Sermon Tone Analysis

Colossians Series #4

The Preeminent Christ (Col.

1:15-18)

By Bill Denton

 

*Introduction*

A.  Illustration

   Sam Bronfman, the late CEO of the Seagram Company, entered a crowded conference room

   and, anxious to get on with the meeting, plopped into the nearest chair.

One of his young

   assistants immediately said, "No, Mr. Bronfman, you're supposed to sit at the head of the

   table."

"Young man," replied Mr. Bronfman, "wherever I sit is the head of the table."

Leadership Journal (5-7-96) p. 12

 

1.

What a natural mistake that young man made.

Too often we think the head of the table is

     merely a spot at one end, or perhaps the central position designated by the architecture of

     table

 

2.

In reality, the head of the table is defined by the person who holds the preeminent

     position by virtue of power or authority

 

B.

Modern America is involved in a conflicting dance when it comes to the idea of preeminence

1.  On one hand, we're in awe of people who power and authority, often determined by

     wealth or some position they hold

 

2.

On the other hand, we resist the idea of preeminence, displaying instead attitudes that

    insist that one person is as good as another, or that no one ought to be held in some

    supreme place over everyone else

 

3.

Like it or not, people often submit themselves to some perceived superior person,

     or philosophy, a political view, or wealth -- allowing whatever is superior to rule

 

C.

How are Christians supposed to handle this problem

1.  Listen carefully to those who criticize or challenge Christianity and you will find that

     at the heart of the conflict is an attempt to dismiss Jesus as inferior

 

2.

Many Christians do not really understand the significance of doctrines that teach of

     the supremacy or preeminence of Jesus Christ

 

3.

If you do not settle this issue, you will be forever leaning toward whatever wind that

    blows in from the philosophers, religious teachers, and gurus of various kind

 

D.

Today, we'll take just a brief look at some basic thoughts on the preeminence of Jesus

 

 

 

 

*I.

A Greatly Over-Simplified Problem*

A.  Illustration

   Hilary Swank, 1999's Oscar winner for Best Actress and wife of actor Chad Lowe, was asked, "Where does Jesus fit into all of [your and your husband's success]?"

She responded:

   It's not like we're Catholic or Christian or Episcopal or practice Judaism or Buddhism even.

We just kind of believe in a higher power and that doesn't mean a man God, or someone on a cross.

It just means that we all have god-like qualities.

We have the power inside of us to do good things.

But I don't want you to write it like I'm freaky.

--  Jeff Johnson, "I am Hilary Swank's Bestest New Girlfriend," Jane (October 2001), p. 128

1.

I realize that I'm about to greatly over-simplify the modern problem

 

2.

Swank's statement is telling and it is illustrative of a growing view among many people

     ( call it "New Age" if you want, but it's really "old age" religious philosophy)

a.  somehow, "God" doesn't require God, much less a Jesus

 

b.  this view elevates man from the sin-ridden creature in need of

     redemption, to something with "god-like" qualities inside, and

     power to do good

 

B.

This is so much like the deception Eve fell for it's not funny

1.  Genesis 3:1-6

1Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’

” 4The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!

5“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make /one /wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

NASB95

 

2.

Since the garden, man's struggle has been elevating himself and demoting God

 

3.

I remember reading a long time ago that someone suggested that the essence of

     sin is man trying to take the place of God - if that's not a problem with our view

     of God, and by extension, Jesus, then I don't know what it is

 

C.

This attitude is at the heart of a lot of our problems with faith and faithfulness

1.

At the root of the problem is the thought that Jesus is somehow just not enough

 

2.

What we need to learn is the truth about the preeminence of Jesus over everything that

     exists - both the created world and the spiritual realm; learn that and it settles all doubts

 

*II.

Paul's Magnificent Statement About Jesus*

A.  Paul addressed the preeminent nature of Jesus (Col 1:15)

1.  Colossians 1:15

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

NASB95

 

2.

Note these passages as well

a.  2 Corinthians 4:3-4

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

NASB95

 

b.

Hebrews 1:1-3

1God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

3And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, NASB95

 

3.

The Greek idea of image is that it shared in the reality of the thing it revealed

a.  it was not thought of as something distinct from the thing revealed

1)  for example: we send a fax to someone and they receive an "image" of

    what we sent, but we think of the two things, the original and the fax, as

    two distinct things

 

2)  someone "reproduces" a painting - we don't think of the two things as

     the same

 

3)  but the Greek idea of "image" is that the image shared in the reality of

     the original

 

b.

David Garland:  "As the image of God, Christ is an exact, as well as visible,

     representation of God . . .