Who is Jesus Christ Pt.2 - Creator and Sustainer

Christ as the Image of God and the Firstborn Over Creation

I invite you to take out your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Colossians. And we are going to be in Chapter 1, continuing our verse-by-verse study of Colossians and then a shorter mini-series within the book studying verses 15 to 20 on the subject of who is Jesus Christ.

We began last week looking at verse 15 and today we will be looking at verse 16 and 17. One of the things that we do in our home as part of our family worship is we practice catechisms which are questions and answers that we teach our children as a way for them to understand the doctrines of the faith.

One of the catechisms that we have used over the years is simply called the catechism for young children and it begins with the simplest of questions. It begins with the question, who made you? So we would sit our children down at family worship time and we say we are going to do catechism and we ask, who made you?

And our children respond, they are not here today, they are with their grandmother, and say they could answer. But who made you? God. What else did God make? God made all things. Why did God make you and all things?

Answer, for His own glory. Who made you? God. What else did God make? God made all things. Why did God make you and all things? For His own glory. Now as simple as those questions are, they are profound in the sense that they deal with a subject that everyone has interest in.

Everyone has interest in the subject of creation. Just go to the nearest university and go to their biology department and look at what they are studying. They are still studying where we came from and whether they are coming to some form of secular answer, whether they are coming to some form of big bang cosmology and evolutionary biology.

They are still trying to figure out from where we came. The subject of creation and origin is hugely important and we understand that that is one of the foundational aspects of what we study when we come to be a part of the study of the word of God.

Because when we study the word of God we are studying the word of the creator. In fact, without God there would be no us. Without a creator there would be no creation. And therefore the very thing that we come to God for and the very reason why we know that He is there is that we exist and we are the byproduct of something and therefore there has to be something greater.

There has to be a creator because creation is evidence of a creator. In fact, I would go as far as to say what makes God, God? And the answer in the most basic sense is that God is the only one who is in the category of creator.

Everyone else, everything else is in the category of creation. I didn't bring my whiteboard up here today. I kind of wish I had but you can all imagine a Venn diagram. You know what a Venn diagram is?

A circle with another circle and they overlap and there's usually some point in the center where the two overlaps happen where there's something that is comparable between the two or something that the two circles share in common.

Well when we think about God, if you imagine God in His circle, His circle would say creator. And then another circle would say creation and there would be no overlap. There's no place where that Venn diagram sits upon itself and there's no place where creator and creation have a commonality when it comes to that subject because you are either in one of two categories.

You're either the creator or you're creation. And I stress this point because idolatry actually begins when we get that confused. The Bible says that in Romans chapter 1. It says they worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed forever.

Amen. Romans 1 says idolatry begins when we confuse the categories. When we put creature in the creator category. When we mix the circles up, we miss the point that God is unique. God is creator. Everything else is creature.

But then we come to the biggest question in the history of man and that is where do you put Jesus Christ in those two circles? All religions that are outside of the true faith want to put Christ in the circle of creature.

But the Bible does not put Jesus. It does not put the eternal logos, the eternal word, the second person of the Trinity. It does not put him in the category of creature. But rather as we will see today, Christ is as the second person of the Trinity, as the eternal logos, as the only begotten son of the father, eternally begotten of the father.

He exists in the category of creator. And that's my goal today is to show you that Jesus created you and sustains you. Last week we said who is Jesus? We said he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation, not first created but the preeminent one over all creation.

This week we will see he is creator and sustainer of all things. With that being said, let's stand together. We're going to read Colossians 1 and we're going to read verses 15 to 20 just to get the context of our study which is verses 16 and 17.

Speaking of Christ, it says in verse 15, he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.

All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things. And in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word.

Maven, now you apply the words of this to our heart. Keep me from error as I preach and open the hearts of your people to hear your word. In Jesus' name, amen. Now I recognize some of you are our guests this morning.

You haven't been here with us and I'm very grateful that you are here. But it's important that I mention that we are in a series, as I said, in the book of Colossians. And so we have already gone from verses 1 to 15, going essentially verse by verse each week as we go.

