Colossians 1:15-23, “Who’s In Charge Here?”

Have you heard the true story of two girls, Jean and Betty, and their neighbor?

Jean says, “I probably missed the chance of a lifetime during my years in elementary school. When people hear that I lived across the street from Albert Einstein and passed him daily as I walked to school, their eyes go wide and their breath comes in sharp little puffs. They ask what he said to me and what I said to him. The answer is easy: Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

“…Even back then, long before Einstein was named Man of the Century, we all knew he was a physicist and math genius.

“Math was my worst subject in school. If the guy had been a writer, maybe I’d have managed to mutter something complimentary about his stories. But a physicist? I didn’t even know what the word meant.

“Anyway, a glance at the old man’s lined face and abstracted hair convinced me that nothing I had to say would be of possible interest to him.” (“My Turn: Albert Einstein: Just a neighbor to this little girl”, by Jean Shriver, dailybreeze.com)

Betty Leedom was another story. She was 12 years old and failing at algebra. She was facing the grim reality of summer school in 1941 when she met her neighbor, Albert Einstein, sitting on the bench outside his house in Princeton, NJ.

‘“He said, ‘you know people are afraid of old people,'” Leedom recalled. “I said I wasn’t and that I think I know who you are, and he says, ‘so who am I?'”

‘And so she told him. And then she told him she was doing terrible at algebra. Thus begun, according to Leedom, a four-year, near-daily tutoring rendezvous between herself and Einstein.

‘“He helped me with math,” Leedom, who ended up moving to Lawrence and working in the township’s Deaparment of Recreation after eventually graduating from Penn State, said. “He was very helpful. And we talked about things going on in the day. He was concerned about so much and wanted to know what kids thought.”

‘It’s almost comical to consider this. Literally the greatest theoretical physicist of his or any time, sitting on a park bench helping a 12-year-old girl solve for X.

‘“Some people were afraid to talk to him because they thought he was a crazy old man,” Leedom said. “But he was just so nice. Even when I told him I hated math. He said, ‘you shouldn’t hate math, math is the center of the universe, and anyone who knows math knows everything.'”

‘Leedom said although she knew who Einstein was, she didn’t, at all, comprehend the magnitude of the man while she was his student.

“My parents realized, and my relatives. Eventually, as an adult, I did as well,” she said. “But back then, I just thought he was an ordinary man. Nice.” (JEFF EDELSTEIN: “Albert Einstein was a Princeton genius. And math tutor.” From trentonian.com)

What would have changed in the lives of these two women if they had realized the magnitude of having a relationship with their nice, eccentric neighbor who had wild hair and didn’t wear socks?

Last week we set aside one message just to learn about who Jesus is. Colossians 1:15-20 is all about that - who Jesus is. He is our creator, all authority exists for Him, He holds all things together, He has first place, preeminence in everything.

Do we understand the magnitude of this person who is a household name but maybe some of us haven’t taken the time to get to know at all? Or we’re asking Him to teach us the basics when He could be teaching us advanced astrophysics. The world needs to know Jesus for who He is. The implications are massive.

There are implications for all of our lives that derive from who Jesus is. Colossians 1:20-23 are the implications. When the church of Jesus understands who Jesus is and lives according to the implications, we will share a powerful gospel with the rest of the world.

Who Jesus Is

The area of theology that clarifies who Jesus is is called “Christology”. Verses 15-20 form the Christology that will shape the rest of this letter.

To review what Dave said last week, Paul wants these new Christians to understand that whatever other gods or religions are on the playing field in their culture, Jesus Christ “owns the playing field”.

Colossians 1:16 (ESV)

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.

This means He made this whole world, all you can see and all you cannot see. He made you and you exist for Him. That means He has a purpose for your life. You get your identity, your worth, and value from Him. He has authority over your life. He is in charge. This is the gospel, the good news, Jesus is Lord. Here is the implication for all of us - as you walk through this world, your mind should be constantly aware that Jesus is in charge.

What is the evidence that Jesus is in charge? we won’t fully answer this question yet

What makes that hard to believe? most people do not live according to this reality and contribute to the brokenness

Another implication of the gospel is that because Jesus has authority over your life, He commands your obedience. This is why Paul and Peter both talk about obedience to the gospel (always in the context of consequences for those who do not obey the gospel).

2 Thessalonians 1:7–8 (ESV)

…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Peter 4:17 (ESV)

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Most people in our world right now do not obey the gospel. They are not at peace with the gospel that Jesus is Lord.

Colossians 1:16 (ESV)

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.

All things were created through him and for him, but in our sin, we do not live for Him. We rebel. We live for ourselves. The result is that we do not have peace with God. We do not have peace with one another. We do not have peace with creation. And we do not have peace within ourselves. We are alienated from God and we alienate one another. We have become enemies of God and make more enemies in our world.

