Who Is Christ - [Colossians 1:15-20]

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Let me open by asking a couple questions Get my notes set up here. Sorry what one thing?
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sets Christianity apart from all other religions What I mean is this is a person who is a non -christian
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Looking from the outside in to Christianity What would they or what should they say is the most important thing?
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Do you know the answer Let me ask the question in a different way you come upon a car accident
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You open the door someone there is lying in the seat bleeding to death They have 30 seconds to live remember 30 seconds and They ask you this simple question
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Tell me how I can get to heaven. Would you be able to answer that question?
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in 30 seconds What are some of the things that some people may say or even yourself would you tell them to go get baptized
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Would you tell them to be a good person Would you tell them to just believe in God Would you tell them to walk an aisle pray a prayer sign a pledge card or toss a pinecone in a fire
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Would you tell them to go find a priest that they could confess their sins to would you tell them it really doesn't matter what they?
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believe Everyone gets to heaven or would you actually tell them you don't even know how a person gets to heaven
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Or would you be able to tell them the truth? straight from the scriptures That the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ The difference between Christianity and all other religions if you haven't answered this yet is in its name.
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It's all about Christ Other religions may include Christ as a good teacher a moral example and even in some cases a prophet
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But Christianity is the only religion Which exclusively states the way to heaven is through Christ and Christ alone
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He and he alone can save sinners from eternal punishment This is an important truth to grasp.
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I Think most of us understand it today But the Bible itself claims that Jesus Christ is the one and only means of getting to heaven
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When we see in the pages of Scripture in Acts 4 12 Where it says and there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven
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Given among men by which we must be saved Although this belief of a single way to heaven not multiple ways may sound closed -minded
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In a postmodern all -inclusive you must be tolerant except of other Christians Type of world we live in today.
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The Bible says there are not many roads. There is only one road to God The Bible claims that you get to heaven only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ Upon the cross for the payment and remission of sin
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So whose authority do you follow today? Do you follow what it says in the pages of Scripture?
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Christ alone Or do you desire what the world tells us which is there are multiple ways?
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Your understanding of who Christ is or your Christology Has to be central to your
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Christian faith There may be other areas where you're unclear or uncertain about your faith and or your theology
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But without a clear understanding of who Christ is what he has done The doctrines that the scripture lays out for us on behalf of every person who puts their faith and trust in him
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Apart from that is eternal separation from God If you have an incorrect of you or understanding of what
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Christ has accomplished on the cross Including his life his death and his resurrection
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It could result in you hearing these sobering words as we read in the pages of Scripture that says I never knew you
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Depart from me you workers of iniquity Those should bring fear to most of you
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Who are not Christians here today? Listen to what some great scholars and writers have actually said about Jesus Christ some of these we might even question
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Whether they were saved or not themselves But they saw the importance Augustine or as some would say
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Augustine said Christ is not valued at all unless he is valued above all
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Shakespeare the writer Shakespeare actually said this quote. I commend my soul unto the hands of God my creator
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Hoping and assuredly believing through the merits of Jesus Christ my
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Savior to be made partaker of everlasting life
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William Gladstone said quote all that I think all that I hope all that I write
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All that I live for is based upon the divinity of Jesus Christ the central joy of my poor wayward life
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A .w. Tozer is quoted as saying Quote, I have suffered through many a dull and tedious sermon
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But no sermon is poor or long when the preacher is showing me the beauty of Jesus Christ My hope today is to show you some of this beauty of Jesus Christ that Paul lays out for us in the book of Colossians I Will also say that pastor
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Mike has given me Liberty He said go as long as I need because you guys are going to two services next week. So if I go a little long,
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I Hope not, but we'll see Let me give you some background
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This morning we're going to look at seven attributes of Jesus Christ Which Paul lays out for us proving his divinity his supremacy and his preeminence seven we are going to be looking at Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 through 20 in our time today and As you turn there, let me give you some background as to why
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Paul was actually writing to the Church of Colossae It's important to understand what he was battling Paul's purpose in writing to the church
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Was a battling of false teachers bringing a quote different quote gospel
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This false gospel consisted of a mix of Judaism works based religion Along with some pre
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Gnostic teachings about who Jesus Christ was Although the false teachers were common in Paul's day.
