Colossians 01:15-20 The Many Roles of Christ – audio

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Text: Colossians 1:15-20

Introduction

1. The book of Colossians was written by the apostle Paul to confront a series of errors that were being taught in the churches of Colossae.

2. Among other things, false teachers were evidently teaching that salvation was not through Christ alone but that it was also the work of angels and other spiritual beings.

3. In other words, they believed that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was not sufficient in and of itself.

4. Paul sets out to prove this teaching false.

5. He points out that it is through Christ that we all can receive forgiveness – Colossians 1:13-14

6. He then goes on to firmly establish the superiority of Christ.

7. Today, let us note some of the phrases he uses to describe Jesus.

Body

I. THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD – Colossians 1:15

A. On the one hand, we know that no man has seen God at any time.

1. Exodus 13:18-23

2. 1 Timothy 6:16 – Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

3. John 1:18 – No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. 

B. Yet, Jesus is described as the image (Icon) of the invisible God.

1. An interesting play on words.

2. God, the Father, has appeared to us in the Person of His Son, Jesus.

3. Hence, He is called, “The Word.” – John 1:1-2

4. John 14:8-11

5. Hebrews 1:1-3

6. The Devil does all that he can to blind the world to this fact – 2 Corinthians 4:4-5

7. If we desire to know about the Father, we simply must look to Christ – John 1:18

II. THE FIRSTBORN OVER ALL CREATION – Colossians 1:15-16

A. Many false doctrines have arisen from the phrase “Firstborn over all creation…”

1. This has led some to (Incorrectly) believe that Jesus was the first thing that God created.

2. Colossians 1:16 shows us that Jesus is the Creator of all things.

3. Everything that was created, was created by Him.

4. John 1:3 – All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

5. He could not have created Himself!

6. Therefore, Jesus is not a created Being.

7. John 8:58 – Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

B. The difficulty is resolved when we realize that the word “firstborn” is not always talking about chronological order of birth.

1. A more common uses was to emphasize someone’s supremacy.

2. We see this usage in regard to David in Psalm 89:27

3. So, calling Jesus the firstborn over all creation is referring to His supremacy over all creation.

4. Additionally, this is also the meaning of the word…

a) “Beginning” in Colossians 1:18. Arche – chief.

b) “Preeminence” in Colossians 1:18. Proteuo – first in rank.

5. His supremacy over all creation is established by the fact that He is the Creator – Colossians 1: 16

6. Hebrews 3:3-4 – For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.

C. His authority and supremacy extends to both heaven and earth.

1. Matthew 28:18 – And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

2. Hebrews 1:3-4 – 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, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

III. THE SUSTAINER – Colossians 1:17

A. Not only is Jesus the Creator of all things, He is also the Sustainer of all things.

1. Literally, Colossians 1:17 says that “all things stand together.”

2. Creation continues to exist because Jesus upholds it.

B. Hebrews 1:3 – 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

C. He will continue to uphold all things until He returns – 2 Peter 3:7

IV. THE HEAD OF THE BODY – Colossians 1:18

A. The body is the church – Colossians 1:24

B. Not only is He supreme over all physical creation; Hebrews also is head over His spiritual kingdom.

1. John 18:36 – Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

2. Daniel 7:13-14 – “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. 

C. There is only one…

1. Body – Ephesians 4:4 – There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

2. Head – Ephesians 4:5 – One Lord, one faith, one baptism;

3. Standard by which we are judged – Ephesians 4:5 – One Lord, one faith, one baptism;

V. THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD – Colossians 1:18

A. Here, the term “firstborn” is used in both of the ways discussed earlier.

1. He was chronologically the first to be raised never to die again.

2. His resurrection was also the first in order of importance as well.

B. Why is Jesus’ resurrection so important?

1. By it He was declared to be the Son of God – Romans 1:4 – And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

2. 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 – And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

a) If Jesus is not raised, then we are still in our sins.

b) If Jesus is not raised, then all those who have already died, are lost for all eternity.

c) We are indeed in a pitiable state.

3. His resurrection foreshadows our own – 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Conclusion

1. He is the Image of the invisible God.

2. He is the Firstborn over all creation.

3. He is the Sustainer of all creation.

4. He is the Head of the Body.

5. He is the Firstborn from the dead.

6. He is our Savior!

7. Obey Him!

Delivered on: November 25, 2012. Streetsboro.