As Christ dwells at the center of our affections, we will watch—in wonder, gratitude, and joy—as the circumference of our affections continually expands, radiating upward and outward to include all things (1 Corinthians 3:22-23). Let us, therefore, most heartily resolve never to depart from our first love.

Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak…
And the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
(Genesis 32:24-32)

Then they sent out Barnabas as far as Antioch,
who, when he had arrived and seen the grace of God, was glad;
and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart
they should cleave to the Lord.
(Acts 11:22-23)

But all of us, with unveiled faces,
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image
from one degree of glory to the next;
and this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
(2 Cor. 3:18)

Learning to lean, learning to lean,
I’m learning to lean on Jesus;
finding more power than I’d ever dreamed,
learning to lean on Jesus

A few years back, while making my way through the gospels, I noticed something interesting: Over and again I was coming upon Christ in the midst of this, that, or the other thing. And so, like Moses of old, I decided to turn aside and see this great sight: the various ways in which God had placed his Son in the midst, and the lessons we might learn from them.

Here is something of what I saw.

I. Seeing Christ in the Midst

As a boy, Jesus was accidentally separated from his father and mother during the Passover observances in Jerusalem. When the distraught parents finally found him, there he was, seated in the temple, in the midst of the scribes and Pharisees, all of whom were marveling at his wisdom (Luke 2:46-47). Pondering this, I saw that God would have us emulate those Jewish leaders, since even now Christ is teaching in the temple daily (Luke 19:47; 24:43-45).

As a grown man, the Lord embarked on an evangelistic ministry to his fellow Israelites, proclaiming the good news of the nearness of the Kingdom, and calling all to repentance and faith him. In partial fulfillment of that ministry, God granted him to perform miraculous signs and wonders in their midst (Acts 2:22). Reflecting on this, we soon realize that Christ has never ceased to perform such wonders, though in our time his miracles are primarily spiritual, yet far more numerous and of far greater importance than the physical (John 14:12; 1 Cor. 15:46).

When teaching his disciples about prayer, the Lord told them that where two or three are gathered in his name, there he is in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20). Here we learn to prioritize prayer with the family of God, and also to seek the Spirit’s gift of agreement in prayer, so that we may enjoy, not only a richer sense of the Lord’s presence, but also faith-building answers to our requests (Matt. 18:19-20; Acts 4:23-31; 1 John 5:14).

The apostle John relates that in the midst of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus went up into the temple courts and began to teach the people, after which he cried out to them, offering his Jewish kinsmen the true water of life, typified by the water that Moses gave to God’s people during their wilderness wanderings (Num. 20:1-8; John 7:14). This teaches us that Christ dwells not only in the midst of the Feast of Tabernacles as its true meaning and fulfillment, but also in the midst of all the other Jewish feasts. And if we listen carefully as he teaches in the temple daily, we will find that he shows us the meaning of those other feasts as well (Matt. 5:17; Col. 2:17).

Later on, the same apostle tells us that when the last of the convicted scribes and Pharisees had slunk away, Jesus and the woman caught in adultery were left alone in the midst: presumably of a large crowd which had seen, heard, and (in some cases) been stung by his wisdom, compassion, and mercy (John 8:9). Here we learn that not only the Lord, but also the world itself, is always watching to see how we will relate to sinners: whether in a proud, legalistic spirit that is eager to mete out judgment, or in a humble, gracious spirit that is eager to pour out mercy and grace, albeit never at the expense of truth or holiness (John 8:1-11; 2 Tim. 2:24-26).

On the Mount of Transfiguration—where Peter, James, and John received a sneak preview of the Kingdom of God when it has come in power—the radiant Christ once again appeared in the midst, this time between Moses and Elijah. The former represented the Law, the latter the Prophets, the two together the entire body of Old Testament (OT) revelation. Accordingly, when Peter sought to treat them as equals by making identical tents for all three, God swiftly disabused him of the idea, declaring to the terrified disciples, “This is My beloved Son, my chosen One. Listen to Him!” (Luke 9:34–36). Here we learn that the Lord Jesus, under a many-colored garment of types and shadows, is the true center and meaning of the entire OT; that he alone can open up its meaning to us; and that we should therefore diligently listen to him, especially in the New Testament, where, by the illuminating work of his Spirit, he himself gives us the keys to the Old (Luke 24:44-45; John 5:39; 2 Cor. 3:12-18).

