, Lord of hosts!

The omnipresent Spirit, Who fills the universe.

The Advocate, the High Priest, the Lamb for sinners slain,

The Author of redemption, O glory to His name!

Thank you for this beautiful, powerful song, George Farrow. What joy to declare in song that the mighty God is Jesus. He is the one in whom all the Godhead dwells bodily. It’s all in Him.

Read first two paragraphs and pickup here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aHZTTWGo08

“The mighty God is Jesus, the Prince of Peace is He.

The Living Word Incarnate, the King eternally.

The wonderful in wisdom, by whom all things were made.

The fullness of the Godhead in Jesus is displayed...”

The song goes on to declare:

Emanuel, God with us, Jehovah, Lord of hosts!

The omnipresent Spirit, Who fills the universe.

The Advocate, the High Priest, the Lamb for sinners slain,

The Author of redemption, O glory to His name!

I. THE MOST HIGH GOD

A. The Ancient World Was Polytheistic

The belief that there is only one God is referred to as Monotheism and was the common religion of all people directly following ‘the fall of man.’ However, as time marched forward people began to spiritualize temporal things; hence, making idols to worship. It would be difficult to pinpoint when polytheism - the worship of multiple gods - actually started.

We know that great wickedness was on the earth during Noah’s day - people had chose to rebel from God at the very least. When you stop worshiping the creator of the universe, you will worship something - that is idolatry. (see Genesis 6)

God’s people would be preserved through Noah, however. Through Noah would come the Patriarchs, which would lead to Joseph bringing his father, Jacob, to Egypt. A Pharoah would be raised that did not know Joseph (Exod 1:8). As a result, the children of God - the Hebrew people - would be put into the bondage of slavery. Egypt was full of idolatry and most likely greatly influenced God’s people:

When God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, a mixed multitude left with them (Exodus 12:38). This mix could have been from marriages or from sympathizers to the Israelites’ cause. Whatever the case, when they camped near Mount Sinai with Moses, many of them grumbled and complained. Their influence possibly led Aaron to carve a golden calf while Moses was on top of the mountain spending time with God. These influencers boldly shouted: “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4).

There was no mistaking God’s message to humanity: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Moses walked back down the mountain with the Ten Commandments in his hands to let Israel know God was calling for His people to worship Him alone, but they had already danced across that line between monotheism and polytheism as they danced in front of a golden calf.

What are some polytheistic religions in our world today?

B. Melchisedec Referred to the Most High God

God frequently reminded His children He was the one true God. He spoke through the prophet Isaiah, addressing idol worshipers and reminding them: “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6).

Keep Isaiah in the back of you head, we’re going to return to him here shortly

One of God’s titles is the Most High God. The first time we read this sacred title was the time Melchisedec blessed Abram (later known as Abraham). Abram was returning home from a victorious battle, and Melchisedec, the priest and king of Salem, went out to meet him. Melchisedec took food and drink, and he spoke a blessing over Abram. (See Genesis 14:18–20.)

There are other accounts where pagan kings referred to God as the “most high God.” For instance, Nebuchadnezzar called Daniel’s God “the Most High God” after throwing his three companions into the fire.

Daniel 3:19–22 “Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.”

Daniel 3:26 “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.”

Daniel 3:29 “Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”

Nebuchadnezzar learned through power and demonstration of God’s ability to deliver - that Elohim was indeed the most high God. However, he may of honored God as the most high God, and knew of God as the most high God - while allowing other things to remain his god (that’s a message for another time).

C. I Will Recognize the Most High God

El-i-ya El-ah - means the most high, but has two different linguistic meanings when found within the Old Testament:

The God of Israel understood according to His exaltedness and authority

Standing above all others in quality or position

It’s easy to become like Nebuchadnezzar - realizing that God is above all - while not accepting Him as your God. When God becomes your God - you have your eyes open to the fact that nothing else deserves my worship because everything else is dead in comparison to Him.

Psalm 86:10 “For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.”

Though we may come against some resistance for believing God is one, we stand firm on the truth we learn from God’s Word. When we base all our belief on His Word, we will not go wrong. God’s Word is truth. His Word was established at the beginning of time and will prevail forever.

Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Stop here and talk about what makes Apostolics stand out among other Christian Denominations - discuss the Counsel of Nicea 325 A.D.

- Counsel brought into session to advocate that Jesus was divine. Arius advocated that Christ was created and not divine, whereas we know Him to be both fully God and fully man.

