Christ Above All

Notes
Transcript

Big Idea

Tension: Why is it that in him we have forgiveness of sins?
Resolution: Because he is the image of God and the firstborn of all creation.
Exegetical Idea: In Christ we have forgiveness of sins because he is the image of God and the firstborn of all creation.
Theological Idea: The forgiveness of sins in Christ is secured because he is both the image of God in Creation and the Firstborn over all creation.
Homiletical Idea: Because Christ is both God and man, we have forgiveness.
Big Idea: We have forgiveness because Christ is both God and Man.

Outline

Introduction: How can I be forgiven? Story of Jonathan Edwards
Outline:
Christ is the image of God
Image - The image was a stamp of authority, such as Roman coins. But more importantly, the God who has said do not make any graven images to me, has given me his own image: Jesus Christ. That God has made himself revealed, known, obvious through Jesus.
All things were created on him, whether in heaven or on earth - Platonic worldview believed that God created everything out of some “eternal stuff.” But the Bible says that no, everything that is is because of God. But it is not just that GOd created everythiung, that was old news, it is that God created everything through Jesus. God wwas the architect, and jesus was the builder. God was the commander, Jesus was the general. God was the judge, Jesus was teh bailiff. That the Son executed the Father’s plans to create all things.
in heaven/on earth - This is a summary statement. It is drawing from teh Old Testament descriptions of God (Deut 3:24). And Paul’s point is that in every single way that we know how to describe what God is, this is who God is.
Source of all authority - Now, in these next next few lines, we see Paul making these contrasts between things in heaven and things on earth. ANd here we have a sort of contrast. The things that are visible, the lordships, and the authorities probably refer to earthly authorities. THey probably refer to the Roman Empire and to the magistrates. They probably refer to the local police or the mayor or hte city council. ANd Paul says every single one of those things were created by him.
But it also says “invisible things” and that probably includes the “thrones” and the “rulers,” and there he is probably refering to all spiritual forces. Now, you have to remember, that probably a lot of the people in Colossae believed in these spirits that occupied the space between God and man. And what Paul is saying is that whatever angels there are, whatever spirits there are, whatever demonic things there are, they are all created by the Son.
This is why it says all things were created for him. They weren’t just created by him, but he created them to serve his own purposes. He created them to magnify his own glory. He created htem so that all might know how great and big and strong his glory is.
He is before all things - There has never been a time when the Son was not.
And all things hold together in him - That if the SOn did not exist, all of reality woudl fall apart. He is hte glue that holds everything together.
We can sum this all up with Abraham Kuyper’s statement: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”
Why that is bad news: Because of our sin, our willfulness, our rebelliousness. We have stood up to God the Father by neglecting Christ...
He is the firstborn over all creation
Firstborn - it is used to describe the relationship which Christ has with God’s children. He is our elder brother, the firstborn. To call him firstborn means to acknowledge that he deserves all honor and glory, but that we share a father with him. (Romans 8:29).
The head of the church - Which is why he is the head of the church. This is the first glimmer of hope, that Christ has a people. That he has this same relationship with them that the head has with the body, that there is this organic relationship between the body and the head, this union with him.
He is the beginning - what is he the beginning of? He is starting something, beginning smoethiung, igniting something that will bring his people out safely. He is working on saving his people, so what is that?
from the dead: You see, he is the firstborn from the dead. He is the first one to come forth from teh dead. That he was resurrected, he was risen, he was exalted. How is he saving his people from God’s wrath, how is he saving his people from their own rebelliousness? By bringing them forth from teh dead. He is not only the instrument by which God brought into existence the Old Creation, he is also the beginning of hte New Creation. And he is that through his resurrection. On that Easter morning, a new world dawned. It was not merely that Jesus was resurrected, it is that the resurrection of Jesus is teh means by which God is recreating all things.
And just as all things were created for him originally, so all things are recreated for him. IN other words, God exalted CHrist for his own glory. That is why it says so that he might become preeminent. That his glory would shine brighter, that his name would be more hallowed, that his fame would be more shouted than any other thing. This is a reference to his glorious ascension, that after Christ was risen, he was exalted to the right hand of God the Father.
Why is it that God would exalt Christ?
Because in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell - This is a poetic way of saying that all of what it means to be God exists within the person Jesus Christ. That he is one person, but he is God and man. What we are celebrating at this time of year is that the plane has touched down, that the Godhead has entered into the man Jesus Christ. It’s when Jesus Christ entered into human flesh, when he “tabernacled” among us.
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, making peace throgh the blood of his cross, whether on teh earth or in the heavens - So here is Paul’s big crescendo, teh point he has been building towards. Here is Jesus Christ, both God and man. Here he is, he is the head of the church. But how can he be the head of the churhc? Well he’s been resurrected. Well, how can he be resurrected? well God was pleased to dwell in him. But wait a minute, what happened between teh incarnation of Christ and the resurrection of Christ? What happened between Christ’s birth, and Christ’s resurrection? The cross. It was on teh cross, that God reconciled himself to the world. It was on teh cross that Christ died as teh perfect man, and it was on the cross that Christ bore the eternal infintie wrath of God. If he was not God, he could nto do that. If he was not man, he could not do that. You see, Paul’s whole section here culminates in Christ crucified.
Application:
Is Christ your Lord?
Is Christ your Savior?
Conclusion:
Edwards: Here is not only infinite strength and infinite worthiness, but infinite condescension; and love and mercy, as great as power and dignity. If you are a poor distressed sinner, whose heart is ready to sink for fear that God never will have mercy on you, you need not be afraid to go to Christ for fear that he is either unable or unwilling to help you: here is a strong foundation, and an inexhaustible treasure, to answer the necessities of your poor soul; and he is infinite grace and gentleness to invite and embolden a poor unworthy fearful soul to come to it. If Christ accepts of you, you need not fear but that you will be safe; for he is a strong lion for your defense: and if you come, you need not fear but that you shall be accepted; for he is like Lamb to all that come to him, and receives them with infinite grace and tenderness. Tis true that he has awful majesty; he is the great God, and is infinitely high above you; but there is this to encourage and embolden the poor sinner, that Christ is man as well as God; he is a creature, as well as the Creator; and he is the most humble and lowly in heart of any creature in heaven or earth. This may well make the poor unworthy creature bold in coming to him. You need not hesitate one moment; but may run to him, and cast yourself upon him: you will certainly be graciously and meekly received by him.
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