Above All: Who is Jesus

Text: Colossians 1:15–23

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Introduction

PCT: We are constantly trying to fill the emptiness in our lives through people, circumstances, and things. And other times we want Jesus to be more. If we are trying to fill our emptiness with Jesus then we must understand something. 

Who is Jesus?

For some, it’s comfort. For others, it’s confusion. For many in our world, it’s controversy. Everyone has an opinion about Him. And yet, Paul in Colossians writes to remind us that opinions can’t define Jesus—truth does.

Paul’s words in Colossians 1:15–23 answer this question for us: Who is Jesus? 

And we’ll see that the answer is not only theological, but deeply personal. Because if Jesus is above all creation and redemption, He must be above all in your life and mine.

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Context: The Challenge of Opinions

If I asked you “Who is Jesus” what would you say?

Culture answers it in conflicting ways:

Our Muslim friends say, “Jesus was a great prophet, but not God.”

Our Jewish friends might say, “Jesus was a revolutionary rabbi.”

Baha’i writings call Him an enlightened man, but not the God-Man.

Hindus will often say, “Jesus is one of many gods.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is a created being, the Archangel Michael.

Mormons claim Jesus is the half-brother of Lucifer who became a god.

Christian Scientists deny He was truly God.

And then there’s the Bible.

Paul writes Colossians to a young church being pulled in a thousand directions, with false teachers offering a mix of Jewish ritual, Greek philosophy, and mystical visions. And Paul says, No. Don’t get this wrong. Who you say Jesus is determines everything.

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Content: Who Jesus Is: Paul’s Definition (Colossians 1:15–23)

Paul answers the question directly: Who is Jesus?

1. Jesus is Preeminent (v. 15, 18)

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

“Image” (Greek: εἰκών, icon) doesn’t mean copy. It means the exact presence, the visible God. Jesus is not “like God”—He is God in a body.

Paul calls Him This isn’t about time of birth but rank. In Jewish culture, “firstborn” meant position, preeminence, inheritance rights.firstborn.

Example: David was the youngest son, yet Psalm 89:27 calls him the “firstborn” because God elevated him above his brothers.

“Firstborn from the dead” means He outranks even death. Others were raised temporarily—Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son—but Jesus was raised to die no more.

He is supreme. He is first in rank. He carries everything the Father has.

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2. Jesus is Powerful (v. 16)

“By Him all things were created… visible and invisible.”

All things means all things. If Jesus were created, He could not create all things.

Think about His power:

In 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped, unleashing power like the world had never seen. But in just one second, the sun produces more energy than all the bombs mankind has ever built. And Jesus spoke the sun into being.

He created everything—the galaxies beyond our sight, the angels in the heavenly realm, and yes, even the demons that rebelled against Him.

And why did He create all things? For Him. The purpose of creation is not for us to own or consume—it is to know Him, love Him, and glorify Him.

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3. Jesus is Priority (v. 17)

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Jesus is priority and first in time, rank, power, and our lives! 

He’s not just first in line—He’s outside the line altogether. Before creation, He is.

If Christ holds creation together, He can hold your life together.

But if we put other things at the center, life eventually collapses.

Because Jesus is before all things and holds all things together, He deserves to be first in time, rank, and priority in your life.

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4. Jesus is Presence (v. 19)

“For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.”

All the fullness of God is pressed into Christ—like infinity poured into a human body. He is the visible expression of the invisible God.

And this corrects so many misconceptions:

Some think God is angry and vengeful, just waiting to punish. Look at Jesus—He forgave the woman caught in adultery.

Some think God is distant and unmoved by suffering. Look at Jesus—weeping at the tomb of Lazarus.

Some think God is too lofty to care about children. Look at Jesus—taking them in His arms and blessing them.

If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.

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5. Jesus is God in His Peace (v. 20)

“Through Him to reconcile all things… making peace by the blood of His cross.”

At the cross, Jesus brought peace—between God and man, between heaven and earth.

But Paul is careful: reconciliation is not universal salvation. One day every knee will bow—some willingly, some unwillingly. He is reconciling all things by bringing them under His rule.

That’s why sharing the gospel matters. If Christ is Lord of all, then every person must decide now what they will confess later.

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Convict: The Gravity of Christ’s Glory (vv. 21-23)

The question, “who is Jesus” will have huge impacts on the question, “who are you?”

You are Holy

You are Blameless

You are Above Reproach

If Jesus is who He says He is, we can be who He says we must be. 

The word “glory” means weight, heaviness. Christ’s glory is like gravity—it keeps the universe in place.

Think of the solar system. The planets don’t fly off into chaos because the sun’s gravity holds them in orbit. Remove the sun, and everything collapses.

What happens when we put something else at the center of our lives?

Relationships? A spouse makes a terrible god—they can’t bear the weight of being your center.

Career? If your job is your god, you’ll sacrifice your family, your health, and still end up empty.

Children? If they are your center, they’ll either be crushed under the weight of your expectations or they’ll leave you broken when they grow up and go their own way.

Only Jesus has the gravitational pull to hold your universe together.

So I’ll end where we began: “Who is Jesus”

Who is He to you? Your answer will shape not only what you believe—but how you live, how you serve, and whether your life holds together or falls apart.

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Conclusion: Final Call to Application

This week, your step is simple but searching: Write your answer to that question—“Who is Jesus?”—and live it.

If Jesus is Lord, be faithful & obedient as He rules your life 

If Jesus is Savior, stand stable & steadfast as you surrender 

If Jesus is Supreme, hold fast to the hope of His good news 

Because one day, every knee will bow. The only question is—will you bow willingly now, or unwillingly then?

Church, let’s declare together: Jesus is ABOVE ALL.