We do a few verses at a time. So I think this is our sixth week or so in the study. And it's important to understand the context of what we're learning because if you take a text without a context, then you can make it say whatever you want.

It's important to understand why Paul is writing what he's writing. And the 15th to the 20th verse of Colossians chapter 1 is Paul giving an expression about the Lord Jesus Christ, which is intended to deal with a false teaching that is threatening the people of Colossae.

And what is threatening the people at Colossae is that there is a false teaching that Jesus is somehow not enough. And what has been introduced to the people of Colossae are things like the worship of angels and asceticism.

We read about this in chapter 2 and we see that there are people who are given to these other ceremonial things like the perpetuation of the Jewish Sabbath and dietary restrictions and all of these things which people are adding to the gospel and they are saying these are necessary, essential things to be a believer and to be saved.

And Paul's point is simply to say this, Christ is enough. And we need not add all of these extra things. In fact, very quickly if you don't mind, just take in your Bible, you're open to chapter 1 anyway, turn over to chapter 2 and just hear these words again.

This is what Paul is warning them against. Look at verse 8. Chapter 2 verse 8. He says, see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ.

You see, there was a philosophy that was going about. There was empty deception that was going about and it was based on some type of philosophy and understanding of the world that was not according to Christ.

And Paul says, see to it that you not be taken captive by that. Go down to verse 16. He says, therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink or in regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

You see, there were those within the Colossian community who were attempting to impose upon the people of Colossae these extra biblical ceremonies and these things from the old covenant that did not have a place within the new covenant and trying to force feed that into the Colossian community.

We see this again in verse 18. He says, let no one disqualify you insisting on asceticism and worship of angels going on in detail about visions puffed up without reason by his sensual mind. You see, the people in Colossae were being threatened by the false teaching that Christ is not enough.

We need all of these other things. So, Paul begins the body of his letter back in chapter 1 verse 15 by giving to us one of the most robust explanations of who Christ is in the entire New Testament. I gave this quote last week, but I'm going to give it again this week.

The Bible knowledge commentary says this, it says, no comparable listing of so many characteristics of Christ and his deity are found in any other scripture passage. Talking about verses 15 to 20 of Colossians chapter 1.

There's no other place where we have such a condensed, concentrated Christology than what we have in Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 to 20. That's why I've chosen during this Christmas season, during this season where we celebrate the incarnation, I'm literally taking it one or two verses at a time.

Because we've got between now and Christmas morning, we're going to just be looking at five verses, actually six verses, because I want to show who Christ is and I want to press the details of this passage because this passage is all about the details.

Last week we got into the details of what it means when it says Christ is the image of the invisible God. That word image is the Greek word icon and it means the exact representation of his nature. No one can say they're the exact representation of God's nature except God himself.

And that is why we can say that Christ is the expression of the true and living nature of God, the visible image of the invisible God. And he's firstborn of all creation, not first created because he's not created, but he is preeminent over creation.

The term firstborn means to be first in rank. And he is over all creation as first in rank. And so that leads us now to verses 16 and 17. And in verses 16 and 17, I want to read it to you again, but this time I'm going to do what I did with my Sunday school class this morning.

By the way, my teenagers, we did this this morning. We took our little chart. This is my chart that I create with the original language and all, and I made them go through it with me. And I asked them this question.

I said, is there a focal point to these two verses? So hear it again. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, rulers, or power.

And in him, or excuse me, and through him all things were created. And he is before all things, and all things in him hold together. What's the stress in there? All things. It actually says it four times.

The phrase all things comes in that text four times in two verses. And we don't have to be super intelligent to understand when we hear that repetition that many times that it's trying to get our attention.

The word all things is the Greek word tapanta. It's actually two words. Ta is an article, and panta is the word, it's based on the word pas, which means all. And literally tapanta means the all. But that wouldn't be a good way to say it in English.

But if I said to you, for by him the all was created, I think it sounds actually kind of good. Because that's actually what, the all. But in English it's better rendered, all things were created. And notice what it says, it says for by him all things were created.

