All Things for the Glory of Christ

Amen. You can be seated.

I want to introduce to you Matt Tyler. Many of you already know him, and if not, then hopefully you'll have a chance to get to know him this evening.

You all know that First Baptist Church has been such an integral part of the story of this congregation from the very beginning.

So First Baptist planted this church as First Baptist Allendahl, Allendahl Baptist Church.

When it became the church at Seaweed Bay, that was First Baptist doing. They were behind that work.

And then when the elders at First Baptist discussed how to best serve this congregation and decided this needs to be an autonomous church,

the elders at First Baptist Church got behind this work.

And so you may not know all of the work that they've been doing behind the scenes, all the many ways that they've been praying for us,

praying for you, seeking the Lord's guidance as we've moved forward, all the ways that Matt in particular has been an encouragement to me.

I still remember one of the first conversations I had when I heard about Seaweed Bay.

It was with Matt and some of the other guys from the Pillar Network, and I left that conversation saying,

I have no idea what an Allendahl is, what a Seaweed is, but I couldn't shake the thought of coming here from my mind.

And I believe that that's an answer to the Lord answering the prayers of these elders at First Baptist Mount Pleasant.

And so I asked Matt to come and to speak to us tonight, just to give a charge to the church as we get established this evening,

a charge to the pastors as well as the leaders of this flock.

And we're just excited to hear from him.

So, Matt, if you would come up and bring the word to us tonight.

Yes, sir.

Well, it is a joy to be with you guys tonight.

And I'm so thankful to that conversation that Jonathan and I were able to have.

And it's been a couple of years ago now when we first met.

But on behalf of the members of First Baptist Mount Pleasant, the elders, the deacons there,

just want to say greetings.

They're having we're having a service right now and they're praying for you and they're thankful for you.

And we are excited for what God is doing out here.

And several years ago, I could I think Trey could speak to this.

We were in an elder meeting discussing how to best serve this church in this community.

And we just ran around the room in an elder meeting and asked the question, OK, does there need to be a church in all and all?

And the answer was obviously yes.

Does there need to be a Baptist church in all and all?

And the answer was yes.

Is Siwi Bay that church?

And as we talked and considered and prayed and went before the Lord about that, the answer was yes.

And we're so thankful that God has allowed us to play a very small part in his eternal plan.

It didn't start just a few years ago.

It started a long time ago, really in eternity past.

As God the Father and God the Son were working things out in what we call the covenant of redemption.

They had a plan for all and all.

They had a plan for you.

They had a plan for those who don't know it yet, who live in this community, who are going to be impacted by the gospel that this church shares, but that you share.

And so tonight, I want us to look to a passage of scripture.

I'm not going to keep you long.

There's food out in the lobby.

And that would be dangerous.

But I felt led this week to look to a passage of scripture I can honestly say is my favorite in all of the Bible.

But we're going to look a little bit broader than just my favorite verses.

We're going to look to Colossians 1, verses 15 through 20.

Colossians 1:15–20

So if you have a Bible, I want to encourage you to turn there.

Colossians 1.

Colossians 1.

Verses 15 through 20.

I've entitled this, All Things to the Glory of Christ.

Let's read God's Holy Word.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For by him, all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.

Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things.

And in him, all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church.

He is the beginning.

The firstborn from the dead.

That in everything, he might be preeminent.

For in him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

And through him, to reconcile to himself all things.

Whether on earth or in heaven.

Making peace by the blood of his cross.

This is the word of the Lord.

Would you pray?

Let's ask for the Spirit's help.

Oh God, we praise you for this night.

But not just for this night.

We praise you for all that you have been doing in the hearts and the lives of your people in this church up to this point.

And we praise you for all that you are going to continue to do in the hearts and the lives of your people in this church.

And in this community.

And around the world.

Through the efforts and the ministries of Seawee Bay Baptist Church.

We ask now, though, that you help us in our weakness.

That you would keep us focused upon you.

That our eyes would be open to see your beauty.

That our ears would be open to hear the glorious goodness of your grace.

And, oh God, that you would bend our wills.

That we might be conformed to the image of Christ.

It's in his name that I pray.

