Session 2: ' Colossians 1:15–23
Colossians Greear • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Session Goals
Every session has a point—what each participant should walk away from the discussion knowing, feeling, and doing.
Main Idea: Since Jesus is supreme over all things— creation, authorities, the Church. Through Christ, we are reconciled to God, we can stand firm in our faith, rooted in the hope of the gospel and Christ’s supremacy.
Head Change: To know Jesus is supreme over everything in life—creation, authorities both spiritual and not, and the Church.
Heart Change: To feel secure in Jesus’s authority over all things and rooted in the hope of the gospel.
Life Change: To stand firm in our faith—faithful to God and obedient to His Word—regardless of any circumstance.
Open
How do we use the word “supreme” in our culture? (supreme pizza, the Supreme Leader in Star Wars, the Supreme Court, etc.)
With those examples in mind, how would you say our culture defines supremacy? How do you think that compares to the biblical definition of supremacy? (Cultural defines supremacy as the best or highest or something that has the most. Biblical supremacy refers to God’s authority, rulership, and power over all creation.)
Louie Giglio has already mentioned the supremacy of Jesus so far in this study of Colossians. The passage we’re studying today talks specifically about Jesus— His supremacy, authority, and power. Before we begin, let’s pray that the Spirit would deepen our love and understanding of Jesus as we go through this session.
Read
Read Colossians 1:15–23
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 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.
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
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.
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.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
22 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,
23 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.
Watch
Before viewing the session, here are a few important things to look for in Louie’s teaching. As you watch, pay attention to how Louie answers the following questions.
What is Jesus supreme over?
How does Jesus’s supremacy and the sufficiency of Jesus relate to our worth and purpose?
Show Session 2: Colossians 1:15–23 (12 minutes)
Discuss
Before we dive into this session, let’s review what we’ve already discussed in Colossians. Remember that Paul wrote this letter while in prison with Timothy. He penned this letter to encourage and correct the church in Colossae. This church had added to the gospel in several ways—and we’ll talk more about the specifics of what they added later on in this series.
Louie summed up the theme of this book—it’s all about the supremacy of Jesus over all things. How did the supremacy of Jesus apply to the verses we studied in the last session? (Jesus is supreme over our salvation. He rescued us from sin and death by His own death. We’re now in His kingdom. See Colossians 1:13–14 for a refresher.)
As Louie walked through verses 15–23, he pulled out three characteristics of Jesus. Jesus is the originator, sustainer, and leader. What other initial observations about Jesus do you make in these verses?
Verses 15–20 are actually a hymn. Some of your Bible translations might even format this part of the text differently, like a poem or the lyrics to a song. It’s as if Paul pauses for a brief moment to exalt Christ by worshipping Him. This section begins by saying Jesus is the image of the invisible God. How did Jesus display the character and nature of God while He was on earth?
GO DEEPER
Read more about the image of God in Scripture in these verses: Gen. 1:26–27; Exod. 20:4–6
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
According to these verses, how would you describe a biblical definition of “image”? (An image is someone or something that represents God. Humans were made in God’s image—in His likeness. Idols attempted to make a physical representation of God on earth.)
Why do you think God didn’t want images made of Him? What about a human-created image is insufficient? (A created image isn’t God. God didn’t want a tangible representation of Him on earth that misrepresented who He is. He also wanted Israel to have faith in Him.)
Why, then, is it okay that Jesus is the image of God? (Jesus is God. He is the physical representation of God on earth. He images God by being fully God and fully human.)
In verse 15, Paul says Jesus is the “firstborn over all creation.” Does saying Jesus was “firstborn” mean He was created? Why not?
Some people take this verse to mean that God created Jesus since Paul calls Jesus “firstborn over all creation.” The early church counsels deemed this view heretical, but we still see it pop up among groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Paul isn’t saying Jesus was created. Rather, the term “firstborn” refers to Jesus’s position of privilege. He exercises authority over all creation because, as we see in verse 16, all things were made through Him and for Him.
How does verse 16 describe Jesus’s authority? (He is over heaven, earth, the visible and invisible, thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities because He created them.)
Why do you think it matters that all things were made by and for Jesus?
What specific things does Jesus have authority over in your life? (Some answers include: your job, family, boss, salary, friendships, president/representative, spouse, habits, natural disasters, etc.)