Christ as the Agent and Reason for Creation

Now, I do have an outline this morning, and we'll put it on the screen for you. Four thoughts from this text. Number one, Christ is the agent of creation. And I'll explain what that means in just a moment.

Number two, Christ is the reason for creation. People always say Christ is the reason for the season. Let me tell you something. If Christ is only the reason for one month out of the year for you, you got a problem.

Christ is more than the reason for the season. Christ is the reason for everything. Number three, Christ has priority over creation. And then lastly, number four, Christ is the sustainer of creation. So let's go back to number one and look at the beginning of verse 16.

It says in the English Standard Version, for by him all things were created. Now some of your Bibles will say for in him all things were created. And prepositions do matter. And the word by and the word in do seemingly have different meanings.

But in this sense, we need to go back to the original language for a fuller understanding of what is being said. And by the way, it starts with the word for, the Greek word hati. And it's connecting it to the last verse.

Because the last verse says he is the first born over all creation. For by him. And so the for connects that idea of him being over all creation to the next thing. Why is he over all creation? Because by him it was created.

That's why. That's the for. That's how that word connects verses 15 and 16. He's over all creation because he is the agent of creation. And what do I mean when I say he's the agent of creation? Well, when the term in or the term by is used in this text when it says for in him or for by him were created.

That preposition is speaking of him as being the means by which something came about. That's why I think translating it by is okay. For by him all things were created. I think that's a fine translation.

But even if you use the the the the problem with the word in is in speaks of location. But by speaks of means. So I do think in that sense by is more appropriate as to the translation here. Rather than saying in him like it was created in him.

No, it was created by him. And the preposition epsilon new in Greek in does have both of those connotations. In this sense we let the context drive the connotation. And the connotation is for by means of him all things were created.

He is the means. He is the agent through whom all things were created. Hold your place in Colossians and turn with me to John chapter 1. Go over to John chapter 1. And I want to show you that this is not something unique to Paul.

Paul is not. Paul hasn't established here some new doctrine that's never been taught before. Paul is not giving us some type of extraordinary doctrine that no one's ever heard of. But Paul is simply recounting one of the things that John says in the opening of his gospel.

Does everybody have their Bibles to John chapter 1? All right. In John chapter 1 verse 1 it says this. In the beginning was the word. Now if you want to know who that's talking about. It's talking about Jesus.

We know this in verse 14 because it says in verse 14. For the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. The glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. Right.

So we know who the word is. The word the logos in the Greek. That was a Greek philosophical term which spoke of wisdom and spoke of the embodiment of wisdom. And John uses that word to describe Jesus.

He is the embodiment of the wisdom of God. And he says in the beginning the word. Right. He says in the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God. Now I'm going to be dealing with the deity of Christ in two weeks.

Because in verse 19 Paul says. In him the fullness of Godhead dwells bodily. So I'm going to go back to this later. When it talks about him being with God and at the same time being God. So if you want to know more about that.

Come back. But I want to stress what he says next. He says in the beginning was the word. The word was with God. The word was God. Right. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him.

And without him was not anything made that was made. This is what I talked about earlier with the two circles. It's either creature or creator. And he says everything in this circle. Everything in the creature circle was made by the one who's in this circle.

And the one who's in this circle is the word. It says in the beginning was the word. He was with God. And he was God. And he was with God in the beginning. And all things. All things where? All things over here.

All things in this circle were made by him. And nothing in this circle. I know I get a little excited. But nothing over here came about on its own. Nothing over here erupted from a cosmic belch. Nothing over here happened because of some creative big bang that came out of nowhere.

Where molecules simply crashed into one another and produced the universe. No. Everything over here was made by the one who's over here. All things here were made by the one who is here. And Jesus is here.

He. Nothing was made that wasn't made by him. And now if we want to stress that point further. And you know me. I just can't help but stress a point further. And I promise I don't do this just to make the sermons longer.

Go to Hebrews chapter one. Just run over to Hebrews chapter one. Find your place there. Verse one. It says long ago in various times and various ways God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. That's verse one.

