COLOSSIANS 1:12-18 – THERE’S NO COMPARISON!
Christ Supreme #4 (Colossians)
Let’s make some comparisons.
- An ant and an elephant.
- Spinach and ice cream
- Baby and a grandmother
- Winter and spring
- Me and Jesus
There’s really no comparison!
It is all too easy for us to forget just how wonderful our Lord and Savior is! With the help of Colossians 1:12-20, let’s compare ourselves with Jesus and see that there is no comparison!
We want to see that:
WE’RE SINNERS, HE’S SAVIOR Vss. 12-14
WE’RE CREATURES, HE’S CREATOR Vss. 15-17
WE’RE SAINTS (as believers), HE’S SOVEREIGN Vs. 18
WE’RE SINNERS. HE’S SAVIOR – Colossians 1:12-14
Paul was explaining to the Colossians how he prayed for them. One of the things Paul prayed was that the Colossians would be thankful.
Vs. 12 – Those who are going to Heaven are saints. God in his wonderful plan devised a way, that we as sinners, could be made meet or fit for a Heavenly inheritance.
Vs. 13 – Why did we need God to find a way to make us fit for Heaven? Because of our sins, we are actually born as members of the Kingdom of darkness. Ephesians 2:1-3
The word “translated” or “conveyed” or “transferred” means deported from one kingdom to another. Often defeated people are deported. We were deported as well when we trusted Christ. But our deportation is really a promotion from this black kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, the Lord Jesus.
Vs. 14 – Here is the reason why we as Christians have been transported from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light. We have redemption! Redemption means to pay a ransom and set one free! Our debt was a sin debt! Someone had to pay the debt, the ransom to set us free. Christ did. All we must do is accept it by faith! Romans 5:6-9, Romans 5:1
It is this redemption that has set us free and transported us from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Christ! Of course, the redemption that has made us free has made us free now! We don’t have to wait to go to heaven in order to be free from sin’s power. John 8:36, Romans 6:14
And we are told in this verse 14 that with this redemption comes forgiveness. Colossians 2:13-14
WE’RE CREATURES, HE’S CREATOR – Colossians 1:15
Colossians 1:15 – Who is the image of the invisible God
God is not playing “hide and seek”.
God is not trying to hide from mankind.
He wants mankind to know Him.
The way we know what God is like is by knowing what Jesus is like. Jesus is the “image” of the invisible God.
An image is an exact representation and revelation.
John 1:14, Hebrews 1:3, John 14:8-9
Jesus shows us a God who is compassionate, righteous, holy, merciful, loving and a host of other things! Study Jesus Christ and you study God. Know Jesus Christ, and you know God.
Colossians 1:15 – …the firstborn over every creature (creation)
Some people believe that this verse teaches that Jesus is a created being because it calls him “firstborn”. That just isn’t so!
Charles Erdman said – “‘Firstborn’ here means two things: priority in time and supremacy in place or position. Christ existed before the Creation, but He held the rank commonly assigned to the ‘firstborn’, the rank of eminence and dominion.” Charles R. Erdman, The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1966), p. 52
H. A. Ironside – “It is not that he is himself created, but he is the head of all that has been created.” H. A. Ironside, Lectures on Colossians, (Neptune, NJ, Loizeaux Brothers, Inc. 1929), p. 42
We will soon celebrate Christmas, and in Micah’s Christmas verse, he tells us that Jesus is not a created being. Micah 5:2, also John 1:1
Colossians 1:16 – Please understand this. You exist because of Jesus Christ! He created all things! John 1:3 – All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus is not a created being. He created Heaven, where God is, all things and creatures.
Stars the moon, the sun, the universe, are all His creation. All of nature here on earth was also created by Him.
If you can see it, it was made by Him.
If you can’t see it, like an atom, a neutron, or an ameba, it was still created by Him.
All areas of authority were created by and for Him.And if you are a Christian, you have been created by Christ twice! 2 Corinthias 5:17
And remember, “all things were created by him or through him and for Him!”
Colossians 1:17 – In this verse we see Jesus’ stability. He is before all things.
Yes, he is before all things in rank, He’s King, but here the principle is time. He is stable because He existed before creation, before His birth, before His death, before His resurrection. And notice the verb is in the present tense, not the past tense. Jesus continues to exist!
Just think. It is the eternal Son of God, who guarantees us eternal life. We can’t lose.
Another way we see Jesus’ stability is because he holds all things together.
We can be glad that Jesus is stable.
He is in control no matter what goes wrong.
We need not fear things falling apart.
- The plan of salvation stays the same.
- The rules of nature and the universe remain constant.
- The rules for Christian living stay the same as does his Word. Mark 13:31
- Jesus Christ does not change! Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
WE’RE SAINTS, HE’S SOVEREIGN – Colossians 1:18
In these verses, Paul is talking about Christ and the Church.
The church is made up of “saints”.
A saint is a person who has been set apart by God for God, based on the person’s faith in Christ. This is not because a church proclaims someone to be a “saint”!
Colossians 1:18 – We have many body parts. Each body part is distinct. Each body part has a job, and each body part is important.
And please note: I have 10 fingers, 10 toes, 4 limbs, 2 eyes, 2 ears, several teeth, many blood vessels and many arteries.
But I only have one head! There is one control system for this body, and its up here in this head!
The church is made up of many parts, but there is only one head. That is the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “head” in Greek can mean source and origin as well as “leader” and “ruler”.
Jesus Christ is the source of the church.
He died for it. He arose for it. He ascended into Heaven for it, and He lives today for it.
Jesus Christ is the leader and ruler of the church.
The local church will either be a phenomenal success or a phenomenal failure. Whether this church is a failure or a success depends on us. If our lives are successful, the church will be successful. If our lives are failures, our church will be a failure. If a local church fails, Jesus doesn’t. The universal church doesn’t.
Success or failure centers on our recognition of the truths we are studying. If I recognize His headship, it means Christ tells me what to do! If I recognize His headship, that He is my sovereign, my King. I let Him live through me.
As my body is dependent upon the head to tell it what to do, and for the motivations and strength to do it, we are to be dependent on our Spiritual Head to control us. John 15:5
Don’t expect this church to be successful unless you are personally willing to recognize His headship.
“Who is the beginning” – Jesus Christ has priority in time and He is the originator of the church. The church was His idea. He has every right to tell us what to do!
The firstborn from the dead. We saw this word “firstborn” a few minutes ago. He is first in rank over creation because He created it. He is first in rank in resurrection because He arose to die no more.
that in all things he might have the preeminence – Another word would be “supreme” or “first place.” God’s plan for you and I as Christians is that Jesus Christ would be supreme, having first place, being #1, having the preeminence.
Make sure that Jesus Christ is supreme commander in your life!
There’s no comparison between us and the Lord Jesus. He is far superior.
WE’RE SINNERS, HE’S SAVIOR Vss. 12-14
WE’RE CREATURES, HE’S CREATOR Vss. 15-17
WE’RE SAINTS (the church), HE’S SOVEREIGN Vs. 18
Jesus is your creator.
Is Jesus your Savior? If not, why not?
Is Jesus your Sovereign? – Does He have full permission to tell you what to do?
