Colossians Ch1v15-20 - Jesus - Sovereign Saviour

Thank you.

And as always, look forward to catching up over tea and coffee with you afterwards.

Please turn in your Bibles to Colossians.

This is the series we're in at the minute.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

So, if you would like notes to be able to take, there's pens at the table as you came in and a little A5 sheet as well.

Thank you, Jonathan.

So feel free to go and get that if you need to.

Thank you.

We're going to read this morning from chapter 1, verse 15 down to verse 20.

Let's hear God's word to us.

Colossians 1, starting at verse 15.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

For in him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities.

All things have been created through him and for him.

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 and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things,

whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

Well, please keep your Bibles open there.

I'm going to pray, and then we're going to get stuck in to God's word.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you that you have not left us alone in the dark.

We're not grappling to figure out or understand who we are and who you are.

But we thank you that as we read the words of Scripture, as we open up our Bibles today,

so you reveal yourself to us,

who you are and what you are like and what you have done.

And so we pray that you would help us to engage with this word,

a word that has power to change,

power to give life,

power to give hope,

and how we need that today.

And so we thank you that as we come,

all that we read and all that we think about together

is going to be good for us.

So help us now by your Spirit, we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

So,

why should I follow Jesus?

Of all the different religions there are in the world,

and all the different philosophies that are being taught,

why Jesus?

You see,

Johnny,

the people that I hang out with,

the people in my sports teams,

the people I work with,

they don't follow Jesus.

So why should I?

Maybe they're the ones that are actually right,

and I've got it completely wrong.

What makes Jesus so unique

that I should follow him?

Why Jesus?

Now that's a really important question to ask,

and thankfully Colossians provides the answer.

Colossians is all about a new church,

new believers in Christ,

who are facing the why Jesus question.

Of all the different teachings and beliefs,

and we'll get to this in chapter 2,

that are being thrown at them,

why follow Jesus?

So a letter is written to this church

to remind them,

and to teach us today,

why Jesus is the one we should follow.

And together we're going to look at two big reasons.

First,

Jesus is the sovereign son

over the first creation,

and then second we're going to look at

Jesus is the supreme saviour

over the new creation.

So two answers,

or two reasons,

as to why we need to follow Jesus.

Because he's the sovereign son,

and he's the supreme saviour.

So let's look at these two big ideas together.

Here's reason number one.

Jesus is the sovereign son

over the first creation.

You see,

Jesus isn't like any other person.

He is unique,

one of a kind.

And four things

tell us about who Jesus is.

First,

Jesus is God.

Look at verse 15.

The son,

the son of God,

that's Jesus,

is the image

of the invisible God.

Now,

we can't see God.

We can't touch him.

God is spirit.

He doesn't have a human body like ours.

But Jesus,

the son,

makes what is invisible,

visible.

You see,

Jesus is the true image of God.

As another writer in the New Testament

put it like this in Hebrews,

the son,

Jesus,

is the exact representation

of God's being.

The exact representation.

So if you were alive

in the first century,

and you went down

to the local shop

to get your bread,

and you saw Jesus in there

buying his bread,

you were seeing God

in human form.

Incredible,

isn't it?

And so for us today,

as we read Scripture,

as we look at God's Word,

God is revealed to us.

As we think about

who Jesus is

in Scripture,

so God is revealed to us.

Not his physical attributes,

what colour hair he had.

No,

this is all about

his character.

It reveals God to us.

Jesus is God.

And that means

you and I

are not God.

only Jesus

can rightfully claim

to be God.

Second,

Jesus is

the owner.

Again,

let's look at verse 15.

Jesus is

the image

of the invisible God

and the firstborn

over all creation.

Now,

firstborn

sounds like

that Jesus

was the first person

that was ever

to be born.

But that's not

quite what it means.

it's talking about

inheritance

or ownership.

You see,

in the past,

the firstborn

inherited everything

that belonged

to his Father.

And that's what

the focus is

here.

Jesus has

inherited

all creation

from the Father.

Everything

belongs to him.

There is nothing

that does not

belong to him.

Jesus is

the owner.

that means

that Jesus

also owns

you and me.

We belong

to Jesus.