When he was brought to trial before his enemies—Caiaphas, Annas, Pilate, Herod, and the Roman cohort—the Lord stood in their midst with quiet strength and dignity, speaking, testifying, and/or holding his peace as his Father led, and all the while humbly submitting to whatever evil-doings God himself had fore-ordained to occur (Is. 53:7; Matt. 26:47-27:31; Acts 4:27-31). Here we are taught, viscerally, that in the midst of inevitable persecutions God himself will be present in the midst of his people, guarding them against fear, anger, hatred, threats, and vilification, but instead, by his Spirit, supplying all needed strength, courage, self-control, wisdom, love, mercy, and grace (Acts 7:54-60; Rom. 12:14-20; 1 Pet. 2:21-25; Rev. 1:9).

When the mockery of a trial—and the trials of mockery—had all run their course, the Roman authorities nailed Jesus to a cross, and two other criminals with him: one on either side, and Jesus in the midst (John 19:18). And though at the outset both criminals vilified him, one of the two—having observed the Lord’s faith and having marveled at his sayings—suddenly caught a glimpse of who he really was. And so—moved by gifts of illumination, penitence, and grace—he made his humble request: “Jesus, remember me when you come again in your royal power” (Luke 23:42). And he was heard. From this we learn that the crucified Christ—like the God-imbued pillar that stood by night between Pharaoh’s army and the Israelite nation at the Red Sea—is light, hope, and salvation to all who are graced to see and believe, but darkness, foolishness, and death to all who will not see and believe (Ex. 14:1-20; John 3:19; 7:43; 9:16; 10:19; 2 Cor. 2:14-17). For which reason, we also learn to worship the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling, and cling to him with purpose of heart (Psalm 2:11; Acts 13:22-23).

After his resurrection, the Lord appeared, not once, but several times, in the midst of his disciples (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 26). Thus did he teach us to expect him to be present and active in our gatherings, and therefore never like doubting Thomas, who missed the precious appearing because of stubborn unbelief (John 20:26-29).

After the Lord’s ascension, God granted his exiled apostle a stupendous vision of the glorified Christ standing in the midst of seven golden candlesticks and walking about among them (Rev. 1:13, 2:1). Here again we learn that, by his Spirit, the Head of the universal Church is present and active in every one of its local incarnations, lovingly inspecting, commending, encouraging, exhorting, reproving, warning, and issuing promises to every member who names his name, even to those who (thus far) have refused to let him in (Rev. 3:20). Knowing this, both leaders and laity are exhorted to believe in his presence, listen for his voice, and faithfully love, serve, and seek to purify the Church that Christ purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:17-31; Rev. 5:9).

In a subsequent vision of heaven above, John saw a Lamb, as if previously slain, standing in the midst, between the 24 elders and the throne of God (Rev. 5:6). Here we behold—and are taught to fully trust—the one Mediator between God and man: the God-man, Jesus Christ, whose finished work on earth purchased the salvation of his people; who, as the High King of heaven, administers salvation to his people; and who, as the High Priest of heaven, ever lives to make intercession for his people, thereby anchoring them securely and eternally in heaven above (John 6:40; 10:16; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25; Rev. 21:1-4).

Finally, Scripture also reveals that on the day of his return—when the heavens and the earth shall flee for safety from before his face—Christ will be seated on his throne in the midst of the physical universe itself. He also will be in between the sheep and the goats, there to judge the world in righteousness, turn the rebellious into Gehenna, recreate the cosmos, and descend with his beloved Bride to a regenerated earth, where, together with the Father, the Spirit, and all the holy angels, he and she will forever dwell in the midst of a glorious new world to come (Matt. 24:29–31; Rev. 20:11–15; 21:1-26).

