Why Christ Has All The Power

Read Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

Introduction

Forbes has a list of the most powerful people in the world.

Who do you think is on the list of the most powerful people in the world?

Slightly lower in the list were people like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.

In the top 10 included people like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.

Interestingly Pope Francis was also in the top 10.

Towards the very top is Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China.

Which makes a lot of sense as these are the two leaders of some of the most authoritarian countries in the world.

But there is one person that this list is sorely lacking.

That’s right: Jesus Christ.

You see many people view Jesus as a good teacher and a hippie.

Most people don’t see Jesus as a mighty powerful person.

After all, He was crucified on a cross!

How could someone nailed to a cross be powerful?

Today, that’s why we are going to learn, Why Christ Has All The Power.

1. He is the supreme authority (v.15)

What makes Jesus the supreme authority?

First, Paul says, ‘he is the image of the invisible God’.

It’s not the trees, the rocks, or the waters made in His image.

It’s not the deer, fish, or birds that are made in His image.

Humans, and humans alone are made in His image.

Image refers to representation.

The trees, the waters, and the animals do not represent God.

It’s people.

But we do not represent God perfectly.

See we are made, that’s why Genesis 1:26 says,

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Created things are not perfect.

They are made to rely on God.

God made Adam to have authority over the fish, birds, and the earth, but he failed because being an imperfect creation, he was made to rely on God, and Adam rebelled against God by not relying on Him.

But Jesus was not made.

Jesus was not created.

Jesus is the perfect visual image of God.

That’s what Hebrews 1:3 says,

Hebrews 1:3 (LSB)

who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature

Why is Jesus the perfect image of God?

Because Jesus is God.

John 1:18 says,

John 1:18 LSB

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Jesus being a person of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, means that He Himself is God.

That’s why Jesus can make the Father, who is invisible, be known and seen.

Hebrews says Jesus, is the ‘radiance of His glory’.

It is the rays of the sun, the light that allow you to see it.

Jesus allows you to see the Father’s glory.

John says, that only Jesus has seen God because He is the Son in intimate relationship with the Father.

Only Jesus can explain the Father or make him known, because He is His Son.

In other words, Jesus is the supreme authority because He is God.

Without Jesus you cannot see or know God.

Any religion, way of life, even idea, that does not have Jesus, does not have God.

Any religions, way of life, even idea, that claims to know or have seen God without Jesus, are lying.

Because The Father is invisible.

You cannot see Him without Jesus, the radiant Son of God, who has all the power because He is the perfect visible representation of God and has supreme authority.

There’s another reason why Jesus is the supreme authority.

Paul calls Jesus, ‘the firstborn over all creation’.

First, you have to understand what a firstborn is.

In ancient times, the firstborn is the son born first to a father, and would receive double the inheritance compared to the rest of his siblings.

The reasoning was because the firstborn has the highest responsibility among his siblings, and because he was the oldest, he existed before his other siblings, he deserved the most honor.

So Paul, using that idea of firstborn, applies it to Jesus.

Now does this mean Jesus was created?

No.

As we just discussed, Jesus is God, He is not created.

Yes, when Jesus came into the world, He was born as a baby.

But since He was God, already existing, He took on flesh.

Jesus as God, added, human nature, to His divine being, so that Jesus the Son, and only the Son, not the Father, or the Holy Spirit, is truly God and truly man.

That’s why Jesus is equal to the Father, and Holy Spirit, because not even the Father added humanity to Himself.

So Jesus, already existing, took on flesh.

And that’s why Jesus is the firstborn, because Jesus is eternal.

Jesus existed before everyone and everything else.

Before you were born, before your parents were born, and your grandparents, and their grandparents, Jesus was here.

Jesus was here before eternity past.

And because Jesus was before everyone else, He is worthy of the highest honor, and the highest rank.

Psalm 89:27 (NKJV)

Also I will make him My firstborn,

The highest of the kings of the earth.

Ranks are everywhere.

There are ranks in the police, ranks in the army, ranks in companies, there are even ranks in video games.

In the police, there’s the deputy, the sheriff, and the chief of police.

In companies there are managers, directors, and C-level suite: CEO, CTO, etc.

In the military there are even more ranks, from private, to sergeants, to captains, to colonels, to the general, all the way to the president.

The higher you are in rank, the more authority you have over others.

And Jesus is the highest in rank.

He existed before all.

The highest rank in the world are kings, or presidents and prime minister’s in today’s world.

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is the President of presidents, and Prime Minister of prime ministers.

