The Supremacy of Christ

Rooted in Christ

Summer Series Through Colossians, MFBC

Message Two

05/31/2026

Central idea: Jesus is supreme over every realm, and He alone acts as God’s agent to create, resurrect, and save.

Colossians 1:15-23.

Intro.:

Colossae faced a threefold poison: cosmic dualism (Jesus is a creature), angelic mediation (you need spirit beings to reach God), and legalism (rules complete salvation). Paul’s answer isn’t a point-by-point rebuttal. He simply unveils Jesus. And as Jesus is exalted, every heresy is brought down. Remember — being rooted in Christ prevents falling prey to false teaching. Today, we will see Jesus’ supremacy in three realms—and in each, He is the one agent who accomplishes what no angel or ritual could.

Question: What realms is Jesus supremacy highlighted in this text?

I. The realm of creation [15-17]

Key Idea: Christ is supreme over the physical universe — He is the agent of creation.

The heresy answered: Cosmic dualism said Jesus was a lesser being made by God. — 2:8 deals directly with this (στοιχεια — the elements of the world)

Address firstborn in the text:

The term here asserts supremacy, not sequence of creation.

Colossians & Philemon: Verse by Verse Christ as the Firstborn over Creation (1:15b)

The idea of “firstborn” can be taken as temporal (meaning the first to be born) or can represent status (the foremost or most important of a group). Jesus is not presented here as the “first” of God’s created beings to have been “born”; it is clear that he is not a created being, for his pre-existence is presupposed throughout Scripture. Rather, Jesus is presented as the Creator, the instrument of God’s creation. The Old Testament uses the term “firstborn” in the sense of status. In

Textual Address: Colossians 1:16–17 “16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.”

Address the explanatory preposition in verse 16 — for

Created by Him — He is the agent

Created through Him — He is the instrument

Created for Him — He is the goal/purpose for creation.

He is before all things — He is preeminent

By him all things hold together — He is the sustainer

Not only did He make everything, but everything was made for Him. He is not a creature, He is the Creator.

Scriptural Support:

John 1:1–5 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.”

Romans 11:36 “36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 8:6 “6 yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.”

Hebrews 1:3 “3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Since Jesus is the agent of creation and all things were created for His glory, it is impossible that He was a created being.

Application: Thus, He is supreme to all other powers, beings, etc. He is Lord. This is comforting for Christ-followers because the Lord we serve is all-powerful, and all things have been created to bring Him glory. Even in our suffering, even in our pain, even in our struggle, glory is to be brought to Jesus.

II. The realm of the church [18]

Key idea: Jesus is supreme over the new creation — He is the agent of resurrection.

The heresy answered: Angelic mediation says you need lesser beings to access God. Colossians 2:18-19 deal directly with this— angelic worship or ascetic practices, specifically, the claiming of access to a visionary realm.

Textual address: Colossians 1:18 “18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.”

The resurrection of Jesus proves He is not just a mediator, but the mediator— the Head. The fullness of God dwells in Him — no angel can add what He already possesses

What does this mean practically?

Since He is the head, the beginning, the firstborn — He is to have top priority in everything.

He is the Supreme leader of the church

He is the Supreme leader of everything

Including our worship, our service, and our obedience

Application: You do not need visions, secret knowledge, or angelic prayers. You have direct access to God through Jesus, Himself.

1 Timothy 2:5–6 “5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.”

III. The realm of the cosmos [19-23]

Key Idea: Jesus is supreme over sin and hostility — He is the agent of salvation.

Heresy answered: Legalism said Jesus’ work needs your rituals to finish it. Colossians 2:21 addresses this— the idea of adding to Jesus’ work to complete salvation.

Textual address: Colossians 1:19–20 “19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Jesus is God’s most direct revelation of Himself to man— the Word Incarnate, the perfect revelation of God. John 14:9 “9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Jesus is God’s agent of reconciliation — to bring back the alienated world to Him.

He accomplished this through His bled, shed on the cross.

Reconciliation is cosmic in scope — not just you and God, but all things. And it is finished.

Remember, He is the agent of creation and it was made for Him.

Warning: The command to not drift is what it means to be rooted. False teaching uproots one’s faith by lowering their view of Jesus. Constant belief in Jesus as supreme to all and in all constantly anchors us.

Application: Stop adding to the cross. Rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

John 19:30 “30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.”

Wrap up:

In creation, Jesus is the agent. In resurrection, Jesus is the agent. In salvation, Jesus is the agent. Not angels. Not rituals. Not you. Him alone. That is supremacy, and that is what roots you so deeply that no false teaching can pull you up.

Response:

The lost:

Colossians 1:19–20 “19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

I appeal to you by the Gospel of Jesus, that God— our Father and Creator— was pleased to have His fullness dwell in Jesus— thus revealing Himself to us, redeeming us, and inviting us into relationship with Him. Through the blood of Jesus, God has initiated reconciliation with all of creation — including you. Today, will you call on the name of Jesus, forsake sin, and follow Him as you begin living in relationship with God as your Heavenly Father?

The saved:

Colossians 1:21–23 “21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him—23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.”

I invite you, now, to remember and reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus which has for you brought about your redemption, forgiveness of sins, and purpose. Yet, in lieu of such reflection, I urge you to commit and surrender your life to Jesus and to Him alone. Anything in your life which may have more attention than Him, please come and lay it at the altar in order to remain rooted in Him, not captivated by anything else.