Amen.

In 1914, on December 24th, in the middle of the Great War.

There was much loss.

There were many who were dying.

On that Christmas Eve, two opposing sides laid down their arms.

And they met in the neutral ground in between the two fighting forces.

Or you would call that, actually, the deadly ground between the two fighting forces.

And they came together.

And they began to sing hymns.

And Christmas carols.

And to fellowship together.

Those who were enemies, at one point, came together to spend time together.

To acknowledge this day.

Both pagan and Christian alike.

To acknowledge this day as something special.

Now, I can't prove it.

But I believe that that moment in human history, that probably will never be reproduced.

I mean, think about that.

But that moment in history, I believe, was led by some Christian individuals.

In the throes of war.

Who decided, we're going to lay down our arms.

And we're going to glorify God on this day.

Now, we know the war raged.

And things were horrible.

But for that moment, the people of God drew the masses together for a time of peace.

In this text that we look at tonight.

In this charge, to you as church members.

And to you who are elders in this church.

Pastors in this church.

I want to remind you that all things.

All things.

Not some things.

But all things.

Are held together.

They're being sustained.

All things.

Are being redeemed.

All things are working together, as Paul wrote.

For the glory and for the good.

Of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

And so, if we look at these five verses.

It's interesting.

And important to point out.

That five times in five verses.

The two words, all things, are used.

Five times.

In so many verses.

The two words, all things.

Are used.

And they're used.

To show that God.

Chose.

To use his son.

To send his son.

To redeem.

All things.

And so, we look first.

It says, by him, all things were created.

Now, this doesn't mean that Christ.

Was created.

That's heresy.

But, Christ is eternal.

And in Christ.

All things were created.

By Christ.

All things were created.

When you look back to the creation account.

You see the Trinity present there.

And so, I think it's important for us to look at the history.

Just briefly.

Of this church.

You see.

By him, all things were created.

It wasn't by First Baptist Mount Pleasant.

That the Baptist Church was created here so many years ago.

It was by Christ.

You see.

It was Christ who moved in the hearts of his people.

To draw them together.

To form what is his bride.

It wasn't the works of men or women.

It was the work of God.

And some individuals got to play a part in that.

You see.

Because by him, all things were created.

You see.

Christ had a plan.

For this particular church.

And for this particular community.

Long ago.

Long before the world was created.

God had planned in Christ.

To gather you together.

In this place.

And so, we praise him.

That he brought people along.

In the way.

That through Sea Wee Bay.

And through it being the church that it was.

Many years ago.

And along the way.

And by God's grace.

Where we are today.

We praise him for that.

But let us not settle for where we are today.

Church.

Let me remind you.

That all things were created by him.

But we will see in just a moment.

All things are being held together by him.

And all things are being reconciled.

Unto him.

And so, yes.

We celebrate today.

But today is not the ending point.

Today is merely a diving board.

Into the pool, if you will.

Of what God has planned for you.

And for this community to come.

You see.

All things would be reconciled to Christ.

But first.

All things were created.

And what a joy it is.

To be a part of his created order.

Second thing that we see in this text.

As we look at this idea of all things.

We see through him.

And for him.

All things were created.

So, he created all things.

And yet through him.

And for him.

All of these things.

Were created.

The eternal son of God.

Through whom God.

Made heaven and earth.

According to John.

Or first John 1.

3.

All of these things.

Were created for him.

For his glory.

For his enjoyment.

And so.

When we think about.

This community.

Let us not.

Think about this community.

As just.

People living out in homes.

In different areas.

Of all in all.

McClellanville.

And in.

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has been created for the glory of God in Christ.

I hope you are stirred on this evening that as you drive from this place

and as you leave from this place, members of this church,

that you begin to see all in all, not just as a place where you live

and where you come to worship, but as a place that has been included

in these all things, the all things of Christ.

And do you know what he allows us to do?

He allows you to play a part in going and finding it.

I think about little kids on Easter.

Now, I know this illustration breaks down, okay?

All illustrations do, right?

This one really breaks down, but it helps me.

Think about kids on Easter.

You know, we put out the eggs.

