The Total Supremacy of Christ

Text: (NKJV) — 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.

Text: (NKJV) — 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.

Introduction:

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Transition: But remember what was happening…

Review:

1. False teachers were rampant.

2. The message of truth fell prey to a message of convenience.

3. That false teaching seemed to be centered on a demeaning of the person of Christ.

Transition: But what Paul says next may surprise…

Background:

1. Salvation is by works.

Note: We are justified by works: just not our own.

Illustration: James

Note: But Christ’s work on the cross isn’t the only reason Christ is qualified to be our Savior.

2. Here Paul speaks of works in a different way.

Note: These works qualify Christ as Savior

Illustration: You thought you knew Christ.

3. While doing this Paul brings out the supremacy of Christ in all creation.

Note: In fact that’s how this passage naturally breaks up.

Question: What does it mean to have supremacy?

Answer: It means Christ reigns supreme over all.

Word Study: The word in our text is “preeminence.” It refers to

4. It should come as no surprise that it is this idea that is being attacked most vigorously in our modern times.

Note: The first things cults do is demean Christ.

Transition: Christ is supreme in two ways, and these qualify Him to be…

Exposition:

I. Christ is qualified to reign supreme because of His work in creation. vv. 15-17

A. His nature gives the basis for His supremacy over creation. v. 15

1. He is God.

“He is the image of the invisible God.”

a. God is invisible to us.

Note: Paul wanted to stress here God’s true nature in relation to man.

Transition: As we’ve found elsewhere…

c.f. (NKJV) — Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible.

Word Study: It doesn’t seem as though Paul is using the word “invisible” to describe God as someone who can’t be seen. It’s more possible that this word “invisible” describes man’s inability to approach God.

c.f. (NKJV) — He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light.

Note: God’s glory is that which makes Him unapproachable.

Illustration: O.T. revelation of God

Note: This quality sometimes denoted with the word “holiness” is God’s “aboveness” over His creation.

Illustration: God’s holiness

Note: In other words God’s “invisibility” and “unapproachableness” are best ways to describe who God is.

Illustration: The President of the U.S.A.

b. Christ has those same invisible traits.

Note: Paul explains Christ is God’s very image.

Word Study: This is where things get a little sticky in regard to the deity of Christ. The word “image” here refers simply to a representation of the real thing. Often this word was used to describe idols which represented false gods.

Note: Those who would pervert the Scriptural idea of who Christ is claim that Paul is saying Christ is less than God because He is only the “representation of God.”

Word Study: To combat this idea some claim this word refers not strictly to Christ’s deity alone but also to His humanity. When Christ became human, He made the invisible God visible.

Transition: I’m not saying this may not be the meaning here.

Note: I however don’t believe this is Paul’s point since the subject here is Christ’s supremacy in the created order.

Word Study: Paul didn’t need use a specific word to describe Christ’s deity. How can you describe deity in one word anyway? This word in fact describes not just the appearance of deity but also the substance. In fact sometimes people expanded the meaning of this word to include the substance of an object not just its outward appearance.

Note: In other words Paul is saying Jesus is God.

Transition: The rest of Scripture agrees with…

c.f. (NKJV) — 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…

c.f. (NKJV) — 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

Transition: And of course…

c.f. (NKJV) — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Question: What about the times Christ said He didn’t know things?

c.f. (NKJV) — “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

Note: The attribute of deity that describes God’s ability to know everything is called omniscience.

Question: If Christ were really God, why did He not know everything when He was on earth?

Answer: He knew everything before He came to earth and He knows everything now.

Note: However, when He was on earth, He limited Himself.

c.f. (NKJV) — And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Question: If Christ were God and was omniscience just like God, why did He have to grow in favor with God?

Answer: This is a perfect way to say that Christ limited Himself while on earth.

Note: In other words, when Christ was on this earth, He chose to live in His humanity, while voluntarily refusing to exercise the power of His deity.

Transition: That’s why the author of Hebrews could say…

c.f. (NKJV) — For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Note: More on this later.

2. He is owner of Creation.

“the firstborn over all creation.”

Note: Paul goes on to describe Christ’s right to reign over the universe.

Word Study: Some have seen in the phrase “firstborn over all creation” proof of Christ being a created being. This isn’t so and wasn’t Paul’s point.

Background: In ancient culture the “firstborn” held special prominence. The word could literally refer to the son in the household who was born first. But by Paul’s time, the word came to refer to not the order someone was born but the position they held in the family.

