The Incarnate Christ

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.

Colossians 1:15-

Colossians 1:15–18 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.

Let us pray.

This morning as we come to the end of the advent season I want us to consider the Incarnate Christ. I want us to understand

Christ is more than a babe in a manger.

Christ is more than a young carpenter.

Christ is more than a good teacher.

Christ is more than a sacrificial lamb.

Christ is all of these things but in these 5 verses Paul unpacks no less than 10 truths about the Incarnate Son that we would do well to know, understand, and proclaim. In the case of the church at Colosse Paul is writing to them to remind them of the authority and sufficiency of Christ. He is seeking to correct false teachers who are denying the deity of Christ. He is warning them;

let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink and regard to festival or a new moon or Sabbath, these are just shadows of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ (2:16,17)

let know one disqualify you, insisting on ascetism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensual mind. (2:18)

and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through it joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. (2:19)

Do you see? If we are going to keep from getting judged falsely, and disqualified following after heretical doctrines, and worshipping vainly we must hold fast to Christ, we must know him, who he is and what He has done for us!

This morning my prayer for us is Paul’s prayer for the Colossians,

Colossians 1:9–10 ESV

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:

To help us grow in the knowledge of Christ and his will, and all spiritual wisdom and understanding let’s look at these 10 Truths about the Incarnate Son.

I. Jesus is the Image of the Invisible God.

1:15a He is the image of the invisible God,

One of the primary heresies that was creeping into the Colossian church was the denial of the deity of Christ. Paul goes right to work to emphatically prove that Jesus Christ is both fully man and fully God. He understands that to deny the deity of Christ is to deny an essential of the faith and one that would lead men and women away from the One True Faith once delivered to the saints!

He begins stating that,

Jesus is the image of the of invisible God.

The author of Hebrews says it this way,

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, ()

Why is this so important? Because no man can see God and live. God the Father is Spirit and no man has seen Him. Moses caught just a glimpse of Him and lit up so bright he had to cover his head when he came down off the mountain. That was after God covered him in the cleft of the rock and just let him get a glimpse of His backside.

But in Jesus Christ we see God in flesh, we see the exact image, the exact imprint, the icon, a perfect copy of God the Father.

John 1:18 ESV

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Who had made him known? The Son, Jesus Christ has revealed to us the Father! The Old Testament is full of the revelation of God, we can go to the narratives and see the work and purpose of God. We can go to the Wisdom literature and see the character of God, we can study the prophets and see the power, love, authority, and judgement of God. But Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God the Father. If you want to know the Father look to the Son!

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Kent Hughes writes, “Jesus is literally the exegesis of God.”

You may ask what has this got to do with Christmas?

Baruch Moaz explains the following,

“The visibility of which Paul spoke is the product of the incarnation. By taking on humanity, including a human body, Christ became the visible expression of God.”

In other words, the Incarnation of Christ makes possible the visible expression of God in the incarnate Son! We see God through Christ, we learn of God’s attributes, nature, and work through Jesus who is the exact imprint of the nature of God.

John 14:9 ESV

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Jesus is the image of the invisible God, secondly,

II. Jesus is the Firstborn of all Creation.

1:15b the firstborn of all creation.

Here is where we must be careful, here is where the Jehovah’s Witnesses go off the rails. Here is where the ancient heretic Arius makes a fatal error. They interpreted this as Jesus being the first person created. Which would deny the fact that Jesus has always been co-eternal and co-equal with the Father.

The term firstborn does often men first child, but it often means “first in rank and honor.” In other words Jesus Christ is above all creation with the Father. He is the exact image of the Father, and he is also over all things created, above all, and has authority over all creation, including us!

How can we know that Jesus is of highest rank and honor in creation? This brings us to our third truth about the Incarnate Son,

III. Jesus is the Creator of All Things.

1:16 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.

Remember, God was not alone at creation, when God was speaking creation into existence the Son was with Him!

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Who is the “us” and “our”? God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Jesus is highly exalted, honored, and has supreme rank, because he was at work in creation with the Father.

Notice, the Father didn’t just send the Son to create a few things. Paul writes, For by him all things were created, where, in heaven and on earth. In other words everything that was created Christ had his hand in it.

John 1:3 ESV

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Jesus Christ was not just the babe in a manger,

He is the one who created the world he was born into,

He is the one who created the flesh he was made into,

He is the one who created the people who would reject him,

He is the on who created the thrones, dominions, or rulers, or authorities that would crucify Him!

