Colossians #1 – The Supremacy Of Christ

Today we begin the book of Colossians, a letter penned by the Apostle Paul, a man transformed by the love of Jesus Christ. Writing to the church in Colossae, a group of believers much like us, striving to live out their faith in a world sometimes difficult to understand. Paul shares profound truths in this letter about our Lord Jesus Christ, truths that have the power to shape our lives and increase our faith, and our understanding of who God is. Truths that can devour our doubt and saturate our soul with PEACE AND JOY!!

Today we will explore Jesus’s SUPREMACY IN CREATION, HIS SUSTAINING POWER, AND HIS ROLE AS RECONCILER, with the hope/expectation of deepening our understanding of His love and divine nature.  (Reads very simple)

Colossians 1:1-14 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, ² To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. ³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. ⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, ¹⁰ so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

During his imprisonment in Rome, Paul penned this letter to the Colossian church after he had received a report that they were struggling. The church at Colossae was under attack from false teachers who were denying the deity of Jesus; they were teaching that JESUS was not actually God.

The report came from Epaphras, a convert of Paul’s from his 3-year ministry in Ephesus. Epaphras had come to Rome to serve Paul during his imprisonment (Philemon 1:23) but also to confide in him regarding the dangerous teachings the Colossians were hearing. So Paul sent this letter, along with the letters to Philemon and to the Ephesians, with Tychicus, accompanied by Onesimus.

JESUS’S SUPREMACY IN CREATION

Colossians 1:15-17a 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,..”

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The nature/character of Jesus Christ as Creator are nonnegotiable!! (FOUNDATION)

Colossians 1:17b-23 “..and in him all things hold together. 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. ²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

JESUS’S SUSTAINING POWER  The Apostle Paul tells us that in Jesus, “all things hold together.”

Consider, for a moment, the complexity of our universe. From the vast galaxies that stretch across the cosmos to the intricate workings of a single cell, everything operates with a precision and order that is nothing short of miraculous. This is not a product of random chance, but the work of a creator and a divine Sustainer.

Paul’s assertion here is not that Jesus was simply involved in the creation process, but that He continues to uphold and maintain everything that exists. This is an active, ongoing continuous involvement in the workings of the universe, from the largest star to the smallest particle. (All held together by Jesus) 

This truth should give us a profound sense of security. Because, If Christ holds all things together, (and He does) then there is nothing outside of His control. The trials we face, the challenges that seem insurmountable, the uncertainties that keep us awake at night – all are firmly within His grasp.

So that means that Jesus’s sustaining power extends to our personal lives. He is not distant, unconcerned with our daily struggles. On the contrary, He is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, holding us together regardless of what life brings our way.

And this sustaining power of Jesus extends beyond our earthly existence, It’s not just for the here and now, but for all eternity. This is a comforting truth for all believers, reminding us that our future is secure in Jesus Christ.

JESUS’S ROLE AS RECONCILER

So far, we have learned some absolute transformative Truths: Jesus, the image of the Invisible God, Jesus the Creator and Sustainer of all things, Jesus is also our Reconciler.

The word “reconciler” may seem like a simple word, but it carries with it a depth of meaning that is truly astonishing. In the original Greek, the word used means to change, exchange, or restore. It speaks of a transformation, a radical shift from one state to another. And that is precisely what Jesus has done for us.

He has taken our broken, sinful state and exchanged it for a state of grace, peace, and righteousness.

Jesus, as our Reconciler, has transformed our state before God. We were once alienated from God, separated by our sins. But Jesus, through His death and resurrection, has changed all that. He has bridged the gap, tearing down the wall of hostility, and brought us back into a right relationship with God. This truth is what should stir our hearts and inspire our worship.

C.S. Lewis: “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” This quote beautifully expresses the work of Jesus as our Reconciler. He became like us so that we could become like Him. He took on our sins so that we could take on His righteousness. He died, so that we could live.

Jesus’s work of reconciliation is ongoing It’s not a one-time event, but a continual process. Every day, Jesus is working in us and through us, transforming us into His image, and shaping us into the people He has called us to be.

So, what does this mean for us? How should we respond to this truth about Jesus as our Reconciler?

We should respond with gratitude thanking God for the incredible work of reconciliation that Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.

We should respond with obedience. We should strive to live in a way that reflects the transformative work of Jesus in our lives.

We should respond with faith and hope looking forward to the day when Jesus’s work of reconciliation will be completed, when all things will be made new, and when peace and righteousness will reign forever.

CONCLUSION

Let’s hold tightly to these truths about our Lord Jesus Christ. HIS SUPREMACY, HIS SUSTAINING POWER, AND HIS ROLE AS OUR RECONCILER. These aren’t just theological concepts to be studied; they’re life-changing realities to be lived out.

So, as we step out into our week, let’s live in the light of these truths.

• Let’s live as people who are supremely loved by a supremely powerful awesome God.
• Let’s live as people who are held together by the sustaining power of Jesus Christ.
• And let’s live as people who’ve been reconciled to God, called to bring His peace and reconciliation to the world around us.