The Supremacy of Christ in All Things, Colossians 1:15-23

“The Supremacy of Christ in All Things”

Colossians 1:15-23

Colossians focuses on the truth that Jesus > Everything. As I mentioned in our first sermon from Colossians my hope is that through our time in this book we will gain a deeper understanding of the greatness of Jesus and develop a practical grasp of what it looks like to live with Christ at the center of your entire life.

I am also praying that as we work through this book, that God will continue to grow us and unify us around the truth that Jesus > everything as a church family.

Our sermon passage is found in Colossians 1:15-23, “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 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. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

Prayer…

In 1:15-20 we have an early hymn of the church. This early hymn presents the relationship that Jesus has with creation and redemption. One of the ways that Colossions emphasizes that Jesus > Everything is by presenting the supremacy of Christ over all things. You see here in these verses the truth that Jesus is Lord over creation, and as one commentator said, “Jesus is Lord of the new creation.”

First, we see The Supremacy of Christ in All Creation,

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

The supremacy of Christ is expound in these verses as we see the following:

Jesus existed before creation (verse 15 & 17):

“Firstborn”, Prototokos, can mean first born in a chronological sense, it refers primarily to position or rank. Traditionally both Jews and Greeks considered the firstborn to be the one who had the right to inheritance, this was not necessarily the first son born.

Jesus existed before all things as it says in verse 17… He existed before creation, and Jesus holds the highest rank in and outside of creation- meaning that Jesus > Everything, or as we have said here- we see the supremacy of Christ in all of creation.

Jesus holds the highest rank in all of creation, because He existed before creation, and He existed before creation because He is the one who created in the first place!

Jesus created all things (verse 16):

Paul makes it clear that literally everything, visible and invisible was created by Jesus. And by invisible we don’t just mean microscopic… we mean spiritual. Thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities refers to the invisible ranks of angels and demons as well as the visible establishment of kings and kingdoms.

Not only did Jesus create everything, He created everything for Himself.

Jesus created everything for himself (verse 16):

God did make the world and everything in it because He was lonely. As the Trinity, God is completely whole and without any needs, even relational. But, just because God didn’t need the world and everything in it, it doesn’t mean that He didn’t create for a reason. And, the reason He made everything was for Himself.

When the world was made, and when the spiritual was made, there was no one else but God. Therefore, the work of creation was through Christ and for Him, for there was no else to make it for… and no one else worthy of the glory that creation was purposed for.

Jesus holds all things together (verse 17):

This means exactly what it says. Creation does not exist apart from the will of God, and creation does not continue to exist apart from the intentions of God. Everything you see exists because of Jesus… and at the smallest and deepest part of all creation, Jesus holds it all together. With a thought, everything in the entire universe and the spiritual realm could unwind or even cease to be…

But, Jesus holds all things together in creation… and that also applies to the church. In the same way that Jesus exists before the world, and then creates the world and sustains the world… Jesus exists before the church, creates the church, and also sustains the church. We see in this hymn the supremacy of Christ in all creation, and we also see the supremacy of Christ in the church.

The Supremacy of Christ in the Church

18 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.

Jesus is the head of the church.

This means that Jesus holds the chief position, the highest rank. And, as such Jesus is in charge of the church.

This doesn’t just mean that Jesus is charge on a global and historical level. This means Jesus is in charge at the local level. Jesus is the head of this church… and Jesus has determined that His church is led according to the Word and through the leadership of the pastor(s). This is His design, that those who lead the church would do so through the proclamation of His Word… thereby keeping Christ at the center, and leading the people of the church to do what He says, how He says, when He says.

The idea of the head also denotes where life comes from. In the first century it was common to view the head as the source of life. So, not only is Jesus the authority in the church, He is also the source of life in the church… in fact, this hymn tells us that Jesus is the creator of the church.

Which is why the conversation shifts from all things holding together by Christ in creation to the church. Jesus is the creator of the church and Jesus is also the one who sustains and gives life to the church.

Jesus is the creator of the church (beginning)

Jesus is the beginning of the church. This means that in the same way that He created the world, He also creates the church. The church is created through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is through His death that He atones for the sins of all those who believe.

John 3:16 (ESV) says, 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

There is no church without the death of Christ, and there is no church without the will of Christ. The church is the handiwork of Christ. He has died to make us, to save us, and to establish us as His people.

Israel was a foretaste of the full picture that has come in Christ. In Christ we have the church, the union of Israel and Gentiles… (read Ephesians) The Bible talks of Israel being created in the same way it talks of Adam being formed. And, here we see that the church was formed- created- by Christ for Christ.

