Sermon Extras

Colossians 1:15-23 “Seeing clearly and following faithfully”

INTRO> Florence Chadwick is a remarkable woman of history. She was the first woman to swim the English Channel between France and England both ways (that’s 21 miles!) in 1952 she stepped into the water of the pacific ocean off of Catalina Island, she was going to swim the shoreline, which is 26 miles. She had a team help her look for sharks and keep track. 15 hours into her swim she began to get so tired physically and emotionally and a dense fog began to set in and it was extremely difficult to see. She finally gave up, only to get into the boat and realize, that she was only half a mile away. In a press conference after she said these words, “All I could see was the fog.…I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.”

CONTEXT> Before us today are some of the greatest word in all of the Bible about the person of Jesus Christ. It is known as the “Christ Hymn” The Apostle Paul breaks out in praise describing Jesus. Pauls gives us Jesus’ Credentials! As I was preparing for this message, something struck me and it’s found In verses 22-23 Paul tells us WHY he is writing this Christ hymn. ESV STUDY Bible Comments on this verse: “The form of this phrase in Greek (using the Gk. particle ei and the indicative mood of the verb epimenō) indicates that Paul fully expects that the Colossian believers will continue in the faith; no doubt is expressed. Nevertheless, the statement shows that faithfulness to the end is essential in the Christian life.”

APP> Paul is telling us not to shift, not to quit, not to give up but what is the motivation for that? Jesus, a massive view of Jesus. 

Big Idea > In order to follow Jesus faithfully, I need to see Jesus clearly. 

• Jesus reveals the Father. v15

•  “He is the image of the invisible God…” The word for image here is where we get the word icon from. Meaning that it fully represents something!

• “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” John 1:18

• “Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:9 

• “For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell…” Colossians 1:19

*ILL> In 2013 the oxford english dictionary added a new word. “Selfie” Selfie- a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website”

APP> Jesus is God’s selfie. He is 100% God and a 100% man! 

• “the first born of all creation..” this is a term of position, not creation. In Exodus 4:22 God calls Israel his “first born” nation. Turn in your Bible to Psalm 89:27 (*This is the verse that you can use to explain to Jehovahs witnesses)

APP> Jesus reveals the Father – I can know God and God can know me. 

2) Jesus rules the universe. v16-17

• “For by him all things were created…” This is a massive statement and just to clarify, Jesus couldn’t have been created, then create all things. 

• Paul makes a series of statements “by him” “through him “For him” 

*ILL> Here a is a picture of the earth. The Sun. The Milky Way Galaxy. Nasa estimates that there are 100 billion galaxies out there. 

APP> If Jesus could handle creation then he can handle your situation. 

• “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together..” I have thoughts and meditated on this verse.

APP> Since Jesus holds it all together, I don’t have to. *ILL> Atlas was a Titan in Greek mythology who was cursed by Zeus to hold up the universe. 

3) Jesus resurrected from death. v18

• “He is the beginning, the first born from the dead..” Think about this… Paul is telling us that this God who created all of this… died. Really. Literally, the greek word means, “the dead people”. Then 3 days later he rose again! 

“Christ is the “first fruits”, the pioneer of life”. He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought and beaten the King Of Death. Everything is different because he has done so.” – C.S. Lewis 

APP> Death no longer has the last word. 

APP> Nothing is so dead that it can’t be resurrected. “Christianity is in it’s very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at it’s heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed.” John Stott 

• “in all things he might be preeminent” APP>Since Jesus is over all, he is all we need. 

4) Jesus reconciles the lost. v19-22

• “through him to reconcile to himself all things…” It’s important to note that reconciliation comes from God. 

• “Making peace by the blood of his cross” Peace always comes at a price. 

• “and you (y’all) who once were alienated…” Paul breaks down our past condition. 

APP> We have to be reconciled to God before we can be reconciled to others. (REPENT!)

APP> Every believer has a responsibility to pursue reconciliation. 

Big Idea > In order to follow Jesus faithfully, I need to see Jesus clearly. 

A Clear View Of Jesus: 

• Jesus reveals the Father. 

• Jesus rules the universe. 

• Jesus resurrected from the dead. 

• Jesus reconciles the lost. 

Remember Florence Chadwhick?! Remember why Paul is writing about this Jesus? DON’T GIVE UP!