Sunday Sermon Colossians 1:15-18 Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to First Community Church, where we worship God in Spirit and in Truth, one verse at a time so that God will be glorified and our hearts be changed.
Our goal each Sunday is to more conformed into the image of Jesus Christ and through the power of His Word, be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
We should desire to be more like Jesus today, than we were yesterday.
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
We shall not live by bread alone church, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God!
Thank you for the song service and for all each one of you do!
Prayer
Prayer
Read Colossians 1:15-18
Read Colossians 1:15-18
Review
Review
We are currently in the midst of the most Christological passage in Scripture. When you think of Jesus, this passage speaks more on Him than any other passage in the entire Bible.
We talked about why Paul wrote this book and the false teachers who were teaching heresy.
Gnosticism/ Gnostics- they did not believe Jesus was God in flesh
The Gnostics believed that matter was evil and spirit was good, therefore, Jesus was a created being, and He did not create, but God sent Him out as an emanation.
The Gnostics denied Jesus’ Deity and Humanity, they believed that he was an angel or like a ghost.
And finally, last week we learned that Jesus is the image (ikon) of God and that we are the ikon of Jesus.
And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We were all created in the image of God, but Jesus is the image (ikon)of God.
He is the perfect picture of God.
Representation The idea of an image is an “engraving” or “impression”, which is the precise and exact reproduction of an original.
In one of the most beautiful palaces in Rome, there is a painting by Rene’ entitled the Arora. It is located on the ceiling of the palace. For people to see and appreciate this great piece of work, they have to look up. When it was originally painted, people would come in, stare up at the painting and get a stiff neck. Many times people became dizzy and passed out. The owner, being a creative man himself, decided to build a floor of mirrors and set chairs around the mirrors. People would come in, take a seat, and look at the mirrors on the floor and see the exact image of the painting on the ceiling. The mirrors reflected the real thing. Christ is the perfect mirror reflecting all that God is.
2. Manifestation The concept of “image” also indicates that Christ is the outward showing forth of God. Christ is the image, indicating that He is always and everywhere the manifestation of God. The Apostle John said this about Christ:
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Church, did you see that: “Christ declares God.”
If we want to know what God is like in character and essence, we are to look at Christ. The invisible God is made known through Christ.
Although Paul does not come out and say it, he implies that Christ is God.
Actually the name “Emanuel” means “God with us.”
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
So we see here in this text that Jesus is the image of God, but also that He is the firstborn over all creation.
At first glance, you might think that Jesus is the firstborn, therefore, this might make you think there was more sons for that matter.
But that’s not whaFt it is teaching here.
Firstborn- prototokos- — preceding all others in time or space or degree; probably understood as still including all the rights and privileges that accompany being a physical firstborn. This conveys not first in order, but first in priority or sovereignty.
This word can be used first
But in Bible times this is used as a figure of speech in regards to:
the favored son
the important son
or as the definition implied, the son who would get the inheritance
Now to be honest, this is a little confusing, but let us look at what the Word teaches us
Although prōtotokos can mean firstborn chronologically :
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
It refers primarily to position, or rank.
In both Greek and Jewish culture, the firstborn was the son who had the right of inheritance. But he was not necessarily the first one born.
Although Esau was born first chronologically, it was Jacob who was the “firstborn” and received the inheritance. Jesus is the One with the right to the inheritance of all creation
Israel was called God’s firstborn in Exodus 4:22 and Jeremiah 31:9.
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
Though not the first people born, they held first place in God’s sight among all the nations.
Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.
In Psalm 89:27, God says of the Messiah, “I also shall make him My first-born,” then defines what He means—“the highest of the kings of the earth.”
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
In Revelation 1:5, Jesus is called “the first-born of the dead,” even though He was not the first person to be resurrected chronologically. Of all ever raised, He is the preeminent One.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:29 refers to Him as the firstborn in relation to the church. In all the above cases, firstborn clearly means highest in rank, not first created.
Priority. This word can mean first in time (priority). This indicates that Christ was prior to all created things.
As the firstborn, Christ was prior to all things. Since Christ existed prior to all things, He must be uncreated. Since uncreated, He must be eternal and because He is eternal, he must be God.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Sovereignty. Firstborn can also indicate “honor” or “sovereignty.”
As firstborn, Christ is sovereign over all creation. Christ was and is always the firstborn of all creation, not the first created, not created at all, but the Creator, the Sovereign, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last, the Lord of Heaven.
Jehovah Witnesses hang their hats on this verse. They believe that Christ was the first created being by Jehovah, and then through Christ everything else was brought into being.
The Jehovah Witness denies that Jesus is God and mock the fact that He is the second person of the Trinity.
Jehovah Witnesses cannot be Christians in any sense because they deny the deity of Christ. Over major heresies, true Christians must divide and separate themselves in order to maintain true orthodoxy.
Jesus was not created but is the firstborn over all creation!
Jesus is the image of the invisible God , Jesus is the Revealer of God.
