The Sufficiency of Christ

Intro

Let me begin today by teaching you a little something about the nature of stress, preassure and how people cope.

2 volenteres.

Throw paper balls into basket. You simply have to throw 2 in. If you dont throw 2 in you have to close in prayer.

1 Few - Other Many,

Now, lets examine these 2 people. 1 of them is a bit stressed and preassureied, the other is much less so.

Why? They bother are the same distance from the bin. The bin is the same sixe for each person. They both have the exact same task to do - throw 2 in.

What is the difference that makes xxxx more stressed. more apprehensive, more worried than yyyyy?

Well yyyyyy has more chances, yyyyyy have more chances to gt it wrong and try again. yyyyyy has more room to make it.

And its all because yyyyy has far more resources than xxxxxxx.

Thank you....

Now my message today is a very simple one. I want each of you to understand the sheer amount of spiritual resources you have, and i am fully convinvced that when you do, though the task, the situation, may not change 0 your attitude or courage will!

You see one of the really sad states of the christian today is their desire NOT to to through cjallanges, for life to be easy.

If we were in xxxxx place, we would rather sk for the basket to move closer and be bigger - that is what we would prefer.

But in reality what God wants to do, is not move the basket cloer. God does not want to make your life easier - He wants to make you better, stronger, victorious.

And he does this by supplying us with Jesus. Because with Jesus it does not matter how far or how small the bin is. It does not matter how difficult or how stressful or how challanging the task before us is because those with Jesus fully understand:

Matthew 19:26 NKJV

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

When we understand and believe by faith all that God has supplied us with we will see other thigs as worthless.

Matthew 13:44 NKJV

44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

In this parable the man knows that what is hid in the field is greater than all the wealth and possesions he has, so he sells everything to buy the field and have the sreassure.

Jesus is that treasure my friends and he supplies us with all that we will never need for victorious christian living.

Philippians 4:19 NKJV

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

What is this supply that we have accsess to?

1: Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

What is God’s grace? Well is a concept of many defenitions, but part of grace is God’s love towards us. This love gives us strength and hope.

God’s all sufficient grace means that we can try again when we fail. Grace means that God does not count our misses. He does not keep score.

Grace is knowing that:

Philippians 4:13 NKJV

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

2: Spiritual Blessings

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

To make it through the task you face, God has not suppled some of your needs, but ALL of them. And God has equipped you , not with some spiritual blessings, but with EVERY spiritual blessing!

Obviously we do not have the time to go through them all, but here a few of the Spiritual Blessings God has supplied to you though Jesus Christ:

1: The Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Aagin the Holy Spirit, will not teach you SOME things, He will teach you ALL things.

The Spirit will teach you, lead you, guide you, reveal to you, intercede for you

2: The Word of God

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

With the Word of God you can know God’s will, understand life’s challanges, have wisdom on how to handle situations, find encouragement and hope.

3: The Church

Matthew 16:18 NKJV

18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The local church is a wonderful blessing from God. In our local church we find encouragment, prayer, teaching, ministry, accountability, friendship and unity.

We can ask for help, advice and counsel when we are going though difficulties.

These are just 3 of the many spiritual blessings God have given each one of us to make it through life’s challanges nd tasks.

Another Supply we have in Jesus Christ is:

3: Reconsiliation with God

Romans 5:10 NKJV

10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

When Jesus paid for our sin on Calvary, he said:

“It is ALMOST finished!”

John 19:30 NKJV

30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

it IS finished. What is finished? The paying of our spiritual debt. Jesus paid it all in full.

The result? Reconciliation with God by faith.

This was not a half job by Jesus, in fact Hebrews says it best:

Hebrews 10:14 NKJV

14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Jesus has perfected us forver. As a born again Christian, you stand before God in a state of Spiritual perfection, based on the work of Jesus Christ.

In our bin analogy, grace means that God does not count your misses, and justification means that the score God sees in that of his Son Jesus - 10/10.

and Finally, the last resource we have is:

4: Completeness in Christ

Probibly one of my favorite verses:

Colossians 2:10 NKJV

10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

This is a verse of faith that many christians really need to start reciving.

You are complete in Jesus.There is nothing, other than Jesus, that you need to make you complete.

You dont need that promotion to be complete. You dont need to get married to be complete. You dont need to lose weight to be complete. You dont need that persons approval to be complete. You dont need to be cured to be complete.

If you have Jesus, then you ARE complete.

Conclusion:

My friends, with Christ in your hearts you are complete, have all sufficient grace, are blessed with every spiritual blessing and are perfect.

With such a starting posision how much boldness and courage should we have for each day, for each task, for each sitauion.