Colossians 1:15-20

My original plan for this morning was to preach Matthew chapter 6 and verse 1.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

! That's not a typo on your bulletin.

!

It felt really just really horrible.

I'm improving now and I'm certainly glad to be with you.

I wasn't actually sure I was going to be here.

That's why Mr. Jeff led this morning.

I gave up talking about Calvin because I just wasn't sure if I was going to get to be here.

As a small addition, I know that some of you hearing the name John Calvin in church,

the hairs on the back of your neck might have bristled.

A little bit.

Sadly, in a lot of circles, John Calvin gets a bad rap.

Some would say, because of his theology, that he would have been anti-mission.

But in fact, the school that he led in Geneva became known as Calvin's School of Death

because young men who came to train there were so compelled by the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ,

they went home to the places that they were from.

And most of them were martyred within a year.

There's a great deal of missionary zeal that came out of Calvin's work and teaching amongst those men.

So I didn't think I was going to get to be here.

I wasn't sure.

Very glad to be with you.

But I didn't really believe myself nearly prepared enough to begin Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

So today I've dusted off some old notes, made some revisions to them,

because I want to give you a clear picture of why Christ Family Church exists.

And I'll have you know that I had no idea that Jordan was going to lead us in that song

before selecting this text for this morning.

My prayer for this morning is that our time will be informative for you if you are new to our fellowship.

It is our great desire to connect you to Christ and to his church.

And if you are not new to our fellowship, that you will be reminded why the church gathers and why the church goes.

Now the vision statement for Christ Family Church is as follows.

I hope it's become familiar to you.

Christ Family Church exists to glorify God by experiencing, proclaiming,

and displaying the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things to all peoples.

Now, when we talk about vision statement, we're simply saying this is the purpose for which our church,

and I would contend that all churches exist.

I don't mean by this that I fell asleep one night and woke up with this statement in my mind.

I don't think this is a unique thing to our fellowship,

but it's a way to speak about why it is that we are called together as a people for God's praise.

And it is based largely from Colossians chapter 1, verses 15 through 20,

Colossians 1:15–20

which we're going to read together now.

Before I read the text, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us.

It was written for His glory and our good.

And as such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

In Colossians chapter 1, beginning in verse 15.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.

All things were created through Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

And He is the head of the body, the church.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

that in everything He might be preeminent.

For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things,

whether on earth or in heaven,

making peace by the blood of His cross.

Now, every part of God's word gives testimony about Jesus Christ.

In Luke chapter 24 and verse 27, we can read the account of Jesus' appearance to two of the disciples after His resurrection,

Luke 24 · chapter mention

where Luke records for us,

and beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

He, Jesus, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

In John chapter 5, verse 39, Jesus says of the Scriptures,

John 5:39

It is they that bear witness about Me.

But of all the Bible's teaching concerning Jesus,

perhaps none is more significant than the text before us today.

You see, beloved, the reality of who Jesus is demands our affections and our obedience.

Because if we say that we are disciples of Jesus Christ,

we are not saying that we are following a mere man,

but God Himself.

And we have a great confidence in claiming Christ as our teacher,

because the reality of who Jesus is makes sure the promises of God.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 20,

2 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

For all the promises of God find their yes in Jesus Christ.

That is why it is through Him that we utter our amen to God for His glory.

It is important to know that verses 15 through 18 of this morning's text

are thought to be a cosmic, Christological hymn.

Many scholars believe that Paul is citing a modern hymn of his day

or a modern confession of his day.

There are many interesting arguments to this point,

but I will not bore you with my explanation of them.

They consist primarily of sentence structure comparison.

But the case is made that what he is doing is citing something that was common in their day.

Even more important to know is the focus of this cosmic, Christological hymn.

And that focus is the preeminence, or we could say, the supremacy of Jesus Christ.

Last half of verse 18.

That in everything He might be preeminent.

Which means to be supreme or to be first in all things.

Above all else.

