“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”

  - John 5.39

And He put all thingsunder His feet, and gave Him to behead over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

  - Ephesians 1.22, 23

The Son of God should be invoked in all lectio and in all celebrations.

  - The Rule of Ailbe, Irish, 8th century[1]

Jesus is the heart and core, the beginning and end, and the sum and substance of Christian faith.

Jesus – not your church, or your fellowship group, or your pastor, or you and your experience. Jesus.

Jesus is the centerpiece and focusing light of all Scripture, as He Himself insisted. When we read the Word of God we must look to discover what Jesus is revealing about Himself. He is the fulfillment of the Law (Matt. 5.17). He is the hope of the patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets (Jn. 8.56; Jn. 5.46; Jn. 1.45). He is the culmination of all the promises of God (2 Cor. 1.20). He is the hope Who lives in us (Col. 1.27), and the One we will meet face-to-face on the last day (1 Jn. 3.1-3).

All our daily needs, all we might hope for from the Lord, all that we may expect to receive from His gracious hand – all is realized in Jesus (Phil. 4.19). He is reflected in every fact, facet, and force of creation, which He upholds by His powerful Word (Heb. 1.3).

Jesus is the end we seek as we pursue the Kingdom of God. He is the very embodiment of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit, which is the Kingdom of God (Rom. 14.17). The Church is His body and must strive to express the unity of faith and life, and maturity of Spirit and service which Jesus Himself ever demonstrated.

Jesus is life itself – all life (Jn. 14.6). Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ (Jn. 17.3). It’s literally all about Jesus.

Thus, the worship of our churches must rehearse, in each service, the glory of all the Person and work of our Lord Jesus, and hold Him central in all our celebrations. If Jesus is not the center of your faith, and of the life of your church, then your worship services will not be about Him either. They’ll be more about you and keeping you comfortable and happy and coming back for more of the same.

But you won’t meet Jesus there. And, most likely, you won’t find Jesus going with you from there into your daily life throughout the week.

We can never get enough of Jesus – of meditating on Him, communing with Him, sharing our experiences of Him with one another, bearing witness to Him, growing in Him, knowing Him with us always, being seated with Him in heavenly places, and exalting Him as Savior, Lord, King, Friend, and Redeemer.

Jesus intends to fill the world with Himself (Eph. 1.22, 23), and His method of doing so involves filling us and overflowing us into all things (Jn. 7.37-39; Eph. 4.10).

Do we seek Jesus above all else? Do we love Him as He loves us? Do we think with His mind, serve with His hands, go with His feet, speak with His mouth, and trust with His faith?

The writer of Hebrews calls us to “look” to Jesus (Heb. 12.1, 2). Paul tells us to set our minds on Him (Col. 3.1-3). Peter says that even though we cannot see Him with our eyes, yet we must learn to love Him supremely (1 Pet. 1.8, 9).

You will never know real life – eternal life – until seeking Jesus, looking constantly for Him, becomes the defining motif of your life.

Psalm 2.11, 12 (Agincourt: “O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High!”)
Rejoice with fear in Jesus’ grace,
And worship before His exalted face!
Beware His anger and judgment grim;
How blest are all who rest in Him!

Draw me to Yourself, O Lord, and teach me to look for You in all things!

Filling all things
All things: That’s what Jesus intends to fill. All things means, well, all things. Imagine what that would be like: The radiance, beauty, goodness, and truth of Jesus welcoming, guiding, guarding, and strengthening you everywhere you go, no matter what you’re doing.

Of course, we have to wait for the new heavens and new earth for this to be true in full. But Jesus is in the “filling all things” business even now, and you and I are His chosen conduits. Write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll send you a brief study entitled To Fill All Things. These seven meditations could change the way you approach your daily life.

Thanks to those of you who are sharing with us financially in this ministry. We pray that many more of you will join them. God intends to support this ministry from within the ranks of those who are served by it. If this includes you, please seek the Lord in this matter. You can click here to donate online with your credit card or through PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.