And that’s what Paul means by calling Jesus the firstborn.

Firstborn simply means Jesus existed before all and has supreme authority.

That’s why Jesus has all the power.

But authority over what?

Paul says, ‘over all creation’.

Jesus being firstborn over all creation, means that He has supreme authority over everything that exists.

As the First to ever exist and the supreme authority over all, Jesus has all the power.

There is no higher authority in your life than Jesus.

Your friends at school, people older than you, do not have higher authority than Jesus in your life.

If they tell you do something that contradicts what Jesus said in His word, the Bible, then you do not follow them, you follow Jesus.

Even if it’s your teacher, the principle, or a police officer, if they tell you to stop talking about Jesus, you do not submit to them, you submit to the king of kings, Jesus.

Even if its your parents.

And the Bible even commands you students, to obey your parents.

But if they ever command you to do something, that is clearly against Jesus’ Word, you submit to Lord Jesus not them.

If you come across something or someone harmful, or something that makes you scared,

Do not fear them.

Jesus has power over them.

Realize, that Jesus existed before them.

Even something as ancient as false religions.

Even demons.

Jesus was around way longer than them.

Jesus existed before them

Jesus has supreme authority over them.

No one can do a thing, not a terrible event can happen, without Jesus’ permission.

Jesus has the final say in everything.

When something or someone is troubling you just pray, ‘Jesus you have all the power.

You are the supreme authority.

You existed before them and whatever they do must bow to Your will before they can do it.

So I trust you Jesus, because you have a plan, for why this is happening to me.

I trust you Jesus.’

Because Jesus has all the power.

Because He is the supreme authority.

2. He is the creator (v.16-17)

Look at v.16 - ‘For by Him all things were created’

A better way to say it is, ‘For in Him all things were created’

Colossians 1:16 (LSB)

For in Him all things were created

Everything that is made has a tag that tells you were it’s made in.

‘Made in China’

‘Made in USA’

But everything in existence, including ones that don’t have tags: things in nature, the galaxies, and every single animal and person also has a tag:

‘Made in Christ’

See it’s in Christ everything was created.

And when Paul says ‘everything’ he literally means everything.

He says, ‘that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers’.

Every single thing, from the atoms, to kingdoms, governments, and spiritual beings were made in Christ.

They were all made in Christ.

They all come from Him.

That is why Jesus has all the power because He is the supreme power all other powers come from.

And they were all handcrafted by Him.

Paul continues, ‘All things were created through Him’

Everything that exists comes from Jesus because they were all made by Jesus.

Psalm 139:13 (LSB)

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

Jesus Christ is the artisan who handcrafted everyone and everything and including the small details and overall design.

And everything that Jesus made, was made for the intended purpose of glorifying Him.

Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

This why Jesus has ultimate power.

Everything comes from Jesus, was made by Jesus, and was made to glorify Jesus.

That’s why Paul says, ‘all things were created…and for Him’

Everything was made to point to Jesus and say to others, ‘worship Jesus!’

Everything.

And because everything’s purpose in life was to point to Jesus, it also means that Jesus owns everything.

When you give a gift and write, ‘for:’ it is for that person and that person alone to own.

Everything belongs to Jesus.

From the whole earth, to every single thing you own, in reality, it belongs to Jesus.

And that is why Jesus has all the power because everything is made for Him and belongs to Him.

Now, there are many things in this world that are good and things that are not.

But first understand, Jesus did not create evil.

Evil is not an independent thing.

Evi is the lack of good.

Just like light is shown to have particles and waves.

Darkness has no matter or particles, it’s just the absence of light.

Evil is the absence of good.

And evil is seen in rebellion against God.

Personal beings that are not good, are personal beings that have rebelled against Jesus.

Things such as demons and false religions.

Jesus did not create demons as demons and false religions to be false religions.

He created angels who rebelled as demons, and he created worshippers who rebelled by worshipping false things.

They were originally made by Jesus to glorify Him!

But what about inanimate things such things in nature?

Some of the things created by Jesus have been corrupted by the Fall in the Garden or are misused by rebels.

Things such as hallucinogenic drugs were not made for getting high, but instead were corrupted by the Fall and now misused by rebellious people.

So when people say, ‘God made weed, so it’s good to smoke weed because it’s natural’ they ignorantly forget that we live in a fallen corrupted world, with fallen people who rebel against God by misusing things in creation.

And some of these wicked things were made by rebellious people.

Things such as ‘recreational man-made drugs’ or even inappropriate apps or websites, were made by rebellious people that Jesus created.