That's what it means to be preeminent.

Paul also states this reality in Philippians chapter 2 verses 9 through 11 where he wrote,

Philippians 2:9–11

God has highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.

So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

To the glory of God the Father.

So according to Paul, Christ is first in all things.

He is preeminent or supreme.

But how should we consider the truths contained within this text concerning the preeminence of Christ?

You may already be going, okay, great.

Of what importance is that to me today?

The Puritan John Owen wrote in his book entitled,

The Glory of Christ the Following.

The revelation made of Christ in the blessed gospel is far more excellent,

more glorious,

more filled with rays of divine wisdom and goodness

that the whole creation and the just comprehension of it,

if attainable, can contain or afford.

Without this knowledge,

the mind of man,

priding itself in other inventions and discoveries,

is wrapped up in darkness and confusion.

This, therefore, deserves the severest of our thoughts,

the best of our meditations,

and our utmost diligence in them.

For if our future blessedness shall consist in living where he is

and beholding his glory,

what better preparation can there be for it

than a constant previous contemplation of that glory

as revealed in the gospel,

that by a view of it we may be gradually transformed

into the same glory.

The Christian eternity will be filled with the wonderment of Christ.

So we should seek to know him now,

that he might be exalted in our minds and in our lives.

You could say that we need to rightly understand the supremacy of Jesus Christ

so that we would experience,

proclaim,

and display his excellencies in all things to all peoples.

What we think about Jesus Christ

is going to influence everything else that we do.

Let me then encourage a constant previous contemplation.

And to help you do so,

let us consider the text together in the following structure.

So number one, this is the outline for our text,

and I'll go back through it with great care.

Number one, Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is God.

We see this in verses 15 and verse 19.

Secondly, Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is the Lord of the universe.

Verses 16 and 17.

Third, Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is the head of the church.

Verse 18.

And fourth,

Jesus Christ is preeminent because of his redemptive work.

Verse 20.

So firstly,

Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is God.

Verse 15,

Paul writes,

He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation.

Paul says that by looking at Jesus,

we see an image of God.

The Greek word here is icon.

Image or likeness.

We're familiar with this term in our day.

Something that represents something else.

The scriptures refer to man as the icon of God.

But we are not perfectly so.

Much like a shattered piece of glass returns a poor reflection,

so it is with us.

Jesus, however,

is both the perfect representation and the perfect manifestation of God.

The man without sin.

Created in God's likeness.

Hebrews chapter 1,

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

the first half of verse 3 tells us

that Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God

and the exact imprint,

or the Greek word we get facsimile from,

the exact facsimile of his nature.

Christ shines forth God's attributes

as the sun gives light and heat to the earth.

Jesus is himself God.

John chapter 1 and verse 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

in the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

So as we behold Jesus Christ,

we behold God the Father.

Paul proceeds to describe Jesus as the firstborn.

And the Greek word here can mean simply firstborn.

It can have a chronological in the family meaning to it.

But it is most commonly used to refer to someone's position or their rank.

From the Arians of the early church to the Jehovah's Witnesses of our day,

those who seek to repudiate the deity of Jesus Christ

refer to this phrase in Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

But they fail completely to note its context.

They fail to note the following two verses

in which Paul represents Jesus as the Lord of the universe,

specifically verse 17,

and he is before all things.

He was not created.

Jesus himself is the creator.

And verse 19,

for in him all the fullness of God

was pleased to dwell.

So Jesus Christ is preeminent

before all things created,

and in him all the fullness of God

was pleased to dwell.

Jesus is where all that could be known

or experienced of God is to be found.

This is why Jesus was able to say

in John chapter 14 and verse 9,

John 14 · chapter mention

whoever has seen me

has seen the Father.

So, Jesus Christ

is preeminent

because he is

God.

Secondly,

Jesus Christ is preeminent

because he is the Lord

of the universe.

Verses 16 and 17

speak to this.

