Jesus Christ, the Last Adam, the Second Man - “The Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ” – Part 6 by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 05/12/24
This message was originally recorded January 5, 2014, the sixth in a series of 8 messages.
My notes:
"Christ Himself as a person can be measured; and He's measured by the fullness of God... Jesus is the one who fully contains and holds that which the heavens can't contain."
Why did God create such an immeasurable universe? Doug shares one reason: "So He could have an illustration of His faithfulness to Israel... 'If man can measure the heavens, then I'll break my promise that I made that I would establish you (Israel) as head of the nations, and that there would be a descendent of David who would rule and reign.'" Those who err in the doctrine of 'replacement theology' should take note.
Were we to try to contemplate "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ", the measure of Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe, we might begin by observing the faintest touch of its reality as we consider the countless constellations of countless stars that blanket the night sky. "His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made." Therefore, man is without excuse, and in scriptures, called "stupid", those who say there is no God.
"The boundaries of God; He is boundless, but if they could be seen, they're in the boundaries of a glorified Man." In this session, Doug is more relaxed as he takes us on a journey into the vast ocean of the heavens, contemplating the incomprehensible measureless creation and all put there by a God we can barely imagine as to His power and might, His boundless creativity and genius sense of artistic grandeur. Jesus "upholds all things by the word of His power"... this entire universe, not only as God, but as the Man in glory.
The church is the body of Christ, the corporate new creation, the temple (dwelling) of God in Christ. "Is this temple going to contain the Lord? The heavens can't contain Him; the universe can't hold Him. Will this temple hold Him? Absolutely! You look at that temple - the bride - the city... you look at that, and you'll see all there is of God in ever increasing measure... The church, which is His body, is the fullness of Him (Ephesians 1) who fills all in all [or by means of all]." He is doing the filling, but we are included in that work because we are inseparably connected to Him as the head of the body.
"Religion is the greatest enemy of mankind - deception that Satan can bring upon a people is religion." "All the way along, the writer to the Hebrews dismantles everything that would allow the Hebrew Christians to go back to a system that was a shadow and didn't hold the substance of the reality... You better move on, or you're going to face judgment." Doug and I had several conversations about how very well-meaning and sincere Christians who believe they are deepening their understanding and relationship with Yeshua Hamashiach. In reality, they are turning back to the types and shadows where the veil still exists that keeps Israel blind to realizing who their Messiah is. Not only is it going backwards, but it is setting them up for judgment if they don’t move on into the reality of Jesus. We are not Jews any more than we are Gentiles, we who are in Christ. Isn’t Christians of Jewish bloodline trying to find their ‘Hebrew roots’ quite like Gentile Christians looking for our pagan roots.
As Doug challenges us to press on in our spiritual journey, Christ being fully formed in us and us being conformed to the nature and character of Christ, he adds: "Spiritual warfare is not an issue of the authority of Christ. It's more about how much do we correspond to the nature of this One. How much of that nature is formed in us?... The more of that nature that becomes our possession - you don't see spirits manifesting that much anymore. They are terrified."
Link to today's audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/1-5-14+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!
To opt out of receiving these emails, please reply with a request to unsubscribe.