Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-07-16
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
DR.. ROBERT J. KENT.
Theme: All Fullness in Christ.

Brooklyn, N. Yin the Lewis Ave-
hue Congregational Church, Sunday
morning, the pastor, the Rev. Dr..
Robert J.. Kent, preached on AL
Fullness in Christ" The text was
from Colossians 1913: "For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all
fullness dwell" DR.. Kent said:
Jesus Christ is being better under
stood and better appreciated all the
time. Paul had a truer and o
glorious conception of Him thirty-hve
years after the crucifxion than the
disciples who had lived in intimate
fellowship with Him during His min
istry. Under the tuition of the Spirit
the beauty and grandeur of His char
acter, the magnitude and inestimable
value of His service to God and hui
mainly grew upon men. The language
of eulogy is taxed to its uttermost in
describing the glory of His person
and position. In the four verses i'm
mediately preceding the the text
three statements of sublime signif-
canoe are made. He is the image of
the invisible God! The universe was
created by Him and for Him! He is
the head of the church! Therefore
in all things He has pre-eminence.
That pre-eminence has not been
changed as the centurie: have passed.
While doctrines and theo1ogies have
held and lost the attention of men,
their interest has been increasingly
centred on the person of Jesus. Chris
tian experience is verifying the state
ment of the text that all fullness
dwells in Jesus Christ. The word
"%fu1lness" by itself is an empty word:
the "fullness OF God" is glorious, but
misty. It is when we take up one by
one the qualities with which Christ
was so richly endowed by the Father
that we begin to appreciate the mean
ing OF the text. A~Se-~"sssss
In Him is the fullness of power.
It was the power of Christ that at
first gained the eager attention OF
men. We may not fully understand
the mighty deeds He performed; in
the confusion Of thought at the pres
emit time regarding the miracles of
the Gospels we may feel utterly per-
| picked But that a deep and abiding
impression of power was made by the
| Master on the people of His day there
cannot be the slightest doubt. That
impression was voiced by the two sad
hearted disciples who ~journeyed to
| dAO "ANA LA0 III OCO6AAAO0
| Jesus asked them what things had
come to pass that SO deeply moved
! them replied: Concerning Jesus OF
| Nazareth, which was a prophet
| mighty in deed and word before God
and all the people," The story that
Mark has written aims to present
| Christ as the mighty worker; and
John tells us that his purpose in writ
ing was to picture Christ as the Son
! of God.
The early Christian church was
conscious of the possession of power.
! of power which it derived from it's in
{ visible out ever-present Lord. It saw
it working in the regeneration of
mems hearts, in the reformation of
their lives, In the transformation of
communities. Christianity was not
merely a new philosophy, a new form
of worship; it was the power of God
unto salvation to every one who &C.
cepted it. That power has not waned
during the centuries. Christ has been
the c%onqueror., He has been the most
magnetic personality in the world
history. Men of all classes and con-
ditions. the rich and poor, the prince
and peasant, the learned and Hitter
ate, h saint and sinner, have been
drawn to Him. They have conse-
Grated heart and life to Him. In spite
of tne most determined and malig.
nant opposition. the gospel of His
kingdom has been preached through
out the world. Nothing could stop it
He has erected His judgment seat
among men, and more and more thu
words, thoughts, deeds, the lives and
characters of men and nations are
being brought to judgment before
Christ There was a time when me1
supposed that by violence they coult
stamp out Christianity; Herod tried
it and failed; the Jewish rulers triet
1t when they crucified Jesus AM
failed; Saul of Tarsus tried it ant
failed. Who would dream that i
could be done to-day? Surely tn
years have demonstrated that tn,
fpllness of power resides in Jesus.
There is in Christ the fullness O
wisdom. We dc not class Chris
among the learned men OF the world
He was not a writer of many books
He wrote nothing. We do not in
clude Him among the great philoso
pAers OF the ages. There is a philoso
ply OF Christianity, but Christianit
is no. a philosophy. We 90 not fin
q wonderful versatility of knowledg
in the discourses of Jesus. He di
not talk Of many things, yet the me
tt the early days, and the thoughtfr
men OF subsequent generations, hav
been profoundly impressed with Hi
wisdom. He knew the things {
+ greatest concern to men; He kne'
. them with a clear, searching intu
. ton. He knew God, His characte
His purpose, His plans. The Fathe
had revealed Himself to His Son. II
knew man, his joys and sorrows, b
> aspirations and temptations, his sill
fulness and his glorious possibilitie
He knew the secrets of peace, of 10,
e He knew the things that give deepe,
+ and most enduring satisfaction; tt
bread of life, and the water of life.
It Jesus is the worlds teacher. Or
l. of His most precious titles is Maste
& Not only in the truth He taught. b,
n in the way He taught it, He was pee
4. less. By precept and parable and e
K ample He had taught the principle
that lie at the foundation of huma,
Eity's progress. Men who want
I know what is best for themselv
10 n for the world still SIT revoront