There was a Puritan Preacher who just finished up teaching a powerful message to his church on this power packed verse and as he was leaving an atheist walked up to him and said, “ I cannot believe in a God that is invisible, a God that you cannot see!”
The preacher replied, “Can thou seest thy brain?” The atheist said no! He then proceeded to ask him, “Do you believe you have a brain?”
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.
Paul continues to wage war against the false teachers through letting the church at Colossae, know that Jesus was not a created being
In fact, that by Jesus all things were created
2. Jesus is Sovereign over all Creation, Jesus is Creator
Church, if all things were created by Jesus, then Jesus was not created
When we see thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers> this refers to the various categories of angels whom Jesus created and rules over.
We see here that Jesus is Sovereign over of all Creation and Paul gives us 4 reasons why:
Jesus is the creator over all creation, therefore , He is the Source!
Jesus is the source of the entire cosmos, the entire universe church and everything in it
This runs counter to evolution
The Bible does not teach evolution
2. Jesus is the purpose and goal of all creation, therefore, He is the Goal!
Colossians 1:16b, Al thing were created through Him and for him church!
Jesus is the purpose of all things
He is the goal
The trees praise Him
Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord, For He is coming to judge the earth.
Read Psalm 148
Read Psalm 148
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.
Jesus just finished His triumphal entry and we pick up here:
And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Church, the Rocks will cry out!
Can you see the Rocks singing Rock of Ages?
Creation has rich meaning when it all points to Jesus Christ!
Think about it church, if Jesus is the creator of all things, He was before all things, therefore, all things must submit to His authority and power!
The Lord spoke the world and heavens to existence:
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
2. The Lord spoke and the Red Sea parted church.
3. The Lord spoke and Enoch was taken to heaven.
4. The Lord spoke through a burning bush
5. The Lord spoke through a donkey
6. The Lord healed the blind man, the lepers, he caused the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear.
7. The Lord resurrected others and He himself was resurrected. He has the keys to death and hades
8. When the disciples were on the Sea of Galilee and a storm hit and they became frightened and woke up Jesus who was sleeping in the stern of the boat, He arose and told the storm, Peace, Be still!
9. How about when Jesus feed the 5000? And he blessed the bread and fish?
Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
3. Jesus is before all thing church
All things means all things
Jesus existed before all things
Before time
Before matter
Before you and me
Before Milton-Freewater
Before Oregon
Before the world and all that is in it church!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
4. Jesus is the sustainer of all Creation.
Colossians 1:17b, and in Him all things consist!
Consist- sün-e'-sta-me v. — to be or become composed of many parts into a cohesive and enduring whole, to hold together, to place together, to set in the same place, to bring or band together.
He's got the whole world in His hand
He's got this whole world right in His hand
He's got everybody here right in His hand
He's got everybody here right in His hand
What keeps the cos kkkkkkkkkmos form exploding church?
Jesus is the glue that holds the whole cosmos together!
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.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God
Jesus is Sovereign over all Creation
He is the head of the Church
Jesus is Lord of Creation and Lord of the Church
Here Paul shifts into metaphorical language
He says that Christ if the head of the body, the church.
Church-ekklēsia- those that are called out, an assembly of believers
Colossians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Christ Is the Head of the Church
There are many metaphors used in Scripture to describe the church. It is called a family, a kingdom, a vineyard, a flock, a building, and a bride. But the most profound metaphor, one having no Old Testament equivalent, is that of a Body. The church is a Body, and Christ is the head of the Body. This concept is not used in the sense of the head of a company, but rather looks at the church as a living organism, inseparably tied together by the living Christ. He controls every part of it and gives it life and direction. His life lived out through all the members provides the unity of the Body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12–20). He energizes and coordinates the diversity within the Body, a diversity of spiritual gifts and ministries (1 Cor. 12:4–13). He also directs the Body’s mutuality, as the individual members serve and support each other
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
We are the body and Jesus Christ is the head
What happens if you cut off your head? Or the head? That’s right your dead!
My head tells my body what to do, if someone takes off my head, I am in big trouble church
My brain tells my body what to do, what to say or not say, my brain thinks and knows when something is wrong or right, it tells me when to feel pain or not feel pain, it tells me where to go or not to go, what to do or not to do!
Everything comes form our brain church
That is why we use helmets to protect our head
The head is the master computer!
Jesus is the head of the church, just like us, if you cut the head off you die!
Colossians 1:18c, “That in all things He may have the Preeminence!”
Jesus was preeminent in his:
Incarnation
Crucifixion
Resurrection
Ascension
Exaltation as he sat down at the right hand of the Father in heaven
Paul closes this section with reminding the Colossians that Jesus must be preeminent for He is the head of the church!
Jesus is the image of the invisible God
Jesus is Sovereign over all Creation
Jesus is the Head of the Church
Is Jesus Preeminent over everything in your life?
Prayer
Prayer
Announcements
Announcements
Are there any announcements?
If you adopted an Angel Tree child, please see me after we are finished as I have something to give you.
Todd’s birthday was this past week. LET US SING! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Benediction
Benediction
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
The Lord Bless you!
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