Jesus is Preeminent Colossians 1:15-18 (NKJV)

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1 Jesus is Preeminent Colossians 1:15-18 (NKJV) It s important to remember that Paul wrote this letter to combat some of the Gnostic teachings that made its way into the church. The Gnostics had a low value on Jesus, not a biblical view. It s Interesting that the word Gnostic meant to know; so they were a group that believed they were in the know about all things spiritual; but their knowledge about Jesus was off, way off.. Because they believed that all matter was evil, including the human body. They didn t believe that Jesus came in the flesh. If he did, then he would have come in contact with evil matter. Paul wrote them so that they would see Jesus properly and biblically, for whom He really is. Read verse fifteen through nineteen to get our bearings, and then we will make our way back through. Vs. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Image (Greek): likeness and manifestation. He is the very stamp of God; when you look at Jesus you see who the Father is. When Jesus was having a conversation about heaven and the way to heaven with Thomas, Thomas asked Jesus about the way to heaven. He reminded him, I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one can see the Father except through Me. It sparked a question in Philip, notice Phillip said to him, Lord, show us the father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. John 14:8-11 (NKJV) Philip asked Jesus can you show us the Father? Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 1

2 If we can see the Father that would seal the deal. And then Jesus reminds them, have I been with you this long and you have not known Me, when you look at Me you are looking at the Father. That s why Paul said what he did Vs. 15 He is the image of the invisible God In other words, what is unknowable about the invisible God is seen or manifested in the visible Son. Jesus is an exact representation and revelation of the Father. Warren Wiersbe If you want to know the Father, then look to the Son. Paul also reminded us here in Colossians, He is the First born over all creation. The word firstborn is also used in a couple of other places in the New Testament to refer to Jesus. 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 (NKJV) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven Hebrews 12:23 (NKJV) Firstborn does not mean that Jesus was the first being created. Paul is not talking here about time, but place, status and priority. Firstborn here simply means Jesus was of first importance. In Jeremiah 31:9 Ephraim was noted by God as firstborn even though he had older brothers. In exodus 4:22 Israel was called by God His firstborn, but we know that Israel was not the firstborn people. Jesus was not the firstborn in human flesh, but first of importance over all creation. Verse sixteen gives us insight on why this is so, notice Vs. 16 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. Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 2

3 By Him all things were created, which speaks of His eternal existence. Think about this with me, if He created all things, then He Himself is uncreated. You can t create all things and then be created; then you didn t create all things, you created some things but not all things. The key is all things; in Heaven, on Earth, visible and invisible, thrones and dominions, principalities and powers. That is everything, in other words, He is just as Paul said here; He is the creator of all things, everything created, he is the source. The word For here in verse sixteen could be translated Because. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation Because by Him all things were created. That s who Jesus is, He is the creator of all things, making Him eternal in His existence, He is the un-created one. In Micah we read this about the Messiah But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." Micah 5:2 (NKJV) Whose goings forth is from old, which means from the earliest time. And then from everlasting, which can be defined as an indefinite or unending future, forever. In other words, even the Old Testament would speak of the Messiah as one who always was and always will be. John said it this way 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. John 1:1-3 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NKJV) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1:18 (NKJV) Jesus was in the beginning with God and was God. He didn t become the Son when He was born, He was always the son. Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 3

4 He did not show up on the scene for the first time in Bethlehem. He has always been. When Jesus was having a discussion with the religious, He brought up Abraham. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad. Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." John 8:56-58 (NKJV) Before Abraham was, I AM, speaking of His eternal existence. It s the same name that God used to describe Himself back in Exodus. When Moses asked God to give him a name, this is what He said And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And He said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Exodus 3:14 (NKJV) The religious knew exactly what Jesus was saying when He called Himself, I Am, that s why in verse fifty-nine it says they picked up stones. Because He was calling Himself God. One of the most powerful passages that will defend the Divinity of Christ is in the book of Revelation. Notice, its a few verses, let s read it slow and let it speak to us. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 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." Revelation 1:7-8 (NKJV) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and, What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and in the midst of the seven lamp stands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 4

5 feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Rev 1:10-18 (NKJV) An amazing picture of Jesus, isn t it? And did you notice what He said about Himself, not once but three times I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, First and Last, He even says in verse eight, Who is Who Was, and Who is to Come, the Almighty. And there will be a day when all the earth will see Him and realize He was who He said He was, riding the clouds as He returns. And on that day it will be too late to put your faith in Him. Today is the day of salvation; today His grace is still available. Now, there is something I want to make note of here in verse sixteen Let s read it again Vs All things were created through him and for him. Did you get that? All things, that would include you and me, we were created through Him and for Him. For years I had spent so much time living for me. We must get our identity from Him; that we were made to know Him, to enjoy Him, and at the end of the day be for Him. Notice the next point Vs. 17 And He is before all things and in him all things consist. Consist (Greek): to place together, to bring or band together. In other words, he built it, he designed it, and he holds it all together. It s like that song, He s Got the Whole World in His Hands, that song. I read something the other day about the size of the sun, it has a diameter of 864,000 miles, it could hold 1.3 million planets the size of the earth in it. The Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 5

6 galaxy that the sun belongs to is the Milky Way, there are hundreds of billions of stars within it. Astronomers estimate that there are millions if not billions of galaxies, and so the number of star s could be estimated to be the same in number of the grains of sand on our beaches, too many to count. How did all this happen and what keeps it all together? Jesus. He s the glue that keeps it all in order and in place. It s what the author of Hebrews states has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Hebrews 1:2-3 (NKJV) He has made it all, the universe and all that is in it, and He upholds it by the power of His word. If He has the power to create it, and sustain it, then He also has the power to dissolve it. And this will happen one day, Peter reminds us But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV) There will come a day when He will remove His hand from it, and it will all dissolve, just as He sustains it with His power, He can also dissolve it with his power. That s why Peter went on to remind us Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness 2 Peter 3:11 (NKJV) Realizing that there will be an end, it should motivate us to live in holiness and godliness. Because we will all stand before Him. Notice the last thing Paul wrote about in connection with his preeminence, it s here he actually uses the word pre-eminent... Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 6

7 Vs. 18 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 preeminence. Not only is Jesus pre-eminent in creation, and in the universe, but He is also pre-eminent in the life of the church. Here Paul described the relationship that Jesus has with his church. He is the head and we the church is the body. Listen to what Paul said to the elders who were at Ephesus "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28 (NKJV) Notice, he is the head of the church because He purchased the church. It s what we looked at last week in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14 (NKJV) We were a slave, and in debt to our sin, and because of God s great love for us, He was willing to pay the price for our sin, to redeem us with His own blood. When I was a kid we sang a hymn in church, Redeemed, how I loved to proclaim it. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child, forever I am. That s it; I am His child, how? I was redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. That s what makes Christ the head of church and us the body. Because He was the one who bleed and died for the church, and He didn t just die, what did he do three days later? He rose again. That s why Paul reminds us Vs. 18 the firstborn from the dead that in all things he may have preeminence. Only Jesus rose from the dead and lives forever more. He is pre-eminent over creation, pre- eminent over the universe, and is pre-eminent over the church. Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 7

8 Is He pre-eminent in your life? Copyright 2015 Chris Fraley 8