140202 AM What Does It Mean to be Christ-Centered
| GOD-SHAPED in 2014 What Does It Mean to be Christ-Centered? A. Colossians 1:1-20 – Paul begins his letter to the saints at Colossae on a truly magnificent note. B. The clearest representation of what God desires to shape us into is the person of Jesus Christ. I. What Does It Mean to be Christ-Centered? A. Centered can be used in a variety of different ways: • A point or axis around which everything revolves: the sun is the center of the solar system. • The source of an influence, action, or force: the center of a problem. • To come into focus; converge; concentrate: the book centers on a particular character. B. When we realize that “of Christ” appears nearly 100 times in the New Testament of God’s writtenrevelation, it’s not hard to discern what (or who) is to be at the “center” of our attention. C. If am I Christ-centered: • I will draw new and identity from him (John 1:4). • I will in him (John 15:4). • I will upon him for everything (John 15:5). • I will all things through him (Rom 12:1-2). • I will trust God’s providential (John 15:2). • I will bear the of his Spirit (Gal 5:22-24). • I will hunger and thirst for his and his will (Matt 5:6). • I will envelop my life with (John 15:7). • I will follow his loving and wise (John 15:10). • My heavenly Father will be (John 15:8). • My will be full (John 15:11). II. THE QUESTION: “Willi Allow Every Aspect of My Life to be Shaped in the Mold of Jesus?” A. My daily walk as an ___- (Matt 5-7). B. My perspective on _____(Luke 2:52).C. My approach to ___-(Eph 6:5-8). D. My _____ life (Eph 5:20-33). E. My conception of and dedication to the _____ (Co11:17-18). The ultimate aim of it all? “That in everything he might be preeminent” (CoI1:18). If you haven’t been recognizing him as “preeminent,” reconciliation is available (Co11:19-23; 2:8-13). |