II. Placing Christ in the Midst

In all these biblical scenes depicting Christ in the midst, our heavenly Father is clearly speaking to us. He is bidding us to stop, draw near, ponder, and inquire. Happily, in still other portions of his Word he gives us further light, revealing that it belongs essentially to his will of purpose for the universe that his beloved Son should dwell in the midst—at the absolute center—of all things. And there is more. For it is God’s will of purpose for the universe that determines his will of precept for the lives of his children. In other words, as we ourselves become aware of God’s eternal purpose and plans, it will only be natural for us—both in our personal and corporate Christian experience—to place and keep the Lord Jesus Christ at the center of all things.

In what follows, I want to briefly touch on seven such things.

First, our heavenly Father desires that Christ should dwell at the center of our being.

This was God’s purpose from the beginning. Throughout the probation in Eden, he offered eternal life to Adam and his seed. Adam had only to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life, and the Son of God, by the Spirit of God, would have taken up residence, once and for all, in his heart; that is, at the center of his being. The Son would then have become Head and Ruler over all, working in and through the growing family of man to fulfill his Father’s manifold historical purposes for the race, and doing so until that happy day when he (the Son) would glorify the world and deliver up the eternal kingdom to his Father, so that God might be all in all (Hab. 2:14; Rom. 8:18-25; 1 Cor. 15:20-28; Eph. 1:10; Col. 3:4).

But it was not to be. There came the fall, and with the fall, the fall of all human hearts, which became hearts of stone; hearts dead in trespasses and sins; hearts under the dominion of the world, the flesh, and the devil; hearts in desperate need of redemption: rescue from the manifold consequences of sin, and restoration to God’s Christ-centered purpose for the universe, life, and man (Ezek. 36:26; Mark 7:20-22; Eph. 2:1-3).

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Through the redemptive work of the last Adam, the sinful work of the first Adam was overcome, and the purpose of God for his creation reclaimed and restored. Therefore, by receiving the Spirit of Christ into our midst, we now may have hearts of flesh; hearts alive to God; hearts resting comfortably under the dominion of the High King of heaven; hearts ushered—gratefully, gladly, and worshipfully—into the presence of his God and Father; and hearts eagerly waiting for that happy day when Christ will come again. That will indeed be a happy day, when all things are fully headed up under him; when the whole earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord; and when the Lord of glory delivers up the glorified kingdom—the redeemed universe, life, and man—to his heavenly Father, so that God may be all in all (Matt. 13:38-43; Rom. 8:18-25; 1 Cor. 15:20-28).

This cosmic miracle, which began on Pentecost, begins afresh each time a sinner is born from above: when he beholds his need, cries out to Christ for mercy and life, and receives him as Lord into his heart—into his very midst (John 1:12; Acts 2; Rom. 10:5-13). It progresses as the life of Christ radiates outward from his midst, ever-increasingly pervading each faculty, inclination, thought, word, and deed. And it culminates at Christ’s return, when the life and light in each saint flares up into glory and henceforth comes to dwell at the center of all things: when Christ, in glory, is fully set in the midst of the universe, life, and man (Matt. 5:14-15; 6:22; Phil. 2:15; Rev. 21:23-24; 22:5).

Secondly, our heavenly Father desires that Christ should dwell at the center of our worldview.

The Spirit of Christ in the midst of human hearts entails the Spirit of Christ in the midst of all human faculties, including our understanding. And since it has pleased our Father to place Christ in the midst of his eternal purposes and plans, we who have received the Spirit of the Father must steadfastly watch for him to work—and must diligently work with him—at placing Christ in the midst of our understanding of his purposes and plans. In other words, God calls us to co-labor with him so that Jesus Christ, ever-increasingly, may lie at the heart of our worldview.