And let's just say you've got some eggs out here in the nice grass,

and, you know, adults, we go out and we hide the eggs,

and you let the kids loose to go run after the eggs.

What do the kids do?

They run.

They tear.

And they start finding eggs, and they're throwing them in their basket,

and they're so excited about what they're finding.

But before long, the obvious eggs are gone.

What do the kids do at that point?

They begin to look back at the adults,

because they know that some of you guys hide them in the hard places.

And they start looking, and what do you start doing?

You start pointing.

Look under the tire.

Look under the bush.

And you start helping them find the eggs,

because you know where they are.

You see, friends, God has given us a role in his kingdom,

in the all-thingsness of Christ,

that we get to play this role of going out and displaying his beauty

and finding his children and sharing the gospel with them.

And many times we run out of moments like this really excited.

And we're going, and we're telling them about the new church.

We're telling them about Christ.

And we're telling our neighbors and our coworkers and our family

all of the wonderful things of God.

But a few years from now,

the romantic side of being part of a church wears off.

And things get hard.

Not every Sunday is an up Sunday.

Not every month is an exciting month.

Sometimes the numbers go up.

Sometimes the numbers go down.

Sometimes we don't sing your favorite song

or don't study your favorite book of the Bible.

But it's in those moments.

Where do you look when things get hard?

I hope we, like the little kids in the Easter egg hunt,

begin to look back not to an adult,

but to our Savior.

We begin to look to him and we begin to say,

what do we do now?

How do we glorify you now?

Where are your people now?

How do we worship you now?

We don't look around to other things.

We look back to the one who has created all things

and to whom all things were created for.

All things were created through.

In him it goes on to say,

all things are held together.

So he's the creator of all things.

All things were made through him and for him,

but he's also the sustainer of all things.

Do you know right now there's not one atom

in all of the universe that is in chaos

or that is out of order?

Because if there were one,

all of existence would cease to exist

in that moment except for the Trinity.

But you see, God in Christ is sustaining all things.

He's keeping all things together

for the glory of his Son right now.

He's doing that in your life and in my life.

And do you know he's done that through this church?

There have been seasons that were difficult in this church.

There have been seasons that have been great celebration in this church.

But in all things and in all times,

Christ the sustainer has ruled and reigned.

And so Jonathan,

Trey,

what is it that you will turn to

when things are difficult in this church?

Where will you look?

Where will you look for the foundation

and for the propping up of that

which will sustain this church?

Friends, it is just Christ.

There's nowhere else to look.

There will be many things that will tempt you

to turn to them.

Many strategies,

many helps,

many opportunities will be offered.

But the only one

who has all things

in his hands

is Christ.

Because you see,

it goes on to say that he is before all things.

He is the head of the church.

He is the Son of the living God.

In 1 Corinthians 12

and in other places in Scripture,

we see that this idea

that Christ is the head of the body.

That we as his church

are the body.

And he is the head.

He is moving and shaping

and working every part.

And every part is equally as important.

Some of us don't like being the toe,

but the toe is important.

You know,

I had a friend in high school.

She cut her big toe off.

Cutting grass.

She was quite the athlete.

After she cut her big toe off,

she had to learn to walk again.

And for that year,

her athletic career

was on pause.

And so if you feel sometimes,

church member,

that, man, you know,

I don't have a place.

I don't have a role.

Let me tell you,

yes, you do.

Because when I look at

the fruit of the Spirit,

when I look at those attributes,

the love, the joy,

the peace,

the patience,

the kindness,

and self-control,

all of those things,

those are roles to play

in the church.

You know,

a smile across a room

can be the role that you play.

A card sent to someone

on their birthday,

just letting them know

that you know about them

and that you care for them,

that could be the role

that you play.

A kind word,

even when you know

that you are right

and the person you're talking to

is wrong,

you show a little bit

of self-control and kindness,

that could be the role

that you play in the church.

And all of those roles

are important.

And so it's not just

to be up here on the stage

or to be in a Sunday school

class leading.

Those are important.

But you have a role to play

and that role

has been secured

in the work of God

through Christ

for his church

and all of that

is being held together

by the finished work

of Christ.

