Jesus Christ is God
Colossians 1:15-20 Victory Fellowship
November 10, 2024 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
Introduction: (Bible in one hand – newspaper in the other)
I hope the election went the way you wanted it to but either way we must not forget Who is on the Throne. It’s understandable for unbelievers – but when I see the reactions of some people I have always believed to be Christians, I gotta wonder if they really trust God more than the president of the USA. I’ve voted in 13 presidential elections and about half the time someone who I didn’t vote for became president. But I believed it was God’s will. In the last 48 years I prayed for all of our presidents during their terms in office.
We are looking at Colossians and in chapter 2 (not read this morning), Paul and Timothy say, 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, Not only is JESUS LORD, JESUS IS GOD!
The New Testament authors wrote of the deity of Jesus to combat claims against Him. But they also intended to prompt their hearers to worship and exult in their great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "A man can't be always defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it" (Reflections on the Psalms, 7). With all the attacks on the truth of the gospel Christians encounter, we often neglect this point. We can spend much time arguing and debating with skeptics and atheists, forgetting to enjoy and delight in that which we defend.
The Colossian church experienced numerous attacks from false teachers. Paul felt the way to combat the heresy is not through argument, but by proclaiming Jesus Christ and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection.
In Colossians 1:15–20 Paul wrote one of the most profound summaries of who Christ is and what He accomplished. In doing so, he crushed the arguments of the false teachers, and gave the Colossian Christians, and us, even more reason to worship and exalt Jesus Christ as God.
In this text we see Christ in relation to God, to creation, and to the new creation.
I. Christ's relation to God (vv. 15, 19)
Paul says Christ "is the image of the invisible God" (v.15). Paul is not thinking here of Christ's physical appearance, but to His character and nature.
Genesis 1 says God made man in his image (vv. 27–28), to reflect His character and nature to the world. But sin marred God's intentions for man. No one is able to perfectly reveal God. But when God's Son entered the world, He perfectly revealed God's character and glory.
N.T. Wright says, "Jesus fulfills the purposes which God had marked out both for himself and for humanity" (Colossians, 75.).
The false teachers in Colossae seemed to teach that something in addition to Jesus was required for salvation. Paul assured them Christ was sufficient. We need to know that today as well!
If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. This prevents us from making God into our image. In our minds, we tend to fashion God after our own thoughts and desires. We try to squeeze him into a mold and project onto Him something He is not.
J.I. Packer writes, "Christian minds have been conformed to the modern spirit; the spirit, that is, that spawns great thoughts of man and leaves room for only small thoughts of God" (Knowing God, 12). Jesus keeps our view of God in check.
II. Christ's relation to creation (vv. 15–17)
When Paul wrote Jesus is "the firstborn of all creation" (v.15), he did not mean God created Jesus, as some claim today. (I prefer the NLT version - He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation) The very next verse proves this. "For by him all things were created . . ." (v.16).
So what did Paul mean? He likely had in mind Psalm 89 and the role of the Messianic King: "I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Ps. 89:27). Jesus is not a created being. He is the Creator who reigns over all creation! All that exists, He created. All He created exists "for him" (v.17).
Why is this important? Notice what Paul (v.16) includes in the list of what Jesus created: "whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities" Paul wanted to make clear that all authorities in heaven and on earth are under Jesus Christ's lordship and dominion.
Abraham Kuyper said, "There is not one square inch, in all of creation, over which Christ does not declare, 'mine.'"
Jesus upholds, governs, sustains, and rules over all things (v. 17).
What part of ALL doesn’t America fit into?
We should exult in this knowledge, not be exasperated!
III: Christ's relation to the new creation (vv.18–20)
Not only is Christ over creation, He is also over the new creation, the church. He is the head of the church (v.18). The universal church throughout the ages is ruled by Christ, as is each local congregation of believers who profess Him as Lord. Christ achieved this status through His death and resurrection because He is "the firstborn from the dead" (v.18). He took the curse of creation upon himself (Gal. 3:13) to bring about a new creation, and to "reconcile all things to himself . . . making peace by the blood of his cross" (v.20). Creation is now groaning to be set free and fully enter this peace Christ accomplished (Rom. 8:19–23).
Eugene Peterson said in a sermon: "The message of the American church is, 'You can do it!' But the message of the Bible is,‘He's done it.'" Jesus Christ is enough. He is a perfect Savior. All we need to do is look to Him and embrace the work He accomplished on our behalf.
Conclusion
Are you trusting Christ with every area of your life? What are some things you are reluctant to completely surrender to Him? This current election? Physical illness? Finances?
Jesus Christ is God. Who He is, what He accomplished, and the future He holds for us should send our hearts soaring into worship. Jesus is incomparable.
John Piper often says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" (Desiring God, 10). Jesus Christ is infinitely satisfying.
May we find our satisfaction in Him in order to glorify His Name in all things.
PRAYER
SONG: To Not Worship You
Colossians 1:15-20 NLT
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.