Then verse two says what? But in these last days. By the way if anybody ever says when did the last days begin? It began as soon as Christ arose from the dead. He began the eschaton when he ascended into heaven.

And he says I'll return in like manner. We're in the last days. We've been in them for 2 ,000 years. He says in these last days he has spoken to us by his son. Whom he appointed the heir of all things.

Through whom also he created the world. So John tells us there's nothing that was created that wasn't created by Christ. The writer of Hebrews which we don't know who it is. Might have been an associate of the apostle Paul.

Possibly Luke. Possibly Barnabas. We don't know for certain. But we know that the person who wrote the letter of Hebrews says the same thing. That he, God used Christ as the agent of creation. And through him created the world.

That's why I said earlier when I said let there be light. Christ speaks the world into existence. He is the very word of the living God. Now back to Colossians. Let's turn back very quickly. Because just in case we were confused about the all things.

Just in case we thought Paul might be fudging the numbers a little. Or that he might be, that he might. Because let me tell you something. If you go to, if you go to a Kingdom Hall. Kingdom Hall is the Jehovah Witnesses meeting place.

They have their own translation of the Bible. And if you look at their translation of the Bible. It is, it is a perversion of the truth. It adds and changes many of the things in the text. And one of the changes that is made is here at Colossians chapter one.

Because it doesn't say that Christ in him all things were created. It says in him all other things were created. They add the word other. Every time the word tapanta is in there. They add the word other to indicate that Christ is part of creation.

Again they're putting him in that circle. Because they can't accept the fact that he's in this circle. Christ is not part of the other part of creation. He is creator. And Paul stresses that by giving us nowhere to run.

Notice what he says. He says in him were created all things. In heaven and on earth. Is there any place else? I mean as simple as that is. He's kind of establishing a parameter. Now you might argue well which heaven is he talking about Keith?

The Bible talks about three heavens. It talks about the atmospheric heavens where the clouds and the birds live. It talks about the stellar heavens where the sky or where the sun and moon and stars are.

And it talks about the celestial heavens where God abides. What heaven is he talking about? All of them. In heaven and on earth. And I'm going to show you why it's all of them in the very next thing. Because he says visible and invisible.

Are there things that are invisible? Well first of all we could say there are things that are invisible. We talked about this in Sunday school. Larry's grandson. Air. You're right. Air is invisible right?

We don't see air. Maybe on a cold morning we see a little air. But in general air is invisible. There are molecules that can't be seen by the naked eye. Atoms and such. We can only see with very powerful electron microscopes.

But he says here that Christ made everything in heaven and earth. And then he made everything visible and invisible. And I do believe that we could say there. Not only is he talking about the air and the molecules and things that are hard to see.

But he's talking about the things that are impossible to see. Because there is a realm that we can't see. There's an unseen realm. I believe in angels y 'all. I hope you do because the Bible is replete with angels.

I believe in demons. Because the Bible talks about demons. I believe in a literal devil. But I can't see him. And guess what I believe about the devil? He was a creation of the living God. Because this tells me what?

He created all things visible and invisible. And he goes on to say four specific types of things. Which I believe relate to the angelic realm. Because he uses four words. He used in the ESV it's thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities.

In the Greek it's thronoi, which is thrones. Charistates, which is dominions or powers. Rulers, archai, which are again authorities. And exousia, powers. He's referencing the same language. If we were to go over to Ephesians.

And we were to look at Ephesians chapter one. You can make a note of this. We're not going to go look at it. But in Ephesians chapter 121. It uses almost the same exact language to speak of the angelic realm.

So when he says in him were created all things in heaven and on earth. Visible and invisible. Whether they be thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities. He's saying even the angels. Even the demons. Everything in creation owes its origin to Christ.

Again all things is the stress. Now you say why would he stress something like this? Here's the answer. There were people in Colossae who were trying to worship angels. What in the world? Why in the world would you worship an angel.

When you can worship the one who created the angels. Why would you worship a created thing? By the way idolatry when people make stuff to worship. The bible derides that as the most foolish thing you can do.