It says he is the beginning,

the firstborn from the dead,

that in everything

he might be preeminent.

We don't have time

to go into that.

So we're just going

to move on.

The third thing

I want you to see

tonight,

first we've seen

that through him

all things were created.

Second,

we've seen through him

and for him

all things were created.

The third point

and maybe the most important

or the one we're going

to spend the most time on

is through him

all things are reconciled.

through him

all things

are reconciled.

You know,

it's

an interesting thing

to think about reconciliation.

Like,

what does reconciliation mean?

It means to be made right.

It means that

that which was wrong

at one point

is no longer wrong,

it's now right.

And so through him

all things

are reconciled.

but what we can see

from this text

is nothing,

now hear that,

nothing

will be made right

apart from Christ.

Nothing.

There's no making

anything right

apart from

the love

and the heart

and the grace

of Christ.

Listen to verse 19.

For in him,

this is my favorite,

I love this.

For in him

all the fullness

of God

was pleased

to dwell.

What Paul's writing there

is in Christ

all the fullness

of the Trinity,

God the Son,

God the Father,

God the Spirit,

were pleased

to dwell.

Now later

in Colossians,

do you know what Paul says?

And in him

you are made complete.

Think about that

for a moment.

In Christ

the fullness of God

was pleased to dwell

and in him,

dear Christian,

you are complete.

There's nothing

that you lack.

You have been made right.

You have been reconciled.

You are

experiencing

a life

of completeness

that you could never

cultivate

on your own.

And so nothing

can be made right

apart from Christ.

And so many of us

try and spend our lives

making our lives right

or making other people's

lives right

by helping them

live moral lives

or to do good things,

which is fine.

But to do that

apart from Christ

leads to nothing.

So members,

can I challenge you?

Can I charge you?

Don't settle

for anything

less than Christ.

Settle for nothing

less than Jesus.

Demand him

and him alone

and don't demand

anything more

because to add to

or to take away

from Christ

is not to get Christ.

It's to get it wrong.

And so members,

as this church

moves ahead,

don't demand anything

more from your

pastors,

from your elders

than Christ.

Christ.

And if they're

giving you Christ,

feast upon him

because he is a bread

that will always satisfy.

He is a well

of springing water

that will always nourish.

And all of these

other things,

they will let you down.

So demand Christ.

Cry out for Christ.

Look for Christ.

And when you find him,

when you hear of him,

and I know Jonathan

is preaching Christ,

I know Treg preaches Christ,

they give you Christ,

feast upon him.

Allow the other things

of the world

to wash away

and allow Christ

to become that

which you gaze upon,

that which you meditate on,

that which you think

deeply upon.

You see,

it's in him

that your neighbors,

that your family,

and your friends

will be reconciled to God.

I know if we went

around the room

and I said,

do you have loved ones

or neighbors or friends

that you think

need to come to church

and need to know Christ?

All of us would,

absolutely.

We could take a list,

we could take some time

of prayer,

and we would all

identify those people.

but all too often,

I know in my own life,

I do a lot better job

telling those people

how they can make

their lives better

than I do

in telling them

about Christ.

But friends,

when you're part of a church

that gives you Christ

at every turn,

when you're at a church

where you demand Christ

at every turn,

it's then that you are

prepared to give Christ,

to share Christ,

to show Christ.

And then,

as you pray for your neighbors,

your family,

and your friends,

it's then

that God is pleased to work.

It's then that God

begins to draw

those for whom Christ died,

and it's then

that those folks

will be reconciled.

The peace of God

that surpasses

all understanding

will begin to rule

and reign in their hearts

as it does in yours.

Because

we love our neighbors.

You love this community.

You wouldn't be here.

I think God has great plans

for this community.

And I love to think

that it pleases God

to provide his peace

for all who are cleansed

by the blood of the cross.

It pleases him

to cleanse all

who come by the blood

of the cross.

Have you ever thought

about that?

Like,

it's pleasing to God

to save,

to sanctify,

to glorify,

to sustain,

to build,

to cultivate

that which is glorious

in Christ.

Christ.

That's what God

loves to do.

And the main means

in which he has chosen

to do that

is through the church.

It's through you guys.