For by him all things were created

in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions

or rulers or authorities,

all things were created

through him

and for him.

And he is before all things,

and in him all things

hold together.

Jesus Christ

is supreme

as the creator

of all things.

That is everything

that we can see

and everything

that we cannot see.

They were all created

by Christ

and for Christ.

By him

and in service

to him.

This is an absolutely

magnificent thought

which should capture

our minds.

John confirms this

in John 1,

John 1:3

verse 3.

Speaking of Christ,

all things were made

through him

and without him

was not anything

made

that was made.

The entire universe

was created

by him

and for him.

In 2012,

a picture was released

that the Hubble Space Telescope

had captured

which was the farthest

ever view

into the universe.

A photo that reveals

thousands of galaxies,

billions of light years

away.

The picture,

which is called

Extreme Deep Field

or XDF

if you're googling it,

combines

ten years

of Hubble telescope

views

of one patch

of sky.

It is

absolutely

astounding.

It is

incredible

to look at

and to behold

and to imagine

the vastness

of the universe.

I really encourage you

to look it up

and have your affections

turned

to the one

who created

the universe.

Psalmist writes

in Psalm 19,

1,

the heavens

declare the glory

of God

and the skies

above

proclaim

his handiwork.

We can now

see that

with technology

louder

than ever

before.

There is a

greater

proclamation

of Jesus'

supremacy

as we look up

to the universe

that he

created.

It was created

by him

and it was

created

for him.

Jesus Christ

is preeminent

as he was

before all

things.

The beginning

of verse 17.

Jesus says

to the Jews

in John 8,

John 8:58

verse 58,

Truly,

truly,

I say to you

before Abraham

was,

I am.

And he's there

referencing Exodus

Exodus 3:14

chapter 3,

verse 14,

where God

said to Moses,

I am

who I am.

Jesus had

no beginning

and he has

no end.

He has

no origin,

but he is

the originator

of all

things.

So he is

preeminent

as he was

before all

things.

And he is

preeminent

as the

sustainer

of all

things.

Not only

creator,

but also

the sustainer

of all

things.

The last

part of

verse 17,

Paul writes,

and in

him all

things

hold

together.

The writer

of Hebrews

says in

chapter 1,

verse 3,

he upholds

the universe

by the

word of

his power.

Not only

were all

things created

by him

and set

into motion

by him,

but all

things are

also

sustained

by him.

Everything

stays in

its sway

by the

mighty

word

of Jesus

Christ.

Everything

in the

universe,

as far as

we know,

at least,

is made

of atoms,

protons,

electrons,

neutrons,

protons and

neutrons

packed into

a nucleus,

electrons

whirling

about the

outer edge.

I've told

you everything

I now know

about atoms.

Scientists

have labored

over the

past century

to explain

away the

existence

of God,

but they

have failed

to explain

how it is

that the

atom remains

in its

orbital

state.

Carl K.

Darrow,

a physicist,

is cited

in a book

entitled

The Atom

Speaks

in reference

to what

scientists

are calling

the strong

nuclear

force.

He writes,

do you

grasp what

this implies?

It implies

that all

the nuclei

have no

right to

be alive

at all.

Instead,

they should

never have

been created

and if

created,

they should

have blown

up instantly.

Yet here

they all

are.

Some

inflexible

inhibition

is holding

them relentlessly

together.

The nature

of the

inhibition

is also

a secret,

one thus

far

reserved

by nature

herself.

Science

hasn't

answered

this question

of what

the strong

nuclear

force

is.

Here this

physicist

says,

it's

impossible.

It's

impossible

that the

world

exists

that is

bound

together

in this

way.

It's

nature

that holds

the secret

and we're

working to

figure it

out.

Science

has yet

to answer

this

question,

but the

Bible

has.

Paul,

under the

inspiration

of the

Spirit,

tells us

exactly how

this happens.

He tells

us that

the

strong

nuclear

force

is

Jesus

Christ

and the

word

of his

power.

