Who is Jesus?
God’s Power to Create & Sustain • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Today’s Reading from God’s Word
Today’s Reading from God’s Word
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Introduction
Introduction
Over the course of the last few weeks we’ve talked a lot about faith.
We spent the first two weeks of June in Luke’s gospel looking at what happened when Jesus, Peter, James, and John returned from the mount of transfiguration — and the healing of one of the most horrific accounts of demon possession in the gospels.
His case was so severe and the disciples were so intimidated by it, that they could not cast the demon out.
Jesus called the boy to him and healed him — and in the process of everything taught his disciples (and us) a very important lesson about faith.
The basic human problem is unbelief.
Will we learn to trust what God says? Rely totally on Him?
Faith is:
Faith is:
Simple: Faith is believing what God said because he said it.
Theologically: Faith is a conviction that trusts in what God has said that operates on the character and will.
The power of faith consists in believing what God has said is true and allowing that to shape and conform you life accordingly.
It has implications in how we behave and the attitudes we possess.
It is not just believing something and stopping there —- it involves action.
It is, as we said two weeks ago — the decision to depend on Jesus to save us.
A decision of the will to surrender everything.
Time, possessions, abilities, life itself, eternal destiny … where I place everything into the hands of Christ.
12 and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.
This is personal with Paul.
He had cast everything on Jesus. He trusted Him as a person.
He was relying on Jesus’ ability to save — not himself — not his efforts or initiatives.
This is what Jesus is teaching in John 3:16.
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus does not say “whoever believes him.”
i.e., believes what he says is true and able to be trusted.
But, “whoever believes in Him.”
You could easily translation this as “believes into Him.”
Which conveys the sense of trust or confidence that goes into and rests in Jesus as a person.
This critical element must not be left out of our teaching.
The actual source of our salvation lies in a work that has been done by someone else — Jesus.
The act of relying on him and his work - instead of ourselves and our works - is the very essence of faith.
Salvation is by the very promise of God.
Now, to today’s text.
Now, to today’s text.
Let’s turn to Colossians 1.
Your Present Status
Your Present Status
Colossians 1:12-13 - the Father has:
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
Colossians 1:14: In Jesus we have:
14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Who is the person we’re casting our faith upon and what does He possess?
Who is the person we’re casting our faith upon and what does He possess?
What you just read in v. 14 begins a litany of amazing truths about Jesus that is probably the most concentrated description of the glory of Christ in the New Testament.
There are 15 facts describing Jesus here:
1:14 - in him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
1:15a- He is the image of the invisible God.
1:15b - He is the firstborn over all creation — that is, the specially honored first and only Son over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
1:16a - For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible.
1:16b - All things were created through him.
1:16c - All things were created for him.
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
1:17a - He is before all things.
1:17b - In him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
1:18a - He is the head of the body, the church.
1:18b - He is the beginning.
1:18c - He is the firstborn from the dead.
1:18d - He has first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
1:19 - In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
1:20a - He reconciles everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
1:20b - He makes peace by the blood of His cross.
Now, isn’t that amazing?
If you ever have any doubt, you need to come back to this list of the glory of jesus Christ and ask God to melt your heart to respond to the greatness described here.
These things should awaken our admiration, amazement, and joy.
In him, is the greatest person and the greatest power and the greatest wisdom and the greatest love that exists.
This is who we put our faith in.
Let’s Talk About:
Let’s Talk About:
Jesus and God.
Jesus and all of Creation.
Jesus and the Unseen World.
Jesus and His Church.
Jesus and Everything Else.
Colossians 1:15 - Jesus and God
Colossians 1:15 - Jesus and God
Colossians 1:15 (CSB)
15 He is the image of the invisible God,…
He is the image of the invisible God.
He is the image of the invisible God.
God is invisible. He cannot be seen.
So God became visible through Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God.
Jesus is the really true, graphic, perfect, and flawless image of God.
Let’s look at the opening verses of Hebrews:
2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Radiance — He is not the Father — but he shines or reflects the brightness or greatness of the Father — like the rays do of the sun.
He is the exact expression of God’s nature.
Image. used here and in Colossians 1. It comes
from a word that means exact reproduction. A precise copy.
Jesus is the exact reproduction of God.
He’s not just a sketch. He is all filled in.
Nothing missing, altered, or changed.
18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.
Look back at v. 14:
14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
It was obvious that Jesus was manifesting God.
Only in Christ is God seen in absolute perfection.
He is the firstborn over all creation.