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He continued to battle false teachers nearly every place he went Paul felt it crucial to defend who
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Jesus Christ says he is Do you the text we'll be looking at today?
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Shows us that Christ was not merely a man or a good teacher as the Judaizers held
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Nor was Christ a created being a bit lower than the angels as the pre Gnostics believed
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He was more than an example for your life as much of Christianity claims today
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Paul in our text lays out these seven attributes setting Christ apart from any other by showing his preeminence in all his relationships
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You'll see that for the Christian Jesus Christ is our Prophet he is our priest and he is our king
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Follow along with me as I read from God's Word in Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 through 20.
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I'll be reading from the ESV He is the image of the invisible
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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
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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
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The last words here are making peace by the blood of his cross
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Today I'm gonna give you seven attributes those who like to take notes seven attributes and I'm like Mike I'm gonna try to get through all seven attributes in the time
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I have So if you want to make a note, there will be seven and when rightly understood
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Do these attributes of Jesus Christ will guard you from the false claims of teachers out there even today?
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And even show you the continuation and the preeminence of our Lord Jesus Christ and How important he should be in your life today in this short text of only around?
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119 words based on the translation you use Paul uses the word he or him 14 times when referencing
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Jesus Christ 14 times out of 119 Do you think
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Paul is trying to get a specific point across to his audience? Could it have something to do with your understanding of who
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Jesus Christ is and how important he is By understanding believing and trusting what
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Paul is telling us about Christ You will have a sure foundation of who Christ that Christ is who he claims he is
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Paul stresses the preeminence of Jesus Christ here in our text. It is all about and for the name of Christ Have you personally put your faith and trust in?
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In this Savior now look with me at the first attribute
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Paul gives to our Savior our Lord and our priest Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the exact image of God Or are you like so many led astray by the false teachers that say he is not
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God Paul in verse 15 shows Christ preeminence over Anything or anyone by proving his equality with God the
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Father? Paul wanted to show that Jesus was more than just a good moral teacher.
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No of no other religion since nor the religious system has a
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Savior as Christianity does no other religion has ever had a person who has stood up and said they are in the exact likeness or image of the
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Creator God Others have claimed to be God themselves, but none have claimed that they are the exact image of the
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Creator God Does Paul open this section of the text by saying that Jesus Christ might have been the incarnate image of the invisible
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God Does Paul say that Jesus Christ was in the past the incarnate image of the invisible
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God? No Paul opens a section of the text by saying that Jesus Christ is the incarnate image of the invisible
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God The Greek word used here for all you who have your Greek text out
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The Greek word here may sound familiar to most of you when I say it the word for image is a con
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We got our English word icon From the same
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Greek an icon much like those found on your computer screens today or on the highways as you drive around It's designed to represent something else to point to something
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Here Paul is saying that Jesus Christ is the visible image. He is the visible icon.
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He is the icon Fully representing every part attribute and action of the one true invisible
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God Although this Greek word can be used to describe something that is similar, but not the same thing
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Much like a sign on a highway points you to a direction, but it is not the object itself
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Here in its context Paul says that Jesus Christ is the very substance or embodiment of God Not that it only resembles
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God. He is the exact image of the invisible God Understanding that images in Paul's day were really used to represent either events or very important people
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Whose image or icon or at con? Was on the coin that Jesus said to pay your taxes to this was the means back then
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Like our modern photography to capture who or what someone was and Paul here is saying that Jesus Christ is the exact image of God in human flesh
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Another example we have of this great truth is actually found in Hebrews 1 3 There's no need to turn there if you wish you may but let me read it for you.