It's through your lives.

Yes,

you gather here

to worship on Sundays,

and we love that.

We elevate that.

That is a necessity

in your lives.

But what do we do

with the other

six days

or however many hours?

How is it,

church,

that we plan

to display

the all things

are Christ

in this community?

how will you

love them?

How will you

point them

to the reconciliation

of the cross?

Well,

it's by giving them Christ.

It's a simple concept.

When you have a conversation

with someone,

give them Christ.

You pray for them

in the name of Christ.

You invite them

into your home.

You invite them out

to lunch.

You spend time

with them.

You live with them

for the glory

of God in Christ.

And as you're

discipling them,

you bring them

into this church.

And it's here,

members,

remember what I said.

You demand Christ

of your elders.

And elders,

what do you do?

You give them Christ.

And it's this

beautiful cycle.

It's quite simple,

really.

You know,

I've heard it said

that the gospel

is simply complex.

I think that's true.

So as we think about

this passage here,

for in him

all the fullness

of God

was pleased to dwell.

And through him

to reconcile

to himself

all things.

You see, church,

there's a day coming

when all things

will be made right.

And Christ will return,

new heaven

and new earth,

and all things

will be reconciled.

Every knee will bow,

every tongue will confess

that Jesus Christ

is Lord.

all that sin

has tainted

and darkened

in your lives

and the lives

of my family

and your families

and throughout

human history

will all be made right.

It will be reconciled.

Through Christ

will be reconciled

to God

whether on earth

or in heaven.

Now that's a fantastic

thing to think about.

There's not a

cosmic power

that will not be reconciled.

God

making peace

by the blood

of his cross.

All things.

All things.

And so the beauty

of tonight,

in my opinion,

is that we get

to play a small part

in the all things

work of God.

You see,

it's a complete work

but it's a not yet work.

It's kind of like

I was preaching

this morning

in Galatians

and this idea

that our flesh

has been crucified.

Well,

our flesh

has been crucified

with Christ

on the cross

but it's also

being crucified

daily

as I reject sin.

It's a verb form

that we don't really

have a good explanation

for in English.

It's happened

and it's continually

happening.

It's the same thing here.

All things

have been reconciled

in your life

and in my life

but all things

are being reconciled

as we show

and as we display

and as we share Christ

with his community.

We get to play a part

in that

and then one day

fully and finally

it will all be complete

because of the finished

work of Christ.

So elders,

preach Christ.

elders,

rest in Christ.

Share

the peace

of Christ.

Faith comes by hearing

and hearing

by the word

of Christ.

Give them Christ.

Members,

delight in Christ.

Abide

in Christ.

Share

the love

of Christ.

Jesus said,

I am the vine.

You are the branches.

Whoever abides

in me

and I in him,

he it is

that bears

much fruit.

For apart

from me

you can do

nothing.

Paul said,

for in him

was the fullness

of the Godhead bodily

and you

have been made

complete

in him.

This church,

it's complete.

Not because of

what's happening

tonight,

but because of

Christ.

Let us keep

our eyes

upon Christ.

Would you pray

with me?

God,

I thank you

that in him

is the fullness

of the Trinitarian

God,

Father,

Son,

and Spirit.

I pray

tonight for

this church,

for Siwi

Baptist Church,

O God,

that she

would be

a beautiful

bride,

that she

would display

a glorious

goodness

that this

community

has not yet

seen

of the person

and work

of Jesus Christ,

that this

church would

display the

all thingsness

of Jesus,

that he

is the

beginning,

that he

is the

sustainer,

that he

is preeminent,

that he

is the

reconciler.

And so,

God,

start with

us.

May our

hearts be

pure,

may our

hearts be

set upon

the beauty

of Christ.

And then,

God,

I pray

that you

would begin

a great

awakening

in this

community.

God,

those who

are far

from you

but close

to us,

would you

draw them

to your

son by

your spirit

and by

your word.

And may

you use

the members

of this

church and

this church

proper in

this community

that your

glory might

rain down,

that your

goodness

might be on

display in

this community

as it is in

heaven.

it's in

Christ's name

that I

pray.

Amen.

Amen.