The Many Dimensions of Christ Colossians 1:15-23

When we consider Christ, it is like looking into a diamond. Every facet reflects colors and perhaps can reflect back different things, but it is all part of the same object.

There was, is, and will always be attacks on who Jesus is. In our passage this morning, Paul wants to make very clear that Jesus is God and as a result to put to rest false ideas that can creep into our world’s teaching or ideas about Him. The Colossians were about to get a very clear picture of the many aspects of who Christ is but understandably we must know there is so much more to Him as well. We are going to read and see this morning two truths of who Jesus is.

Read Colossians 1:15–23 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 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, 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.”

The first truth we see is that

1. Jesus is God vs. 15-20

Paul is beginning his long defense of who Jesus is. Which makes us have to ask who is Jesus? How we answer that question will determine our outlook on Him. The Colossian church were facing people who were trying to teach Jesus as a lesser spirit or some form of inferiority because God would never take on a physical form because matter was evil and the spirit good. But as we will see Paul makes it clear that Jesus was and is God.

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else He would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” CS Lewis Mere Christianity

Jesus is the perfect and accurate image of God.

v. 15 What does firstborn mean here? Paul is not talking about a literal birthing of Jesus. It speaks rather to matter of preeminence or the highest place. We see this throughout Scripture how the “firstborn” was not always the first born child. Think of Jacob when he received the birthright of the first born or when he bestowed it upon Joseph’s son later in life.

How is Jesus God though? Paul gives us two big indicators:

A. We see Him as Creator vs. 16-18

v. 16 Everything we know, see, and do not see came from the hand of the Lord. Genesis 1 speaks to not only the Father being present at Creation but all 3 members of the trinity. Paul elaborates upon that here.

It wasn’t enough though that Jesus created it but Paul makes it clear as to why. It was created for Him. Why did Jesus do this? For His glory, not because He was bored or needed validation.

If Jesus or God created it and spoke about it being good, then Paul refutes even more claims of the false teachers who were attempting to speak of matter as bad or evil.

Paul goes on to say that Jesus created the unseen world as well. This speaks to the angelic beings. Paul is making sure no one thinks of Jesus as another angelic being. It was all created by Jesus as God.

v. 17 Well He can be creator but that doesn’t mean He is God, but Paul goes on by saying He not only created but He maintains it. Which means He is personally connected and invested in it. Not some aloof deity that just expects praise from His worshipers.

In fact, everything is perfectly aligned for the existence of man. If we were but a little closer or further away from the sun, mankind would cease to exist. If the earth stopped spinning for just a moment all of life would be catastrophically ended. Jesus perfectly created and holds it together.

v. 18 Not only is He the Creator of all we see, but He is the Creator, the source, and sustainer of the Church as well. And as such, He is the head. Not the deacons, not the pastor, not the people but Christ is overall in the church universally and locally.

First-born again speaking of highest rank.

B. We see Him as Revealer vs. 19-20

Paul is v. 15 calls Jesus the image of the invisible God and we realize the depth of the Father through the Son.

John 8:19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

John 12:45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.

John 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

He is the ultimate revealer of the invisible God. No one has ever seen the Father’s face but Jesus. We see the reflection in the face of Jesus.

v. 19 the idea of Fullness is nothing lacking. And the Father completely was satisfied in His Son.

Luke 3:22 “and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.””

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

v. 20 reconciliation is a beautiful picture. But when you can do nothing to bring it about and it solely rests in the hands of the higher person, that is grace. Christ didn’t just right the wrongs, He made peace with us so that we no longer need to be concerned about the wrath of God.

The second truth we see is that

2. Jesus is the Reconciler vs. 21-23

Ephesians 2:13–14 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility”

Paul in v. 21 debunks the idea that material was bad but the metaphysical was good or the immaterial, and he says that even your thoughts were evil, you were as distant as possible, considered an alien or foreigner who does not belong. There was not and is not anything good in us that can bring us to God. It had to be Christ work that did it all.

