Loving God! Loving People! Loving Life! Message Notes Colossians Part Two Life Church Smyrna Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7pm Pastor Christian Salzillo Part 2: Colossians 1:15-20 The greatest safeguard we have against heretical teaching in the universal Christian church is the true and orthodox doctrine of Jesus Christ. If we get Jesus wrong, we get it all wrong! I. The Supremacy of Christ Paul makes the case for the supremacy or preeminence of Christ, that Jesus is fully God and has authority and power over everything because everything was created by him, through him, and for him! Jesus is the image of the invisible God. We see this theological truth throughout the New Testament: John 1:18 NIV 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 14:9 NIV 9 Jesus answered: Don t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Hebrews 1:3 NIV 3 The Son is the radiance of God s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. Does this mean he was created or made by God? Does it mean that there was a time when Jesus did not exist? The Nicene Creed in AD 325 stated that: "We believe in our one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, the onlybegotten born of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made For further study: http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-85/howarianism-almost-won.html https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-eternal-sonship-of-christ https://bible.org/seriespage/3-son-god-begotten-not-made Why is this important? A created being, if Jesus were one: Could not be fully God, as God by definition is eternally existent Could not accomplish for humankind the salvation that we needed (because only God can save) Ignatius of Antioch "Jesus Christ... was with the Father before the beginning of time, and in the end was revealed" (Letter to the Magnesians 6 [A.D. 110]). What do we do with the language of reproduction? He is the firstborn; he is the begotten son. This language is about sharing the same substance or nature This language is about position, rights and privilege; not reproductive origin Psalms 89:27 NIV 27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. (Speaking of David, the 8 th born in his family) Finally, Christ s supremacy Includes the body of Christ, the church (v 18) Includes his power to reconcile all things back to God through his death and blood, shed on the cross (v 20)
A VERSE BY VERSE STUDY SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 LIFE CHURCH SMYRNA COLOSSIANS 1:15-20 NIV 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 1
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20 NIV 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. The greatest safeguard we have against heretical teaching in the universal Christian church is the true and orthodox doctrine of Jesus Christ. 2
I. The Supremacy of Christ I. The Supremacy of Christ Paul makes the case for the supremacy or preeminence of Christ, that Jesus is fully God and has authority and power over everything, because everything was created by him, through him, and for him! 3
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD John 1:18 NIV 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. 4
JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD John 14:9 NIV 9 Jesus answered: Don t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD Hebrews 1:3 NIV 3 The Son is the radiance of God s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 5
JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. 6
NICENE CREED A.D. 325 "We believe in our one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, the only-begotten born of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? A created being, if Jesus were one: Could not be fully God, as God by definition is eternally existent 7
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? A created being, if Jesus were one: Could not be fully God, as God by definition is eternally existent Could not accomplish for humankind the salvation that we needed (only God can save) IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (A.D. 35-108) "Jesus Christ... was with the Father before the beginning of time, and in the end was revealed" (Letter to the Magnesians 6 [A.D. 110]). 8
FIRSTBORN; BEGOTTEN SON This language is about sharing the same substance or nature FIRSTBORN; BEGOTTEN SON This language is about sharing the same substance or nature This language is about position, rights and privilege; not reproductive origin 9
Psalms 89:27 NIV 27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. CHRIST S SUPREMACY Includes the body of Christ, the Church 10
CHRIST S SUPREMACY Includes the body of Christ, the Church Includes his power to reconcile all things back to God through his death and blood, shed on the cross 11