Not only is he

the owner,

it makes sense

then to say

that Jesus

is also

the creator.

You might remember

that in your

Bibles,

Genesis 1,

Genesis 1:1

verse 1,

it says,

in the beginning

God

created the

heavens

and the

earth.

God created

the heavens

and the

earth.

Now we're

told,

look at

verse 16,

for in

him,

in Jesus,

all things

were created.

And then the

last line of

verse 16,

all things

have been

created

through him

and for

him.

So who

created

the world?

Was it

God

or was it

Jesus?

No,

it's not a

contradiction,

it's not a

trick question.

Because Jesus

is God,

it is true

to say that

Jesus created,

verse 16,

things in

heaven

and on

earth.

He made

the birds

that fly

in the sky.

And the

fish that

swim deep

in the

oceans.

The visible

things around

us in

creation,

like cats

and dogs.

And the

invisible

things that

we cannot

see,

like bacteria

and cells.

Jesus

made the

powers

and the

thrones

and those

who sit

on them,

the kings

and presidents

of nations.

Jesus

also made

the rulers,

we're told,

or the

authorities.

That is,

he made

the supernatural

powers,

Satan

and his

minions.

Yes,

God created

all.

Of course,

he didn't

make them

wicked,

they became

wicked,

but Jesus

is creator

of all.

And that

means,

wonderfully,

that Jesus

created

you.

You are

his

design.

So,

Jesus is

God,

he's the

owner,

he's the

creator,

and he

is also

the

sustainer.

Verse 17,

he is

before all

things,

and in him

all things

hold together.

Jesus,

in his

greatness,

holds

everything

together.

He controls

the tides,

the seasons

of the year,

the rain

that falls,

and the

sun that

shines.

He controls

the movement

of the

planets and

the galaxies,

the forces

of the moon,

so that we

all don't

just go

floating off

into space.

He gives

breath

to every

living creature,

water to

quench,

and food

to nourish.

Jesus is

sustainer.

And that

means that

Jesus is

sustaining

you right

now if you

sit in your

seat.

He's making

your heart

beat right

now.

You see,

Jesus isn't

like anyone

else, is

he?

He is

unique.

Nobody else

can claim

these credentials

that he is

God,

the owner,

the creator,

and the

sustainer.

Not of

some things,

but of

all things.

Did you

notice

all the

alls?

Have a look

at verse

15.

Count how

many alls

there are.

He is the

firstborn over

all creation.

End of

verse 16.

all things

have been

created through

him and

for him.

Verse 17.

He is

before all

things,

and in

him all

things hold

together.

Jesus, who

is God, is

over

everything.

He is

sovereign.

That simply

means that

Jesus has

absolute

authority

and

complete

control

over all.

As one

writer put

it,

I think

I have it

here on

screen,

there is

not a

square inch

in the

whole domain

of our

human

existence

over which

Christ,

who is

sovereign

over all,

does not

cry,

mine.

It's all

his.

Every

single

detail.

Jesus is

the sovereign

son over

the first

creation.

He rules

over everything

and everyone

and he has

power over

everything and

everyone.

Nothing

happens without

his say-so.

Nothing.

And

everything

happens at

his say-so.

He is the

sovereign

son.

And that

has implications

for us.

Because

Jesus is

the

sustainer,

I am

dependent

on him.

The very

breath that

I breathe

right now

comes from

him.

The food

that I eat,

the water

I drink,

is all

from him.

My

heartbeat,

my blood

flowing through

my veins

right now

is all

dependent

on him.

Without

him I

would

cease

to

exist.

And

because

Jesus is

the

creator,

I am

under

him.

I'm

not above

him,

telling him

what to

do,

or giving

him my

plan and

saying you

should follow

my ideas.

I'm not

equal with

him,

that we're

best chums,

no,

I am

under

him.

He is

the

creator,

I am

the

created.

And

because

Jesus is

the

owner,

I obey

him.

I don't

argue with

him and

say,

I think

you've

got that

wrong.

No,

I obey

him,

I listen,

he does

the speaking,

he does

the

commanding,

he does

the

demanding,

and I

obey him.

And

because

Jesus is

God,

I owe

my life

to him.

