The Hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Notes
Transcript
Context
Context
We left off in Colossians 1 with Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church in verses 9-14. In his prayer, Paul prays that the people would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (v. 10). He proceeds in the rest of verses 10-12 to describe what walking in this way looks like. Walking in a manner worthy of Christ includes:
bearing fruit in every good work
increasing in the knowledge of God
being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might
And then in the middle of verse 11 there is a stated purpose for praying for all these things to manifest themselves in the lives of the Colossians:
for all endurance and patience with joy.
Paul provides the basis for his confidence that this prayer will be answered. He encourages the Colossians by reminding what Christ has accomplished on their behalf in verse 13-14. Verse 14 states it very plainly: in Christ you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
But what Paul wrote next provides us with real, immovable, able to withstand any trial or unexpected hardship reason that a prayer for endurance, patience and joy can be had by those who strive to live God-honoring lives, even while suffering.
Let’s read of this reason.
Read
Read
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.
Introduction
Introduction
It’s not uncommon to hear people to say in moments of despair, I don’t know how I’m going to make it. In other words, the difficult and painful circumstances that exist in life clouds, or even conceals the pathway forward.
In his desperation, the Psalmist in
I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
I don’t know how I’m going to make it. Or asking God, why have you forgotten me?. Such thoughts exist, such questions arise, such despair is experienced because of sin. Maybe not always because of our sin, but, fundamentally sin is at the root of our struggle. We live in a fallen world.
FCF
FCF
The devastation of the fall can leave us disillusioned with the reign of Christ.
The earth mourns and withers;
the world languishes and withers;
the highest people of the earth languish.
The earth lies defiled
under its inhabitants;
for they have transgressed the laws,
violated the statutes,
broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
and few men are left.
This is what we live in. There are environmental factors to the fall, societal factors and all of it stems from the rebellion of man. So, from where does our confidence come that a prayer for our endurance, patience and joy will be answered?
We need to recognize, that is to keep clear in our minds and in our hearts that
Main Idea
Main Idea
The devastation of the fall has not dethroned Christ.
Christ reigns. He is Lord. Now, is this claim dependent on there being no sign of the fall? Is the believability of this claim weakened by the reality of the chaos so easily identified in day-to-day life? Do our own struggles argue against the rule of Christ?
It is important we think of the rule of Christ in its correct context. Consider
Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
What does this make clear?
Christ’s rule is an ongoing conquest rather than a static state of peace.
Chaos, hostility, and destruction aren't evidence that Christ isn't reigning; they are the very "enemies" He is actively in the process of putting under His feet right now.
But here in Colossians, Paul’s ultimate reason for our confidence is Christ. Last we we suggested that a strong christology is key living our our profession of Christ. The acquisition of rich knowledge of Christ strengthens our efforts to walk worthy of Him. And we must not loose sight of the fact that Christ reigns. That He is Lord.
Main Question
Main Question
What about Christ demonstrates His rule amidst the devastation of the fall?
The supremacy of Christ (15-20)
The salvation of Christ (21-23)
The supremacy of Christ (15-20)
The supremacy of Christ (15-20)
Over what is Christ Lord?
He is Lord over the first creation (15-17)
He is Lord over the first creation (15-17)
The most immediate question you might have is why are we describing creation as first creation? To answer this question, we need to focus on the title used to describe Christ in verse 15: the first-born of all creation.
If you find that designation confusing, you are not alone. There have been many confused by this throughout history, and many who have suggested that we should understand this to mean that Christ is part of the creation. He was first-born so He is part of it.
We know beyond any doubt that this is an impossible conclusion, and the reason why is in the next verse. Verse 16 begins with the word for which is really the word because. So, Paul is saying that Christ is the first-born of all creation because by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth visible and invisible…
So, we know that Christ was not created because He was the One who created all things. He is described here as the Creator. So, of course we need to understand what is meant by the phrase first-born.
