Jesus, The All in All Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Last week we covered verse one of this ancient hymn in Colossians. We discovered the deity of Jesus expressed through his creation of all things, for Jesus is the All in All. In this sermon we will come full circle, from creation, to the redemption of all creation, so that he might be All in All.
Colossians 1:18 .
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.
Verse two of the song starts in verse 18, moving from Christ’s work in creation to his culminating work in redemption through the cross, validated by his resurrection, so that he is preeminent - Jesus, the All in All.
Paul and Timothy use three phrases to communicate this.
The first is, “He is the head of the body, the church.”
The second is, “He is the beginning”.
The third is, “He is the firstborn from the dead”.
There are three words we are going to take a look at in the first phrase. They are:
Head
Body
Church
What do Paul and Timothy mean when writing that Christ is the “head”?
There are two symbolic meanings for “head” in the NT. I think they both apply here.
The first meaning is that the head is the source of life. This was first century understanding of the function of the head on the body. We have this understanding as well when we talk about the headwaters of a river or creek. Christ, then, as the head, is the source of life for the Church. Paul uses it this way in Colossians 2:18-19.
18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
The second meaning is that the head is a symbol for authority. Paul uses it this way in Ephesians 1:18-23; 5:23; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Colossians 2:9-10. Christ, then, is in charge of the Body, i.e. the Church.
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
He is in charge of us; what he says goes. Let us listen to our source of life and our ultimate authority.
When we listen to and trust in his authority, it brings a state of rest and peace for us in the turmoil. Jesus is our head, our All in All.
What do Paul and Timothy mean in using the word “body”?
They are communicating three things with the image of “body”.
The first concept they are communicating is dependence. The body is dependent on the head for life. This is made clear in Colossians 2:19.
The second concept they are communicating is submission. The body is in submission to the head. The majority of the time our bodies submit to our thinking. We, then, in like manner are to submit to Christ as laid out in Ephesians 5:23.
The third concept being communicated is diversity with unity. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:12 that a body has many members and we are all members of that body. Christ has gifted each member of his body with gifts to function in the body for the edification and growth of the body. He has gifted all who believe. Do you know what your gift from the Spirit of God is? Are you using your gift in the body?
What do Paul and Timothy mean with the use of the word “church”?
The word “church” is defining who the body symbolizes. It symbolizes the Church.
What do they mean when they say “church”? In the Greek it literally means any gathering of people. Paul and Timothy intend to communicate more than a gathering of people. They are referring to those who have confessed Jesus as Lord and believed in his name - these are the Church (John 1:12).
We who believe are the Church -
Who are dependent on Jesus.
Who are in submission to Jesus.
Who are diverse with unity in Jesus - for Jesus is the All in All.
What is meant by the second phrase, “he is the beginning”?
The Greek word ἀρχή (archē) has three meanings. They are:
first in time.
first in authority.
first cause.
In the current context it carries all three of these meanings.
Jesus is the first in time in that he is the first to rise from the dead, never to die again.
Jesus is the first in authority, for he the head of the Church.
Jesus is the first cause, for he is the Creator, the Originator of all things.
He is Jesus, the All in All.
What is meant by the second phrase, “he is the firstborn of the dead”?
Last week we discussed the two definitions of the word “firstborn” - the first in birth order, and one having privilege, first priority, or precedence. Paul and Timothy use firstborn with the prepositional phrase “of the dead” to signify that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead, never to die again. He has led the charge and those who believe in him will follow him in the resurrection. Paul declares this is 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Good news! Death is not the end, but the beginning of life everlasting.
Jesus, then, is not only the Creator of life, he is the defeater of death.
We can then see how Jesus is preeminent in all, for he has created it all and chosen to redeem it all.
He is Jesus, the All in All.
Colossians 1:19-20 .
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.
The song of Jesus concludes with verses 19-20, explaining how his work of redemption makes him preeminent with three phrases.
The first is “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell”.
Second is “through him to reconcile to himself all things”.
Third is “making peace by the blood of the cross”.
In Jesus all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. To understand this phrase there are three words we want to understand. They are:
“Fullness”
“Pleased”
“Dwell”
The word “fullness” calls the reader back to the OT passages like Ezekiel 44:4
4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. And I fell on my face.
The word “fullness” speaks of the very presence of God. In Colossians 1:19 Paul and Timothy want to make sure we know that none of God’s fullness was lacking, because they used an emphatic “all”. Jesus is the second person of the triune God, with nothing lacking. He is the physical presence of God to humanity.
He is the All in All .
The word “pleased” speaks of the triune God’s disposition. They are all delighted with each other as individual persons in the Godhead. They all wanted to reveal who they are - one God, three persons, to all humanity. They wanted the world to know and they wanted the world to be redeemed through Jesus, the God-man. Perhaps we are to think of Mark 1:11.
11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
God is pleased, for Jesus is the All in All.
The word “dwell” communicates living presence. Jesus, as the second person of the triune God, embodies all of God. Paul will state this emphatically in Colossians 2:9-10
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Jesus is fully God. We are full of the Spirit of Jesus, i.e. the Holy Spirit, so that we can live the life he has called us to through his redemption.
Jesus is the All in All.
Let’s take a look at the second phrase “through Jesus to reconcile to himself all things”.
What is meant by the word “reconcile”?
This is a word that Paul created and uses in his writings to communicate the idea of returning all of creation back to a state of harmony, of bringing us as part of creation into harmony with the triune God. Romans 8:18-25 and 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 communicate the return of creation into harmony with God.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Jesus has, is, and will reconcile all things.
Will you respond to his work of reconciliation?
Come, Jesus, Come!
We have come to the final phrase of this song, “Jesus making peace by the blood of his cross”.
How has his reconciliation brought peace?
It came about through his atoning sacrifice, “the blood of his cross”, speaking of his death for you and me. Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
We, then, have been reconciled, made at peace with God. This is our Jesus whom we love.
This Jesus is at work in our lives and is worthy of all our praise. He is worthy of our trust. Will you trust Jesus, who is the Creator of all and the Redeemer of all; who is Jesus, the All in All?