He

demands

and

deserves

my

honour,

my

life,

my

all,

my

worship.

You

see,

the

reason

why

I

should

follow

Jesus

is

because

Jesus

is the

sovereign

son

over the

first

creation.

That's

the

reason,

that's

the

answer.

Now,

the problem

is,

we don't

naturally

follow

Jesus,

which has

led to

disastrous

consequences.

you see,

our

natural

inclination

is to

reject

the

sovereign

son.

We

defy

his

rule

and

his

authority

and

we

live

as if

we

are

God

and

the

results

have

been

disastrous.

We've

gone

from

beauty

into

brokenness.

Think

of it

like this

with me,

the

sun,

that is

the

S-U-N

kind,

the big

fiery

ball

that we

never see

because

there's

always

clouds

in the

way,

is

actually

at the

centre

of

our

galaxy,

the

universe.

Everything

revolves

around

the

sun,

doesn't

it?

The

world

makes

a full

rotation

around

the

sun

over

the

course

of

one

year,

365

days,

and

we

orbit

the

sun.

That's

what keeps

everything

in its

place.

Everything

has its

order.

Now,

suppose

with me

just for

a minute,

that planet

Earth

decided to

be at

the

centre,

and

everything

else

should

revolve

around

it.

Well,

the very

foundations

of the

universe

would

collapse,

change

the order

and design,

and you

get order

or disorder

and chaos.

Now,

that's

exactly what

it is like

in terms

of our

response

to the

sun,

the

S-O-N

sun,

the

sovereign

sun,

God the

owner,

the creator

and sustainer

is at

the

centre.

He's

the one

who owns

all things,

controls

all things,

and we

were made

to revolve

around him,

to live

our life

in response

to him.

That is

how we

flourish

and how

we thrive

as human

beings.

but

replace

the

sun,

the

S-O-N

with

self

and put

ourselves

at the

centre

and expect

everything

to revolve

around us,

that is

everybody

else,

and God

himself

should

revolve

around me,

well,

chaos

reigns.

And that's

what we've

done

personally

and collectively.

The human

race has

said no

to Jesus.

We've

pushed out

the sovereign

son and

replaced him

with self.

We've

claimed an

independence

from our

creator.

The created

world has

become a

suffering world

and the

consequences are

there for us

to see it.

Wars,

disasters,

tragedies,

everything around

us has become

disjointed.

It's ripping

apart,

it's pulling

apart,

leaving a

gaping wound

that we

cannot fix.

But worse

than all of

this,

our rejection

of the

creator means

we have

become

separated

from our

creator.

Instead of

union with

God who

made us,

there's now

division.

Instead of

peace,

there's enmity.

Instead of

flourishing,

there's now

brokenness.

And tragically,

it has put us

all under the

just and fair

judgment of

God.

We're heading

to an eternal

existence

without the

Son,

without Jesus

and all his

good gifts.

The existence

is what the

Bible calls

hell.

We're at a

loss.

And the

only one who

can do anything

about it

we have

rejected.

Well,

thankfully,

God has

not rejected

us.

Which leads

us to the

second big

reason as

to why we

should follow

Jesus.

Because Jesus

is the

supreme

saviour

over a

new

creation.

You see,

as saviour,

Jesus is

bringing

about a

new

creation.

He will

renew this

broken world

and restore

our

disordered

lives.

And three

things are

going to

show us

how Jesus

the saviour

brings about

this new

creation.

Three things

we're to look

at.

First of all,

he says,

I want you

to look at

the church.

Look at the

church.

verse 18.

And he,

that is

Jesus,

is the

head of

the body,

the church.

He's the

owner of

the church.

He's the

boss, the

one in

authority.

He is the

beginning,

that is,

he is the

founder and

the firstborn

from among

the dead.

You see,

just as

Jesus created

the world,

so Jesus

is the

one who

creates

the church.

You see,

the church

is the

beginnings

of God's

new creation.

Verse 18,

we're told

he is the

firstborn

from among

the dead.

Jesus was

the first

to die

and rise

again,

never to

die again.

He is

champion

over death.

And so

all who put

their trust

in Jesus,

we're told

will also

rise.

They will

be raised

from death

to new

life.