What exactly is a worldview? After pondering this question for many years, I have concluded that a worldview consists of the answers we give to nine fundamental God-implanted questions of life: (1) What is the ultimate reality, the source of the universe and all that is in it? (2) What is the origin of the universe, life, and man—and of any other worlds or dimensions that may exist? (3) Do the universe, life, and man have a purpose or meaning, and if so, what is it? (4) What, if anything, went wrong? Why are evil, suffering, and death so painfully present in the world? (5) What, if anything, can be done about them, and by whom must it be done? (6) How shall we live? What, if any, are the proper motives and standards of conduct for men and nations? (7) What happens when we die? (8) Where is history heading? Does the universe have a goal or destiny, and if so, what is it? (9) Can we know with certainty the true answers to the questions of life, and if so, how? Over and again in their quest for religious and philosophical truth, men and nations have sought (and often invented) answers to these nine existentially urgent questions of life.¹

Now, recall for a moment the miracle of healing that Jesus performed upon a certain blind man from Bethsaida. After taking him away from the town, he stood the man before him, spat into eyes, and asked him, “Do you see anything?” The man replied, “I know I’m seeing men, because they look like walking trees!” So Jesus again ministered to him, this time placing his hands on the blind man’s eyes; and now the man was completely healed and could see all things clearly (Mark 8:22-36).

This, metaphorically speaking, is the story of every Christian’s worldview. Our new spiritual life began with a gift of seeing, so that suddenly we beheld, with a saving measure of clarity, the Person and Work of Christ, and their implications for our life. But from the very beginning we also saw that we were only seeing in part—that what we were seeing, we were seeing dimly, and that many other things we were not seeing at all. This fact of spiritual life—this partial blindness—gave birth to a great longing for further healing, broader vision, and clearer sight, all of which we knew were waiting for us in the Word of God. And so—in time, through prayer, by persistent meditation upon the Scriptures, and by the illuminating work of the Spirit—the Lord satisfied our longing, so that now we can indeed see all things clearly (and yet are longing for further clarity still).

The “all things” we are given to see include, very prominently, the answers to the nine questions of life. Indeed, as we are drawn deeply into the thought-world of the Bible, we soon realize that our heavenly Father has graciously addressed each and every one of them, and that his answers comprise the sum and substance of his great revelation to the world.

But more even than that, we also realize that he has set the Person and Work of his Son in the midst of each and every one of those answers!

Such seeing has begotten millennia of theological reflection, with the teachers of the Church probing and placarding the various ways in which Jesus Christ dwells in the midst: (1) of the ultimate reality, as the One living in the midst of Father-Son-Holy Spirit; (2) of the origin of the universe, life, and man, as the One through whom they all were created; (3) of the purpose of the universe, life, and man, as the One for whom they all were created; (4, 5) of the redemption of a world given over to evil, suffering, and death through the sinful work of the first Adam, as the One who in time would rescue and restore it through his own righteous work as the Last Adam; (6) of the way we should live (i.e., by Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus), as the One through whom obedience to that Law is now possible, available, commanded, and proclaimed in the gospel; (7) of the truth about the afterlife, as the One who revealed both heaven and hades, opened heaven to all who believe, and (with the Father and the Spirit) is heaven’s chief’s chief joy; (8) of the truth about the goal of universal history, as the One who, at his coming, will be the divine agent of the entire Consummation: the Resurrection, the Judgment, and the creation of a glorious new World to Come; (9) and of God’s definitive answers to all the questions of life, as the One through whom the answers were given to us in in the New Testament, and by whose Spirit they are illuminated (Luke 24:13-49; John 16:12-15; Acts 2:14-36; 1 Cor. 2:1-2; Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Thess. 2:15; Jude 1:3).

In sum, by giving us the answers to the questions of life, our heavenly Father has given us the one true world-view. And when we no longer see men like walking trees, but see all things clearly, we also see that Jesus Christ lives and shines in the midst of them all.

Thirdly, our heavenly Father desires that Christ should dwell at the center of our affections.

When Christ comes to dwell in our midst, his life not only suffuses and transforms our understanding, but also our affections. To the stone-hearted Pharisees, Jesus said, “I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you,” and, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I went forth from God, and now am present among you” (John 5:42; 8:42). Those who are granted a new heart of flesh receive a new set of master passions, a new set of loves (Ezek. 36:25-27; 2 Cor. 3:2-4; 5:14).²

But is it really true that our heavenly Father desires his Son to dwell at the center of our affections, to be the master passion of our new passions? For those who love the triune God, this affirmation will seem problematic, since, being equally divine, all three Persons of the Trinity are equally worthy of our affection.

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