Sermon Tone Analysis
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The most important question any of us could ever answer is this: Who is Jesus?
This is the very question Jesus asked his own disciples.
Who do you say that I am
There are as many answers to this question as there are people who have heard his name.
Myth
Madman
Moral teacher
The Messiah, Son of the living God
This is a question that we all must answer.
C. S. Lewis
A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher.
He’d be either a lunatic on the level with a man who says he’s a poached egg or else he’d be the devil of hell.
You must make your choice.
Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.
Recall the scene where the paralytic was lowered through the roof were Jesus was teaching.
Understand the outrage of what just happened… if someone came in here today claiming to have the authority to forgive sins, we would all be outraged.
We can forgive those who sin against us… but no man can forgive sins.
This belongs to God alone.
We must understand the audacity of what Jesus said to the Paralytic, and what Paul stated at the end of his prayer report.
This statement ought to prompt a question from every one of us.
That is this: Who is this Son who has the power to redeem us and forgive our sins?
Paul’s prayer report launches right into his Christology which is at the heart of why he is writing to the Colossians.
But why does Paul start the body of his letter her?
Why not start by refuting the heresies that are spreading among the Colossians?
He does so, because the best attack against heresy is a knowledge of the truth.
The heresy that was spreading was not an outright denial of Jesus Christ, but what they did do was diminish the status of Jesus.
The false teachers that crept in among the Colossians likely allowed for Jesus to be prominent, but the certainly did not consider Jesus to be to be preeminent
While the worship of angels is not a temptation for most of us, making Jesus prominent and yet not preeminent is a temptation for all of us.
We might not deny Jesus out right, but for many of us, Jesus has been diminished to lesser position in our lives and in our hearts.
He competes with things like fun, finances, and family
And so functionally, Jesus in our life takes the position of nothing more than a moral teacher.
We need the ballast of truth in our minds and hearts, lest we make shipwreck of our faith.
And to help us stay upright, we have Colossians 1:15-20 to remind us of who Jesus Christ is.
We will be going through this passage over the next month.
We can summarize the hymn like this:
Christ, the preeminent One: God, Creator, and Reconciler
Each of these facets in this sentence are worth meditation on so that we might rightly make Christ preeminent.
This morning, we will focus on this facet: Christ is God.
Paul put it this way.
Colossians 1:15 (ESV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God
To help us unpack this verse, I want us to consider two questions.
What is meant by the invisible God?
What does it mean for Christ to be the image of the invisible God?
What is meant by “the invisible God?”
It’s easy for this to be confusing, especially for young kids.
Because the Scriptures describe God as having a righteous right hand, and God is said to redeem Israel with an outstretched arm.
God is described as having nostrils, eyes, and a face that shines upon his people.
So how is it possible for God to be invisible?
Anthropomorphism - when objects are given human characteristics
All the objects that come to life in Beauty and the Beast
But the Scriptures are abundantly clear - God does not have a form, for God is not a creature.
As such, no one has seen God.
God is invisible, because he is a Spirit.
And more than this, no one can see God and live
Even though God is invisible, he has made himself known to his people.
But not through images
But God is perceived through his creation
And even more through his Word.
God is invisible, but he has made himself known through his Word.
Illustrations: Long distance relationships
God dwelt in the midst of his people - via the tabernacle and then later on through the temple - but God was still separated from his people due to the vails, curtains, and walls
God is invisible… but Paul makes an astonishing claim.
He tells us that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
Colossians 1:15 (ESV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
I can try to explain what the Mona Lisa looks like.
Her pale skin, and her reddish brown curly hairs that comes down just past her shoulders.
I can describe the nature of her smile, her eyes, and the shape of her nose.
Her posed hands that are crossed and leaning on an arm wrest.
I have barley done justice in describing this painting… Or I could just show you the image.
Jesus is described as being the image of the invisible God.
Understand, what this word image describes.
Jesus uses it in Matt 22.20
Recall what Moses asked of the Lord in Exod 33.
Lord, show me your glory.
All of God’s attributes are seen in Christ.
Three implications of seeing Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God.
1.
If we have seen Jesus Christ, then we have seen God
Illustration: I resemble my dad - and you all likely resemble your parents to some extent
We can’t look at the sun - but the rays of the sun saturate everything we see
The exact imprint of his nature - signet ring
Do you want to see God’s glory?
Then look at Jesus Christ!
2. If we have seen Jesus Christ, then we are saved
Illustration: Catfishing
If we wish to be saved - we must know God.
And if we want to know God, we must see God.
To know God, that is, if we have seen God - we can be sure that Jesus is preparing a place for us with him.
3.
If we have seen Jesus Christ, we will be sanctified
Sanctified - that is to say we will look more and more like Jesus
Illustration: We become what we behold
This is what discipleship is - imitating those who are imitating Jesus
Peter watching toy story - Imitating the characters
Oh that we would all see Christ, for he is
Colossians 1:15 (ESV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God
When we see Jesus, we will be changed
But here is the question that must be answered on this topic.
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