Colossians 1:18

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-We’re going to be using Colossians 1:18...

…as something of a springboard this morning.

As always, I would encourage you to turn there...

…and follow along as we read.

-I want to focus on a particular aspect of the Resurrection...

…that I think is tragically under-emphasized today.

-We usually focus on the Resurrection as:

The Ultimate Testament to the Christian Faith

(And that is true, and good)

The source of Power for a changed life.

(Also true, and also good)

-Even, fairly often, we focus on the Resurrection as proof:

Of Jesus’ perfect righteousness!

(Death couldn’t hold Him because He had no sin!)

(He had no debt of His own)

That Jesus’ sacrifice was propitious!

(Accepted by the Father as payment for OUR sins)

(Satisfied the demands of His justice!)

(Turned away His Holy Anger)

(Procured His Eternal blessings for us)

And, of course, that it guarantees ...

...our future resurrection as well!

-Are these fitting and proper emphases for the Resurrection?

Amen!

Hallelujah!

-I don’t intend to detract from any of them.

(In fact, we’ll probably have some unavoidable overlap with them)

But I’m convinced that this aspect of Christ...

“Making All Things New”

…through the Resurrection...

…is something that we desperately need to recover.

And as I said before...

…I believe Colossians 1:18 is a great place...

…for us to start, as we seek to do that.

-Hopefully you’ve found it by now...

We’ll begin reading in Verse 13 for context.

Please follow along as I read.

Colossians 1:13–20 (ESV)

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

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.

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-One of the principal messages of the Old Testament Prophets was that God...

…would one day undo the curse of sin upon the world.

From the day that Adam committed treason in the Garden...

…the Earth and its inhabitants have suffered its consequences.

Paul describes it like this:

Romans 8:22 (ESV)

22 ...the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth...

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Every successive generation has lived and died...

…under the weight of this great judgment.

-The Sons of Israel were no exception.

They received a perfect moral law...

…that showed them the way of life.

But they couldn’t/wouldn’t keep it!

And they too reeled and staggered under the “burden” of sin.

But, the Lord promised (through their prophets)...

…that He would fix it all...

And that He would do so...

…by (essentially) starting over!

He said, in:

Isaiah 65:17–23 (ESV)

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.

18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness.

19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.

-So, notice that the New Creation is connected to...

...the creation and restoration of His people.

And then later:

Isaiah 66:22–23 (ESV)

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain.

23 From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord.

Peter points to this promise in:

2 Peter 3:7–13 (ESV)

7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

10 ...the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

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-Now, I think Peter is clearly referring to...

...the Second Coming of Christ, here.

So, what does this have to do with the First Century Resurrection of Jesus?

More than you might think!

-Look back at our text in Colossians 1.

Paul says, first of all, that as a result of the Cross and Resurrection:

Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV)

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

So, already we see something new happening, don’t we?

(At least, for us)

We’ve become citizens of a New Kingdom!

What Kingdom is that?

We have a new Master (Redemption)!

Not sin and Satan

But Christ!

We have a new relationship with God, don’t we?

Forgiveness of sin!

-Now, beginning in verse 15...

…Paul begins to wax powerfully...

…about the primacy and pre-eminence of Christ.

Colossians 1:15 (ESV)

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

This is a reference to the original creation.

But, the language of Firstborn here...

…isn’t talking about Chronological order...

(as though Jesus were himself created)

…but rather his pre-eminent status/rank...

…over that creation.

(Remember the status of a “firstborn son” over a family)

Paul makes this distinction clear in verses 16-17:

Colossians 1:16–17 (ESV)

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.

“Is” not “was!”

(Rank, not Chronology)

-Now, in verse 18, Paul moves forward in time (in a sense):

Colossians 1:18 (ESV)

18 And he is the head of the body, the church...

Again, we have something “new.”

(I know that that needs heavy qualification)

But, this is definitely the sense...

...of what he writes to the Ephesians:

Referring to:

Ephesians 1:19–23 (ESV)

19 ...the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe...

He says, that...

