Colossians

Preeminent Glory

One of the Prison epistles Paul wrote around 60-62 A.D. while a prisoner in Rome.

The city of Colossae is located in modern day Turkey near the 7 churches mentioned in Revelation 1-3.

The cities population was mostly gentiles but there was also a large Jewish settlement.

A heresy arose threatening churches in the region.

It was called Gnosticism.

Colossians 1:15–23 “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.

Paul is telling the church who the true God is!

We should not forget who we serve.

Verse 15 says “He is the image of the invisible God”.

Greek word for image is “eikon.”

Where we get our English word icon.

It means copy or likeness.

Jesus is the perfect image...the exact likeness of God.

Paul is saying that Jesus is God.

He is fully God.

I like the ESV

Hebrews 1:3 “3 He is the radiance of His Glory and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His power.”

Colossians 2:9 “9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”

When He came to earth as man in the flesh...He was fully God....100% God.

The Greek Word “homoousias” means of the same substance or same essence.

John 10:30 30... “I and My Father are one.”

The very nature and character of God is revealed in Jesus!

He is also the firstborn of all of creation.

It does not mean the first born in chronological order.

Jesus was not ever created. He has always existed.

He is outside of time.

Firstborn means He existed before the whole creation.

And He is sovereign over all creation.

John 8:58 “58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

He existed before Abraham and humanity!

This is who we worship!

In verse 16 we are told that “He created all things in the heavens and on earth.”

Everything was created by Him, for Him and through Him.

He created humanity, angels, this planet the stars, the universe....everything.

And everything holds together or consists because of Him.

This earth...its motion...its gravity pull...its temperature for us to survive...four seasons of weather...the air we breathe...the food and water we have to survive.

He created it and keeps it going.

This is the God we worship!

In verse 18 He is the head of the church and He is the beginning.

He gave life to the church by His death and resurrection.

Without Christ there would be no church.

John 8:58 “58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

He is the Alpha and Omega.

He was the first to be resurrected and to never die again.

1 Corinthians 15:20 “20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Romans 1:4 “4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

In verse 20 He reconciled all things to us through the blood on the cross.

Besides all of this He is Love and mercy and grace.

Besides all of that He is Holy.

This is the we God worship!

This God who created everything died and shed His blood so all your sins could be wiped away.

PRAY

Lords Supper.