The Pre-eminence of Christ
Notes
Transcript
Welcome
Most of you here today & other folk that may be streaming remotely online, know me, for those who may not, my name is Andrew McPherson. More of you, most likely, know my beautiful wife being Angela, (and yes, as someone reminded me recently, I have ‘punched above my weight’ by God giving me Ange!
For the purpose of background, we have been fellowshipping here at Edge Inc. since 1995, along with our 4 children, James, Tom, Steve and Grace who have all grown up here at Edge, being granted Faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, baptized here and serving God in a variety of ways up until today.
I pondered as I was preparing to speak today on the reality that this is actually only the 3rd time I’ve been invited to preach from the pulpit here at EDGE Church over the past 28 years!
As I wondered if there perhaps was a message in there somewhere, God brought back to mind an occasion where I was once was invited to run and speak at an afternoon service held Grace Community Age Care way back in 1989. Ane and I where the Parent couple leading the yrs 9 -12 Youth Leaders and together we organised the worship, which included all 12 of us playing and singing a song from the Imperials contemporary gospel group called, ‘Oh Buddha’. Anyway, it was lively and after about 10 mins after of me speaking to these lovely elderly folk, from the book of Romans, I recall looking out at the audience and seeing that over half the elderly folk there had fallen asleep in their chairs!
This is why I believe that God really does have a sense of Humour!
Having said that, I’ll be keeping my eye on you all here today, just so you know alright.
All that said, Thankyou for allowing me to share with you this morning and I do hope that you all here and the no doubt many folk live streaming this message from their holiday locations, have had a blessed Christmas with family and friends & Importantly, a Safe start to 2024.
Shall we Pray together before I share.
Introduction to Colossians
Introduction to Colossians
Intro – I have been invited to speak on Colossians, specifically Chpt. 1
Title and Author : Colossians was written by Paul the apostle chapters 1: 1 – 4:18, and it’s worth noting that whilst there are many scholars that have doubts about Paul’s authorship of this letter, compelling grounds for questioning it’s authenticity are lacking because the language and style are regarded as being well within his range.
It’s interesting to note, that Paul never actually visited Colassae either, as he notes in chapt 2:1), where he writes, “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face”.
The church here was founded by Epaphras, apparently in the wake of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, AD 53-55 where “all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” because of Paul’s daily teaching visitors in the “hall of Tyrannus” (
Acts 19:1-10 Now, some 5-7 yrs later the founder of the Colossian church joined Paul in prison at Rome. (Col. 4:12, 13 cf Acts 28) to tell the apostle of a strange teaching threatening the health of his home church and to remain with Paul to pray for the churches of the Lycus Valley.
Genre : The book of Colossians generally follows standard 1st Century epistolary conventions and contains standard letter openings, body and conclusions
Primary Themes : The Christians Paul addresses in this letter were likely struggling with a Greek-influenced form of “spirituality” that viewed Christians as still being vulnerable to spiritual forces. It was thought that these spiritual forces needed to be placated through veneration, through some sort of asceticism of food and drink, and by honouring certain days prescribed in the Old Testament ceremonial law. The epistle is designed to help us as Christians understand that in order for them to gain acceptance before God they need Christ Only and that God has Already accepted them and us by virtue of the crucified and risen Christ by whom they are united.
Whilst there is a perfection, or maturity, that still stands before them/us as a goal, ref 1:22, 23, 28), they/we are already “filled in him”, the perfect One ref Chpt 2:10. (6mins 30 secs)
The aim of sharing today is that ‘our eyes may be further opened’ via 3 key themes - Col 1:9-23
1) Knowledge of God is the whole point of our life and existence
2) The Preeminence of Christ
3) God does ALL the saving which Includes God giving us The Faith – We don’t get to Opt’ In
Takeaways from Colossians 1 (Passages in focus)
Takeaways from Colossians 1 (Passages in focus)
Knowledge of God is the Point of the Christian Life
Knowledge of God is the Point of the Christian Life
Read Col:1:9
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
– Pauls says, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Here Paul is praying that theirs and our eyes will be further opened, this is the objective.