And as

the firstborn

from among

the dead,

that means

the same

idea that

we saw

in verse

15,

he inherits.

All those

who trust

in Jesus

are given

to Jesus

as his

inheritance.

They become

his people

who belong

to him,

they become

his new

creation.

So when

we look

at the

church,

and you

can do

that right

now,

take a

good look

at each

other.

We're

thinking about

the church

people.

When we

look at

each other,

we are

looking at

God's

new

creation.

A

people who

no longer

have self

at the

center,

but have

Jesus

at the

center.

You see,

the church

is a

dead

people who

have become

a renewed

people.

We're a

broken

people who

have become

a restored

people.

Have a look

at chapter

3,

verse 10.

It tells

us something

of what he

is doing

in regards

to the

new

creation.

He says,

have put

on the

new self,

which is

being renewed

in knowledge

in the

image

of its

creator.

The

church,

God's

people,

as we

are being

made new,

are becoming

more like

Christ and

one day we

will be

like him.

You see,

the church,

and here we

are in a

rattly old

building,

as we often

say,

with the

roof about

to blow

off and

the rain

coming down,

we're not

much,

are we?

But yes,

we are.

We are

God's

display piece

to the

world of

what he

is doing

through

Jesus.

We're not

nobodies,

we're a

new creation,

God's

display model

to the

world of

what he

is doing.

That means

that if

you are

in Jesus,

you are

a new

creation.

So,

reason number

one,

why Jesus

is the

supreme

saviour,

we're to

look at

the church.

Second,

look at

the sun,

the S-O-N,

verse 19,

for God

was pleased

to have

all his

fullness

dwell in

him.

This big idea is repeated for us in chapter 2, verse 9.

Chapter 2, verse 9.

Where it says,

For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives.

All of God is in Christ.

And he lives in bodily form.

You see, Jesus not only makes God visible,

it's telling us here, in verse 19,

that God becomes like one of us.

He comes in bodily form.

A human being, just like us,

with arms and legs and nose and eyes and ears.

He becomes a person.

You see, the only way to save this broken world,

the only way to put right our disordered lives,

is if God would come as a person.

That would be the only way.

God himself must come to this world.

And so in Jesus,

we have both God and man.

Jesus is fully God and fully man.

100% God, 100% man.

Now why is that important?

Because that's the qualification

for Jesus to be our saviour.

As man,

Jesus fully represents humanity to God.

And as God,

Jesus represents God fully to humanity.

You see, if Jesus is not man,

then we have nobody to represent us to God.

And if Jesus isn't God,

then we have no one to represent God to us.

In the sun,

we see both God and man,

which makes Jesus uniquely qualified,

as we'll see in a minute,

to be our saviour.

There's no one like him.

That means if you trust in this Jesus,

he is your saviour.

So we look at the church,

we look at the sun,

and third, we look at the cross.

Let's read verse 19 and 20.

For God was pleased

to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus,

and through Jesus

to reconcile to himself

all things,

whether things on earth

or things in heaven,

by making peace through his blood

shed on the cross.

See that word reconcile there?

Verse 20.

Reconciliation implies

that there is a separation

between us and God.

That there is a division

between us and our creator.

You see, our rejection of the sun

has put us outside of God,

and it's resulted in chaos.

But all of that is undone

and reversed

through Jesus' death on the cross.

It is through the cross

that reconciliation takes place.

So verse 20.

He reconciles to himself

all things

by making peace

through his blood

shed on the cross.

On the cross,

as Jesus dies,

we see Jesus,

the God-man,

our true representative.

Jesus,

as fully human,

becomes our substitute.

You see,

humanity must pay

for sin and rebellion.

And if I stand before God,

well,

I am going to be condemned

for all eternity.

That is what I deserve

for the mess and brokenness

and rebellion of my life.

And if I'm going to be condemned,

how could I possibly

stand in for you

or anybody else

stand in for me

and pay for my rebellion?

That's why we need

Jesus,

the perfect human,

to stand in for me.

The one who is right,

but yet takes my sin,

my self-centred independence,

and dies for me.

And as Jesus dies,

the sword of judgment

falls on Jesus

and his blood is spilt

instead of me.

