Scripture: Colossians 1:15-29
Today, we begin a new series of messages from the
book of Colossians. It is believed that
this church had begun to receive false teaching from an unnamed source. Some folks were beginning to interject
aspects of paganism, as well as teachings from secular Greek philosophy, and
mixing it in with Christian doctrine.
Paul had not established this church, but he was not
about to let false teaching destroy the faith that had begun to grow here. He wanted the people to understand that trust
in Jesus Christ was all that they needed, and that the world had nothing of
value that could add one bit of truth to Christian teachings.
In today’s passages, Paul writes to convince the
people that the authoritative teaching of Christ is all that they will ever
need to lead them through this life and into the next.
Read Colossians 1:15-23
In these verses, Paul tells the Church that the
incarnation of Jesus Christ is what brings the divine will and presence of the
invisible God into the perceptible life of humanity. He reveals the eternal character of Jesus,
and His involvement in all that God had ever created throughout all time. The apostle wanted the people to know that it
had been God’s plan forever that Jesus would come to us in human form for one
true purpose – to represent and engage with the created order of all people, to
become Head of the One True Church for all who would claim the holy name of Christian.
And as head of the Church, Christ became the
introduction of God’s truth to humanity.
But through His teaching, especially in His 7 “I Am” statements (Bread
of life; Light
of the World; Gate
for the Sheep; Good
Shepherd; Resurrection
and Life; the
Way, Truth and Life; the
Vine), He showed us just why He came to live among us,
and who He is for people throughout the world.
Jesus is the “fullness of God”, not for His own
glory, but for what He will do on behalf of those who believe in Him. He is the reconciliation that unites us for
all time with the Father; He is the redemption that defeats and destroys our
sin; He is the salvation that overpowers our condemnation to death, and instead,
raises us up to eternal life; He is the truth that we learn from His teaching
throughout scripture; and He is the God who deserves our trust, our faith, our allegiance,
and our worship.
Jesus has accomplished all of this by surrendering
His glory and to leave His heavenly home to come to live and serve among, as well as in the form of His own creation! He accepted
the most horrific physical death that humanity has ever devised, and has made
it for our benefit, in completion of the penalty that every person, every
sinner, so truly deserves for their disobedience toward our Lord God! And through it all, the overwhelming love of
God has continued to be the power behind the strength that has led our Lord to
do everything necessary to reunite us with the One and Almighty God of the
universe.
And through His gift, the coming Judgment will find
all believers as being worthy of eternal life with the Lord. That is what the supremacy of God in Christ
has done, and continues to do, for all who will live by faith in Him.
Read Colossians 1:24-29
Paul’s reference to the suffering that he has had to
endure is explained in some detail in 2 Corinthians6:3-10, but here he proclaims that every moment of
suffering that has come his way has been a reason for rejoicing for the sake of
Christ’s Church. And he sees every one
of his ordeals as simply an extension of all that Jesus suffered on His
part. In other words, the suffering that
the Church has always experienced, and will continue to be subjected to, until
the day of Christ’s return, should be seen as a joyful offering to our Lord God
Almighty.
Paul also implies that his ministry to the Gentile
nations was never his decision, but rather, is God’s gift to the world through
the servant ministry that this apostle has been called to. He writes that the mystery of God’s
passionate love for all people has been hidden for ages until the Lord called
him into ministry to these very people.
And he is probably right, as Jewish believers had always taken the tact
that if Gentiles had any desire to accept faith in Jesus Christ, they would
have to become Jewish first!
In the final two verses that we read today, it
almost sounds as though he addresses these words specifically to those who are
attempting to destroy the true word of God by watering it down with worldly
ideals and philosophies. Paul wants all people to know the full, true and
unadulterated will, word and way of Jesus Christ, and nothing else will ever suffice
for the people of God! Christ will provide all that Paul, and we, would ever need to be the
Lord’s true and faithful Church. Amen!