Word Study: By the time Paul wrote to the Colossians “firstborn” came to refer to someone who held all the rights to the estate of His father. This was the primary heir of the estate. Besides this, it would seem a little awkward to describe Christ as a created being with the word “firstborn” anyway since “firstborn” refers not to creation but to birth.

Note: What Paul is saying is that Christ owns everything.

B. His work qualifies Him for His supremacy over creation. vv. 16-17

1. He created everything.

“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.”

a. He created that realm we can see.

Word Study: Paul uses two words to describe this realm: earth and visible. These two terms describe not simply the earth as we know it, but the entire universe.

Note: This is the world we live in.

Illustration: God the painter of life

Note: God created the entire massive universe.

Illustration: The Genesis account and the massiveness of the universe

b. He created a realm we cannot see.

Note: There is another realm that coexists with our own.

Illustration: Parallel universe

Note: There is an entire universe that exists parallel to our own yet distinctly separate which we call the Spirit realm.

Word Study: Paul uses two terms here: heaven and invisible.

Note: We know from other places in Scripture that this realm exists.

c.f. (NKJV) — 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Note: Whether we know it or not, there is a realm, possibly greater in scope and more active than our own, that rages around us without us even knowing it.

Illustration: YouTube video

Note: The fact is we live in a universe comprised of two realities both of which affect us.

c. Christ rules over both realms.

Note: Paul makes it clear the extent of Christ’s rule.

Word Study: Some see in Paul’s use of “thrones,” “dominions,” “principalities” and “powers” as references to the spiritual realm. Some even go as far to say that these are varying levels of spirit beings. However, I don’t think that’s the case here nor do I believe this refers to only the spiritual realm. The words in this list were used in Scripture to describe both temporal and spiritual rulers. It seems more likely that Paul has in mind ruling powers both in the visible and invisible world.

d. Christ rules over everything He created.

Note: As if to make sure we understand, Paul says that all things were created through Him and for Him.

Word Study: Paul brings up an interesting discussion here by saying all things were created “through” and “for” Him. He already explained all things were created “by” him which creates a triad of prepositions “by,” “through” and “for” Him.

Question: What is the significance of these three ideas?

Answer: We don’t have time to go into the details of this, but it certainly describes that Christ was quite active in the creation process, so much so that Paul could say it was created “by Him.”

Question: How was Christ involved in Creation if it was the Father who was responsible for creating everything?

Answer: The answer is simply this: God is one God despite the fact He exists as three Persons, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or the Trinity.

Note: Because those three Persons represent one God, they were all involved in the Creation process.

Illustration: Owner/Architect, foreman and workers

Note: John essentially made the same assertions.

c.f. (NKJV) — All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Transition: And the author of Hebrews said the Father…

c.f. (NKJV) — appointed (Christ) heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Conclusion: So the universe was created by Him as He is God and had a part in it, through Him in that He is oversaw the “construction” of the universe and for Him in that because He was involved in its creation, Christ rules supreme over the whole universe which rightfully belongs to Him.

Transition: And because of all this, He has the unenviable task…

2. He maintains everything.

“And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

a. He predates any creation.

Note: We’ve already covered this since Jesus created everything.

Illustration: Strangeness of cults using Colossians as prooftext

b. He maintains the cohesive bond of the universe.

Word Study: The word “exist” is an excellent though less literal translation. The word means “hold together” but Paul’s point isn’t that the universe doesn’t fly apart but that it exists because Christ, who is Creator, wills it to exist.

Note: In other words we can tell people we know why the world doesn’t explode at its seems.

Illustration: Science and the atom

Note: Because He is God and Creator, Christ maintains the existence of the universe.

Point: Because of this Christ reigns supreme over not just mankind but the entire created universe.

Illustration: If God is so good, why is the world the way it is?

II. Something changed that dynamic.

A. God said everything was good.

1. This meant the physical universe was good.

Note: What could be seen by any human being was incredible.

2. This meant the spiritual universe was good.

Note: God breathed into man and gave Him His own stamp of approval.

B. Man’s sin changed that.

1. Christ still reigned by right.

Note: However, now sin functioned as the dominant dynamic.

c.f. (NKJV) — Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

2. Christ’s functional reign had to be restored.

Note: He had to regain the spiritual dominance He once had in the universe.

Point: Because the universal dynamic changed, the universe had to be fixed.

III. Christ reigns supreme because of His work in redemption. vv. 18-20

A. His position grants Him supremacy over us. 18a

1. He has a position in the church greater than any other.

“And He is the head of the body, the church”

Note: Paul describes Christ as “head” of the church which denotes a position of greatest prominence.

