Colossians 1:13-20

So, have you had enough? Is there enough snow out there for you? A white Christmas was nice . . . but . . . this? Do you suppose there’s anyone out there who wants more? More snow, more accumulation, more drifts, more huge piles, more snow days? You know something? There probably are. There probably are people out there who, even after 2 huge snow storms and all of the cancellations, haven’t had enough; who would like even more snow. What about football? Have you had enough football? How many bowl games in addition to the Holiday Bowl did you watch? What about the NFL? Planning to watch any games this afternoon or this evening? Isn’t it amazing that even with games on TV practically 24-7, that there still are some people who probably haven’t had enough? What about the kids? What about their presents? Did they get enough? After opening 3 or 4 or more presents, were they still sitting next to the tree waiting for what they thought would be “the rest” of their gifts?

Is there ever enough? Do we ever get enough? Are we ever satisfied? Isn’t it human nature to always want more? --- What about God? What about Christ? Is Christ enough for you? --- That’s the question that I had to ask myself as I considered the words of Paul in Colossians chapter 1. Is Christ enough for me? Has he given me all I want or does he leave me wanting more? Has he done all I need him to do or does he leave me wishing he had done more? Is he all I need him to be or do I wish he were something, someone, more? That’s the question before us, before you, this morning. Is Christ enough for you? The answer to that question is found in the sermon text this morning from Colossians chapter 1. The answer to that question – to the question: Is Christ Enough For You? – is two-fold. 1.) To my sinful nature . . . no, Christ is not enough for me but 2.) For my sinful nature . . . yes, Christ is enough, more than enough, for me.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

The whole purpose of Paul writing this letter to the Colossians was to assure the Christians there that Christ was enough, that Christ was all he needed to be, that Christ was supreme – A number 1 – the beginning and the end, the Lord, the Creator, the King. And why? Why the need for an inspired epistle? Why the need to reinforce these truths? Why the need to emphasize the sufficiency and the supremacy of Christ? Doesn’t all that seem, shouldn’t all that be, obvious? --- Well, there were false teachers in Colossi going around telling the people that Christ was not enough, that he didn’t do it all, that there was more to salvation’s equation, that there were more pieces to God’s puzzle of provision and protection than just one man. “You don’t have it all. Christ isn’t enough. There’s something more,” they were being told.

It’s hard to imagine that anyone would fall for such a thing, that anyone would ever believe such a lie. The text makes it clear, God’s Word makes is clear, that in Christ nothing is lacking, that Christ is enough. How can Christ not be enough? He is the King of Creation. By him all things were created – things in heaven, things on earth (heaven and earth itself!); things we can see, things we can’t see; all power, authority and even the right to rule – each one created by Christ. That’s our King, that’s our God, that’s our Provider, that’s our Protector. He is the glue that holds creation together. How can he not be enough?  Not convinced? Paul goes on to say that Christ is the image of the invisible God.

God in human flesh. All the fullness of the deity in bodily form. In Christ the invisible becomes visible. In Christ the divine fills the human. In Christ God is man. In Christ the distant comes close. In Christ the spiritual becomes physical. In Christ the abstract becomes tangible. To see God we simply look at Christ – at his words, at his teaching, at his miracles, at his flesh, at his person, at his obedience, at his resurrection from the dead. How can Christ not be enough? Not convinced? Paul adds that Christ is the Lord of the Church.

The kings of the world submit to his authority. The angels serve his purpose. History reveals his controlling hand. The future is governed by his will. And all of it is for, all of it he controls and guides, for our spiritual and eternal good. Is Christ enough for you? Of course he is . . . we say . . . until . . . until we resent him for refusing to ease the pain and suffering of a loved one who is battling cancer or until we blame him for the death of someone who was very close to us. --- Right? --- “If Christ is the Lord of creation, then certainly he could heal her if he wanted to, he could have prevented his death, so why doesn’t he, why didn’t he?” our sinful nature asks.

Is Christ enough? Of course he is . . . until we blame him for our financial woes . . . because, after all, every good and perfect gift comes from above, from him, everything in the world belongs to him. Why won’t he just share a little more with me? I’m not asking for much, just enough to pay the bills, just enough to get out of debt, just enough to turn the corner. Doesn’t he know that if he would do that then I could put more in the plate? --- As if the problem were with his provision and not with our management of what he provides.

Is Christ enough? Of course he is. How could he not be? --- Until we doubt his love and concern for us as we blame him for the problems we’re having with our co-workers or we blame him for the arguments we’re having with our spouses or we blame him for the lack of communication we’re having with our kids . . . family problems, marriage problems, parenting problems, work problems, relationship problems . . . “if Christ were really ‘all that,’ wouldn’t he just wave his magic wand and make everything right in your life?” Satan asks.

Is Christ enough? To our sinful nature – no, Christ is never enough. He gives hardship instead of blessing – as though blessing isn’t found in hardship. He makes life tough rather than easy – as though tough times don’t make us stronger. To our sinful nature we never have enough. We are never satisfied. We always want more. And, truth be told, even if Christ gave us more, even if he gave us all we wanted, it still wouldn’t be enough, would it? To our sinful nature Christ is not enough but for our sinful nature? For our sinful nature Christ is enough, he is more than enough.

He rescued us from the dominion of darkness. He saved us from the spiritual blindness that held us prisoner; that prevented us from seeing God and his love and his Son and his salvation; that shackled us in unbelief, doubt and despair. But not only did he rescue us from the dominion of darkness, he also brought us into his kingdom, the kingdom of light. Darkness replaced by light. Blindness replaced by the eyes of faith. Ignorance replaced by knowledge. We now see Christ. We now see him as the Lord of Creation. We now see him as the image of the invisible God. We now see him as the Lord of the Church. Is Christ enough? For our sinful he most certainly is – he gave us what we needed . . . light, life, faith and sight.

But if that weren’t enough, in Christ we have redemption; in Christ we have the forgiveness of sins. All of the blame, all of the accusation, all of the resentment, all of the doubt, all of the complaint, all of the hate, all of the dissatisfaction – paid for, forgiven . . . in Christ. Why? Because God was pleased to have all the fullness of the deity dwell in Christ in bodily form. Because God was pleased to have his Son live here on earth, to live under law so that he could redeem those under law. Because God was pleased to punish his Son in our place. Because God was pleased to accept the shed blood of his Son and his Son’s death on the cross as complete payment for all sin. Because God was pleased to raise his Son from the dead – to not let his Holy One see decay – so that he might be the firstborn from among the dead . . . his own guarantee that he accepted Christ’s payment for our sin and that we too shall rise.