[Attain] to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself.
–Colossians 2:2
A man dreamed all his life of going on a luxury cruise. Eventually he saved enough money for a ticket; however, he did not have enough money left over to purchase all the sumptuous food he had seen in the brochures. So he took a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter with him onto the ship. While the other passengers were enjoying wonderful buffets, he sat alone in his cabin eating peanut butter sandwiches. After three days, he couldn’t take it any longer. He asked a steward, “How can I get one of those meals I see everybody else enjoying?”
The steward gave him a quizzical look. “Don’t you have a ticket, sir?”
The man said, “Yes, but I don’t have any money for food.”
“You don’t understand, sir,” the steward said. “Meals are included in the price of the ticket.”
A lot of Christians live like that man on the cruise ship. They think Jesus’s death on the cross was sufficient to provide a ticket to heaven–but nothing else. They don’t realize that with eternal salvation come all the provisions they need for this life as well. And because they don’t understand their wealth in Jesus Christ, they are tempted to chase after other philosophies, religions, and experiences to satisfy the hunger that only Jesus can satisfy. Jesus Christ is sufficient not only to get you to heaven but also to provide for every need you have in this life.
The sufficiency of Christ is the theme of Colossians. Paul wrote this letter when he heard the Colossian church was being invaded by false teachers who said Jesus Christ is not sufficient. Even today, there are people who say Jesus is sufficient for salvation, but He is not enough to satisfy your deep emotional needs or break your addiction to sin–you also need the latest philosophy or experience. In Colossians 2, Paul shared five ways we can stand firm in our faith and not be deceived into chasing after other philosophies and experiences. First, we need to strengthen our minds with God’s Word. Second, we need to be unified with other believers.