- The Catholic church defeated one heresy with another one - the Trinity

(This is what happens when you take the Spirit out of biblical interpretation and preaching)

We must also understand that Apostolic truth is only one generation from being lost:

Deuteronomy 6:4–7 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

If we don’t understand the fact that there is only one God - we will not be able to impart such truths to our children. We’ve got to love this thing, as David Poole preached at this past NYC!

Young people, if your parents don’t love this thing - you’re going to have to do it without them. It’s not impossible - while it may be more difficult - understand this: there’s no temptation or trial that God hasn’t made a way for you. You’ve just got to get in the way and follow after the Spirit

II. THE MIGHTY GOD IS JESUS

In the first line of his song “All in Him,” Farrow wrote: “The mighty God is Jesus, the Prince of Peace is He, the everlasting Father, the King eternally.” It is a bold statement to declare the mighty God is Jesus. He is the one who elevated the mountains, scooped out the sea, and created humanity in His image. He is the one who created the universe, scattering stars into space, and calculated the delicate position of the sun to be precisely the perfect distance to warm the inhabitants of earth rather than freeze us to death.

Let’s look at a few parallels in the Old Testament:

God declared He was the Creator -

Nehemiah 9:6 “Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.”

Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;”

Isaiah 44:24 “Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, And he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; That stretcheth forth the heavens alone; That spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;”

Make sure to parallel back to Neh 9:6 before going to Jesus

Yet, Jesus was also the creator -

John 1:3 “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Colossians 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

Hebrews 1:10 “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”

We can easily explain the mighty God in Jesus if we acknowledge God Himself was manifested in the body of Jesus Christ:

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all refer to one God. They are not three consciousnesses with one substance of Divinity. It is One God with three distinctive roles.

Bernard goes on to say: “In sum, the titles of Father, Son, and

Holy Spirit describe God’s redemptive roles or revelations, but

they do not reflect an essential threeness in His nature. Father

refers to God in family relationship to humanity; Son refers to

God in flesh; and Spirit refers to God in spiritual activity.”

A. Isaiah Prophesied the Messiah Would Be the Mighty God

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

We often read this passage around Christmas time and just skim over the words “The mighty God”, “The Everlasting Father”, “The Prince of Peace”, but do we ever stop and recognize that Jesus is the militant ruler of the angels.

mighty literally means to be ruler over a great army! That means when we call upon the name of Jesus - we call upon the name that has all power and authority to move angels in the spiritual realm.

You want to see strongholds come down - call upon the name of Jesus! They recognize that name, but they recognize it even more when His stamp of approval is on your life - the Holy Spirit

God inspired the prophet Isaiah to express the majesty and glory of the Godhead. Isaiah had a beautiful understanding of who God was, and he was not hesitant to call the coming Messiah the mighty God. We can gain tremendous insight from Isaiah 9:6. Many years before Jesus was born, this prophecy came through Isaiah. He proposed the Messiah would be the mighty God, the everlasting Father. He knew the Messiah would come as a baby. He knew God would be the Messiah, dwelling in flesh, because the baby to come was referred to as “the everlasting Father.” Isaiah also knew this Messiah would have to give His life to save His people because God told Isaiah He would blot out the sins of His people (Isaiah 43:25), which required the shed blood from a perfect sacrifice.

Through Isaiah, God reassured His people He was the only God. “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” (Isaiah 44:6).

B. Paul Taught the Fullness of the Godhead Dwelt in the Messiah

Another stanza of the song “All in Him” says: “The fullness of the Godhead in Jesus is displayed.” This statement is understood from Paul’s letter to the Colossians: “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus is the embodiment of everything the Godhead is. He was the express image of God. God prepared Himself a body to dwell in as He imparted to humanity the grace of forgiveness and redemption.

1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

The great mystery was not the Godhead; it was the Incarnation. God came in flesh as Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.

Paul also wrote: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (II Corinthians 5:19). God came in flesh as Jesus Christ to reconcile us to Him and to give us the gospel message of reconciliation. It has always been the will of God to bring people back into right relationship with Him.

C. I Will Worship Jesus as the Most High God

John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.”

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

God’s glory dwelt among us…break down Doxa - high honour or transcendent bright divine light

After His Spirit was poured out - that glory was given to His people. The problem is glory - for us - can burn out. Light has to be connected to a source (for instance, a light bulb)

When we worship Him - we connect to that source - He inhabits the praises of His people (Ps 22:3)

We still may have difficulty wrapping our brains around the spiritual aspect of His existence. However, when we see in Scripture who Jesus really is, it transforms us completely and causes the Bible to come alive. We do not have to fear death anymore because we have the hope of Heaven. We can pray in Jesus’ name and miracles will happen, just as they did when Jesus walked among us. We have learned the power in Jesus’ name.