THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS
(Christ is Greater - October 16, 2022)
Series Big Idea: "Humanity is only complete in God the Son"
Sermon Big Idea: "Jesus Christ is Supreme over everything"
Key Scripture (Colossians 1:15-23)
This is one of Paul's most profound and powerful statements about who Jesus Christ is. It's important that we have the right ideas about Jesus Christ. If we don't see Him as the absolute Lord of the universe, we will be tempted to disobey or ignore Him, which will lead to our ultimate destruction. One part of the false teaching that was threatening the church in Colossae was the idea that Christ was not God. For Paul, Christ is supreme over everything and everyone because He alone is God. So, in this passage, he fights this dangerous teaching by making a strong case for Christ's deity.
(Colossians 1:15-23)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. 19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. 22 But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him, 23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.
In this passage, Paul makes two things very clear.
1. Christ is Supreme over His natural creation
Christ is the most important person in the universe because He is the image of the invisible God. Paul is saying that Jesus Christ shows us the invisible God. God is Spirit (John 4:24) and not visible to our human eyes (Hebrews 11:27). In Christ, God is perfectly revealed (John 1:18). Any teaching that says Jesus was less than God in human form is not what Jesus, Paul, or the other apostles taught.
Christ is the most important person in the universe because He created it and keeps it going. So, in the immediate context, Paul is saying that Jesus Christ is more important than everything else because He was here before everything else. Jesus not only made everything but also keeps it going. This means that the whole universe would end if Jesus decided to "let go."
2. Christ is Supreme over His Church
The Church is Christ's body, and He is the head of that body. The body's parts must obey the head, which is in charge (Ephesians 1:22-23). The comparison can be used in many other ways, of course. Just like the head and the body can't be separated, we can't be separated from Christ. The body has many parts that all do different things, but it is still one body. The same is true for the body of Christ. Just like a body without a head is dead, the body of Christ must get its life from Christ because it depends on Him.
Christ is called "the beginning" because He started the church. It wasn't the apostles' bright idea. Instead, it was made by Christ Himself. Christ made Adam, the first man, in His own image. He also made the church in His own image (Colossians 3:10). Christ is called "the firstborn from the dead" which means that His resurrection was the first and best of its kind. Even though the Bible talks about other people who came back from the dead, all these people died again. Jesus is the only One who has been raised from the dead with a body that can't be destroyed. This body is like the bodies we will get when Jesus comes back the second time. Our new bodies won't be able to get sick, get old, or die (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Christ is "the beginning, the firstborn from the dead" so that "He Himself will come to be first in everything."
Christ is qualified to bring everyone and everything back to God because He is fully God. Christ is able to bring everyone and everything back into harmony with God because He made peace through His death on the cross. Christ reconciling all things to God includes both things on earth and things in heaven. Paul is probably talking about the new heavens and new earth, which will be brought back to the glory they had in the beginning, before Satan, demons, and people fell. Because of sin, the world was put under the curse and made useless. But Christ's victory over death on the cross was the turning point that changed everything. It makes sure that Satan and his forces lose (John 12:31). When Christ comes back to win the final battle against Satan and all sinners, He will return both the earth and the heavens to their original glory.
Conclusion:
Paul wants everyone, not just Christians, to know that Jesus Christ is the most important person. He is the most important thing in the universe, which He made. He is in charge of the church, which is His spiritual creation. God's plan has always been "that He Himself will come to be first in everything" (Colossians 3:18).
Does He have first place in your life? What about your thoughts, words, and your time? Does He have first place over your finances and even the way you spend your free time? Does He have first place over everything in your life?
Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:
Holman Christian Standard Bible
English Standard Version Bible
King James Version Bible
Christian Standard Bible
Water, Mark, ed. Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
NIV, Archaeological Study Bible, eBook: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture
Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Duane Garrett, and Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
NIV, First-Century Study Bible, eBook: Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context
Zondervan, Kent Dobson, and Ed Dobson
WORDsearch. Adult Questions for LESSONmaker. WORDsearch, n.d.
Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader’s Companion. Electronic ed. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1991.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Colossians. The Teacher’s Outline & Study Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1994.
Cole, Steven J. Colossians. Steven J. Cole Commentary Series. Dallas: Galaxie Software, 2017.
Garland, David E. Colossians and Philemon. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.
Moo, Douglas J. The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2008.
Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.
Soanes, Catherine, and Angus Stevenson, eds. Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Blum, Edwin A., and Trevin Wax, eds. CSB Study Bible: Notes. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Deluxe Then and Now Bible Maps. Torrance, CA: Rose Publishing, 2007.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016.
Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977.
Barnes, Albert. Notes on the New Testament: Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians. Edited by Robert Frew. London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885.
Hoehner, Harold W., Philip W. Comfort, and Peter H. Davids. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Philemon. Vol. 16. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.
Dunn, James D. G. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon: A Commentary on the Greek Text. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: William B. Eerdmans Publishing; Paternoster Press, 1996.
Phillips, John. Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009.
Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.
Anders, Max. Galatians-Colossians. Vol. 8. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Galatians–Colossians. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009.
Dockery, David S., ed. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
Water, Mark. Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible. AMG Publishers, 2003.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009.
Barry, John D., David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder, eds. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
Brannan, Rick, and Israel Loken. The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014.
MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Handbook. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003.
MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.
Lucas, R. C. Fullness & Freedom: The Message of Colossians & Philemon. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980.
Radmacher, Earl D., Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Smith, Jerome H. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: The Most Complete Listing of Cross References Available Anywhere- Every Verse, Every Theme, Every Important Word. Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson, 1992.
Willmington, H. L. The Outline Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999.
Melick, Richard R. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Vol. 32. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991.
Souter, Alexander. A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1917.
Dunnam, Maxie D., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon. Vol. 31. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982.
Bowman, Robert M., Jr., and J. Ed Komoszewski. Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2007.
Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. The Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.
AFTER THE MESSAGE
After hearing today's message there may be a decision you have made and you want a pastor to connect with you. We want to make this easy for you. Just scroll to the bottom of this page and fill out the form and our pastor will contact you in the way you prefer.