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It says and he Christ is the radiance of his God's glory and the exact representation of his
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God's nature and upholds all things by the word of his power when he
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Christ Had made purification for sins. He Christ sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high
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Here we see the author of Hebrews saying that Christ is the exact representation of God he is our high priest
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Jesus himself acknowledged that he is the visible image of God when we see it said in John 14 9
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Where Jesus says this Jesus said to him? Have I been with you so long and?
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Yet you have not come to know me Philip He who has seen me has seen the father
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How can you say show us the father? Paul is stressing that Christ's preeminence is founded first in his relationship with God Jesus completely and fully represents all of God because he is
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God What's even more amazing, you know, I know it's really amazing
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I found it amazing Colossians 3 10
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The same word icon or econ is used to represent the believer who is said to be in Christ We as Christians are icons or images of Jesus Christ while here on earth
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Positionally, it doesn't mean that we are Christ or little Christ as some may teach When people see your life
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Do they see you as the image of Christ? Or do they have a problem distinguishing you from the rest of the world
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If people were able to browse through your computer history or your files on your computer Would there be any different from those of non -christians?
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Remember scripture says that what is hidden from man's eyes is not hidden from God's You must believe that Jesus Christ is the exact image of God the
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Father and if not You are like one of the false teachers Paul is constantly warring against defending our
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Savior so first we saw that Christ Christ is superior because of his relationship to God and now let's look at his relationship over creation
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It's important to note here that I said his relationship over and not his relationship in or a part of creation
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Do you believe that Christ is preeminent over every created thing or do you see him only as a good teacher?
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Which the false? prophets and false teachers proclaimed Look with me again at verse 15
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Paul uses the word here firstborn It's been a stumbling block for many may even for yourself when interpreting this portion of Scripture The Jehovah's Witnesses for those who may have been involved in that cults for example
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They had the word other in as many as six places in their translation To interpret that Jesus Christ was the creator of all things only after he himself was created by God They hold that he is a created being
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This cult claims that Christ was created or that this Christ was created his own universe afterwards
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There are other Christ's many Christ's as this cult would hold Ruling their own universes that were created
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They're adding of the word other here, and it is not found in biblical manuscripts and making its interpretation incorrect
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We know from other scripture references that Jesus Christ was present with the Father and the Holy Spirit prior to creation, that's clear
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He was not created as some would claim these verses teach Does this mean that evangelicals do not struggle with this verse and this interpretation of the word firstborn
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Some may let me ask it this way. How would Paul's audience have understood this term firstborn?
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Greek grammar allows you to interpret this word in two different ways to The first interpretation is that Jesus Christ was before the creation true and The second is that Christ is sovereign over creation
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True Paul's audience would have understood it to mean both Christ is both over and above and before Anything regarding creation?
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It had nothing to do with him being actually born or created Paul's use of the word firstborn is to be taken figuratively
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It is a metaphor it is not literal Good hermeneutics, which is the art and science of biblical interpretation
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Says that if we are to take a passage literally we are to take a passage literally unless there is good reason not to Here if we took this verse literally as Paul or I'm sorry as the false teachers believed and so many cults do today
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We would fall into the same error of making Christ lesser than the God he is
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Which he is not The word firstborn here relates to his position
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It is not related to an actual birth order or chronological time as we would think of the word today
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It was a positional thing Having a right view of Christ, excuse me
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Having a right view of Christ first that he is the exact image of God Second that he is sovereign over creation being the firstborn
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Giving that position that rule We begin to learn just how unique and great this
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God -man was Would you yourself be able to leverage the attacks
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Brought by false teachers those who may come to your door With this verse as a proof text claiming that Jesus Christ was created
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Or would you be able to take the Bible and show them the correct interpretation? Look with me now at the third attribute
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We're moving right along in verse 6 verses 16 and 17
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Paul tells his audience the third attribute by which Christ reigns supreme He says in these two verses that Christ is the creator of the entire universe
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He was not only prior to creation you will see he was an active part of creation
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Do you truly and understand truly believe and understand the ramifications of Jesus Christ creating the entire universe
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Ponder that for a moment created the entire universe Jesus Christ created the universe and all that is in it
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He created the trees from which his cross was fashioned He created the metal from which the nails and the head of the hammer were forged which nailed him to the cross
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He created the materials to construct the instrument used to write the sign that was placed above his head at the cross
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Is Christ precious to you? Do you love him? You may be asking yourself, but I thought
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God created the universe Didn't God create the universe doesn't the Bible say God created the universe.
