The new South-news., 1908-08-01
THE PULPIT.
~ ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
Or. ROBERT J. KENT.
Theme: All Fullness la Christ.

Brooklyn. n YIN the Lewis Ave
tpe Congregational Church. Sunday
morning. the pastor. the Rev. DR..
Robert ]. Kent. preached on ~All
Fnilness In Christ The text was
from Coiossians 1913: For II pleased
the Father that In Him should all
fullness dwell" Dr. Ken, said
Jesus Christ ia being better under
stood and better appreciated all the
time. Paul had truer and more
glorious conception Of Him thirty-five
years after tine cruclhxion 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 hu-
nanity 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
medlafely preceding the the text
three statements OF sublime signif-
cance are made. He is the image OF
the Invisible God The universe was
created by Him and for Hint He is
the head OF the church, Therefore
In all things He has pre-eminence.
That pre-emin nsnce has not been
changed as the centuries have passed.
While doctrines and theologies have
held and lost the attention OF men,
their interest has been increasingly
centred on the person OF Jesus. Chris
tian experience rs verifying the state
ment Cf the text that all fullness
dwells in Jesus Christ. The word
fullness' by Itself Is an empty word:
the fullness OF God Is glorious. but
misty. IL 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.
In Him is the fullness of power.
IL was the power OF Christ that at
FIRST gained the eager attention of
men. We may not fully understand
the mighty deeds lie performed; in
the confusion OF thought at the pres
ent time regarding the miracles OF
the Gospels We may feel utterly per-
piexed. 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 1ourneyed to
Emmaas ard when the unrecognized
Jesus asked them wnat things had
come to pass that so deeply moved
them replied. Concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, which was 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 Cod.
The early Christian church was
conscious of the possession of power
OF power which it derived from its in
visible out ever-present Lord. II saw
Il working in the regeneration Of
mems hearts. in the reforma-io OF
their lives, IN the transformation OF
communities. Christianity was not
merely new philosophy, a new form
OF worship; it was the power OF God
unto salvation TO every one who ac-
cepted x. That power has not waned
curing the centuries. Christ has been
the conQueror. Re has oeen toe most
magnetic personality in ,ne world s
history. Men of al classes ana con-
ditions. the ricn and poor, the prince
and peasant, the learned and Hitter
ate. the saint and sinner, have been
drawn TO Eim. They have conse-
crateo heart ara life 20 Him. In spite
of the most determined and maiig-
nant opposition, the gospel OF His
Kingdom mas been preached through
out the world. Nothing could stop It,
lie has erected His lucgm seat
among men. and more and more the
woros, thoughts, deeos. the lives and
characters oi men and nations are
being broaght to judgment before
Christ. There was time when men
supposed that b. violence they could
stamp olt Christianity. Herod tried
IL and faileo the Jewish rulers tried
it wnen they crucified Jesus and
failed. Saul of Ta-sus tried it and
failed. WAC would dream that it
could be done to-day? Surely the
wears have demonstrated that the
tuliross of power resides in Jesus.
There is in Christ tns fullness of
wisdom We do not class Christ
among the learned msn of the world.
He was not writer OF many books
he wrote nothing. We do not In
oiude Him among the great philoso-
piers OF the ages There is a philoso-
ply of Christianity, but Christianity
is not a philosophy. We 90 not find
a wonderful versatility OF knowled ge
In the discourses OF Jesus. He did
not talk OF many things. yet the men
o. the early days. and the thoughtful
men of subsequent generations, have
been profoundly impressed with His
wisdom. lie knew the things OF
greatest concern TO men; He knew
them with a clear. searching intui-
ton. He knew God. His character,
His purpose, His plans. The Father
had revealed Himself to His Son. lie
knew man. his Joys and SORROWS. his
aspirations end temptations. his sim
fulness and mis- glorious possibilities
RE knew the secrets of peace, of Joy
re knew the things that give deepest
and most enduring satisfaction. the
bread of life. and the water OF life.
Jesus is the worlds teacher. One
OF His most precious titles is Master.
Not only in the truth He taught. but
in the way He taught il. He was peer
less. BY precept and parable and ey-
ample He had taught the principles
that lie al the foundation OF human
ity's progress. Men who want 10
know what is best for themselves
and for the world srill Sit rsva-ap,lv