Fullness of God

Fullness of God
NO BODY IN THE GRAVE NOW!
Terry R. Baughman
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9-10 NKJ).
Jesus Christ was revealed to be, “God manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16 NKJ). This understanding came after the fact, after His life, His crucifixion, and His powerful resurrection. It took a little longer for those who lived with Him to come to that understanding. 
Those who received miracles in their life were certainly more receptive to the idea that Jesus was certainly sent from God. Others admired His teaching and applauded His insights in spiritual matters. While there were some who flatly denied the possibility that He was from God. A Nazarene from the Galilee, and without formal training in the rabbinic schools, how could He possibly be a prophet, a teacher, or much less the long-awaited Messiah. In spite of rejection or acclaim, He fulfilled the prophecies and performed the miracles that attested the truth of His mission. John revealed that, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NKJ). John continued, “Of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:16-17 NKJ). Jesus was indeed the fullness of God revealed to all humanity. 
The unbelievers were the so-called religious leaders. They saw Jesus as a threat to the established order of which they were accustomed. They could not comprehend His message or embrace His Deity. John said, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12 NKJ). Revelation came to those who believed and embraced His truth. 
As incredible as it seems, those who opposed Him were eventually permitted to prevail against Jesus. Paul wrote of this revelation of Jesus to be, “the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7-9 NKJ). Yet, Jesus had come with the plan to give Himself as a ransom for the sins of the world. (See 1 Timothy 2:6.) Jesus secretly revealed to His disciples that, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22 NKJ).
There was always hope for the resurrection. Even as Jesus predicted His death, there was a promise that He would be raised the third day. As believers followed Jesus and saw His miracles they surely must have been even more encouraged, as Jesus demonstrated His power over death by raising others to life! The widow’s son from Nain, the young daughter of Jairus, and the resurrection of His friend, Lazarus, were all proofs of His authority over our final enemy. It should have been no surprise when followers visited the tomb on the morning of the third day to find it empty and the stone rolled away!
In our Elevation Worship theme song for Easter, There’s no Body in the Grave Now, a portion of the song declares, “The fullness of God, Won’t be kept in a grave!” Jesus was the fullness of God in flesh, and He could neither be bound by death nor trapped in the tomb. Because of His resurrection, we have hope. It is the power of the name of Jesus! The song continues, “There’s only one name that saves, His name is Jesus, … No enemy can hold You down, ‘Cause there’s nobody in the grave now, One head gets to wear that crown, ‘Cause there’s nobody in the grave now!”


Theme passage:
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:5-6 NIV).