Jesus Christ: The Image of God | Colossians 1:15-20

INTRODUCTION

We have been looking at the letter to the Colossians.

• 1:1-2: Salutation or Greeting.
• 1:3-14: Thanksgiving & Prayer.
• 1:15-20: The Supremacy of Christ.
  • 1:15: Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
  • 1:19: The fullness of God dwells in Jesus.
  • 2:2-3: Jesus is the wisdom of God.

Colossians 2:2b-3

…in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, ³Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Today, we will look at:

Colossians 1:15-20

¹⁵The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and 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.

This is one of the earliest writings about Christology, a hymn about Jesus. This is an extraordinary poem. It is praise. It is worship. It is adoration. It is an expression of loyalty to Jesus. This is an understanding of who Jesus was, is and will be.

This poem is coming out of Paul’s growing life of prayer at a time of really difficulty for him when he was in such pain and despair, imprisoned probably in Ephesus.

CONTEXT

In Paul’s world, people would make grand poems about Caesar, where people would write poems in praise of some great military general and would list his virtues and show all the things he had done and how he rescued his country from danger or the enemy. This was the way they celebrate that great leader, that general, that emperor. So Paul is writing a very similar poem is praising Jesus as the one who is much higher than anything you could say about a Roman emperor or a Roman general.

See the words described about Jesus:

¹⁵The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and 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.

Who is Jesus?

Jesu is God:

• Image of the invisible God, v15a
  • Jesus is the embodiment of the divine.
  • Jesus has made the invisible God visible.
  • Jesus is the portrait of God revealing the character and attributes of God.

Thus Paul makes it clear that Christ is the perfect and dynamic portrait of the invisible God because he is God made visible in flesh. We, the human race, are created in God’s image, but the tragedy is that humans deny his image. We create God in our own image. The Bible condemns this as idolatry.

The modern secular and hedonistic society is idolatrous, but the images take different forms. Much of our movies, television and print media is dedicated to the cult of worship of the body and its sexuality. The accumulation of wealth and the striving for recognition and status in society also result in idolatry.

• Jesus is before all things, v17a
• In Jesus all things hold together, v17b
  • Jesus is not contained by time or space.
  • Jesus is not an absent watchmaker. He is present.
  • Jesus is the power that holds the universe together.
• Jesus is supreme, v18b
  • No evil power, no demonic spirit world, no angelic power can stand against him. Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
• The fullness of God dwells in Jesus, v19.

Jesus is the creator God

• Frist born over all creation, v15b
• In him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him, v16a
• All things have been created through him and for him, v16b

Jesus & Church

• Jesus is the head of the body, the church, v18a
  • Christ is the source of the life of the Church.
  • Christ is the final authority of the church.

Future

• Jesus is the firstborn among the dead, v18b.
  • The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead at the end of time. But Paul says that age has begun now.
  • Christ’ resurrection inaugurated the age of the new creation.
  • Therefore, the implied meaning is that those who believe in Jesus will rise again at the second coming of Jesus.
• Jesus will reconcile all things in heaven and on earth at his coming, v20a.

How did Jesus achieve this?

• Cross: Making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

Transition: Paul just did not derive a Christology, but derived this out of his understanding of the OT scripture and his revelation of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:15-20 is an echo of the OT scripture:

Genesis: In Genesis God is the creator, Gen. 1-2

Exodus: This same God in Exodus is the redeemer Ex. 12-15, the covenant giver Ex. 20.

Psalms:

• God the Creator, Ps. 104; 100:3, 65:6-9.
• God is our redeemer, 19:14 Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
• They holy one of Israel is our king, Ps. 89:18
• God is King, Psalm 10:16 The Lord is king for ever and ever.

Isaiah

Isaiah 40-55, this poem which stands at the pinnacle of Israel’s prophetic heritage.

It begins with the great evocation of God as the creator; Isaiah 40:28, 42:5, 43:15,

• In Isaiah God is:
  • The one who stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
  • He is the one before whom all the islands are like fine dust.
  • God looks down in the world and puts the princess and rulers into their place.
  • But at the same time, he will feed his flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs in his arms, and gently lead the mother sheep. Isaiah 40:10-11

The God of Israel is alive. He does things, he changes things, he makes new things to happen. That is what Isaiah 40-55 is all about.

God is doing new things in Isaiah. Particularly, God is repeating the Exodus story. He rescued Israel from the power of Pharoah, from the darkness of Egypt, he brought them through the Red Sea, and came and dwelt in their midst and led them to their inheritance. That is what God is doing, coming to their rescue.

God being the creator and redeemer has a lot of echoes in the OT. We find that in Genesis, Exodus, Psalms and Prophets. When we look into the OT, we also realize that good world created by our creator God has been hijacked by evil and sin. According to Paul, this same God has been revealed in Jesus and God is now doing a recreation and redemption through Jesus Christ.

Therefore Paul says in Colossians 1:15-20:

• Jesus has won the victory.
• Jesus is the one through whom all things are made.
• Jesus is to be identified as the one through whom all things are made.
• Jesus is now the one in whom God’s own personal presence, fullness has been embodied.
• Now he is the one through whom all things are being remade.

Jesus as the wisdom and fullness of God.

Once you come into this position where you are belonging to the family of the king of the Messiah, then you have the right to explore the rich storehouses of wisdom which that will open up to you.