Psalm 89 helps us. Here, Yahweh speaks of King David
And I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
We know that David was not the oldest. He was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons.
We know that David was not the first king of Israel. That title belonged to Saul.
Yahweh makes David His first-born king, and defines what that means in the verse I just read: the highest of the kings of the earth.
So, what this makes clear about being first-born is that it is a designation of primacy or superiority. This is Paul’s declaration to the Colossian church. Jesus is superior to the creation, and we know this because of not only what the designation of first-born meant but because Jesus is the Creator of the creation.
When we reference the first creation, we refer to the created order… all that was created… the universe. Jesus is superior to and reigns over it.
When it comes to our contending with the falleness of creation, or to put it more simply; when it comes to dealing with sin, we do so by striving to maintain a resolute view of our Savior as the first-born of creation. All that afflicts us, oppresses us, persecutes us, disappoints us, temps us, angers us, mocks us; all of it is under the lordship of Christ.
Notice what Christ reigns over in the rest of verse 16:
that which is in heaven and on earth
that which is visible and invisible
thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities
all things
In heaven and earth, visible and invisible
The physical and spiritual world are in view here.
All creatures, earthly and spiritual must submit to Christ.
In the next chapter (2:18), Paul argues against angel worship which apparently was being promoted by the false teachers among this church.
In chapter 3 (3:2), the Colossians are urged to focus on Christ and not on things that are on earth.
Thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities
Most likely refer to the spiritual realm. Good and evil beings, all are subject to the rule of Christ.
Christ is Lord over angels and men and therefore, He alone is to be worshipped.
Every form and kind of matter, simple or complex - the atom and the star, the sun and the cloud - every grade of life from the worm to the angel - every order of intellect and being around and above us, the splendors of heaven and the nearer phenomena of earth, are the product of the first-born. John Eadie
I want to be sure we understand this correctly. Christ is not one of the spirits, not part of the creation and not even chief among it. He is the Creator of and Lord over it all.
We must renounce the the divide between the secular ad the sacred. Christ’s lordship must impact our understanding of politics, sexuality, our jobs, our resources and all other dimensions of daily life. Christ is Lord over it all.
And notice the last phrase in verse 16: all things were created through Him and for Him
This brings us back to the beginning of verse 16: by Him all things were created.
Through Him marks Jesus as the agent or means of creation.
For Him points to Jesus as the telos or goal of creation.
all things were or have been created for Him. This remains the purpose of creation today. It exists for His glory. We exist for the glory of Christ. All that comprises our lives, our experiences, joys, sorrows, children, money, and all that we can only begin to imagine… all of it exists for the glory of Christ.
Paul says something else that is important for us to note. It further demonstrates the distinction between Jesus and His creation. The beginning of verse 15
He is the image of the invisible God
For many the language of the image of God brings the allusion to Genesis to the forefront. In the Genesis context, to be created in the image of God is not to resemble God in all aspects, but to represent Him as the authority over His created realm (Gen. 1:28).
Man was created in the image of God. Man reflects God’s image. Paul said in his second epistle to the Corinthians:
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Man is being transformed into the same image, that is the image of God, from one degree of glory to another. In other words, the image of God in man is being restored. This is an ongoing process.
Christ is this image. He is the image of God. He is the image into which man is being restored. Christ is the Creator in whose image His creation is being restored. Again, Christ is Lord over this first creation.
He is the Lord over creation… This first creation. But His lordship does not stop at the edge of the universe.
He is Lord over the new creation (18-20)
He is Lord over the new creation (18-20)
Much like the need to understand what is meant by first creation, we need to begin by answering what is meant by new creation. More specifically, where do I see a reference to the new creation in verses 18-20?
We start with another designation for Christ in the middle of verse 18: He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
This designation points to Christ’s resurrection and its connection to the new creation.
He is the beginning
This refers to the supreme status of Christ with a temporal reference.
