Sunday: Christ as the Center
Jesus is the central figure throughout the Bible (John 5:39), and we need to see ourselves in relationship to Him. He paid the penalty for sin and is “a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18), and all things are in His hands (John 13:3).
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His name is higher than all others, and one day every knee shall bow down to Him (Phil. 2:9-11).
“Jesus is the living center of everything.” – Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 186.
Christ is the heart of our stewardship and the source of our power. Because of Him, we produce a life worth living, demonstrating to all that He is the central focus of our lives. Paul may have experienced many trials, but no matter where he was or what happened to him, he had one priority for living: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21, NKJV).
Read Colossians 1:16-18, Romans 8:21, and 2 Corinthians 5:17. What do they tell us about just how central Jesus is to everything about us?
There is no genuine stewardship without Christ being our central core (Gal. 2:20). He is the center of “that blessed hope” (Titus 2:13), and “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Col. 1:17, NKJV). Just as the axle is the center of the wheel and thus carries the weight of a wagon, Christ is the center of the steward’s life. Just as a solid axle provides stability, allowing the wheels to rotate, Jesus is also the fixed and stable center of our Christian existence (Heb. 13:8). His influence should affect everything we think and do. All aspects of stewardship rotate around and find their center in Christ.
“For without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NKJV). The center of stewardship is not a hollow void but the reality of the living Christ, who is working in us to mold our characters now and for eternity.
| It’s one thing to say that Jesus is the core of our life, but it’s another to live as if He is. How can you be sure that Jesus is, indeed, living in you as He promises He will if we will but let Him in? |
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Creation, redemption and restoration it's all in Christ.
Nothing was made that was made without Him.
He is the second Adam through redemption.
Christ will be the head of all those redeemed in restoration.
Christ and self cannot remain at the center.
One must be crucified.
Crucify self, and receive life eternal in Christ.
Absolutely agree that Jesus (along with God and the Holy Spirit) is the central figure throughout the Bible: Creator, Sustainer, Saviour-Redeemer.
Jesus creation was an act of pure beneficence.
His sustaining is an ongoing manifestation of pure beneficence.
His life and subsequent death as our Saviour-Redeemer was a manifestation of pure beneficence.
His ascension to heaven to continue his Saviour-Redeemer role through being the ongoing mediator between divinity and humanity is manifestation of pure beneficence.
And his personal redeeming work in our lives is a personal and global invitation to humanity to once again become like him through progressively re-developing our characters to ever more pure beneficence.
The invitation to join him in exercising ever more pure beneficent stewardship is a core way that Jesus helps re-develop our characters after the 'divine similitude'. This is "the reality of the living Christ, who is working in us to mold our characters now and for eternity" and at the same time invite us to join with Him via our exercise of stewardship in helping others also become partakers of salvation.
The lesson states that "Jesus is the central figure throughout the Bible (John 5:39), and we need to see ourselves in relationship to Him. Absolutely agree with this. The lesson then goes on to say that Jesus "paid the penalty for sin and is a 'ransom for many' (Mark 10:25)".
Following Mark's use of the analogy of ransom, a ransom is usually paid to the one holding captive in order to free the one being held captive.
A three-part question therefore arises: If this is how a ransom operates, then (a) who/what is holding "the many" captive, (b) what was the penalty paid, and (c) to whom/what is the penalty paid?
Phil, we often need to point out that "parables or analogies cannot be made to walk on all fours." In other words, there is usually no point-for-point equivalence between an analogy and the reality is intended to illustrate. For instance, Christ's parables are each generally intended to illustrate *one* point, not many. So there should probably be only a single question: What point did Jesus mean to illustrate when He said that He gave His life as "a ransom for many"? (Mark 10:45, Matt 20:28, 1 Tim 2:6 You might also want to check out the instances in the OT in which the Lord referred to His people as being "ransomed," the most famous of which is probably Isa 35:10. Please also consider that "redeemed" means much the same as "ransomed," and biblically, Chris is our "Redeemer." So your questions would apply equally to being "redeemed.")
I'd like you to give that some thought.
Hi Inge
Thanks again for your reply. I absolutely agree that ransomed is a biblical concept and that it is synonymous with redeemed. So I absolutely agree that my questions would apply equally to being redeemed. I have no problem with that.
And I agree absolutely also agree with you that parables and analogies cannot be made to walk on all fours. I am not challenging the ransom parable/analogy at all. It is the answers to the questions that I am interested in.
1. Satan holds the "many captive",with his lies.
2.The penalty that was paid is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sinner
(me and you).
3. The penalty was paid to God the Father,(Who also paid the ransom by sacrificing His own Son).
Thanks for your response Dianne. It would appear that this is a topic that few people want to comment on....
I love your questions Phil! A short answer to these question is,Satan lies are holding "many" Captive!The penalty that was paid is the blood of Jesus Christ! Jesus paid the Ransom to us and for us!
Thanks Ronald. I'd genuinely be interested in a longer answer if you've got the time so I can understand what you are suggesting in greater detail. I can't quite joint the dots yet from your short answer.
We must remember that in any type of recovery program the first step is to admit we are powerless and our life is unmanageable.
Now the second step is believe in a power greater than ourselves to restore us to our sanity.
So, this is the same in our walk with Christ as stewardship is to accept Christ in our lives. Because by doing this we now see thing from a different prospective.
Now we manage everything in a different way and Christ become the center of our joy and hope on this planet we live on.
Tau Esay, thank you for that great insight! It's so true that we manage life in a different way when Jesus is our center. Thanks for that excellent summary & reminder!
Phil, it is Mark 10:45 not 10:25.
Thanks for that correction Pete. Much appreciated.
Genesis 1:26-30
26-28
God spoke:
“Let us make human beings in our image, make them
reflecting our nature
So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
the birds in the air, the cattle,
And, yes, Earth itself,
and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
God created human beings;
he created them godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
He created them male and female.
God blessed them:
“Prosper!
Reproduce!
Fill Earth!
Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”
29-30
Then God said, “I’ve given you
every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,
given them to you for food.
To all animals and all birds,
everything that moves and breathes,
I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”
And there it was.
Why are these text so important?