20 July 2025 5 after Trinity

Colossians 1:15-29 (NIV)

JESUS IS GOD

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 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. 17 He is before all things, 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,

JESUS BRINGS SALVATION

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 behaviour. 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, not moved 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.

A SACRIFICIAL RESPONSE

24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Paul himself probably did not visit Colossae, but his fellow worker Epaphras seems to have brought the gospel to this city. Epaphras visited the Apostle Paul who was in prison and Epaphras probably told him about the false teachings that were circulating in the church at Colossae (1:7-8).

So, Paul wrote this letter to refute these false teachings. There were both Jewish and pagan elements in these false teachings. For instance, they taught the pagan practice of worship of angels (2:18) and ascetic practices which view the material world as evil (2:2ff). If this teaching was true, Jesus could not have had a material body because God is incompatible with evil. Also, it appears that the false teachers taught the Jewish practice of circumcision (2:11).

There are three parts to today’s epistle: Jesus is God; Jesus brings salvation; A Sacrificial Response

Focusing on verses 15-20, Jesus is God, some scholars think that Apostle Paul is quoting an existing hymn that was familiar in the early church as the language used in the original Greek was different to the rest of the letter.

Paul's great purpose was to set forth the absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Paul did not begin by attacking the false teachers and their doctrines. He began by exalting Jesus Christ and showing His pre-eminence. The people to whom Paul was writing had become Christians because of the gospel message brought to them by Epaphras. If this message was wrong, then they were not saved at all!

Paul wrote, 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Paul used the word image to make this clear. It means “an exact representation and revelation.” The writer to the Hebrews affirms that Jesus Christ is “the express image of his person” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus was able to say, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). In His essence, God is invisible, John 4.24, but Jesus Christ has revealed Him to us (John 1:18).

Nature reveals the existence, power, and wisdom of a creator God, but nature cannot reveal the very essence of God to us. It is only in Jesus Christ that the invisible God is revealed perfectly. Since no mere creature can perfectly reveal God, because God is so much greater than his creation, Jesus Christ must be God.

First born over all creation relates to supremacy. It means of first importance or rank, in the way that a firstborn in ancient cultures was senior. It does not say Jesus was created. We know this because verses 16 & 17 say, 16 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. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Everything exists in Him, for Him, and through Him. Jesus Christ is the Sphere in which they exist, the Agent through which they came into being, and the One for whom they were made. Why does the universe exist? What is the meaning of life? Jesus. Many people struggle with the meaning of life, wondering why they are here on earth. The simple and profound answer is “Jesus”.

A guide took a group of people through an atomic laboratory and explained how all matter was composed of rapidly moving electric particles. The tourists studied models of molecules and were amazed to learn that matter is made up primarily of space. During the question period, one visitor asked, “If this is the way matter works, what holds it all together?” For that, the guide had no answer. But the Christian has an answer: Jesus Christ!

This is underlined by Rev. 4.11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things,  and by your will they were created and have their being.”

The other day I accidentally pulled the plug from the phone line and we had no internet! God is intimately involved in his creation. If he were to withdraw his power the created order would cease to exist.

Paul states that Jesus is the head of the body, the church. In Greek usage, the word head meant “source” and “origin” as well as “leader, ruler.” Jesus Christ is the Source of the church, His body, and the Leader of it. Paul called Him “the beginning,” which tells us that Jesus Christ has priority in time as far as His church is concerned. The term beginning can also be translated “originator.” He founded the church.

He is also the Firstborn from the dead, verse 18. We saw this word “firstborn” in verse 15. Paul did not say that Jesus was the first person to be raised from the dead, for He was not. However, Jesus was the first to be raised and get a new, perfect, imperishable resurrection body, and believers will receive resurrection bodies like him when he returns. He is the most important of all who have been raised from the dead; for without His resurrection, there could be no resurrection for others (1 Cor. 15:20ff.).

18b so that in everything he might have the supremacy. This brings us to the theme of this entire section. This was God’s purpose in making His Son the Saviour, Creator, and Head of the church. The word translated “supremacy” is used nowhere else in the New Testament. It is related to the word translated “firstborn,” and it magnifies the unique superior position of Jesus Christ.

To add to Jesus being the image of the invisible God and Jesus’ supremacy Paul wrote in verse 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

All his fullness is saying “the sum total of all the divine power and attributes.” The word dwell means much more than merely “to reside” but “to be at home permanently.”

God becoming human is amazing.

In a Christmas hymn Charles Wesley expressed this;

“Let earth and heav'n combine, angels and men agree,
to praise in songs divine, th'incarnate Deity;
Our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man.”

This is mind blowing, gob stopping, unbelievable, incomprehensible, that all of God could fit into a human body. Because Jesus Christ is God, He is able to do what no mere man could ever do: reconcile lost sinners to a holy God. This is the next section; Jesus brings salvation.

Humankind rebelled against the Creator’s wishes. The created order was spoiled. Even though God chose a people, delivered them and provided for them they rebelled against him and his laws.

So, the creator came as a human being. Fully man and fully God. To show us what God is like and what we should be like. On the cross Jesus not only suffered a terrible, painful, physical death, he was also separated from God the Father as he bore the punishments for the sins of the world, which is spiritual death. God the Father accepted this by raising Jesus on the third day. We remember, celebrate and proclaim this in our Holy Communion service today.

God gives the undeserved, free gift of trusting in Jesus to people who are alienated from him. Dead in their trespasses and sins. Christians are to persevere, continuing and growing in their faith

Jesus is supreme. Over the created order. Over sin and death. Over you and me. This demands a sacrificial response of full commitment. Jesus has to come first. In Martha’s case before preparing food. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened. She chose the right way.

The false teachers had criticised Paul’s status as a prisoner. He turns it round and says that he rejoices in his suffering. This is because Jesus suffered and Paul counted it worthy to suffer in the name of Jesus. 1 Peter 4. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Paul also rejoiced because he was suffering to spread the good news to the Gentiles, non-Jews. He was arrested in Jerusalem on false charges, and the Jews listened to his defence until he used the word Gentiles (see Acts 22:21ff.). It was that word that infuriated them and drove them to ask for his execution.

So the Gentile believers in Colosse had every reason to love Paul and be thankful for his special ministry to them. But there was a third cause for Paul’s rejoicing: he was suffering for the sake of Christ’s body, the church. There was a time when Paul had persecuted the church and caused it to suffer. But Paul now devoted his life to the prospering of the church. 29 To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Paul did not labour on his own, he had God the Holy Spirit within him. That great power that raised Jesus from the dead gave what he needed to continue ministering for Jesus.

What is the message for ourselves today?

Jesus is God. He is supreme. He, and God the Father and God the Holy Spirit deserve our worship, praise, thanksgiving, our whole lives in response to who he is and what he has done in creating and redeeming us. He is the only way to God. We should put our trust in nothing or no-one else. Without his sustaining power we and everything could just disappear.

We can respect others who believe differently without compromising the foundations of our faith. We should also beware of those, like the false teachers at Colossae, who want to add to the Christian faith or water it down.

We are called to be wholly committed to giving our lives as a sacrificial response to God’s love.

Romans 12. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

150 Crown him with many crowns

10 All creatures of our God and King

387 Jesus is Lord

404 Jesus the name high over all