The word beginning appears in the Greek translation of the OT, and in one place it seems to convey superior rank and temporal priority. Personifying wisdom, King Solomon wrote:
“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
Wisdom is given a particular designation. It is superior to other treasures. It is to be desired above other resources.
Back to Col. 1, for Christ to be the beginning in that a new order wold be built around Him. This new order is the church, which we will consider in a few moments.
But Paul goes on to further describe Christ as the
firstborn from the dead.
This is to say that Christ is the beginning in that He is the firstborn from the dead.
Jesus rose from the dead, and that He is the firstborn from the dead points to the temporal priority of His resurrection. That Jesus rose from the dead marks Him as the beginning of the new creation. There are others who have been resurrected before Jesus. There is the son of the widow Zerephath in the ministry of Elijah (1 Ki. 17), or the raising of Lazarus by Jesus before His crucifixion in John 11. But these saints returned to mortal life and later died a second time. Chris was the first to rise from death into resurrection life of the age to come.
Think of Christ as the trailblazer and conqueror, whose victory over death is enjoyed by all who follow Him. This is our assurance. The church partakes of resurrection life now and will continue to do so as we follow our Lord into eternal life. Paul uses similar language in 1 Cor. 15:
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
First-fruits was the initial portion of the harvest that represented the whole that would come. So if Jesus is our firstfruits who has been raised from the dead, the church who is the resurrection harvest possess a guarantee for life-everlasting.
Notice the result of Jesus’ resurrection: that in everything He might be preeminent. Verse 17 makes clear that Jesus is before all things. Jesus is supreme in eternity. In verse 18, His supremacy seems to be connected to a particular moment, which is His resurrection. His supremacy has been demonstrated by and through His resurrection from the dead.
That Jesus is preeminent means that He occupies the place of highest prominence and is the chief authority. Paul is saying that He is such in everything.
For us, Christ must be preeminent in our church. This brings us back to the beginning of verse 18: He is the head of the body, that is He is the leader, the authority of the church.
In his commentary on this epistle, Richard Philips identifies three areas of the church in which Christ must be preeminent:
Doctrine: What we teach must accord with the word of God. As we noted before, the Colossians were being targeted by false teachers who claimed to possess secret knowledge of the spirit world. All that we claim to believe and hold to be true must be filtered through the Word of God.
Devotion: This relates to our desires. Christ as preeminent will be our chief desire. We will want to please Him first and foremost. Honoring Christ in all things is primary for those who recognize the preeminence of Christ.
Witness: Christ is who we proclaim. The gospel of Jesus Christ is our banner. Church, we need to be careful. There are critical issues that should concern us. Abortion, sexual deviance, government corruption to name just a few. Speak to these issue. Stand for the truth. But never think that the gospel is irrelevant to them. Never presume that there is a better or even more urgent message to declare. The gospel is what brings light to bear on this dark and troubled world. Paul captures this conviction well:
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
So, what has been claimed? Jesus is Lord over the new creation. He most clearly demonstrated this through His resurrection. He is preeminent in all things. He is the supreme authority is of highest prominence. He broke the power of death and is the rightful ruler over His church. Paul continues by providing the basis for these claims in verse 19-20.
Paul begins by stating the the fulness of God dwells in Christ (19). A very direct way to restate this is to say the Christ is God. Paul says something very similar in the next chapter:
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
Jesus is deity and He has a body. He is, in other words the God-man. The divine Son of Man became incarnate.
I serve on the Candidate Committee of the BFC, and we interview guys who are pursuing ordination in the denomination. We had a meeting last week, and one of my fellow committee members asked a question concerning the humanity of Christ. He asked if Jesus, even now, has a body. He is resurrected from the dead, He has ascended to heaven, He is at the right hand of the Father. Does he now have a body as He did while on earth? Yes, and we say that He does, in part because of His intercessory ministry for His people. He interceded on behalf of the church to His Father.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
The fact that the fullness of God dwells in Christ brings us backto verse 15. He is the image of the invisible God. God is Spirit, and while Jesus is God, He also has a body. People could see Him. When the disciples saw Him after His resurrection and just before He ascended to heaven, what did they do. They worshipped Him. Jesus is God… the Gos-man.