V. 22 it was by the physical death that reconciliation occurred. Why? to present us holy, blameless, and above reproach. Prior to Christ this was our identity. Defiled. Filled with Blame. Reproachable.

But Paul is laying a compounding argument here. First is the order of holiness, a set apartness. Christ now sanctifies us. The next layer is being blameless. Not only are we holy but there is now no blame to be given to us, but the final part is above reproach. There is no one who can bring a charge against us.

Paul is reminding us our hope of salvation and the end of the race of this life is not determined upon us. It is purely upon Christ and His finished work. That is why our identity has changed because Christ changed it. As Paul will say later, (2:13) “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

Which helps us to understand what v. 23 is saying, not that we can be made unalive or walk away from the faith but the perseverance of the saints. Paul is not trying to confuse us rather he is saying this will be true of those who have been changed, those who have been reconciled to God. They will remain steadfast. Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Colossians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Evidence of Reconciliation

One of the most sobering truths in the Bible is that not all who profess to be Christians are in fact saved. Our Lord warned, “ ‘Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” ’ ” (

We must be careful not to assume Paul is saying that you can never have doubts. We know all people throughout all of history has had doubts. John the Baptist had doubts

English Standard Version Chapter 11

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

English Standard Version Chapter 11

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

but the point Paul is making is wrestling through those and coming to the place where Christ is still Lord. Our doubts should lead us back to Jesus not away from Him.

Paul says that if we have been reconciled to God, then these five truths are known.

A. It transforms us v. 17

B. It is through Christ v. 18

C. Available to all believers v.19

D. We are to proclaim the message v. 18-19

E. God’s Wrath has been satisfied v. 21

As we saw this morning that Jesus is God and the Reconciler...the next thing we must do is ask the question, what are our next steps?

Next Steps:

As we reflect on the many dimensions of Christ, this week take time to meditate on Christ’s character and how you can reflect it to those around you.

If Christ is God, then how does that change the way you live? If you have been reconciled, how are you doing at reflecting that to others?

Let’s go before the Lord in prayer...

Pastoral Prayer time:

Matt 5:11–12

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Prayer for Charlie Kirk, his family, and the message that he communicated and because of the living Word that will continue to work beyond his life. This family is forever changed because of an evil choice. Pray these children will grow up knowing that the reason their dad was assassinated for the name of Christ and living a life for Christ is worth every moment. We mourn at the evil that was demonstrated this week, just like we mourned at the tragedy of 9/11. We also stand with such men that boldly proclaim the name of Christ in hostile areas.

Men, I hope this resounds with us that there is a cause worth living and dying for. Be not surprised if there may be more opportunity like this in our culture for those who proclaim Christ. Ladies, encourage boldness of men and leadership when you see it. We need to pray for boldness in our life. We are never given a promise of tomorrow so we need to make today count for our lives.

Communion:

As we come to the table, what better picture for us than what we spent this morning talking about the work of Christ. Because of the reconciliation, we can enjoy the outward display of communion with Him. I want to be very clear this morning of what Communion is and what it is not. Communion is for all who have placed their faith in Christ. At the end of the day it is just a picture. It is a piece of bread and a small cup of juice.

There isn’t something special grace or reward for taking it. It is a public form of worship that says I’ve been changed by Jesus and I am continually proclaiming the gospel as Paul says in v. 26 of 1 Cor 11.

Paul in his letter to the church of Corinth gave a warning as well about taking communion in an unworthy manner.

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

What could this mean, well for one if you are an unbeliever better to just let the bread and juice pass by, or you could be a believer that is unrepentant of known sin. If that is the case and you are unwilling to deal with it, better to let the plate pass by. But for all who are walking humbly, Christ says come and partake and live in my grace.

So we are going to take this time to reflect upon the bread and Jacob is going to come and pray for us.

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (ESV)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

As you take the cup of juice, let’s go before the Lord and give praise to Him for it...Ty

1 Corinthians 11:25-26 (ESV)

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

As is our tradition, we are going to take a benevolence offering that is overseen by our deacons. This fund is used to serve our church family members who are in need and is a form of worship before the Lord. Gib or Eric would you pray over this.