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This is Paul's point exactly John 1 3 says that through him Christ all things were made
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Hebrews 1 2 says that Christ created all things Paul here in verse 16 of our passage says that Christ created
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Quote all quote things and not that he created some things Paul's flow of logic is this as he's battling and warring against these teachers
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He is saying that Christ created all things then he must not have been created himself
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This argument went directly in front of the face of the false teachers teaching their false gospel about who this
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Jesus Christ was This act of creation includes every galaxy every star every planet right down to every minute
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Subatomic particle. Let me give you some trivia. I like numbers.
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I like trivia Let me try to get so you can try to get your mind around what
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Paul is saying here about Jesus Christ and the creation of the universe Prepare yourself to be amazed by Jesus Christ great creation
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Anyone know what the smallest observable object is in the universe? Some people may say atoms some people may say
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I heard it over there Some people may say neutrons particles and other such things. It is the quark
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The quark is so small. It is actually difficult if not impossible to measure in any way or means with what man measures today
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Every atom is made up of a number of protons and electrons and neutrons for those who have been through physics class
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If the foundation of these subatomic particles are each made up of multiple quarks
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For example three quarks make up one electron with a vast number of space remaining inside Here's a number for you who like numbers the quark is 10 to the minus 35th power
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That's 10 with 35 zeros in front of it Meters across How small is that?
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Well, it's pretty small and there's a number I couldn't write here on the page But let me try to put a little bit more in perspective 500 ,000 atoms placed side -by -side is about the width of one human hair and Yet quarks make up even a smaller part of that It's infinitesimal as to the size and the number of quarks and yet Christ created and maintains every one of them for his glory and his glory alone
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If Christ were to cease controlling just one quark in our universe the world would no longer stand
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He is sovereign. So let me take it up a notch Let me give you some bigger things to think about the
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Sun The closest star to us is 93 million miles from Earth 93 million miles from Earth 1 million earth -sized objects can fit in the
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Sun It's big a million. It's big Light from the
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Sun takes 8 minutes and 23 seconds to travel from the Sun before it reaches the earth 8 minutes little over 8 minutes
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That same light Traveling continuing onward takes 5 .3
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hours to reach the edge of our solar system and light
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Pluto Which I still argue is a planet, but that's just me I won't die on that one, but Pluto is 3 .67
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billion miles from the Sun That's a
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B billion The nearest star to us apart from our
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Sun as most of you may know is four light -years away Maybe asking why that doesn't seem very far away.
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Well, let me tell you that is around 25 quadrillion miles the nearest star to us
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Okay nearest star that's just for you number junkies again if you're taking notes, that's 25 with 13 zeros after it
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That's the nearest star The observable universe Being measured today is said to be a forty six
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Billion that is a B forty six billion Light -years in any direction from the earth
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That's to say that if you could travel at the speed of light, which we cannot But the speed of light is a hundred and eighty six thousand miles per second.
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So if you got in a car and drove 180 180 6 ,000 miles per second and Didn't have to stop for gas
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It would take you 46 billion years to reach the edge of our known universe a
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New study a new study suggests that based on observable and mathematical equations that there's a mind -blowing 300 sectillion stars in the universe.
