Filled with Christ

This morning we considered Paul’s warning against being captivated by going back to the Old Covenant when you are already filled up in Christ Jesus. Just as the wilderness generation despised the manna and longed for life in Egypt, we are similarly tempted to despise the heavenly food given to us at this Table, as we long for something else. To the eyes of the flesh this Table can look pretty meager, a simple loaf of bread and a cup of wine. But to the eyes that God has opened by his Spirit, this is heavenly food by which Jesus gives us the life of God. This is one of the ways that we are filled up with all God’s fullness in him. Recall the progression of thought in verses 9 and 10. Paul says that all the fullness of the Godhead is embodied in Jesus and then out of that fullness we are filled. God fills Jesus and Jesus fills us. Well there is a similar progression of thought in John 6:57. There Jesus says that he lives because of the Father and in the same way the one who feeds upon him, will live because of him. The Father gives life to the Son and the Son gives life to us. And we receive this full, or abundant life, the very life of God, by feeding upon Jesus through faith. This simple Table of bread and wine affords us the opportunity to receive the life of God. Beloved, don’t despise this Table by thinking that true life can be found somewhere else. There are all sorts of programs and disciplines and spiritual gurus that will tell you to follow these 3 steps, or read this or that book and you will be fulfilled. But they aren’t the means of grace. There are all sorts of advertising that will tell you if you have this or that experience or possession, then you’ll be fulfilled. But they aren’t the means of grace. God has told you how he will fill you. He’ll fill you with his Word written and with His Word made flesh. Let us feed upon Him now by faith!