HE IS

Colossians 1:13-20 (KJV)

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

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.

I began listening to a Yale Lecture series[1] on the history of the Roman Empire this week.

There are a lot of reasons why a serious student of the Bible would be interested in Roman history, not the least of which is that

·   Christianity influenced Rome and

·   Rome influenced Christianity[2]

Christianity was birthed during the Roman occupation of Jerusalem.

·   Rome had influenced the climate that led to the rejection of Jesus and

·   Rome was integral in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

·   Christianity was, at first, hated by Rome[3] then

·   Christianity was embraced by Roman[4] finally

·   Christianity outlived Rome[5]

One of the most respected historians of the Roman Empires was man named Edward Gibbon. His work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was written in 1782.

Modern historians are likely to disagree with Gibbon’s assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of Rome, but, as I understand it, all Roman historians begin with a foundation laid in Gibbon’s history of Rome.

Gibbon, according to this Yale Professor, believed that Christianity was the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire. While the Yale Professor disagrees, Gibbon thought Rome spent far too much time fighting over doctrinal particulars and lost focus on protecting their civilization.

That’s interesting. Christianity[6], according to Gibbon, was the problem.

It is also interesting to me that the professor makes a disclaimer very early in the first lecture and says it will be necessary to discuss religion in this course.

He says that experience has taught him that many students will object to that and that they will especially object to the references to Christianity.

Even a simple scan of world conditions will inform you that it is not religion itself that this world objects to.

This world hates Jesus.

But I am here today to tell you that:

·   This world does not need more religion.

·   This world does not need more philosophy

·   This world does not need more education

·   This world does not need more tolerance

This world needs Jesus.

Apostle Paul believed that.

I want you to notice how often Paul names Jesus Christ in Colossians chapter one:

Colossians 1:1 (KJV)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

Colossians 1:2 (KJV)

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:3 (KJV)

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Colossians 1:4 (KJV)

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

Colossians 1:7 (KJV)

As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Colossians 1:24 (KJV)

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Colossians 1:27 (KJV)

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Colossians 1:28 (KJV)

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

I get the impression that, to Paul, Christianity was all about Jesus Christ.

I wonder if you noticed as I was listing out those references, that there is this huge gap between verse 7 and verse 24, where the name of Christ is not mentioned.

It is in that gap, I wish to preach this morning.

After establishing his subject, Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul gives to us a majestic description of who Jesus Christ is.

He is….

I. HE IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD

Colossians 1:15 (KJV)

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Jesus Christ is God is the embodiment of all that is the invisible God.

He is God so we can see Him.

He is God so we can understand Him

He is god so we can speak to Him

One of the definitions of the word image is “profile.”

Before the days of camera there were two ways to produce a likeness of a person.

One was, of course, a painting[7]

But that was costly and hard to come by. Only the wealthy were likely to have a portrait painted of themselves.

A more common way to make a likeness was in the form of

A silhouette

It’s really just the outline of the person’s profile.

You shine a light against a wall and place a person between the light and the wall and trace it.

When the person is not there, you can see them in the silhouette.

It’s a weak example of what Christ is because Hebrews says that Jesus is,

Hebrews 1:3 (KJV)

… the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, …

Jesus is more than an image on the wall.

When you see Jesus you see the express image of God’s person.

Jesus is:

·   The Son of God

·   God with us and

·   Equal with God

He is not a God.

He is not just a likeness of God

He is … God

II. HE IS THE FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE

Colossians 1:15 (KJV)

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

This phrase has been misused by heretics throughout the centuries.

Jesus Christ was born.

We do not dispute that.

But he did not begin at his birth.

You did and

I did

Jesus did not.

Micah 5:2 (KJV)

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Jesus Christ “came forth,” was born, out of Bethlehem Judah.

But His “goings forth” have been from Old, from everlasting.

He is first in rank of those born.

He is the first of the first.

He was born, but His was not the normal birth because His was a miraculous conception.

Jesus Christ is one of us, but He is forever more than us.

III. HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS

Colossians 1:16 (KJV)

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:

A. We are told two times in one verse that Jesus Christ created all things.

·   By Him were all things created and

·   All things were created by Him

Interestingly, the two uses of the word “by” are not the same Greek word.

