Anchored: Truth To Keep Us Grounded

God

INTRODUCTION:

Greetings

Reminder of Anchored Series

SBC Statements

Going throughout the Summer

Pray

Introduce Topic: God

Turn to Colossians 1:15-20

Tell Illustrative Story

Read SBC Statement on God

“There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.” - Baptist Faith and Message 2000

Emphasize this is what we believe but not everyone thinks this way

Most Evangelical’s agree with this position

According to this statement, and what we have all learned growing up, God (Elohim), is One Divine being but reveals Himself in 3 different natures. Each role playing a different part yet all being of the same essence.

Neapolitan Ice Cream

This illustration falls short because..

The father is fully God

The Son is fully God

The Holy Spirit is fully God

TRANSITION:

“While this may be a fun way to look at the Trinity, it actually misses the mark and that what Paul is about to tell the Christians in Colossae. If you’re not already there, like i said we will be in Colossians chapter 1, verses 15-20. So starting in verse 1 if you want to follow along.”

*READ SCRIPTURE*

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

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.

1.)JESUS IS GOD - verse 15

All Evangelicals would agree with this

Historians do not debate if Jesus was a real person, only the claim to divinity.

Four Gospels = historical writings

Tacitus(Roman Historian, AD 116) =dislikes Christians but wrote about Christus executed under Pontius Pilate

Josephus (Jewish Historian, AD 93)= refers to Jesus in his writings

Pliny the Younger (Roman Governor, AD 112) = wrote about Christians worshipping Christ as a God.

Based off of these sources we know Jesus was a real person, crucified on a cross, so the discussion really is about the claim of Jesus divinity.

Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah Witness all disagree with this.

Islam

Jesus is a Prophet and messenger of God

Denies crucifixion, resurrection, and the Divinity of Christ.

Places Mohammad as a greater prophet than Christ

Mormonism

Denies eternal Divinity of Christ

Believes Jesus attained his Divinity through his earthly ministry, earning his God-Likeness.

Believes humans can become god such as Jesus did through work.

Jehovah’s Witness

Claim Jesus’ Divinity but reject the Trinity

Claim Jesus was created (misinterpretation of Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” )

Believe Jesus is not to be worship and is less than the Father.

Apostolic Claims

John makes a claim.

John 1:1–3 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Thomas encounters Jesus after his resurrection and Thomas says in John 20:28 “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”” . Jesus does not correct or deny his divinity here.

Jesus claims to be God

Jesus while addressing the Pharisees

John 8:58 ESV

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Another claim while speaking to pharisees and Sadducees

John 10:30 ESV

I and the Father are one.”

claiming equality with the Father

Fulfilled Prophecy

The Old Testament contains 100+ prophecies ALL fulfilled by Jesus Christ who, by the way, fulfilled more than 20 during his crucifixion and resurrection.

Probabilistic analysis demonstrates that the odds of just eight of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person would be one chance in more than one trillion

Micah predicted the ruler of Israel would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

Psalm 22 describes piercing through hands and feet, with soldiers dividing garments and casting lots for clothing, John 19 would describe this event happening.

Zechariah prophesied wages of thirty pieces of silver (Zech 11:12–13), and Judas agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matt 26:14–16)

Based on this evidence alone, Jesus is God.

Transition:

“and because Jesus is God, as Paul states in verse 15, he is capable of some pretty remarkable stuff. As we continue through this passage we will see Paul give some attributes to Jesus that only God could possess. Lets continue through this passage to see point number 2 which is Jesus is Creator”

2.)JESUS IS CREATOR - verse 16

*Read v. 15-16 - Colossians 1:15-16

Colossians 1:15–16 ESV

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.

In verse 15, we see the term “Firstborn”

The term firstborn had a specific meaning for Hebrew people. The firstborn son in a Jewish family had a special rank. He received special privileges and responsibilities. His inheritance included a double portion of the estate and family leadership after the father’s death.

Jesus was not born. “Firstborn” is about status. Simply, Jesus is the first of anything.

Religions who argue Jesus is “created” use this verse often. Its important we understand this in its context. Status, not action.

Revelation 1:8 ““I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.””

Jesus is the first and the last, never created but always has been.

Reference back to John 10

John 10:30–33 ESV

I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

They understood what he was claiming. Being equal to the Father.

God the Father is known as creator often times or maybe “Elohim” which would be descriptive of God’s power and capability to create. Here we see that Jesus must also be attributed to creation.

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Reference back to John 1:1–3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Jesus=the Word

This verse finishes the same way verse 16 of Colossians does

Not only were things created by and through him, but things were created for him.

What does it mean by created for Him? What's the purpose?

To glorify himself.

Isaiah 43:7 “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”” (God the Father talking)

Take this verse in full context and then look at 1 Corinthians 10:31 which says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

“So because Jesus is God, He is also Creator which would mean that Jesus is Omnipresent, which is a fancy theological term that means God exist outside of time. He is and always has been.”

Give CS. Lewis , Mere Christianity example

TRANSITION: We must understand that Jesus is and always has been. He was not created but rather he, himself created. and because He created all things and all things are for him and through Him then we can also say that Jesus is our sustainer.”