Illustration: The body and the importance to the head

Note: This isn’t the first time Paul describes the church in terms of a body.

– He described it this way in regarding its function.

c.f. (NKJV) — 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

c.f. (NKJV) — For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

– He used it to illustrate the universality of salvation.

c.f. (NKJV) — 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

– He used it to describe the unity of faith.

c.f. (NKJV) — 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Note: However, here Paul uses a slightly different illustration.

Word Study: Whereas in most passages the church is called “the body of Christ” or some equivalent, here Christ is simply called the “head.”

Transition: How is Christ the church’s head?

2. That position is both organic and functional.

a. It’s organic in the sense that the church receives its spiritual nourishment from Christ.

Note: If not for Christ the church couldn’t sustain itself.

Illustration: Christ sending the Holy Spirit

b. It’s functional in that Christ is over the whole church.

Note: In this way we say Christ is Lord over the church.

Illustration: Lordship of Christ vs. Easy-believe-ism

Transition: But what grants Him this position of supremacy over us?

B. His work of reconciliation grants Him supremacy over us. 18b-20

Excurses: What is reconciliation?

Answer:

Word Study: The word “reconcile” refers to the fixing of relations between two parties at odds with each other. Although the word normally refers to both sides working toward a partnership of peace, God’s “reconciliation” began strictly with His own desire to reconcile with a creation that still hated him.

c.f. (NKJV) — Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Note: And this state continues to this day.

Transition: James states…

c.f. (NKJV) — Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Note: Yet God fixed relations with us even when we were at odds with God.

Transition: What is Christ’s reconciling work?

1. He became human for us.

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.”

Note: Paul is here speaking of the God-man Jesus Christ.

Word Study: To “dwell” refers to take up residence. This word was used to describe God residing in the Temple in the O.T.

Note: In other words the divinity of the Son “took up residence” in a human body through what has been called the “hypostatic union.”

Illustration: Two natures and a new being

Note: We call this whole process the “incarnation.”

2. He died on the cross for us.

“having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

Note: Paul makes it clear the one defining moment in our reconciliation with God was the cross.

Word Study: Paul uses the word “cross” quite often in his writings. He also frequently refers to the blood of Christ. But rarely does he ever refer to them side-by-side. The essentially mean the same thing. However, Paul seems to be drawing attention to how our reconciliation came about.

Note: In the O.T. times God instituted a number of blood sacrifices to atone or cover the sin of the people.

Illustration: Atonement, sin, holiness and reconciliation

Note: In a more permanent fashion, Christ gave His life to atone for our sin so that we could be reconciled to a holy God.

3. He rose from the dead for us.

“who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.”

Note: The proof of our reconciliation is found in the fact that Christ didn’t remain dead.

Word Study: The word “beginning” and the phrase “firstborn from the dead” mean essentially the same thing. The resurrection proved the power of our salvation and the reconciliation that made it possible.

Note: In other places Paul describes the importance of the resurrection to our salvation.

c.f. (NKJV) — 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

Note: In other words Christ proved we have a restored relationship with God by rising from the dead.

Application: We too will rise one day.

4. He reconciled the fallen creation to God.

“and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

Note: Paul in no way limits salvation simply to mankind.

Word Study: Paul repeats the “creation” section of his discourse to show that “all creation” will experience a renewal through the sacrifice of Christ.

Transition: But a question correctly arises…

Question: If Christ reconciles the whole creation, why doesn’t God save every single human being?

Note: This is called universalism.

Answer: Some believe this is what this means.

Illustration: Arius

Note: However, Paul’s point isn’t that every aspect of the creation will be perfectly preserved.

Illustration: Later in Colossians and condemned angels

Note: Paul’s point is that Christ reconciled the whole creation so that people who believed in that redeeming work would be saved.

5. He then has supremacy.

“that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

Note: Simply put Christ has every right to reign over the church.

Point: Because Christ reconciled us to God, He deserves complete supremacy.

Transition: All this runs a little deeper than just Christ being qualified to be our Savior.

Application:

1. If Christ is supreme over every aspect of this universe…

Note: Shouldn’t we make Him supreme over every aspect of our lives?

2. Life isn’t about making Christ Lord.

Note: It’s about acknowledging that He’s already qualified to be Lord over us.

3. If Christ loved the church so much He was willing to reconcile through His death, shouldn’t we love the church just as much?

Note: That is an important aspect of the Lordship of Christ.

Conclusion: Let’s hold Christ up in high esteem not just in the way we worship or talk about Him but in the way we live.