This leads us to another question? Why would Christ create all these things;

From insects, to institutions,

from animals to angels,

from the poor to the powerful,

from the minute to the mighty.

Paul answers that too,

Jesus created all things through him and for him. Creation is for the glory of Christ. Jesus Created all things for himself, for his own glory.

Psalm 19:1 ESV

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

The heavens he created for him, for his glory, that his people might see his creative work and give him honor, praise, and glory. So that man would be without excuse for turning to him, we know he exist because of His creation.

Paul wrote to the Romans,

Romans 11:36 ESV

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Kent Hughes explains,

Preaching the Word: Colossians and Philemon—The Supremacy of Christ Christ: Supreme in Creation (vv. 15b-17)

Everything began with him and will end with him. All things sprang forth at his command, and all things will return to him at his command. He is the beginning and he is the end—the Alpha and Omega. One day everything will give him glory

What does this mean for us? His people, His church. If he is creator then he is Sovereign over us. Therefore we ought to live, work, and worship according to what he has revealed to us. We ought to seek His Word to guide us and teach us what it is that our Creator Lord desires! This is how we bring him glory as his creation.

Next Paul affirms our 4th truth about the incarnate Christ!

IV. Jesus Existed Before all Things.

1:17a And he is before all things,

Paul, one more time affirms Jesus is Co-Eternal with the Father. This can mean a couple of things.

First, Jesus was before all things chronologically.

Jesus is before all things, in other words he existed before anything was created;

Before there was light and night, Jesus was

Before there was heaven and earth, Jesus was

Before there was sea and sand, Jesus was

Before there was fields and fruits, Jesus was

Before there was sun and moon, Jesus was

Before there were flying birds and fish, Jesus was

Before there were farm animals and male and female, Jesus was.

Do you get the picture? Jesus created all things because he existed before creation. Jesus is also the exact image of the Father, and has the exact same authority as the Father over creation.

Secondly, Jesus ranks before all things. Because of His deity and eternality,

However, Jesus is not just Creator, the Fifth truth Paul affirms is,

V. Jesus Sustains All Things

1:17b and in him all things hold together.

Listen again to with the focus on his sustaining power.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

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,

There is nothing in the universe that is not under the sustaining power of God. He is not the watchmaker God some claim him to be. He didn’t just create the world and turn it loose to run on its own and say, “we will see how it turns out.” God has created the world, the heavens, the earth and all that is in it and there is nothing that happens that is out of his providential care.

As Dr. R.C. Sproul has said, “There is no maverick molecule if God is sovereign.” If He cannot control the tiniest bits of the universe, then we cannot trust Him to keep His word.

Dr. R.C. Sproul has said, “There is no maverick molecule if God is sovereign.” If He cannot control the tiniest bits of the universe, then we cannot trust Him to keep His word.

Another way commentators have explained this truth is that, because God sustains all things and holds them together we have a “kosmos not chaos.” In other works all things are held together for our good and his glory. All things are ordered for the flourishing of God’s creation, until sin causes disorder.

What does this mean to us? If God is sustainer and creator of all things, if he holds all things together we ought to look to him for wisdom, guidance and assurance in times of blessing and times of affliction. Since he is Sovereign over all then he is the one whom will sustain us through all things!

When we struggle with sin, look to him and his Word and he will show us a way out.

When we are battling sickness, disease, and suffering cry out to him for mercy and grace to sustain us through it.

When we face death or the loss of a loved one trust his promise that those who are in him will meet Him face to face the moment we take our final breath.

Do you get the point? God’s sustaining sovereignty brings us great assurance, hope, and confidence that we find in,

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

and in,

Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The Incarnate Christ is at work in his creation, that means he is at work in us to complete the work he has begun in us. This brings us to our 6th truth about the Incarnate Son of God,

VI. Jesus it the Chief Shepherd.

1:18a And he is the head of the body, the church.

Here is where I want us to spend a few minutes. If we are the church, the body and Christ is the head we might ought to pay attention to this one. Not that the other truths are any less important, but this one is doctrinally important and practically important. We all desire to see the church healthy, strong, and flourishing, but according to this description of Jesus in verse 18 who is in control of the church and who is it that will cause it to grow and strengthen?

