God has chose to give glory to His Son Jesus Christ
Jesus reflects and represents His very person
"He is the image of the invisible God" (v15)
God has chosen Jesus Christ to reveal Himself
In humanity Adam was cursed, but a New Adam came from heaven
God has chosen Jesus Christ to make the world through Him
Christ is the agent of creation
"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." (v16)
The universe was made by Jesus, through Him and for Him
God has chosen Jesus Christ in order that He might be joined to a people forever
"He is the head of the body..." (v17)
Jesus is the beginning of the Church
God has chosen Jesus that He might be the first man to go through death and come out on the other side
He is "the firstborn from the dead" (v18)
God has chosen Jesus to be the first in everything
"in all things He may have the preeminence" (v18)
Recap on last week's teaching
Now we are going to a more sublime area
We are not looking at the blessings, but at the Blesser
We are looking at the deep things of God
Practical application: If God the Father has chosen to give preeminence to His Son, has He preeminence in my life?
Is my desire to honour Him and please Him in all things?
Paul's words in Colossians was to build them up but also to address heresy that had come in
Legalism
The worship of Angels (2:18)
Others saying that Jesus was a created being
Paul combats this heresy by promoting the truth about Jesus Christ
Many heresies are about the truth about Jesus Christ
Consider the teachings of the Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons
Paul exalts Jesus and puts Him outside creation
When we correct heresy we need to promote the truth and speak about the Lord Jesus
We must be careful not to be involved in too much controversy lest we lose the very people we are seeking to win
Christ is His relation to the Father
"He is the image of the invisible God" (v15)
An image is an exact representation of a scene
Jesus Christ is the image of His Father
'He who has seen the Father has seen Me' [John 14]
'I and the Father are one'
If you want to understand God's character and attributes - He has revealed Himself in the person of the Son
God has sent His eternal Son
We see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ
Consider the family resemblance we see in others
Perhaps because of mannerisms and character traits
As you look at the Lord Jesus Christ you can see the image of the Father
The Word was with God in the beginning and the Word was God
"He is the express image of His person" - Heb 1:3
Many Hebrews were hearing a heresy that Jesus was like the angels
The author teaches that Jesus is greater than the angels
Rom 9:5 - He is "the eternally blessed God"
The Bible forever exalts the person of the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus had two natures:
One divine and one human
These were distinct natures
Divine nature: eternal, omniscience, omnipotent (the incommunicable attributes of God)
Human nature: tired, hungry, thirsty
God in the manager, God dying upon the cross
Christ is His relation to the Cosmos
"...the firstborn over all creation" (v15)
He is not the first person to be born
He is outside of creation
It is to do with His rights of inheritance
All things were given to him
Heb 1:2 - "has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things"
"For by Him all things were created" (v16)
The Trinity involved in creation
"Let Us make ..."
The Spirit brooded over the waters
The special agent in creation was Christ
The invisible realm and the visible realm
"All things were created through Him and for Him" (v16)
It was as if God wanted to give a special gift to His Son, so He made the cosmos
Why are you and I here?
Are we here to please our self or were we made for His pleasure and glory?
The chief end of man is that he would glorify God and enjoy Him forever
"He is before all things and in Him all things consist" (v17)
Consider the atom
Without Christ things would not exist
"Upholding all things by the word of His power" - Heb 1:3
Christ is His relation to the Church
"He is the head of the body" (v18)
He has a very intimate relation with the Church
He joins Himself to a people
The people become partakers of the divine nature
The people are in Christ
There is an organic union between Him and His people that can never be severed
If you are a Christian you have come into a wonderful relationship
Christ is the head of the Church
Christ is the one who nourishes His body
Christ cares for His Church
Jesus Christ is the beginning of the Church
He is the beginning of salvation
Without Him there would be no church and no universe
"By Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." (v20)
The curse of Adam's sin is broken
The cursed universe (due to the fall) will be done away with - there will be a new heaven and a new earth
One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess
Confess His name
Confess His glory
Some will confess in rebellion and be judged
Others will confess with great delight and pleasure