This is because ‘knowledge of God’ is both the Substance of Spiritual change and the Substance of Sanctification.
The result of this Paul we Read in Colossians 1:10-11 will then be as Paul goes onto say, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
Vs 11 Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
Col 1:12
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
This is why we need to be thankful to our Father God for the Gospel COMING TO US and for HIM QUALIFYING US to share in His Inheritance, and NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
Because of the work that Christ did
Let’s cf this with 2 Cor 4:3-5 where Paul says,
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Here we see God clearly stating his Sovereignty through Paul – God made Satan, for His purposes to play his part in God’s Story. It is not therefore God allows Satan to keep them, people he has created from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory Christ, the image of God? For God, to decide who he will “Let Light shine out of darkness”, to shine in our hearts and to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?
If we now cross reference Paul’s writing in 1 Cor 3 Paul says,
1 Corinthians 3:1–9 (ESV)
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
Then let’s scoot down to 1 Cor 3:18, whereby Paul says,
1 Corinthians 3:18–23 (ESV)
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Then back to Col 1:14 ; it reads – offered freely to those whom believe in him, because of what He achieved for us – Nothing to do with us, nor any Good works we have done for God.
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
– offered freely to those whom believe in him, because of what He achieved for us – Nothing to do with us, nor any Good works we have done for God.
it is the growth of the Christian, for us to know this work Christ has done for us.
Hosea 6:6 (KJV)
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
There is simply nothing that we can give to God.
God asks us to ‘ know him’
The result will be spiritual change, and the bearing of fruit.
Mary and Martha story
What were we made for? To know God.
What aim should we have in life? To know God.
What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? To know God.
What is the best thing in life? To know God.
What in humans gives God most pleasure? Knowledge of himself.
J. I. Packer
Do you sometimes fall into the trap of working for God,
instead of knowing God,
and his work for you?
knowledge of God is the point of life.
Secondly,
The Preeminence of Christ
The Preeminence of Christ
The Preeminence Of Christ
In Col 1:15 we read”
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
- He is The God of Israel, The Alpha and Omega and Yet, He came to Us that we might know & have a relationship with this Invisible God.
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.
We can see examples of Christ’s preeminence everywhere in scripture, demonstrated through moments recorded for us such as ‘The Burning Bush, Moses On The Mountain, like when God walked in the Garden with Adam in ‘The Cool Of The Day’, Jesus In the Fiery Furnace with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
– And his is before all things, and in him all things hold together –
Fact is, that Even when Jesus was nailed onto the Cross, dying, he was holding the Entire world together!
Col 1:18-19 –
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. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
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. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
Here is a good place to reflect on Job’s speech to God, where God says, “ Where were you ?” Who are you again?
God could have solved All of Job’s problems and can solve All our problems today and yet, he intended them upon Job’s life as he does on our lives today, why?
Because in Gen 50:20 , God uses Evil for Good,
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
in Rom 8:28 we can see that everything that is done, God intends for Good.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Have you forgetten that Christ is Soverign over all things in your life?
The problems I face
The Moral Decay of Society
The lives of the people I love...
etc
God has an Overarching plan for Good even where evil is taking place.
Finally,
God Does all the Saving
God Does all the Saving
God does ALL the saving which Includes God giving us The Faith – We don’t get to Opt’ In.
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 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, 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.
It is Christ who does all the reconciling. He alone does the work of salvation
In Ezekiel 36:26-27 God says, it is by his Grace and Mercy, we are ‘Drawn To Him’, to be Given the Gift of Faith.
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
this is true, it can Only come from God.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Free will without God’s grace is not free will at all, but is the permanent prisoner and bondslave of evil, since it cannot turn itself to good.
Martin Luther
Do you believe your salvation to be entirely the work of God?
how much more grateful should i be, to know this.
It is God’s Sovereign Will for each & everyone’s lives that will prevail, The Father Draws us to Him, Gives to Us ‘Faith’ as a Gift of Grace, Divine Love & Mercy.