He is the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15 (CSB)
15 He is …, the firstborn over all creation.
This is a reference to position — not time.
Jesus was never created.
4 John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
“firstborn” refers to rank, right of authority, to primacy.
Chronology is not in view here.
The firstborn is the one who has the rights of inheritance.
Christ is the honored one; the privileged one; the prestigious one. The Father’s heir.
The inheritance goes to Christ. Revelation 5 is John’s vision of Him receiving his inheritance.
1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals.
2 I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
Under Roman law a will had to be sealed with 7 seals.
No one was worthy to open it or look into it.
John wept. Where was the heir? The primary one?
5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth.
7 He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.
This is Jesus taking over as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
8 When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth.
He is over all things.
Colossians 1:16 - Jesus and the World
Colossians 1:16 - Jesus and the World
Colossians 1:16 (CSB)
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, … all things have been created through him and for him.
This is the why of his primacy over all creation.
He created everything. Remember Hebrews 1:2 here … through Him God created the universe.
This is amazing. Beyond comprehension.
Especially when you consider its scope.
The sun is so big you can fill it with 1.2 million earths.
The nearest star is 200 billion miles away.
The north star is 400 bill miles away.
Betelgeuse is so big that its diameter is the size of the earth’s orbit. It is 880 quadrillion miles away.
Jesus made it all.
And he remade you.
He is before all things.
He is before all things.
Colossians 1:17 (CSB)
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
before there was anything — he was there.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.
By Him, all things Hold Together.
By Him, all things Hold Together.
Colossians 1:17 (CSB)
17 by him all things hold together.
Let’s get down to the atomic level for a second. Here, we see all indications of design.
Every atom has a nucleus consisting of protons and neutrons.
Protons put out electrical charges that should repel neutrons because they are magnetic.
What holds the nucleus together?
Something is overriding what should be happening. One scientist said:
“Every object is a potential nuclear explosive, without being blown to bits.”
Who holds it together?
Sometime in the future — God is going to stop holding it all together.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.
Dissolved.
Everything is going to melt.
The glue that holds it all together will be gone — and the universe will end.
Colossians 1:16b - Jesus and the Unseen World
Colossians 1:16b - Jesus and the Unseen World
Colossians 1:16 (CSB)
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
“Invisible”
Thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities.
All were created by Him.
He is over them — not one of them.
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Ephesians 1:21–22 (CSB)
21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church,
Kings sit on elevated thrones. Everyone is at his feet.
He is over everything in the seen and unseen world.
Colossians 1:18 - Jesus and His Church
Colossians 1:18 - Jesus and His Church
He is the Head of the Body, which is the church.
He is the Head of the Body, which is the church.
Colossians 1:18 (CSB)
18 He is also the head of the body, the church; …
We are inseparably tied together by the living Christ.
He lives in us all — with the same life — we are joined inseparably to Him.
He is the beginning of the church.
He is the beginning of the church.
Colossians 1:18 (CSB)
18 he is the beginning, …
He is its source and the highest in rank.
“beginning” is the word we use for pioneer. The one out front. The number 1.
He is the firstborn from the dead.
He is the firstborn from the dead.
Colossians 1:18 (CSB)
18 the firstborn from the dead, …
He died on the cross and was raised from the dead. He has now been exalted.
He is the ranking one of all those resurrected.
He has first place in everything.
He has first place in everything.
Colossians 1:18 (CSB)
18 … so that he might come to have first place in everything.
No one is in front of him. He calls the shots.
Colossians 1:19-20 - Jesus and Everything Else
Colossians 1:19-20 - Jesus and Everything Else
Colossians 1:19–20 (CSB)
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Paul includes this just in case he left something out.
Everything is subject to Christ.
In him all the fullness of God dwells.
He has all wisdom and knowledge.
He has no rivals.
9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,
10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
As We Close…
As We Close…
Let’s turn to John 1:16
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
When you became a Christian all that he has becomes yours.
You have not yet received it in totality … but you have received it by faith.
Remember what faith is. It is the accepting of what God has said because He is God.
Who Jesus is is objectively true. It is not an opinion or an idea.
Jesus is worthy of our worship and praise.
We, who often feel so small and vulnerable, feel alone or defeated, or ready to walk away … need to remember that our brother is the Creator of the Universe — and everything in it is subject to Him.
Since that is the case, does He not have the power to provide for our every need?
Your salvation in Him is solid and secure.
Have you put your trust in Him?
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.