Passage: Colossians 1:19
The Big Idea
The Father was pleased to have all His fullness live in Jesus (Colossians 1:19). Everything God is, and everything we need from Him, has been placed in Jesus, not as a vault to keep it away from us, but as a distribution point to pour it out to us. Knowing God is a relationship, and it only happens through Jesus.
Knowing About vs. Knowing
You can learn all about something: become an expert, earn a degree. It takes years.
But you can also get to know someone. That doesn’t happen through books. It’s called a relationship. You can know someone for a lifetime and still discover more about them.
A relationship with God is like that. He invites us to know Him over a lifetime, and then eternity. And like any good relationship, it grows deeper over time. Trials don’t hinder it; they deepen it.
Take a minute and write a one-sentence prayer asking God for a deeper relationship with Him.
And here’s the key: getting to know God only happens through Jesus. Getting to know Jesus is getting to know God.
All the Fullness Dwells in Him (Colossians 1:19)
Paul says it pleased the Father to have all the fullness make its home in Jesus.
The Greek word for dwell here means a permanent home, not a temporary stay. Jesus isn’t God for a while; He’s permanently God.
And notice where the fullness was placed:
- Not in a church.
- Not in a priesthood.
- Not in a building.
- Not in a ritual.
- Not in the saints.
- Not in a method or program.
- In Jesus Christ Himself.
It was placed in Him as a distribution point, so anyone who wants more of God can find it in Jesus.
What Is Jesus Full Of?
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him (Colossians 2:3).
Anything you really need to know is in Him. He created everything, so He knows how it all works and why everything is the way it is.
He doesn’t always tell us why. But He knows. And we’re safer with Him knowing than with us knowing. That doesn’t mean we get to know everything because it’s in Him. We trust Him precisely because He knows everything, and then He graciously reveals so much to us: what He has revealed, is revealing and will reveal. Let Him decide which treasures we get and when.
All the fullness of the Godhead
All the fullness of the Godhead lives in Him in bodily form (Colossians 2:9).
Everything God is lives permanently in Jesus. He isn’t searching for anything else. He has it all: all of God’s joy, humor, wisdom, love, kindness, patience, passion, power and creativity. Everything divine, in a body. And He chooses to share it with us.
Perfect relationship with the Father
Jesus thanked His Father for hiding these things from the wise and clever and revealing them to little children. Then He said everything had been handed to Him by His Father. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those the Son chooses to reveal Him to (Matthew 11:25-27).
That’s relational perfection. Jesus lived in humble dependence on His Father, and He teaches us to do the same. He reveals the Father to us, and then carries us to Him.
Being wise and prudent seem like good traits. But Jesus points to something better: childlike simplicity and humility. That’s how we enjoy a real relationship with God.
Every spiritual blessing
God the Father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
The fullness of God’s blessings comes through Jesus. He’s the only way to every blessing. There’s no other path to God, and no other philosophy that delivers success, peace or healing. Everything heaven can give has been placed in Jesus, and He’s available to every person.
Jesus isn’t playing hide-and-seek. (Worst place to hide in a hospital? The ICU. And the cheetah was terrible at hide-and-seek, because she was always spotted.)
He Shares It All
Out of His fullness we have all received grace upon grace (John 1:16).
Jesus fully intends to share everything He’s full of with you. It pleased the Father to fill Jesus with all His fullness. And it pleases Him even more to pour it all out to you.
Jesus has already decided to invite you in and give you everything God has for you. What will you decide?
May I suggest taking His advice: ask, seek and knock, and He promises you’ll receive, you’ll find, and the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7).
A Prayer for More
Lord, give us more relationship with Jesus. More of it, and deeper:
- More genuine.
- More active faith.
- More obedience.
- More praise and adoration.
- More understanding.
- Less driven by emotions and feelings.
- More patient and thankful.
- Less distracted and rushed.
- More grounded, steady and thoughtful.
Then give yourself a chance to respond to His love and gifts. Wait on Him.
Grace Takeaway
The glass is full, and it’s not for display. Everything God is has been placed in Jesus so it can be poured into you. You don’t need another program, place or person. Come to Him, ask, and receive grace upon grace.
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