Jesus Christ, Preeminent in All Things

Colossians 1:15–23 KJV 1900

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

The false teachers attempting to infiltrate the church at Colosse were teaching falsely that Jesus Christ never became flesh because all flesh was sinful.

15, 16-17, 18-19

20

21-23

They believed that Christ was not enough salvation and that He could only be known through special revelation.

23-29

20, 20-21, 22, 23

Or they believed that Christ was not God but only a creation of God.

Paul refutes their false teachings by clearly expressing the deity of Jesus Christ.

The Deity and Supremacy of Christ:

In His Creation/Power - v. 15-17

15 Jesus Christ is God and makes Him visible to people, Christ is supreme over all things.

He is supreme over all Creation.

Example: invisible people in movies, throw matter at them so you know where they’re at

He is supreme over all creation. Refuting the false teaching that Jesus was just one of God’s creations.

colossians

Colossians 3:4 KJV 1900

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

16 Jesus Christ is Creator of all things in heaven and earth. He created all things for His purpose. All things and all people are subject to His authority.

John 1:1 KJV 1900

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Example: Big Hero 6, microbots, Tadashi, Hiro, Professor Callaghan

17 He is the great I AM, eternally existent, the Creator of all things from nothing, and the maintainer of life.

Application:

Creation is a vital aspect in our view of God which is why the Devil attacks it with lies/theories that are close to the truth.

The truth about who Jesus is in Creation makes Him preeminent.

In the church, we are personally accountable to our Creator.

He is righteous in the Power and Authority over He holds over His Creation.

In His Church - v. 18

18 Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and the resurrected Christ, giving Him the preeminence in all things.

Jesus Christ is the sole authority of His body.

And as His body, our ultimate accountability is to Jesus Christ.

Jesus Shall Reign (Eric Liddell sang at Edinburg train station, missionary to China)

"Jesus shall reign where’re the sun,

Does its successive journeys run,

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.”

Application:

The believer is called to live in the light of the risen Savior.

Spiritual growth and maturity come only by His authority and empowerment.

Christ must be preeminent and all. YIELD

In His Character - v. 19-20

Jesus Christ was not just a prophet, a great man, a worker of miracles.

19 Jesus Christ is God. “I and the Father are one” All that God is, Jesus is.

Jesus Christ is all sufficient for our salvation today as He was for the Colossians. Even though the false teachers would attempt to teach that they needed to add to it.

v. 20 Because Jesus is God, He could make peace through the blood of His cross and reconcile all things, including sinful man, to Himself.

Application:

Our philosophy is determined by our Theology.

God’s character and His action toward us should transform our lives.

So, have I given Him a place or the preeminence? (example of lists, example of new puppy and our life decisions revolving around that puppy)

Have I given Him a place or the preeminence? (example of lists, example of new puppy and our life decisions revolving around that puppy)

The way I live reveals my view of God and the place I give Christ in my life.

Isaiah’s action resulted from his view of God as high, holy, lifted up.

In His Cross - v. 20-23

20 Jesus Christ made peace with those who were at enmity with Him through His blood on the cross.

We have peace with God because of who Jesus is. Because Jesus is God.

His purpose was to reconcile (bring a relationship back to harmony) all of His creation to it’s intended purpose.

21 Jesus Christ died to reconcile me when I was estranged from Him.

Titus 1:16 KJV 1900

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

22 Jesus Christ died as God in flesh to present us as spotless in God’s sight, no longer estranged but belonging to Him.

Ephesians 2:1–2 KJV 1900

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 2:12 KJV 1900

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

23 Paul gives warning to the church to stand fast, even when false teachers attempt to deceive, in the hope of the Gospel that they had heard of Epaphras.

Paul was affirming that he and Epaphras spoke of the same Gospel.

They were to continue (persist, carry on) in the faith of the of the Gospel they had received.

Paul’s warning should remind us of the exhortation to not be blown about by every wind of doctrine.

The hope of the Gospel: (v. 5) Eternal life is ours as a present possession and we possess the eternal reward of being forever in the presence of our Savior.

Eternal life is ours as a present possession and we possess the eternal reward of being forever in the presence of our Savior.

Conclusion:

Continue in the faith of the Gospel.

One not continuing in the faith of the Gospel:

Seeks to get out of earthly things what was never meant to be gotten (ultimate satisfaction.)

Sets their mind continually on earthly joys. (Fortnite, sports, achievements, education): I dare you to talk about something else)

Easily deceived, in a sense gullible.

They turn to earthly pleasures when facing difficulty because they don’t believe Christ is sufficient.

They claim the glory for their status/holiness before God.

Attend church or keep church traditions for traditions sake.

I can be more concerned with the doors being open 3 times a week than I am with my personal growth and that of others.

Easily deceived

Subjects himself to things that aren’t biblical in an attempt to be spiritual. (waking up at 4:30a because the Devil wakes up at 5a)

All of these truths should translate to practical living.

I can be faithful because of who Jesus is.

I can stand fast because of who Jesus is.

One who lives allowing Christ the preeminence:

Seeks those things/sets his affections on that which is above.

They are holy, set apart for God’s purpose.

They give God the glory for their status of holy before Him.

Because Christ’s work of reconciliation is what made them holy in their relationship before God.

Mortifies sin and puts off the old man. - chapter 3

The peace of God rules even in difficulty.

They don’t seek peace elsewhere (alcohol, etc) (Example of identity in the workplace and identity in alcohol)

They desire growth in others.

They are thankful for God’s work in their life and the lives of others.

Christ is All I Need

Does my life give evidence that Christ is preeminent?

As the Colossians were charged, I charge you that we continue trusting in Christ and living out the Gospel message.

We are enabled to live out God’s command to be holy because we belong to Him and bear His image (3:10)

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

1:15–20 Paul proclaims the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ, who was present and active in the creation of the universe and who remains active in sustaining and reconciling all things. Whether Paul himself wrote this hymn is debated; he could have borrowed material used in early Christian worship. Regardless of authorship, the hymn is a central component of the letter, providing the basis for Paul’s key points in chs. 2–3 about the sufficiency of Christ and the futility of false teachings. Because God’s fullness dwells in Christ (v. 19), He is all that believers need.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

1:19 all the fullness to dwell in him Refers to God being fully present in Christ, parallel with Paul’s statement in 2:9. Consequently, Christ is sufficient for the Colossians’ salvation.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

1:20 reconcile The Greek word used here, apokatallassō, refers to the act of restoring a relationship to harmony. The purpose of Christ’s death on the cross was to bring all things created by Christ and for Christ (Col 1:16) into harmonious relationship.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

holy Describes belonging to or being set apart for God. The Colossians cannot claim responsibility for their status before God; no human tradition or rule made them holy. Rather, Christ’s work of reconciliation brought them into relationship with God, making them holy. Since believers belong to God, they bear His image (3:10), which enables them to live out God’s command to holiness.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

1:23 if indeed you remain in the faith Paul seems to be acknowledging that the Colossians are at a crossroads. He charges them to continue trusting in Christ and living out the gospel message. However, they must refuse to observe the rules and traditions of false teachings, which threaten to lead them in a different direction. They must remember that faith in Christ is not simply a way of entering God’s kingdom—it is the way of life within the kingdom (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17).

hope of the gospel Refers to living in union with Christ and sharing in Christ’s resurrection (compare Col 1:27).

Take My Life and Let it Be