This is

incredible.

The very

thing

holding us

all together

right now

and flying

off into

pieces

all over

the place

is the

mighty

power

of Jesus

Christ's

word.

Jesus has

said,

be this

way,

orbit in

this

fashion,

bond in

these

pairs,

and it

will not

cease

happening

in that

way

until he

says,

stop.

It's

astounding.

So,

number one,

Jesus Christ

is preeminent

because he

is God.

Number two,

Jesus Christ

is preeminent

because he

is the

Lord of

the universe.

He made

it and it

exists for

him and

his praise.

Third,

Jesus Christ

is preeminent

because he

is the

head of

the church.

And we

see this

in verse

18.

Paul writes,

and he

is the

head of

the body,

the church.

He is

the beginning,

the first

born from

the dead,

that in

everything he

might be

preeminent.

So,

he is the

head of

the body.

There are

many metaphors

in the New

Testament

used to

describe the

church.

It is

called a

family,

a kingdom,

a vineyard,

a flock,

a building,

and a

bride.

But none

is more

helpful,

an understanding

of its

form and

function than

that of a

body made

of many

parts with

Jesus Christ

as the

head.

This metaphor

helps us to

see the

church as

a living

organism,

inseparably

tied together

with life and

mission by

the living

Christ.

This thing

does not

exist apart

from Jesus

as its

head.

He gives

it its

life and

he gives

it its

mission.

He controls

every part

of it.

He coordinates

together the

diversity of

gifting and

ministry for

the sake of

his name.

Jesus does

not merely

save the

church, but

he is the

head of the

church also,

giving it

life and

giving it

direction.

He's the

head of the

body.

He is the

beginning.

Jesus is the

originator of

the church.

He is the

beginning.

The Greek

word here has

a two-fold

sense of

both source

and primacy.

In Ephesians

Ephesians 1:4

1, verse 4,

Paul states

that God

chose us in

him before

the foundation

of the

world.

He is its

source and

without him

it does not

exist.

Paul goes on

to say that

he is the

firstborn from

the dead.

And here we

see that same

Greek word for

firstborn that

speaks of

order,

order of

progression.

And what he's

saying here is

not that,

because there

were certainly

those who were

raised before

Jesus,

Lazarus as an

example.

But what Paul

is saying is of

all those who

have ever been

raised or will

ever be raised

from the dead,

he is of the

highest rank.

He is the

most important,

right, as the

source and the

head of the

church.

He is

preeminent.

So he's

preeminent

because he is

God, because he

is the Lord of

the universe,

because he is

the head of

the church.

Fourth and

lastly, Jesus

Christ is

preeminent

because of

his redemptive

work.

Verse 20,

Paul says,

and through

him to

reconcile to

himself all

things, whether

on earth or

in heaven,

making peace

by the blood

of his cross.

There are

many ways in

which our

salvation is

explained in

the scripture,

and they are

all wonderful

in their own

right.

We are

justified.

We once

stood before

God guilty

and condemned,

but in

Jesus Christ

we are

declared

righteous.

Not just

innocent, but

we're given

perfection in

Christ.

We are

referred to

as forgiven.

We once

stood before

God as

great debtors,

but the debt

has been paid

by Jesus

Christ and

now forgotten.

Our sins

have been

cast as far

as the east

is to the

west.

We are

described as

adopted.

We once

stood before

God as

strangers,

but in

Jesus Christ

we are

made children

of the

Most High.

We're

called

His own

and made

part of

His family

with all

of the

rights and

rewards that

come with

that.

All those

things are

wonderful,

beautiful

pictures of

our salvation,

but

reconciliation

is one

of my

favorites of

these

explanations.

Reconciliation.

We once

stood before

God as

His enemies,

angrily

shaking our

fist at

Him and

His ways,

wanting to

rule the

world for

ourselves,

thinking we

even know

how to do

such a

thing.

But in

Jesus Christ

we are

made God's

friend.