These people who commit these rebellious acts, are people created by God, and owe their very existence to Him.

And that’s why Jesus has all the power over all people and their rebellious deeds is because He is their creator.

He will use these rebellious people and their wicked actions for His good purposes and plan.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

And what is His purpose?

That Jesus uses us as His new creation as part of His plan to redeem the world today: to restore wicked things to how they should be.

And will fully restore everything when He returns.

All these people and spiritual beings who Jesus created to glorify Him that we just mentioned before, even the ones that rebelled against Him such as demons and false worshippers, come from Christ, were made by Christ to glorify Him, and continue to exist because of Christ.

And because Jesus is the creator of all things, Jesus has complete power over everything.

False religions, cults, evil governments: from North Korea to ours, and even demons, Jesus has power over all of these things.

Rebellious people and their sinful creations, Jesus has power over all things.

All of these wicked beings and their actions, that seem scary, or powerful actually have zero power.

They are not evil forces to be reckoned with that have their way with the world.

They are all completely powerless without their creator: Jesus.

And so when you’re confronted with difficult circumstances in life, or people that are trying to harm you, or things that are just wicked that you see on the news, online, or even at school.

Do not fear them.

Recognize that rebels and demons are powerless, and that Jesus has power over them because He is their creator.

When you see natural disasters like the smokey fog this past week from the Canadian wildfires, Jesus has power over them because He created all of nature.

When you are feeling afraid by whatever it is, person, place, or thing, cult, and evil governments, pray,

‘Lord Jesus this wicked person and the sinful things they make are powerless because you are their creator.

And even though they are rebelling against you, you have complete power over them because you are their creator.

You have power over your creation Lord, I trust you.’

And as creator, Jesus also sustains (repeat) His creation.

That’s what Paul says in v.17, ‘And He is before all things and in Him all things consist.’

Just like what we learned earlier, Jesus eternally existed as the creator, and it is in Him all things consist, or in other words Jesus holds up everything that exists from falling into chaos and destruction.

Because if you don’t maintain things, they fall apart.

If you never change the oil in your car, if you never change the tires, if you never change the battery, your car won’t last very long.

It’s the same with Jesus.

He continues to maintain and sustain everything that exists to continue existing!

Without Jesus, the very atoms that are the fabric of reality would spiral into chaos, and everything would fall apart!

He doesn’t just create the world, and then put His hands up and walk away and say, ‘I’m done.’ like He doesn’t care anymore.

No Jesus cares.

He’s personally involved in everything that goes on in His world.

Because every single thing in existence has no meaning without Jesus Christ.

Without Jesus nothing can continue to exist, and that also means without Jesus everything has no meaning or purpose in life.

Because Jesus is the center.

Just like how the sun is the center of the solar system, and without the sun the planets would drift off into nothing without purpose, so Jesus is the center of existence itself.

The answer to the age old question, ‘what’s the meaning of life’ is ‘Jesus Christ’.

Because life itself comes from Jesus, handcrafted by Him, to bring Him glory, and continues to exist and have meaning by His sustaining power.

So when you see wicked things in life that are in rebellion to their king Jesus, you will see that they are meaningless.

Whether it’s the false religions other people at school believe, whether in false gods or themselves or other people, they are empty meaningless things.

And even yourself.

If you ever start to question what is the meaning of your life, remember this, that Jesus Christ is the meaning of life.

He is the center.

He is the power that holds all things together, including your very existence and meaning to life.

So stop drifting away from the center of life, Jesus, and come back, and you will suddenly have meaning in your life again.

Conclusion

Bible scholar N.T. wright said,

There is now only one Power we are to follow, and that Power has a human face, a face once crowned with thorns.

N. T. Wright

Students, we follow the most powerful being in the universe:

Jesus Christ, God.

So don’t be afraid or worry about your life.

But trust in Jesus.

Don’t worship anything or anyone but Jesus who is almighty.

Gospel

And if you don’t follow Christ the omnipotent, all-powerful God.

I urge you to repent and follow Him.

Because He will come again to judge, and judge those who do not follow Him into everlasting torment.

But the good news is that our all-powerful Jesus humbly took on flesh, so that He could pay for our sins to the Father, so that we wouldn’t have to pay for our sins in eternity in hell, but instead be saved from His wrath and have eternal life, and live with peace and joy, now and forever.

It’s a free gift, all you have to is accept this free gift by faith alone, that there is no other way to be saved than the cross of Christ, and that your works cannot save you.

Let’s pray.