Jesus Christ, the head the Chief Shepherd of the flock. Here is what we must remember it is not our church it is His. We did not purchase the church with our own blood, the Incarnate Christ did. We did not die for the elect Christ did. Therefore the church belongs to him not us.

Now, I want you to think through this with me. If Christ is the head of the body, what does that mean? What does the head do for us.

It gives life, without the brain function we are dead.

It gives direction, the brain tells the body what to do.

It gives sight, through the eyes we see.

It enables us to hear through the ears.

It enables us to take in nourishment through the mouth.

What does Christ do for the church as her Head,

He gives live to lost souls by grace through faith. He gives life by regenerating those who are dead in sin. He gives live by causing us to be born again.

He gives wisdom and direction to the church through His Word. He gives us all we need to know regarding the church in his all sufficient Scriptures.

He enables us to see. He is the image of the invisible God. He opens our eyes that we might see and understand the Scriptures. He shows us the way of salvation, through himself, the way the truth and the life.

We love to sing,

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found

T’was blind but now I see.

He enables us to hear his word that we might receive his instruction for the church. That we might worship Him through the preaching and teaching of the Word.

Jesus said in,

Matthew 13:13 ESV

This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Matthew 13:

Baruch Maoz sums it up this way, “Jesus’ headship indicates his seniority, His rule, and the intimate relationship between Him and the church as an actual body. The church is dependent on Jesus as a body is on its head, without it has neither life nor direction nor sight., without it it cannot breathe or obtain nourishment. In that sense, the head is the source of life to a physical body as Jesus is to the church and the source of its life.”

You want to diagnose the health of the church? Look to see how it submits to, exalts, and worships it’s head, Jesus Christ!

Here is the questions for us to consider.

Have you recieved life through Christ which makes you a member of his body. The Ekklesia, that called out assembly?

Who do you look to to lead the church? Christ and His Word, or worldly wisdom? Do you look to Christ to see what he desires for His church or do we seek to fulfill our own selfish, prideful desires thinking the church is ours to do with what we please?

Let me help us out with this one. We are all prone to think we know better than Jesus. We think we can do things that can help him out with His church. But don’t forget, the church is not only his body, his flock, it is also His Bride! Now how many of us men are going to take kindly to someone coming into our house telling our bride what to do? How many of us will appreciate another man coming in and giving our wife instruction on how she is to function and to look?

Not One! Therefore we would do well to recognize that Christ is not impressed when we try to dress up his church to become more enticing to lost men. He has a plan for that, it is Preach the Word, Pray for Fruit, Sing Songs, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Show brotherly love to one another.

Will you commit today to look to Christ Word to see what Jefferson St. Baptist church can do to submit to the Head, the Supreme, the Sovereign over the Church?

There was a king who had beautiful wife. But he was about to go on a journey, so he left his most trusted servant to stand in his place, to tend to his kingdom, and care for his wife.

After the king had been gone a couple of days, the servant notice the people were losing interest in the monoarchy, in the king

As we move on, the seventh truth about the Incarnate Christ is,

VII. Jesus is Eternal

1:18b He is the beginning,

Paul here, again points to the fact that the reason Jesus is the head of the church, is because He is the beginning, the first in order and rank. The source and sovereign over the church. He is the one who brings about life physically and spiritually because he is the One whom is from the beginning and is the beginning of all things.

He has always existed and brings all things into existence. That is why this truth is to tightly connected to the next,

Truth number 8,

VIII. Jesus is Preeminent.

1:18c the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Paul is not saying that Jesus is the first person to be raised from the dead, but He is the most important to be raised from the dead. All of the others who were raised from the dead, died again. Lazarus was brought forth after being dead 4 days, but at some point he faced death again.

Jesus died once, was resurrected after three days, ascended into heaven, and has been sitting on the throne ruling and reigning every since. He is the firstborn from the dead, so that we might be the first fruits of his resurrection!

This word preeminent is not one we use often. It essentially means “first in rank.” Jesus the firstborn from the dead is of first rank, utmost importance of salvation. It is his virgin birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, and resurrection that salvation for sinners is made possible!

So for those of us who are born again, members of Christ body the church what does this mean for us?

That in all things Christ must be of first importance, rank, and first place.

He must rank supreme in our individual lives, our families, our jobs, roles as members of His body, and any other realm of life that we are engaged in.