Now wisdom in the book of Proverbs is a fascinating character, when I say character advisedly because the figure of Wisdom is presented as a great lady. She is contrasted with mysterious folly who is always saying to simple souls come here I have got something for you. The warning is don’t go near her, her house is the stairway down to death. Go with lady Wisdom instead and she will set her table and entertain you royally and you will become a more genuine human being and that is actually one of the subthemes of the whole book of Proverbs so that when Proverbs ends with the extraordinary portrait of the fine virtuous woman or wife in chapter 31, there is a sense that this is the natural outflowing into human life of this vision of lady wisdom, it is a wonderfully inclusive vision in all sorts of ways. But there is a mystery here because in Proverbs chapter 8 this is picked up in other Jewish traditions as well. There is a sense that lady wisdom was God’s handmaid in creation itself.

Proverbs 8:22

The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old.

Proverbs 8:27-31

Paul is saying take everything that Proverbs 8 is about Jesus as the beginning, Jesus as the head, Jesus as the sum total, Jesus as the first fruits and we have all things created and all things reconciled in him and through him and for him. Paul is saying actually the very first word of the bible contains all this rich treasure.

This is a God who is both majestic and sovereign over the whole world and also comes down to rescue in person those who need that rescue so badly.

How did Jesus achieve this?

The Cross

The Cross is the place where Jesus did what was needed to take everything that has gone wrong.

Colossians 1:19-20

¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and 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.

The cross is the place where the love of the creator God does what was needed to take everything that has gone wrong, and to come through and out into new creation. The cross is in the middle.

Colossians 1:17-18

¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church;

Paul is putting the church, they are the people who is the body of which Jesus is the head. Therefore, they too have a role right within the heart of this extraordinary poetically expressed theological truth.

Shape of the whole thing: The Death And Resurrection Of Jesus Brings Reconciliation And New Creation.

The Cross

What has the Cross done for us?

Colossians 1:21-23

²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But 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—²³if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move 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.

We were:

• Alienated from God.
• Enemies in our mind.
  • God was not far away but by their self -centred lifestyles and evil lifestyle they were far from God.
• People of evil behaviour.

Now we are:

• Reconciled by Christ’s physical body through his death.
• Presented holy in God’s sight.
• Without blemish.
• Free from accusation.

What are we to do:

• Continue in our faith.
  • We must actively life out the gospel in our daily lives.
• Be establish and firm in faith.
  • Our faith must be built on the firm and sure foundation of God’s saving work.
  • Remember building collapses during rain if there is no firm foundation.
  • We must be firm in God’s saving work.
• Hold on to the hope of the gospel.
• This gospel is proclaimed to every creature under heaven.
  • We are to be the heralds of the gospel to every person on earth.

CONCLUSION

Based on the powerful passage from Colossians 1:15-20, here are some application points that Christians can draw from the text:

Recognizing Jesus’ Supremacy: As believers, we should acknowledge and submit to Jesus Christ’s supremacy over all creation. Understanding that He is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn over all things helps us prioritize Him as the central figure in our lives.

Embracing Christ-Centered Creation: Knowing that all things were created through and for Jesus Christ, we can appreciate the beauty and purpose of creation. This realization should lead us to care for and steward God’s creation, recognizing it as a reflection of His glory.

Finding Unity in Christ: Understanding that Jesus holds all things together, we can find unity and reconciliation in Him. As members of the body of Christ (the Church), we are called to love one another and work together for the advancement of God’s kingdom.

Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection: Acknowledging Jesus as the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead encourages us to celebrate and proclaim His victory over death. This truth gives us hope in our own resurrection and eternal life through Him.

Pursuing Christ’s Fullness: As believers, we are called to seek the fullness of God that dwells in Christ. Through prayer, study of God’s Word, and cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus, we can experience His presence and allow His character to shape our lives.

Participating in God’s Reconciliation: Knowing that God reconciled all things to Himself through Christ’s sacrifice, we are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation. We should share the message of God’s love and forgiveness, encouraging others to find peace with Him through faith in Jesus. Living in Peace: Understanding that Christ made peace through His blood shed on the cross, we should strive to live as peacemakers. This includes resolving conflicts, forgiving others, and promoting harmony in our relationships and communities.

Sharing the Gospel: The passage reminds us of the significance of Jesus’ work on the cross in reconciling all things to God. This motivates us to share the Gospel with others, proclaiming the good news of salvation and inviting them to experience God’s love and grace.

Focusing on Eternity: Keeping in mind Jesus’ eternal nature and His role in creation and redemption, we are encouraged to set our minds on things above. We should prioritize heavenly treasures and seek to live in a way that aligns with God’s eternal purposes.

Cultivating a Christ-Centered Lifestyle: The passage emphasizes Christ’s role in all aspects of existence. Therefore, we should strive to make Christ the center of our thoughts, decisions, relationships, and daily activities.

By applying these points to our lives, we can deepen our faith, grow in relationship with Christ, and reflect His love and character to the world around us.

Therefore,

• Continue in our faith.
  • We must actively life out the gospel in our daily lives.
• Be establish and firm in faith.
  • Our faith must be built on the firm and sure foundation of God’s saving work.
  • Remember building collapses during rain if there is no firm foundation.
  • We must be firm in God’s saving work.
• Hold on to the hope of the gospel.
• This gospel is proclaimed to every creature under heaven.