·   The first means “the instrument” of the creation.

·   The second is “the means” of the creation.

Jesus is the doer of the Creation and the tool of the Creation.

I live in a house that I tell people I built.

Technically I am being truthful, but not totally accurate. I only spent three or four days actually working on the house.

I hired the actual building of the house out.

·   I was the doer of the house but

·   I was not the instrument of the house

·   I was the means of the building but

·   I was not the tool of the building

 Jesus Christ didn’t “hire Creation out.”

He was both its means and its instrument.

B. We are told what He created

…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…

·   The sun, the moon the stars

·   The trees the animals the soil

·   The angels, the cherubim and the seraphim

·   The intricacies of life

·   The varieties of life forms

·   The authorities, the nations, the races

·   The ranks of people

·   The ambitions of some and

·   The contentment of others

All of these are the handiwork of Jesus Christ.

Further,

C. We are told the purpose of His Creation

… all things were created by him, and for him..

This, I think, is the crux of the issue and the reason for so much disagreement in our world about the Creation.

·   We are not created for our own purposes

·   We are not created to accomplish our own will

·   We are not created to live out our own dreams

All of those thoughts are the seed of Satan born out in our sinful nature.

Everything that exists was created by Jesus for Jesus.

Revelation 4:11 (KJV)

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

There it is.

This is the problem the atheist has with God and frankly….

This is the problem you have with God

You exist for His pleasure:

·   Your house

·   Your family

·   Your job

·   Your health

It was all created for His pleasure.

How much better off our world would be if everyone used everything for the pleasure of Jesus Christ.

IV. HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS

Colossians 1:17 (KJV)

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

This concept is similar to that of the “firstborn” of verse 15.

It means that He is superior to all things.

Let’s take it back to those things created: …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…

·   Jesus Christ is superior to the earth below and the heaven above

·   Jesus Christ is superior to animal life, sea life and plant life

·   Jesus Christ is superior to angels, cherubim and seraphim

·   Jesus Christ is superior to the archangels, to Lucifer and to the fallen angels

·   Jesus Christ is superior to any kingdom, and king and any empire our world has ever or will ever witness

·   Jesus Christ is superior to the circle of life

·   Jesus Christ is superior to the balance of nature

·   Jesus Christ is superior to the complexities of our design

V. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH

Colossians 1:18 (KJV)

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.

In our age, the most relevant, the most critical and the most important entity in existence is the local church.

It is a new thing, created uniquely for the days in which we live.

·   It did not exist on this earth prior to the coming of Jesus Christ and

·   It will be removed from this earth prior to His second coming

The local church is a body, a bride and a building.

·   It feeds and nourishes the children of God

·   It armors the soldiers of God and

·   It equips the servants of God

When I am in the house of God, which is a church, I find:

·   Shelter

·   Sanctuary and

·   Safety

The Bible says specifically that Jesus Christ “loved the church and gave Himself for it.”[8]

And He is the head of the church.

·   It’s authority

·   It’s administrator

·   It’s governor

He is:

·   Its wisdom

·   Its insight and

·   Its intelligence

·   He gives it thought

·   He organizes informs its members

He is the head of the church.

VI. HE IS THE BEGINNING

Colossians 1:18 (KJV)

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.

We could take this one back to the Creator.

To add to that, he is the originator, the thought behind the creation.

Finally,

VII. HE IS PREEMINENT

Colossians 1:18 (KJV)

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.

It means, “to hold first place.”

The first of the Ten Commandments is,

Exodus 20:3 (KJV)

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Is to come before God for you.

And Jesus Christ is first place.

·   You are saved through Jesus Christ

·   When you sin, your advocate is Jesus Christ and

·   Because of Christ, you have access to the throne of grace

Conclusion:

It is to Jesus Christ I point you today.

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[1] Early Middle Ages, Paul Freedman

[2] In a markedly negative manner.

[3] While tolerating almost every other religion.

[4] In the heretical form of Catholicism

[5] Through the underground Anabaptist churches

[6] I do not believe I can emphasize enough that Gibbon and this Yale professor misdirect from Christianity to Catholicism. Catholicism was the problem, not true Christianity.

[7] There were also statues and, in some cases, death masks.

[8] Ephesians 5:25 (KJV)

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;