Before we move on, consider where does Jesus rank in your life and my life, in the life of the churches we are members of, Jefferson St., Pray’s Mill and any other local church that may be represented here today!

This next truth is one of the most difficult to comprehend. And as glorious as this truth is we have to come to the realization that we must just wonder at the mystery of it.

Paul explains in verse 19,

IX. Jesus is Fully God

1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

Try and wrap your mind around that for a minute, that little babe in the manger possessed the entirety of the Godhead! There is not one ounce, one part, one attribute of God that did not exist in Jesus. The infant was indwelt by the fulness of God.

The incarnate Son was both fully human, born into a body of flesh that hungered, thirsted, cried, got tired, and hurt. But at the same time Jesus was fully God not void of one fragment of deity.

100% God - 100% Man

Truly God - Truly Man

Very God of Very God!

This truth is so important Paul repeats even more emphatically in,

Colossians 2:9 ESV

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

There were false teachers of Paul’s day and in our day that deny the deity of Christ. It cannot be any clearer than it is in this letter to the Colossians. Jesus is not any less God than the Father. He possesses the fulness of God’s power and God’s attributes. Although Christ submits to the Father, he has the same authority over creation, He is wholly God!

When we come to the advent season and the trappings of the world try and catch us let us remember this is what Christmas is about, Jesus Christ, the Messiah being born in a manger not just coming so we can have a celebration and a holiday, but the fulness of God coming in the flesh that he might save his people from their sins.

Jesus hypostatic union of humanity and divinity is the reason for our 10th and final truth about Christ this morning.

X. Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.

This final point is truly the message of Christmas.

Jesus is the prophesied Prince of Peace in

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Jesus came through the incarnation for the purpose of saving his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21 ESV

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

Jesus came as a babe in a manger to make peace between us and God.

We sing of this glorious truth during the advent season!

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new-born King!

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled."

This leads to the question why do we need peace with God? Paul tells us in,

Colossians 1:21 ESV

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

Christ came because we were at enmity with God. We were rebels against the Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the universe. We had broken his law and stood condemned under his wrath and apart from a Sinless Savior we would spend eternity under the crushing judgment of God!

Let us remember, salvation and reconciliation of sinners is not the end goal of Christ work on the cross. It is a means to the end goal. The goal is God’s creation being reconciled, returned to him, made right with Him for His own glory. Christ death makes this possible just as all things were created for Christ and through Christ, reconciliation of sinners is accomplished through Christ for God the Father and for Christ.

There is another question, how is it that Jesus Christ reconciles us to God?

Peter tells us,

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

Paul writes in,

Ephesians 2:16 ESV

and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Ephesians

Romans 5:10 ESV

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

By the death of Christ on the Cross,

Colossians 1:13 ESV

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

In other words this reconciling work is the work of our Triune God.

God the Father elects,

God the Son Reconciles, and

God the Spirit Regenerates and Draws.

Let me give you a summary of what Paul is trying to teach us of Christ in this text. A summary of what Baptist have historically affirmed in the 1689 London Baptist Confession Article 8 - Section 2

“The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father’s glory, of one substance and equal with him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things he hath made, did when fulness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the Scriptures; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediatory between God and man.”

As we close this morning how should we respond to this text this morning, this Christ exalting paragraph.

Run to him in repentance if you have yet to be reconciled to God. If you realize you have never trusted in this Jesus, the one who is full divine, preeminent in all things, and the heaven born Prince of Peace. Turn from your sin and cry out to God for mercy.

Believe in Him, trust that He is what He and the Scriptures say that He is. The Son of God who died a brutal death on a cross to make peace between God and his people.

Rest in Him, we must quit thinking our works and good deeds earn us any favor with God. Christ person and work finished the work that had to be done of our salvation. This doesn’t mean that we don’t work but it is out of gratitude for His work accomplished for us.

Proclaim Him! This is the Christ we need to make sure we are telling others about. Not some Jesus that the culture has made that everyone will like. But the Incarnate Christ revealed to us in the Bible!

Worship Him! He is worthy! Give him the glory, honor, and praise He is due, because

He is the image of the invisible God!

He is firstborn of all Creation!

He is Pre-existent!

He is Creator!

He Holds All Things Together!

He is Head of the Church!

He is

He is Eternal!

He is preeminent in all things!

He is indwelt with the fulness of God!

He is the Prince of Peace!