Jesus,

as fully human,

becomes our substitute.

And Jesus,

as fully God,

forgives my sin.

You see,

my sin and my rebellion,

yes,

we do harm to one another

with the words we say,

but ultimately,

it's against God.

So it's only God

who can truly forgive my sin.

But here's the problem.

He can only forgive

once justice has been done.

So how do you condemn someone

and forgive someone

at the same time?

Well,

it must be God

who does it.

It must be God

who comes

in the person

of his son,

Jesus.

God must die.

He must pay the penalty.

He must pay the price.

And because

he has paid the price,

he is now able

to forgive me

fully and completely.

We can actually

be reconciled.

Jesus

has done it.

He has reconciled

to him

all things

through his blood

shed

on the cross.

He brings peace.

Where there was

separation and division,

there is now

a grand

reconciliation

of humanity

with God.

God.

That means

if you are trusting

in the cross,

you no longer

have to fear God,

you can enjoy

God.

You see,

Jesus is not like

anyone else,

is he?

No one else

can claim

these credentials

that we're looking at.

Look at the church,

look at the sun,

look at the cross,

Jesus is

completely

unique.

In fact,

let's go back

to verse 18,

the end of verse 18.

He does all of this

so that in everything

he might have

the supremacy.

Supremacy

simply means

that what Jesus

has done

can't be equaled

or bettered.

Did you notice

the all

in verse 20?

And through

him

to reconcile

to himself

all

things.

All things.

Not some things,

but all things.

Now this has

two major

implications for us

which we're going

to look at.

First,

because Jesus

is the supreme

saviour,

Jesus saves

sufficiently.

what Jesus

has done

on the cross

for us

is enough.

That's why

when he was

on the cross

he cried out,

it is finished.

There's nothing

for us to add

to what Jesus

has done.

There's nothing

we need to do

to change

what Jesus

has done.

It is sufficient

to save

anyone

and everyone

who comes

to Jesus.

we just

stand

and watch

in amazement

that he

saves

sufficiently.

And because

he is the

supreme

saviour,

Jesus

saves

extensively.

He not

only reconciles

us to

God,

he is

reconciling

all of

creation

to God.

Look at

verse 20

again.

And through

Jesus

to reconcile

to himself

all things

whether

things on

earth

or things

in heaven.

This is

nothing less

than a

universal

reconciliation.

One day

the sovereign

son,

the supreme

saviour

is going

to come

again

and he's

going to

undo

all that

is broken

and restore

all that

is destroyed.

And on

that day

the church,

God's

people,

will be

united

with

Christ.

We will

receive our

brand new

bodies and

we will

live forever

in his

new

creation.

The

kingdom of

the son

he loves.

It's an

extensive

salvation.

It restores

everything

and it's a

sufficient

salvation.

It is

enough.

we don't

need to

add to

it.

So rest

in the

security

of what

Jesus has

done.

Look forward

in hope

to all

that is

to come.

So why

should I

follow Jesus?

Why should

you follow

Jesus?

Well,

first,

because Jesus

is the

sovereign

son over

the first

creation

and second,

because Jesus

is the

supreme

savior

over the

new

creation.

Follow

him.

He is

unique.

There is

no one

else like

him.

Let's

pray.

Lord

Jesus,

we are

amazed

at who

you are

and what

you have

done.

We thank

you that

you are

God.

the

owner,

the

creator,

the

sustainer

of all

things.

Thank

you that

through

Jesus

you are

reconciling

all things

to

yourself.

Thank

you that

as we

come to

Jesus,

we can

be

reconciled

to him.

And not

only that,

but we

can know

that you

are reconciling

the whole

universe

to God,

undoing

what is

broken

and putting

right what

has been

wronged.

How amazing,

how awesome

you are.

Help us

that we will

not follow

anyone else

or anything

else,

but only

trust in

Jesus.

Help us,

we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

We're going

to sing

together.

If you're

of a

certain age,

you'll know

this one.

If you're

not, you

won't.

But we

will all

know the

same tune.

So the

church's

one

foundation

is

Jesus

Christ,

her

Lord.

she is

his new

creation

by water

and the

word.

So let's