THE WORD OF THE CHRIST
John K Knauss
Colossians 3: 16-17
I was thinking of what our brother has just brought before us in relation to movement. There is something that works in us that causes us to move; and this expression here, “the word of the Christ”, is what would motivate us in relation to following in that pathway.
There are two elements our brother has brought before us - there are movements of grace and movements of love. The character of the Lord’s movements was centred in relation to what belonged to His Father. What a tremendous thing to take account of - “the words of God”, John 3: 34. The delight to the Father’s heart is what our brother brought before us. These words that are given to us (John 17: 8) should characterise us. We should allow them to have an effect upon us. I think that is what is meant by letting the word of the Christ dwell, and dwell in a rich way, in our hearts. The effect of the precious words that come from the Lord Jesus changes us, and they motivate us to do things that are different from what this world would bring before us. The effect in what is written here is an outward one. It causes us to teach; it causes us to admonish one another. It brings forward the feelings, the psalms, the songs, the characteristics of the experiences that we go through because they are based in relation to One that has accomplished everything. They are based in relation to One that God has His full delight in. And those words, dear friends, would cause us to help one another. They would cause us to encourage one another, build one another up, and to strengthen one another.
This world is a difficult place, but these words are great enough to overcome everything, because He has overcome everything. It says, “And everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus”. And, dear friends, I think that is a preservative. The character of what motivates us is also what can protect us. It preserves us from the state that is around, the character of what this world is. And I say this as much to myself as I do to anyone here, that if you can rightly say you can do something in the Name of the Lord Jesus, you will be blessed in it. If you find that you cannot do whatever is before you in the Name of the Lord Jesus, you should not do it. What a preservative character that is to strengthen us and build us in relation to the things that are for our eternity.
Our place is secured in the heavens. It is centred where He is, and the blessedness of His words will never be taken away; because that is the place where He is. The blessedness of being kept in that Name and doing things in that Name would lift us up, would build us up, and would strengthen us in view of everything that is before us.
May we each be encouraged for His Name’s sake.
Word in a Ministry Meeting, Calgary
4th September 2019