The church is not the result of man’s will, it is the will of God and has been since the very beginning. The church is not a secondary or reactionary plan. It was always the plan to save the world through Christ, and through Christ to bring together all nations, including the Jews into one man- Jesus. And, as the head and the creator of the church, Jesus is also the most important person in the church.

Jesus is the most important of all who have been raised from the dead (firstborn/ preeminent, a position)

Again, we see the word “firstborn.” It’s used in the same way to refer to the position of Christ. Jesus holds the highest position in creation, and he also holds the highest position in the church. He is he creator, originator, and the one who holds the highest place in the global church and in each local church.

The opinion that matters most is the one Jesus has given… and Jesus has given us what He thinks and decrees in the Word.

Inside the church, we should see Jesus at the center in the way that we will one day see Jesus at the center of all things.

Ultimately Jesus is at the center of all things… and when he returns and brings all things to an end we will see that fully and completely. So, the church is the people and the place where Jesus is at the center, or first… it’s one of the ways that the church bears witness and tells the story of the Gospel.

It is through the cross that Jesus has first place in everything. Which leads me to another significant point. We see the supremacy of Christ in creation, we see the supremacy of Christ in the church, and we see the supremacy of Christ in salvation.

The Supremacy of Christ in Salvation

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Jesus is the initiator of salvation

There would be no such thing if not for the work and initiation of the Lord. Even in the Garden God initiated their reconciliation and redemption. Adam didn’t go running to God after he sinned- Adam ran and tried to hide from the Lord.

But God came looking for Adam and Eve, God sent Christ to save us, and the Lord comes for you through the preaching of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture says that no man seeks God. If Adam didn’t, then you don’t either. But, the Bible also says in the story of Zacheus that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

I believe way too much angst has happened over the debate over whether or not God initiates salvation or if man has any part at it all.

Let me say clearly- you don’t do anything to save yourself. Your sin deserves death, and unless you die for your sins you can’t make up for them.

But, as the fully divine Son of God, Jesus died to save you and reconcile you to Himself because you were separated from Him. Or as Colossians 1:21 says, you were “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.”

Man is separated from God and Man is an enemy of God… and as enemies we are separate from God until He does something to change that. Why, because He is the one who has declared us enemies.

Jesus reconciles us to Himself through the cross, by taking the death that our sin deserves. Jesus dies to save us, so that we will be declared clean by His blood, not by our own works. It was His death that brought us into fellowship with the Father.

Like the Garden, when God killed an animal and clothed Adam and Eve, Jesus died for or sins and we are covered by His righteousness. A righteousness we haven’t earned, but one that we are given.

Jesus then presents us to the father covered by His righteousness… but He also intends for our way of life to become more and more like Him. We are to grow up into Him… we must fill our britches. Jesus presents us now before the father clothed in His righteousness, and when he returns we will be given new resurrected bodies and live with the Lord forever without sin. So, we are called to live now, and grow and be sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit as we do more and more of what the Lord would have us as we mature.

Jesus saves you by faith, and gives you a hope that anchors your life.

There is a regular connection between faith and hope in the life of the believer. We press on in our faith because of the hope we have for us in Christ. The hope of the gospel that saves us is also what we cling to when we face faith shattering situations. The message of Christ that saved the Colossians is the message that Paul tells them to hope in.

This means that we hope in Christ, not something else or someone else. We don’t add to the Word or take away from the Word. Our hope is Christ, not our actions… but if we are His, we will persevere in our faith and in our faithfulness.

The Bible doesn’t talk about backslidden or carnal Christians. The Bible talks about growing and maturing Christians… Those who bear fruit throughout their lives as they live for Christ.

This doesn’t mean there aren’t hard days, hard years, or even decades. It does mean that our hope is in Christ, and when we are in our sin and rebelling against the Lord we need to cling to the hope we have in Christ and repent and pursue holiness.

Those who are truly his are not shaken by false gospels and teachers. (earthquake, there were many in the area of Colossae and true believers are those who remain faithful over the course of time when the foundation is shook but continue to stand)

Our focus is on the coming riches and glory that we have in Christ, not on the situations and circumstances that we are facing today.

Our salvation is in the present. Therefore our faith is seen and practiced in the present with our hearts and minds focused on the future grace that we receive through Christ.

Applications:

Jesus is supreme over all creation, is He supreme in your life?

Jesus is the head of the church, we must make sure that we keep Him at the helm and center of our church. (Organization, teaching, preaching, leadership, etc)

Jesus is supreme in salvation, is He your Savior? (have you said yes to His call to surrender and be saved?)