Christ: Who Is He and What Is He To You?

Colossians 1:9–20 NKJV

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Theme: Christ is the visible image of the invisible God, the Creator, Sustainer, Savior, and Reconciler of all things. Purpose: To deepen the hearer's understanding of the supremacy of Christ and challenge them to consider their personal relationship with Him.

Introduction

Bill Withers wrote a song in 1972 that started like this

[Verse 1] A man we passed just tried to stare me down

And when I looked at you, you looked at the ground I don't know who he is but I think that you do Dad-gum-it! Who is he, and what is he to you? [Verse 2] Ah, something in my heart and in your eye Tells me he's not someone just passing by Ahh, and when you cleared your throat, was that your cue? Dad-gum-it! Who is he, and what is he to you? [Verse 3] Ah now, when I add the sum of you and me I get confused and keep coming up with three You're too much for one man but not enough for two Dad-gum-it! Who is he, and what is he to you?

Bill wanted to know WHO IS HE AND WHAT IS HE TO YOU?

There’s a question that all of us must answer—not just with our mouths, but with our lives:

“Who is Christ to you?”

Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew 16:15:

“But who do you say that I am?”

That question echoes through eternity. Some say:

A prophet

A moral teacher

A miracle worker

A myth

A spiritual guru

But the Apostle Paul paints a very different picture in Colossians 1:9–20—a majestic portrait of Jesus Christ in His fullness.

🟡 Transition: Today we want to look at this passage to answer two critical questions:

Who is Christ?

What is He to YOU personally?

I. Christ Is the Revealer of God’s Will

(Colossians 1:9–10)

“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…”

Paul begins by praying that believers would know God’s will. But notice—this will is not a secret treasure map. God’s will is revealed in a Person—Jesus Christ.

John 14:6–9 – “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

Hebrews 1:1–2 – “In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.”

🟡 Illustration: Think of God’s will like a road map. For years, people relied on paper maps to get somewhere. But then came GPS—real-time, up-close, personalized guidance. That’s what Jesus is: God’s personal GPS, guiding us in truth.

🟡 Application: If you are confused about God’s will for your life, start by drawing close to Christ. The will of God is found in the Word of God, and the Word became flesh—Jesus.

II. Christ Is the Rescuer of Our Souls

(Colossians 1:11–14)

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Christ rescued us from:

The power of sin – “delivered us from the domain of darkness”

The penalty of sin – “redemption”

The stain of sin – “forgiveness”

🟡 Cross References:

Ephesians 2:1–5 – “You were dead in trespasses… but God made you alive in Christ.”

Romans 6:22–23 – “You have been set free from sin.”

🟡 Illustration: Picture a prisoner on death row—guilty and awaiting execution. Then, someone walks in, takes the sentence, opens the prison door, and says, “You’re free.” That’s what Christ has done for you. He didn't just bail you out, He took your place.

🟡 Quote:

“Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live.” – Ravi Zacharias

III. Christ Is the Reflection of the Invisible God

(Colossians 1:15)

“He is the image of the invisible God…”

The Greek word eikon means an exact imprint—Jesus is the perfect representation of God’s nature.

John 1:18 – “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.”

Philippians 2:6 – Though He was God, He did not cling to His rights as God.

🟡 Illustration: Have you ever tried to see your reflection in a cracked mirror? That’s humanity without Christ—distorted and broken. But Jesus is the perfect mirror of the Father’s heart.

🟡 Quote:

“God is Christlike, and in Him is no un-Christlikeness at all.” – A. W. Tozer

IV. Christ Is the Ruler and Creator of All Things

(Colossians 1:16–17)

“For by Him all things were created… all things were created through Him and for Him… and in Him all things hold together.”

This is a staggering truth:

Christ created everything—seen and unseen (angels, galaxies, atoms).

He holds the universe together.

🟡 Cross References:

Genesis 1:1 + John 1:1–3 – Jesus was with God and was God at creation.

Hebrews 1:3 – “He upholds all things by the word of His power.”

🟡 Illustration: Think of an orchestra. Without the conductor, even the most talented musicians play in chaos. Jesus is the divine Conductor of the cosmos, orchestrating creation with perfect order and timing.

🟡 Application: If He holds the universe together, can’t He hold your life together too? Even in chaos, Christ holds everything in His hands.

V. Christ Is the Reconciler of the Church and the World

(Colossians 1:18–20)

“He is the head of the body, the church… and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things…”

Christ brings reconciliation—not just for the church, but for the entire creation.

Reconciled vertically with God

Reconciled horizontally with one another

Ultimately, Christ will restore all creation (Romans 8:19–21)

🟡 Cross References:

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 – “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.”

Ephesians 2:14–18 – He is our peace, breaking down every dividing wall.

🟡 Illustration: When a bone is broken, it has to be realigned to heal properly. Christ realigns our fractured world and heals our broken relationship with God.

🟡 Quote:

“The blood of Christ not only paid the debt, it built the bridge.” – Unknown

VI. Christ Must Be the Center of Your Life

All these glorious truths beg the personal question:

What is Christ to YOU?

Paul tells us who Christ is:

Image of God

Creator

Sustainer

Redeemer

Reconciler

Head of the Church

Preeminent One

But the question remains:

Is He preeminent in your heart?

🟡 Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…”

🟡 Quote:

“He is either Lord of all, or not Lord at all.” – Hudson Taylor

Conclusion & Invitation

Jesus is not just a piece of your life—He is the point of your life.

Who is Christ to you?

A Sunday figure?

A historical person?

A religious icon?

Or the living Lord, ruler of all, and Redeemer of your soul?

He’s calling you today:

To walk in His wisdom

To live in His power

To rest in His redemption

To reflect His image

To surrender to His lordship

🟡 Altar Appeal: If you’ve never made Christ the center of your life, today is the day. If you’ve drifted, let this be the moment you return. If you’ve doubted His power, let this Word renew your trust.

Let Us Pray:

Lord Jesus, we see You now—not just as a teacher or prophet, but as the very image of God, the Creator and Savior of all. Help us to surrender fully. May we not only know who You are but live in response to who You are. In Jesus’ name, Amen.