You Are in Christ… (No, Really!)

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One of the most common phrases, both in the Bible and among believers is “in Christ” along with its variations such as “in Him” and “in the Beloved”. Nearly every believer will readily admit to being in Christ – that’s really the whole point! Yet very few understand what it really means, and the full extent of the meaning of it. Once during a Bible study, I suggested that if you want to broaden your horizon to all of what being in Christ meant, you should find all of the places in the Bible that mention being in Christ and the associated phrases, and you will end-up with a very large list of things that you have in Him. It’s actually fairly easy to do with our modern technology, but almost no-one in the study actually followed through.

The sad reality is that many people today do not have a very high opinion of what it means to be in Christ. Those whom I have spoken with typically see being in Christ as little more than a spiritual safety-net that catches them whenever their performance falls-short. However, being in Christ is so very much more than a safety net… being in Christ is literally the very Kingdom of God.

On that point, as we begin today, let’s read Luke 12:22-32:

“And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on.

The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them: how much more are you better than the fowls?

And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

If you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take you thought for the rest?

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be you of doubtful mind.

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things.

But rather seek you the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added to you.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

So this is a teaching that Jesus was giving to His disciples. Pay close attention to precisely what Jesus is saying here, because He has a lot of little diamonds in here. Right in verse 22, Jesus begins by saying something that cuts right to the heart of the way most of us operate in daily life… He says take no thought for your life. In other words, don’t be troubled, don’t be anxious, don’t worry about your life.

He then specifically chooses three things to highlight that most people today worry about: what you eat, your body and what you wear. Chances are each of us falls into one of these categories. And a few verses up, Jesus has a discussion with a man about money, which is part of this context as well!

Jesus says in verse 23, that life is more than meat, and the body is more than clothing. A fact that we should all keep in-mind.

Then in verse 24, Jesus proceeds to draw an analogy that some people would honestly find offensive. He says to consider the ravens, they do not sow or reap, and they don’t gather anything to store it up, but they still are fed every single day by God Himself. How much better are you than the birds? Jesus here is highlighting your incredible value and worth to God, by saying that if God takes such great daily care of the birds, and is involved personally in their provision, He is much more so with you!

There are some who like to point out 2^nd Thessalonians 3:10 that if a man doesn’t work, he shouldn’t eat. However that verse is often horribly abused and taken out of context. In the context of the rest of the chapter, it is actually speaking about those who are busybodies and gossips, those who involve themselves in other people’s lives and do not work in communion with the rest of the body of Christ.

So Jesus says here in our verse of Luke 12:24 that just like the birds – even more so – He is intimately involved in our provision, and He wants us to know that, and to trust in His goodness and His character.

In verse 25, He lays out a rational question of logic: which person by worrying can add even a little bit to their stature, their status, or their life? In-fact, worrying and stress reduces life, it doesn’t increase it!

So then verse 26, if you can’t even add to your own life, especially by worrying, why worry about anything? What good is worrying? It is no good at all!

Jesus then proceeds to drive home the point of His grace and goodness even more in verses 27 and 28.

Consider the lilies, Jesus says. Consider how they grow in the field. They don’t toil, they don’t work. They don’t strive or struggle. Yet even so, God dresses them in such a way that even King Solomon with all his riches never looked so good.

Some people on the other end of the isle might be offended at this now, saying “See, God treats flowers better than people! Even King Solomon whom God blessed!”

Well that’s true. God did bless Solomon a whole lot, but you need not get all worked up about that, because Jesus said in the previous chapter of Luke 11:31, that One greater than Solomon is here, speaking of Himself. And that is precisely why Jesus can say what He says in our next verse here, of Luke 12:28:

“If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?”

You see, this is the whole point of our study today, what it really means to be in Christ. One greater than Solomon is here… that person is Christ, and you are in Him. This verse is directly from Jesus to you.

Look at verses 29 and 30. Jesus tells us to not seek after what to eat or what to drink, and not to be doubtful. All the nations of the world go searching after these things, and God knows that you need them. Catch that key point. God already knows! It’s not as if He gets caught off-guard, like “oops, I forgot to give you food today, hang-tight while I get right on that!” No! He knows. And He is not an absentminded or slacking provider.

Where should we be focused, then? Look at verse 31:

“But rather seek you the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added to you.”

I love this verse, because like the rest of scripture it drives home multiple points in a very efficient manner.

Now Jesus says here, to seek, which can also be translated as “meditate” and “crave”, this thing should be our central focus. This thing should be foremost in our mind and thinking, and it is precisely the kingdom of God. And this is where most people get tripped up because of the language barrier in our culture today. When we think of a kingdom, we think of land, and territory and maybe a castle, with knights, horses and a court jester! However, Jesus uses a specific Greek word which means something different than our modern understanding of a kingdom. Jesus uses the word βασιλεία, which means authority.

Jesus says to seek the authority of God. And by doing so, all these other things will be added to you. Now why? Because all of these other things, are part of the greater blessing. All of these lesser blessings are included in the greater. Think of it like a giant gift that when opened also includes smaller gifts on the inside… if you have the larger gift, you automatically have the smaller gifts as well.

So what is this authority of God that we are to seek? It’s really simple, Jesus is that authority for us. Jesus declares repeatedly that He has all authority, and specifically in Matthew 28:18-20, He specifically delegates that authority, for the express purpose of making disciples. And in Luke 10:9, Jesus gives instruction to go into the cities and Heal the sick (using His authority) and then tell them that the kingdom (βασιλεία again) of God has come to you.

This is the authority of God, not weakness, not powerlessness, but power to set captives free, to break chains and to heal by the very power that Jesus has given to us. This is what it means to be in Christ.

Now we have one more verse in our study today, and it is a great one! Luke 12:32:

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Do you see how awesome this is? Not only has Jesus given us His authority, but it is our Father’s good pleasure to give it to us! It actually pleases God the Father to give us His authority. I bet He wants us to make use of His gift! And notice the personal relationship here as well… God the Father is not just “the Father up in Heaven”, He is our Father. He is personal, He is close, and He is personally involved in our lives and our care.

God loves you. And it is His good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. His authority, through Jesus. You are in Christ. Now receive the fullness of what that means. Let it sink in, that the Father is pleased in you, as you are in Christ.