The Greek

word for

reconcile

means to

change in

relationship.

So we

receive

in salvation

this idea

of reconciliation,

a change of

status.

We go from

enemies to

friends.

It's a state

of being.

It's who

we are.

And this is

not conditioned

on what

we do,

but it's

who we

are because

God has

done it.

Jesus has

reconciled us

to God.

And so now

those who

have been

reconciled,

because we

have new

identities,

we live

different.

But it's

that identity

that changes

the way we

live and

not the

other way

around.

Beloved,

we are not

different in

degree.

Every other

religion in

the world

is teaching

this.

Different in

degree.

A striving

for,

a hoping to

be better

than,

that we

would be

accepted.

We are

different in

type.

That's a

wonderful,

wonderful

reality.

Paul wrote

in Romans

Romans 5:10

chapter 5

verse 10,

And Paul

says that

Jesus is

reconciling

all things,

whether on

earth or

in heaven.

In Genesis

Genesis 1:3

chapter 1

verse 3,

we see that

after the

world was

created by

and for

Christ,

that it

was very

good.

All of

this goodness

was marred

by man's

sin.

My wife

weeded our

yard quite a

bit yesterday.

That's a

result of

the corruption

of creation.

That's part

of sinfulness.

Things don't

grow where

they're supposed

to grow

any longer.

My not

feeling well

at the end

of this

week was

part of

this

cursedness

that exists

in the

world.

But all

of that

will one

day be

restored.

The

reconciliation

of mankind,

although

primary,

most

importantly,

is just

one aspect

of Christ's

restorative

work.

And so we're

going to live

one day as

those who have

been reconciled

to God

in Christ

in a world

that will be

reconciled to

God,

that will be

set straight

all together.

what a

thing to

think about

and look

forward

to.

And Paul

tells us

that Jesus

did this

by making

peace by

the blood

of his

cross.

Jesus'

death on

the cross

was the

means by

which our

reconciliation

is made

possible.

The wrath

of God

poured out

on Christ

in that

place.

On the

cross,

Jesus Christ

became the

enemy of

God,

and God

justly

punished

him as

such so

that we

might be

reconciled

to God.

Jesus Christ

is preeminent

because he

is God,

because he

is the

Lord of

the universe,

because he

is the

head of

the church,

and because

of his

redemptive

work.

So what

does all

this have

to do

with the

existence

of Christ's

family

church?

Well,

for all

of the

aforementioned

reasons,

Jesus Christ

is of

highest

ranking

and should

be worshipped

as such,

and this

is why

the church

gathers,

and this

is why

the church

goes.

Whether

or not

you are

part of

this church

or ever

will be,

you exist

to glorify

God by

experiencing,

proclaiming,

and displaying

the supremacy

of Jesus

Christ in

all things

to all

peoples.

those who

have been

reconciled by

his death

on the

cross

rightly

should

experience,

proclaim,

and display

his supremacy

in all

things to

all peoples.

And this

is not

a burdensome

task because

Jesus Christ

is preeminent.

We can

cast all of

our anxieties

and fears,

our doubts,

our troubles,

our depressions

on him.

because he

is preeminent

there is no

situation that

escapes his

attention or

his power.

Because he

is preeminent

there is no

circumstance that

surprises him

or evades

his providential

control.

Because he

is preeminent

he is our

confidence in

life and

death.

And because he

is preeminent

he is the

reason we can

boldly share

the good news

of his

kingdom.

The reality

of who

Jesus is

demands our

affections and

our obedience.

The reality

of who Jesus

is makes

sure the

promises of

God to

us.

So,

let us be a

people who

set ourselves

to a constant

previous

contemplation of

who Jesus

is as we

await our

future

blessedness.

In closing,

let me remind

you of the

words of

John Owen.

This therefore

deserves the

severest of

our thoughts,

the best of

our meditations,

and our

utmost diligence

in them.

Let's pray

together.