Colossians 1:15-20

Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  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.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 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.

After reassuring the Colossians of his joy and confidence in their work for God's kingdom and his continual prayers for their successful ministry as servants of the Lord, Paul points to the total sufficiency of Jesus Christ the Son of God as the express image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  Paul has heard that some of the believers are straying into false doctrines such as the worship of angels.  He forcefully instructs them that Jesus created all things in heaven and on earth, in the invisible and the visible realm.  He emphasizes God placed his Son as the head over all creation, including the church, that in everything he might have the supremacy.  Paul takes this opportunity to ask this body of believers if they have forgotten that God reconciled the entire world to himself through the death of his precious Son, that it pleased the Father to make sinful mankind holy and clean through the shed blood of his Son, allowing Jesus to present a fallen people to him as heirs of his mercy and grace.  In just a few sentences, we see the miracle of grace described succinctly for the church at Colosse and for us:  Jesus our Emmanuel, God with us, made a way for freedom from sin and eternal fellowship with God where there was no way, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Since Jesus is the creator of all things, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, Paul concludes through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is in control.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Jesus is the center of existence, the Alpha and the Omega, the bright and morning star, the Light of the World, the Dayspring of eternal life.  We who are IN CHRIST are not simply part of a religion: we are IN LIFE, for He is the creator of all life.  In Christ we are enveloped within his righteousness, brought into harmony with God.  Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  (John 1:12-14)  As a result of this new birth, this new creation, we are no longer enemies of God because of our unrighteousness with our carnal spirits at war with God's spirt.  We are at peace with God, adopted into his family as his beloved children empowered to live in harmony with his plans and his will.  Paul wrote to the Romans and spoke of the prophecies concerning how the Gentiles would receive the message of salvation, that one would spring up from the Root of Jesse and the Gentiles would hope in him.  Therefore, Paul declared: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (See Romans 15:7-12)  That same Holy Spirit is our hope today as we trust in God and walk in the peace and grace of our dear Savior who has provided such an amazing position of life and victory for the church.

When God created mankind, He created Adam and Eve to walk with him.  When sin entered the scene and they were tempted and fell from that perfect state, their days were numbered.  In our human flesh, we are of the linage of Adam, and our days are numbered.  Adam and Eve's sin produced death; our sins outside of Christ produce death.  That is the way of the flesh.  The Bible calls Jesus the second Adam: He became the giver of life.  Although the Bible says the wages of sin is death, it goes on to say the gift of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord.  When John the Baptist was born, his father regained his voice, so he could tell the people the baby was to be called John.  As part of an amazing prophesy, Zacharias declares, And thou, child [John], shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring [Jesus] from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.  (Luke 1:76-79 KJV)  Jesus made an open show of the mankind's bondage to Adam's sinful nature by living a perfect life.  The perfect Son of God became the perfect sacrificial Lamb for our sins.  His death substituted for our death.  He bore the wrath of God for our inclination to go astray and our inability to keep the Law. The first Adam left us an inheritance of sin.  Jesus, the second Adam, left us a glorious inheritance of redemption and life everlasting.  A sinful Adam produced death: a righteous Christ produced a new creation, cleansed and made holy, clothed in the royal robes of his righteousness.  When we feel we have not lived up to our inheritance or when the enemy tempts us and we stumble, we sometimes lose sight of the truth of who Christ is; and we forget God's plan is for us to escape from guilt, shame, and condemnation.  Remember, the Word is your sword: use it!  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (Romans 8:1)  WALK IN HIM TODAY.  You are reconciled: JESUS IS YOUR PEACE!  Amen.