How are you going to take a piece of wood. Prop it up because it won't stand on its own. Overlay it with gold and then bow down to it when you were the one who made it. Idolatry is foolishness. And yet we are filled with it.

Our world is filled with idolatry. Filled with people who want to worship anything other than God. Don't let the atheist tell you I don't worship anything. They absolutely do. Every man worships. You know we're called homo sapien.

Homo sapien means the thinking being. We're also called in philosophy homo religiosus. It means the religious being. Because man is incapable of not worshiping something. All men worship something. Even the atheist worships often at the feet of their own intellect.

And their own free will. But all men worship something. And Paul says why would you worship the creature. When you can worship the creator. Who in him all things were made. I'm never going to get to the rest of it because I can't get past that part.

There's so much more to say today. But that's the part that just has drove me all week. Is that in him and by him were created all things. So that's the fact that he's the agent of creation. Let's look at the second one.

He is the reason for creation. Notice it says all things were created through him and for him. I don't know what that sound is. It's like a popping sound. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse. I'll stop moving.

Yeah right. All things were created through him and for him. Again look at the prepositions. Prepositions in this sense matter. All things were created through him. That again indicates he is the agent by which they were created.

They were created through him. But also were created for him. For speaks of purpose. If I said I did this through my own strength or whatever. You know if I did something. I said I did it through the power of whatever.

That's saying how I did it. But when I say I did it for this reason. That's saying why I did it. It's speaking of purpose. And that's what this text says. It says all things were created through him. That is by him.

And they were created for him. You understand. I hope you do. That you exist for Jesus Christ. You don't exist for yourselves. In fact we often say it. We'll often say it's not about me. But then it is.

We'll say it's not about me. But when you get to the nitty gritty. It typically ends up being about my wants. My desires. The way I want things to be. My comfort. My safety. My security. My finances. My stability.

It always ends up being about me. When at the end of the age. When all things are considered. You have to understand that all of this life has not been for you. But for Christ. And you were created for the purpose of glorifying the triune God.

As an object of God's election. And Christ's redemption. And the Spirit's transformation. God made you for him. God created you. For his glory. Not yours. There's an old saying among preachers. Preach the gospel.

Die. And be forgotten. Preach the gospel. Die and be forgotten. Because it is very tempting among preachers. To want to create a name for ourselves. I mean I'm speaking for myself. It's very tempting to want to have people.

Like what you have to say. And listen to what you have to say. And put you in a position of respect. And we have to fight that. We have to fight that desire. To want to be in the first place. And remember the old poem that says.

Only one life will soon be passed. And only what's done for Christ will last. That this life is about him and not about me. And that his glory is more important than my comfort. You know that's what missionaries believe.

You understand that's what Scott Phillips believes. For those of you who don't know Scott Phillips. Scott Phillips comes here every couple of years. And he shares with us what he's doing in Indonesia.

Scott is a missionary to Indonesia. Who has given the life of himself. His wife and his plethora of children. I don't remember how many he's up to now. I think he's beating me. I'm at six. I think he's seven.

But he takes all of those children. Some that he has to carry. And he takes them into the bush of Indonesia. Outside of any lair or comfort. Or creature comfort that we have in this life. And he marches them into the Dao tribe.

And he preaches to them through months of malaria. Through months of dinghy fever. And he submits himself to pain and suffering. And no air conditioning. For the sake of the glory of God. And we have his book right here.

Prophecies of Pale Skin. I didn't have that. We just we just happened to have one up here. I didn't have it for this part of the sermon. But honestly. We can all learn something from this man. Because he lives his life to the glory of God.

Amen. That's what this says. It says we were created through him and for him. That gives you a different look on life. I'm suffering right now. Okay. Suffering is not fun. And nobody wants to suffer. And I don't wish suffering on anyone.

But when we suffer. Can we suffer to the glory of God? I'm experiencing blessings right now. That's great. Can we give thanks to God for those blessings? Can we understand that neither death nor life.