The problem is that we cannot make peace with God ourselves. We are alienated and hostile in mind.

Colossians 1:21 (ESV)

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

In other words, we cannot think rightly about who God is, about our condition, or about Jesus’ authority. This is in addition to the evil deeds we do. Our whole being needs to change. Not just behavior. Our thoughts, our disposition toward God, our very being.

We require a new start, a new creation. The good news is that God has begun the new creation in the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t see it in its fullness yet, but Jesus’ death atones for the sin that alienates us and makes us enemies of God. His resurrection is the rebirth into the new creation, the justified life under the kingdom reign of God. Jesus, as the firstborn of the dead has first place in the new creation.

Colossians 1:18 (ESV)

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.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the beginning of God’s new creation. And the Church is embodiment of the new creation in the present creation. We’ll talk more about this next week, but the Church is a special creature. It is the body of Christ on earth, embodying the new reality, the new humanity, Jesus has created in His resurrection. There are implications there. One is that we are following our Head.

This word in verse 18, translated “beginning”, can also be translated “ruler”, which we see in verse 16. Jesus is the beginning in the sense of being the source, the one in first place, the ruler, the one in charge. Jesus is ruler over creation. He is ruler in the new creation. How many of us live like it?

Colossians 1:18 (ESV)

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.

In any organization, everyone knows who’s in charge. You should be able to ask anyone, “who’s in charge here?” and anyone would be able to point the finger and say, “that guy.” For the church, our church, any church, when someone asks the question, “who’s in charge here?” we should all be able to say, “Jesus”.

What gets in the way of that?

How do we grow in giving Jesus authority over our church?

You could summarize who Jesus is by saying,

Colossians 1:19 (ESV)

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

He is the fullness of God dwelling in human flesh and bone. All the power and perfect nature of God dwell in His body. That fact is really important if we are going to understand the gospel.

So, Paul connects who Jesus is with what Jesus has done.

What Jesus Has Done

Colossians 1:20 (ESV)

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

The hostility between God and us is resolved, we are reconciled to God in Jesus Christ.

The result is what Paul describes this way, Colossians 1:21-22

Colossians 1:21–22 (ESV)

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,

For the person who hears the gospel as good news, repents of their rebellion and hostility, and turns to Jesus in faith, puts all their hope for new life in Jesus, we are reconciled with God. We have a new position with Him. Jesus comes to me, saves me from death and destruction resulting from sin, then presents me to God the Father holy, blameless, and above reproach.

What makes this hard to believe? practically our lives don’t always demonstrate this

Our position as holy and blameless before God is ours because our faith unites us with Jesus Christ. This is sometimes called positional righteousness. Now we abide in Jesus, and He lives His life in us. Jesus told His disciples at their last Passover together,

John 15:4 (ESV)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Jesus used that word, “abide”, 10 times in that night in the upper room. One implication of our abiding in Christ is that we bear fruit, our lives practically will demonstrate a change. That’s what Paul says next.

Colossians 1:23 (ESV)

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.

There are several words here that remind us of Jesus’ words about abiding. The very first one, “continue”, is the same root word Jesus used for abiding. And all the rest - “stable” means established on a foundation, “steadfast” means firm in your position, “not shifting” means immovable. Our lives should demonstrate a stability that demonstrates we are rooted in the vine, connected to our head, built on the solid rock of Jesus. Pick your favorite Jesus metaphor. If Jesus has made you new and holy and righteous, and if you make a habit of abiding in Him, developing that union with Jesus, your life will demonstrate that Jesus is in charge. You will forgive as Jesus forgave you. You will be generous as God is. You will seek peace with everyone, even those who are hostile toward you.

We asked earlier, what is the evidence to the world that Jesus is in charge? It’s believers in Jesus, transformed from being alienated and hostile toward God to being people with steadfast hope in Jesus Christ amidst all the afflictions of our lives. We are no longer alienated from God, but reconciled. And our minds are no longer hostile. They are shaped by practices and habits that remind us that we are reconciled to God and with one another in Jesus Christ.

(Woman at the well of Sychar)

Communion

Questions for Discussion

Who is someone you met without knowing their true significance? Has there been anyone that surprised you with the impact they made in your life?

When we look at the world around us, who seems to be in charge?

When we look into Colossians 1:15-18, who is really in charge? Who is Jesus, according to this passage?

What has Jesus done, according to Colossians 1:20-22?

What does this passage teach us about ourselves?

How does our holy and blameless position in Christ become a reality in our lives practically, according to Colossians 1:23?

How will you respond to this passage this week?

Who is someone you could share this passage with this week?