3.)JESUS IS SUSTAINER - verse 17

Direct back to text and read verse 17

Colossians 1:17 ESV

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

Sustainer definition=To keep in existence; maintain, continue, or prolong.

Sustaining is an extension of God as Creator—Because God created, He also sustains.

Illustrative story

“Think of it this way, we will keep with the book theme, if you have an author, writing a story about Jane, it is up for the author of that book to supply eveyrthing that story needs. If the author stops writing then the book ends and if he keeps writing then he keeps maintaining the story. This is how God operates and sustains the world, he is continuosly writing and maintaing the world.”

Talk about God sustaining mundane parts of life, eating , walking, drinking.

Hebrews 1:3 “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,”

This verse also paints the picture that Jesus is the Image of the invisible God, exact imprint of his nature.

“He holds the universe by the word of his power” — Express just how powerful God must be

Jesus is not distant but active in our world

Working with the Holy Spirit to sustain creation

How Do We know the Holy Spirit is Helping Sustain?

John 14:16–17 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

The helper is with us forever

Psalm 104:29–30 “When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”

The Holy Spirit is clearly involved in creation in this passage.

Job 34:14–15 “If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.”

Job is saying if God were to pull away his Spirit then the earth would perish all together

The spirit is actively sustaining all of life

Don’t isolate the persons of the Trinity. Everything proceeds from the Father— by the Son— in the Spirit

All work together to sustain creation

One of the most important aspects of creation — holding back evil.

The world is not as lost and sinful as it could be

Gods grace is given to everyone

Common Grace

God hold back sin = sustaining the world from completely being eneveloped in Sin.

Jesus uses to Holy Spirit to restrain evil, by convicting people of sin and evil.

2 Thessalonians 2:6–7 “And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.”

Through this verse we see Jesus restraining the evil of the “man of lawlessness” as the scripture puts it, by the work of the Holy Spirit, until the appointed time comes for him to be revealed.

TRANSITION: “This will be a dark time, a time of evil running rampant, and judgment will follow. It is before this, we must know, whose side are we on? The side of lawlessness or the side of glory and honor? You see the Holy Spirit might be holding back sin but we are still infected by it. We still must choose to do what is right and honorable in the sight of God and to do that we need the influence of the Holy Spirit. Without it, we will be dead in our sin. Dead in our trespasses. We can be free though. We can get away from the bondage of sin….Not for free though…Now it wont cost me and you anything but it cost Jesus Christ everything and that is where we see point number 4 because Jesus is God, Jesus is Savior.”

4.)JESUS IS SAVIOR - verse 18-20

Go back to text

Colossians 1:18–20 ESV

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.

Passage finishes with Jesus on the cross but focus on everything in between at first.

Head of the body, the church is the body.

He is the beginning, always has been and always will be

The firstborn from the dead

Interesteing because Lazurus was raised from the dead before Jesus

Jesus doesnt die again but is eternal

“Firstborn” is status emphasizing the beginning of the passage

Preeminent- above all things, first, before all

prōteúō in Greek (Pro-tew-oh) means “to be first”

expresses Christ Status amongst men

The fullness of God was pleased to dwell

Understand that Jesus was fully man and fully God, another hint at His divinity

To reconcile himself to all things

Jesus being fully God and fully man, choosing to make himself low in order to reeconcile oursleves to him

God steps out of heaven in the form of man to save us becuase we couldnt do it ourselves

Jesus experienced all that we have as humans yet still lived perfect

Finally, Jesus made peace on this Earth by facing the cross

God knew exactly what it would take to cleanse us from our sins

Jesus knew what had to be done and only wanted the fathers will to be done

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Because Jesus was perfect, he is the only acceptable sacrifice, the spotless lamb to be slain

Predicted in Isaiah 53:4–5 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Closing

The question is not “was Jesus real?” The question is “was Jesus really God?”

The evidence is clear

ask him to show you and guide you

Lee Strobel Illustration:

Lee Strobel was an award‑winning investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune — trained to follow evidence, question everything, and never accept a claim without proof. He was also a committed atheist. In his mind, Jesus was a myth, Christianity was a crutch, and faith was the opposite of reason.

But then something happened that shook him: His wife became a Christian.

Lee was convinced she had fallen for a lie. So he did what he did best — he launched a full‑scale investigation. Not a casual Google search. A two‑year, line‑by‑line, expert‑interviewing, evidence‑examining investigation into the historical Jesus.

He set out to disprove Christianity. But the deeper he dug, the more the evidence pointed in the opposite direction.

He found that:

Jesus claimed to be God — clearly, repeatedly, and publicly

Jesus died by Roman crucifixion — historically undeniable

Jesus’ tomb was empty — even His enemies admitted it

Eyewitnesses insisted they saw Him alive — and many died for that claim

Lee later said:

“I reached the point where the evidence for Jesus being God was overwhelming.”

And on one quiet night, sitting alone with his notes, he realized something: If Jesus really rose from the dead, then He wasn’t just a teacher. He wasn’t just a prophet. He was exactly who He said He was — the Son of God, the One in whom “all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”

Lee Strobel bowed his head and surrendered his life to Christ. The atheist who tried to disprove Jesus ended up writing The Case for Christ — because he met the Savior who reconciles all things.

*PRAY*