And the purpose of God’s fullness in Christ is to reconcile to Himself all things (20). There is a rift between the creation and the Creator. The act of restoration restores the broken relationship between what is fallen and God.
Don’t miss the personal emphasis on the need for reconciliation. Remember, back up in verse 14, Paul declared to the Colossians that that were redeemed and forgiven of their sins. Here in verse 20, we are told that peace with God came by the blood of the cross of Christ.
So, the God-man, Jesus the firstborn of creation, the firstborn from the dead who is preeminent reconciled to Himself all things, in particular, His church through the blood of His cross. Yes, the devastation of the of the fall can be clearly seen and felt, but Christ is on His throne. He remains preeminent. He reigns. He is Lord.
This is also evident when we consider what Paul says about the
The salvation of Christ (21-23)
The salvation of Christ (21-23)
Paul now shifts focus from the status of Christ to the former sinful state of the Colossians. If you are saved, or to use the language from verse 20, if you have been reconciled through the blood of Christ’s cross, you are a walking testimony of the fact that Christ continues to rule amidst the devastation of the fall. Verses 21-23 provide an application of verses 15-20.
In what ways does the salvation of His people demonstrate the rule of Christ?
Christ has satisfied the payment for the redemption of His people (21-22)
Christ has satisfied the payment for the redemption of His people (21-22)
The main clause for the sentences that runs through verses 21-23 is in verse 22: He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death.
Who has been reconciled? Beginning of verse 21: you. You, He has reconciled.
And what was true of those reconciled by God? They were
alienated from God
hostile towards God
practicing evil deeds against God.
Jesus accomplished the reconciliation of such people, verse 22 tells us in His body of flesh by His death. So, while it may be obvious, His death was a bodily death. Making this clear is most likely a response to the false teaching that denied that Christ suffered physical death.
This is how reconciliation works. God the Son became incarnate so that He would be able to offer Himself as a sacrifice through death. It is by His death that God has reconciled His people to Himself, forgiving their sins.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
But note this about the payment Christ paid for the redemption of His people. He not only reconciled His people so that they could be declared righteous before God (our justification), but He also reconciled His people to a holy, blameless and above reproach life. This speaks to our sanctification. The inward work of God in His people is part of His work of reconciliation.
Know this Christian, because of the price that Jesus paid, your status before God has eliminated all reasons to flee from God. You can now pursue His will for your life without fear.
Oh to those who reject Christ. In your rejection, you remain alienated from God, hostile towards Him and practice a life that is characterized by evil in the sight of your Creator. Christ has completed the work of reconciliation. Be reconciled to God.
So our salvation demonstrates the rule of Christ in that only Christ could make the payment necessary for the demands of a Holy God. But, we should also note that
Christ has secured hope for His people (23)
Christ has secured hope for His people (23)
Paul urges believers to stand firm in the gospel in verse 23. The believers’ continuous walk in the gospel is the condition of Christ’s presentation of them as blameless and above reproach before God.
That is to say that our steadfastness was not and is not the basis of our right standing before God. But our enduring faith in the gospel message demonstrates the peaceful status we have before our God.
The people of God persevere in the work that has been completed by their Savior. Paul’s greatest statement of the perseverance of the saints is in Rom. 8:
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And the fact that God is the primary source of our perseverance does not negate the Christian’s duty to pursue holiness
But note what verse 23 also calls to not be neglected: the hope of the gospel. It seems to me that Paul here refers to our expectation of future glory together with Christ, when our reconciliation will be complete. The hope of the gospel animates us to not shift from Christ and not shifting from Christ results in deeper knowledge of the hope we have in Him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Benediction
Benediction
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