Nor angels nor powers. Nor things present. Nor things to come. Nor anything else in all creation. Will be able to separate us from the love of God. Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Why? Because he created us.

Nothing can take us from our creator. He created us. Nothing's more powerful than him. Christ is the reason for our creation. Third thing. And these last two will be a little shorter. Christ has priority over creation.

Notice what it says in verse 17. It says he is before all things. That doesn't just mean in time. Even though it can mean in time. Because Jesus said that about Abraham. He says before Abraham was. What?

I am. By the way that was a way of him announcing his own deity. Because he didn't say before Abraham was. I was. He says before Abraham was. Ego amy. I am. He uses the divine title for himself. When the Pharisees are giving him a hard time.

He says you're not even 50 years old. And Abraham look forward to seeing your day. And Jesus said before Abraham was. I am. So yes in time Christ predates all things. Because he is eternal. But that's not what I think he is before all things means.

Even though it's true. The term before here doesn't as much refer to time. As it does to position. He is as verse 15 says. First born over all creation. That's his position. His being before all things refers to his dignity.

As having first place. Christ is the priority over all creations. One of the things that we are so good at. Is getting our priorities out of whack. Amen. Christ is over all things. He is before all things.

Not all other things. Like the Jehovah Witnesses would have us believe. But all things. And lastly and fourthly. He is the sustainer of creation. This one's my favorite. You would have thought number one was my favorite.

But I got to be careful. So I can get wrapped up into this one. This could have been its own sermon. But I decided to put these together. Because they do go together. He's the creator. But he's also the sustainer.

Because it says in him. All things. And some of your translations are different. But the word. Sunestican is the word. And it means literally. All things hold together in him. In him all things are held together.

There is a philosophy. Which I imagine some of you are aware of. Some of our founding fathers in the United States. Actually held to a philosophy. Called deism. Deism is not biblical theism. There is a difference.

One starts obviously with a D. Deism. The other is theism with a TH. Deism is the idea. That yes the universe was started by a divine being. But that divine being started the universe. Started the creation.

Got it running as it were. Sort of like if you take a top. And you put a top on a flat table. And you spin that top. It's going to through centripetal force. It's going to continue to sustain itself for a certain time.

And the idea of deism is that God flung the worlds into existence. And then he stepped back from the universe. And he allowed it to continue under its own power. Until such times as it simply spins out.

And that's you know we're all at some point. The sun's going to burn out. And we're all going to get absorbed into a black hole. Or whatever that's what the scientists say. You know eventually it's all going to implode upon itself.

And the idea of deism is. Yes there was something that started it all. But he is not intricately. Neither intimately connected to or related to his creation. He's hands off. Beloved that's not biblical Christianity.

Deism. Has a cold and sterile God. Who is far away from everything. And does not have any relation to his creation. By the way that's a fearful thing to believe. If that's the way you see God. And I do have a fear in my heart.

That that's the way some people. Even in the reformed community are starting to see God. As a cold and sterile being. That is so far off that he has no relation to us at all. That's not the God of the Bible.

The God of the Bible. Jesus is the sustainer of all things. Not only did he create. But he keeps the universe going. Under his power. And he holds it together. You know we study things like nuclear power.

We study atomic energy. We study how within our own bodies. And within the cells of things. There are these things that hold together. And they keep everything together. But you have to understand. That all of that exists at the command of almighty God.

All of that exists at the command of almighty God. Water boils at 212 degrees. Not because that's simply the nature of it. But because that's what God decided. Water freezes at 32 degrees. I think. I'm in Florida.

We don't get much of that. But it freezes at a certain point. And it does it every time. Because God is a God of order. Who established a fixed set of laws. By which everything works. Not because he wanted to have hands off.

But because he wanted a universe. That obeys the laws of logic and reason. So that logical and reasonable individuals. Would be able to relate to his creation. If you woke up tomorrow. And water boiled at 70 degrees.

Or it froze at 40 degrees. It would change everything. If we didn't have a universe. That obeyed a certain logical and reasonable structure. We wouldn't be able to have science. We wouldn't be able to have reason.