Col. 1:14-19

The end of v13 (the Son of His love) leads to one of the high points in Scripture.  The Colossians were being cowered into thinking they were incomplete Christians.  Paul answers by describing the person and work of Christ.  Here is his argument:  Christ is a complete Person (1:14-19); His work is complete (1:20-23); He is in you (1:24-2:5); you are in Him (2:6-15); thus you are complete!           The point of today’s passage is found at the end, in v18b-19: …that in all things He may have the preeminence.  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.  In what sense was Christ preeminent in all things, the One who was the fullness of God? ¨     Christ is supreme over the original creation, v15-17. ·        He is the image of the invisible God, v15.  God, as a spirit (John 4:24), is invisible (1 Tim. 1:17).  Christ is the image in the sense that a Roman coin bore the image of Caesar; you could look at the coin and say, That is what Caesar is like.  We look at Christ and say, That is what God is like.  He is the grandest revelation of God; we can do no better than Christ. ·        He is the firstborn over all creation, v15b-17.  The point is not that Christ was born, either in eternity or at Bethlehem.  Rather the emphasis is on the privileged position of the firstborn who receives the double inheritance and carries the family name.  Christ is preeminent over creation as the firstborn Son of God.  Thus … o   All things were created by Christ (He is the Creator as God the Son). o   All things were created through Christ (He is the agent, the Word used by God the Father to speak all things into existence). o   All things were created for Christ (as the heir of all things, Heb. 1:1-2). o   All things are after Him (since He is eternal, John 1:1-2). o   All things are sustained by Him (creation functions by His power).       ¨     Christ is preeminent over the new creation, v18-19.           God is redeeming the creation marred by sin, making new creatures of those who believe (2 Cor. 5:17).  In this work Christ is also the preeminent one. ·        He is the Head of the body, the Church.  He is the husband of His bride; the Shepherd of the flock, the Savior of the people, and the Chief Cornerstone of the spiritual temple.  He is the Head and we are His body. ·        He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.  In His resurrection Christ became the firstfruits of those raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23).  Thus again He is the firstborn, the One who was victorious over death.  He now has the privileged position over all others.           The conclusion is that nothing is outside the realm of Christ’s Lordship.  He is preeminent because He is the One in whom all the fullness of God was at home.  Never has there been one like Christ and there never will be.  Worship Him as God who became flesh.  Your privileged position depends on Him!