What areas are your life are difficult for you to view as under Jesus’s authority? Why?
What do you think it looks like to live in such a way that reflects Jesus’s authority over all things?
Reread verse 17. Louie talked about a protein called laminin—a cell adhesion molecule, which means it holds human body cells together and is in the shape of a cross. Louie used laminin to remind us that Jesus does hold all things together—quite literally.
GO DEEPER
Read more about the deity of Christ in these verses: John 1:1–5, 18; Heb. 1:1–4; Phil. 2:5–11
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What truths about Jesus do we learn from these verses?
Humble
human
God
Servant
Like man
Exalted
Obedient\
Superior to Angels
Heir of all things
Never seen
Triune
How do these verses contribute to the discussion of Jesus’s supremacy?
We start to see definite correlation between Jesus and God as the same person in the Trinity equation. Jesus and God are both the same as described through John 1. We also see that Jesus is the obedient Son of God and heir of all things. Giving identity to His supremacy as our Savior and Lord.
How are these verses similar to what Paul says about Jesus in Colossians 1?
(In John and Hebrews, it mentions Jesus is the agent of creation. Philippians talks about Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.)
Jesus is fully God. Scripture clearly states it as fact. In His deity, Jesus rules with authority and power.
Because Jesus is fully God, He could bring reconciliation between God and us through His sacrifice on the cross. He became the perfect sacrifice needed to reunite us with God.
What is it like to be alienated from God?
Lonely and left aside. It would be hopeless at its best state. Pointless. Drifting further away. Sin filled.
Leader: Encourage your group to share their stories as they answer the question above. Ask them to explain what their lives were like before knowing Jesus. If they came to Christ at a young age, ask them to talk about how different their lives would be today if they hadn’t met Jesus.
Being alienated from God leads to destruction, chaos, and ultimately death. But in Christ, we have been reconciled to God and are presented as holy before Him.
What’s been the biggest difference in your life experience between knowing Jesus and not knowing Him?
The peace that is passed through things beyond my control. The ability of the Holy Spirit to relate things too me of which I could not understand or comprehend without the presence of God working within my life.
How does it feel to know that you’re presented “without blemish and free from accusation” before God because of Jesus?
It is a freeing feeling. It resounds love within my heart for the one who made it to were I can be free from accusation.
How does Paul describe the proper response to what Jesus has done for us in verse 23?
(He says to continue in faith, to stand firm, and to not move from the hope found in the gospel.)
Paul says faith, perseverance, and hope mark a believer who understands who Jesus is.
What do you think it means to live a life that reflects Jesus’s sacrifice and supremacy, practically speaking? How would this perspective of Jesus change the way someone faces suffering or encounters blessing?
In what areas of your life do you need to remember Jesus’s supremacy? What’s one way you could trust Him with that area this week?
Last Word
Jesus reigns supreme over all creation. All things were created through Him and for Him. He rules over the seen and the unseen—the physical and the spiritual world. From the foundation of the world, He has authority over the created realm. By defeating death, Jesus rules over it and made a way for us to be reconciled to God. His sacrifice solidifies His supremacy. From your salvation to your work to your inner thoughts, Jesus has authority over it all.
We live under Jesus’s supremacy. His rule changes everything for us. As we learned from Colossians 1:13–14 in the last session, we now live in His kingdom—the kingdom of light. We’ve been freed from sin and death and have been presented as holy before God. We owe our lives to Jesus for what He’s done for us. Are we living in a way that reflects that truth? This week, take time to consider whether or not your live reflects the supremacy of Jesus. A life surrendered to His authority isn’t ruled by fear or swayed by opposition. Instead, it is characterized by faith, perseverance, and hope.
Live It Out
Pray: Ask God to reveal the areas of your life that need to submit to Jesus’s authority. Pray that the Spirit would guide you in surrendering those things to Jesus.
List: Read back through Colossians 1:1–23 and list all the attributes of Christ mentioned in these verses. Take a few minutes to reflect on who Jesus is and revisit the list throughout the week.
Share: Write out your testimony this week. Focus on what life was like before you knew Christ and how He’s changed your life since. Share your story with someone this week.
Create: Make something to remind yourself that Jesus is supreme over all creation. Display your creation so you can see it and remember this passage throughout the week.
Worship: Choose a praise song that exalts Jesus. Listen to that song in the margins of your life this week to remind you of His supremacy over all things.
