Christocentricity.

I just started reading To the One Who Conquers by Sam Storms. It is our new book for Sunday School, and it's an in-depth study on the seven letters to the churches from Jesus Christ in the book of Revelations. I think we could spend a year of lessons on just his introduction to the letters - and this one section I wrote almost completely out in my journal this morning because it just put it all in perspective and gives me direction in which to pray for my church - and for the church as a whole. I wanted to share it here because it just filled me up this morning:

Christocentricity - Jesus is the center of which all church life is the circumference.

Jesus is the:
1. Head of the local and universal church
2. Unrivaled Lord over all
3. Standard by which all are judged
4. One whose person shapes the belief and behavior of all
5. One who walks among the lampstands (churches) Rev 2:1
6. One who exercises sovereignty over the life of every congregation
7. One who knows our works, trials, tribulations, and circumstances
8. One from whom nothing escapes
9. One who reads every heart, evaluates every motive, assesses every work, and will be Judge of all

The spiritual condition of each body of believers is only as good as their
- faithful adherence to what Jesus has taught them, and their
- perseverence in bearing witness to Him in the face of persecution.

The only thing that ultimately matters is the degree to which a church corporately and the lives of its members individually are shaped and fashioned according to the likeness of Him who is Lord indeed.

What matters most to Him is whether or not a church:
1. Holds forth HIS Name
2. Proclaims the gospel of which HE is center
3. Heeds His Words as guidance to govern life and loves.

Heavenly Father - Lord Jesus - Holy Spirit... wash us and cleanse us and direct us and conform us to Your image, that we might be pleasing in Your sight and that we might not waste our lives by not bringing You glory with every breath, every thought, every motive, every hearts desire, ever action, every work... Father, only through the power of Christ can Your church bring you glory. Revive our lukewarm hearts and help us continually seek Your face... Cause Your glorious face to shine upon us, and let us reflect Your glory as Your precious Son reflected Your glory in perfect obedience unto death on a cross to bear our sins and their consequences that only we deserved... He left You, His Holy Father, to instead cleave to us in our sin - that He might present us to You spotless and blameless, cleansed from our own sin and instead clothed in His righteousness - one flesh with Him in glory to eternally worship and praise our King - our Lord - our Savior -

our God.

Help us love you LORD with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our souls, and help us be Your light to a dark and dying lost world... deliver us from evil, lead us not into temptation - and help us draw ever nearer to You through the reading and hearing of Your Word and through the precious privilege of prayer and fellowship with You - that You might draw near to us. Help us be obedient to Your perfect Ways and Word Father, through the guidance and comfort of Your precious Holy Spirit.

Thank You Father that I am Your child, and You are my God.

I once was lost, but now I'm found
I once was blind, but now I see
How can I understand the boundless love
You give by Redeeming me.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who
gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

~ Titus 2:11-14

Redeem:

פּדה
pâdâh
paw-daw'

A primitive root; to sever, that is, ransom; generally to release, preserve: at all, deliver, by any means, ransom, (that are to be, let be) redeem (-ed), rescue, surely


λυτρόω
lutroō
loo-tro'-o
From G3083; to ransom (literally or figuratively): - redeem.


G3083
λύτρον
lutron
loo'-tron
From G3089; something to loosen with, that is, a redemption price (figuratively atonement): - ransom.


G3089
λύω
luō
loo'-o
A primary verb; to "loosen" (literally or figuratively): - break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off. Compare G4486.


G4486
ῥήγνυμι, ῥήσσω - rhēgnumi rhēssō -hrayg'-noo-mee, hrace'-so

to "break", "wreck" or "crack", that is, (especially) to sunder (by separation of the parts), and G2352 a shattering to minute fragments; but not a reduction to the constituent particles, like G3089) or disrupt, lacerate; by implication to convulse (with spasms); figuratively to give vent to joyful emotions: - break (forth), burst, rend, tear.



33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Mark 15

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Luke 23

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
Matthew 27

54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
Matthew 27