20...he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

A New (Human) King is enthroned

And in that...

A New Kingdom Inaugurated!

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

That’s something that wasn’t realized...

…before the Resurrection!

-Now, back in Verse 18, Paul says:

Colossians 1:18 (ESV)

18 And he is the head of the body, the church...

...He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, . . .

--Now, here again, “firstborn” is still alluding more to Rank...

...than to Chronology.

(Although, both are accurate here)

-But, what does Paul mean by that description?

-Well, he’s talking about something entirely new altogether.

A whole new order of Creation.

A whole new kind of Creation.

And it began (Its Genesis)...

…was the very moment Jesus arose from the grave!

Let me show you why I say that:

Remember that glorious treatise on the Resurrection, in:

1 Corinthians 15:12–20 (ESV)

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain...

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Why?

18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

Why?

19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Why?

Because we’re giving up our best life now!

Because we’ve taken up our crosses to follow Him.

But, its not in vain! He says:

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

What are firstfruits?

Offering given in faith

Promise of a full harvest at the end.

Like an earnest deposit… Or a down-payment!

He begins to explain why in:

1 Corinthians 15:45 (ESV)

45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Notice:

2 realms of Creation

2 Orders

2 Covenant heads over those respective realms.

He goes on:

1 Corinthians 15:46–49 (ESV)

46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.

Again, notice the dichotomy

47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Then he says this:

1 Corinthians 15:50–53 (ESV)

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

That’s a problem since we’re all “flesh and blood!”

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

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-Now, this is talking about the Resurrection of the dead...

…at the Second Coming of Christ.

And in that sense, it is not yet.

But, we saw very clearly before (Colossians 1:18)...

…that the New Creation had begun...

…the Moment Jesus was Resurrected...

That, He was the firstfruits of that New Creation.

-Let me try to show you how it all works together.

Do you Remember the final section of the Book of Revelation?

Remember how it began?

Revelation 21:1–5 (ESV)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Notice the parallels to Isaiah 65-66.

Notice the coupling of the...

New Creation

Perfecting of the People of God

The parallels go on:

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” . . .

Not “I Will”

Or even, “I have”

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The work is ongoing!

But it has ALREADY begun.

And the Resurrection of Christ is proof!

-Now, let me show you one more thing...

…before we see our glorious conclusion in Colossians 1.

I want you to see that...

…not only has this New Creation begun to be formed generally speaking...

If you are united to Christ...

…through repentance and faith...

…then it has already begun in you as well.

You’re familiar with the language...

…although you may not be used to making this application from it.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a _______________. . .

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

We see this language all over, don’t we?

Galatians 6:15 (ESV)

15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Ephesians 2:5–6 (ESV)

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 4:24 (ESV)

24 ...put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 2:11 (ESV)

11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

-Now, this sort of creates a tension for us, doesn’t it?

It’s that same-old already/not yet paradigm that we see so often.

I think Romans 8 helps us to resolve it:

Romans 8:22–24 (ESV)

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

24 For in this hope we were saved. . .

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The New Creation has begun...

…and it continues to grow as Christ...

Builds His heavenly Kingdom

Builds His holy Church

AND...

...As the Holy Spirit:

Recreates dead sinners (Regeneration)

Continually conforms them to the image of the Man from Heaven!

At the present the two spheres of creation coincide.

Eventually, the former will be…

…eclipsed by the glory of the latter!

And we long for that day.

-But, we have this comfort while we wait...

That Christ is the firstborn of BOTH!

He is Lord of Both!

Why?

Colossians 1:18 (ESV)

18 ...that in everything he might be preeminent.

I like the old King James here:

Colossians 1:18 (KJV)

18 ...that in all things he might have the preeminence.

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This is what it’s all about!

This is what the Resurrection is ULTIMATELY all about!

This is what Christianity is all about

This is what the whole Bible is all about...

The exaltation of Jesus Christ!

He is the pre-eminent One!

He will have first place in everything!

He has… and will always have...

The Pre-eminence!

This is what the Resurrection should remind us of...

...above everything else!

Let’s Pray