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That's a 3 followed by 23 zeros if you're writing them down And you know what
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Christ knows Every one of the stars he's created and every one of those stars
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Obeys him perfectly Unlike mankind That doesn't we serve a great and awesome creator
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God In verse 16 Paul is clear that Jesus Christ is not only the supreme creator of the physical universe
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But he's also the creator of the material of the immaterial or spiritual worlds
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So we've talked about those things that we can see stars universes planets quarks and other things and yet Jesus Christ Created the spiritual and immaterial worlds also those things that we don't see
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Christ created the heavens and the earth the invisible and the visible the material and immaterial our text says
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This means that Christ was the direct cause of the universe coming into being It is all for him
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Paul wants his readers to understand that Jesus Christ was more than just an angel which the false teachers brought in their other gospel
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Paul says that Jesus Christ actually created and rules over the various levels of authority even in the physical and spiritual worlds
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You can see in verse 16 where Christ created the thrones the powers the rulers and the authorities each of these words
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Represent various levels of angelic beings Christ not only created everything
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He is a ruler over the angelic beings Paul is clear that Christ did not just create the universe and let it run on its own as the deist believe today
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He wasn't this great cosmic watchmaker that set things in motion never to be involved in his work again
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Look with me at verse 17 Here you'll see that Christ holds all things together
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He is the sustainer of all things and remember without the sovereign hand of Christ controlling every atom or every quark
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The universe would fall apart in an instant So Christ is the creator and sustainer of the universe including both the material and the immaterial worlds
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But Paul adds one more word which is found in verse 16 Paul says that Christ created all things for man
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Paul says he created all things for nature No, Paul says he created all things for himself
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It was for his glory not ours Greek philosophy for those
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Greek philosophy students out there says that all things must have three causes
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They believed there must be a primary cause what's called an instrumental cause and a final cause
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Paul uses the same type of logic or argument to show In this case of with creation that Christ was all three
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He planned it primary cause he produced it the instrumental cause
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For his pleasure and his glory alone was the final cause Paul equates the work of Christ in the creation process with what can only be attributed to God the
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Father From this portion of Scripture alone, you can conclude that God and Christ are equal
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Christ is fully God deity, which the false teachers always denied
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Do you wake up every morning and thank God for being the creator the sustainer and the maintainer of the universe? Or are you like the
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Israelites getting up and grumbling and complaining every day? I want more.
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I'm not content God you're not providing for me. Why am I suffering? We should be thanking him every morning
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For sustaining the world that we live in because we don't deserve it
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You need to understand and defend this doctrine of Jesus Christ as the most if not all cults today and False teachers will strip gene
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King Jesus of his rightful title as creator of the universe So far you've seen that Christ is superior because he is the exact representation of God Secondly, you learn that Christ is superior because he is the firstborn over creation
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Thirdly, we heard that Christ is superior because he is the creator and sustainer of the universe
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The fourth reason Christ is superior is found in verses in verse 18
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Because he's the head of the church the previous sections discussed
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Christ's relationship to God and creation and Paul now switches his focus to show that Jesus Christ is superior as a moderator as a mediator
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Between the material and spiritual worlds Paul focuses on Christ relationship now to the church the bride of Christ Who runs the church today, what's the reason we have church today?
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Why are you all here today? Who's church for these are some questions so many of us need to ask why do we not just home church?
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or internet church instead of meeting within a building Have we lost the idea and the reasons?
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Why we should be a church? today sadly
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We have clown church dog church bar church
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And even something called Triple X Church You name it and I'm sure there's a church out there for it somewhere
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If not, somebody's working on it Yet Paul wants to make it clear from this that Jesus Christ is the head of the church and All that we do all that we say all that we preach all that we teach all that we proclaim in this church
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Should be Christ focused as its number one priority Everything else as my grandma used to say
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Is gravy? Did you decide to attend this church today because of the hymns?
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the contemporary music The comfortable seats you're sitting in the great sound system
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The size of the youth youth group, etc. If you did today and you can say yes to any of those
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Your motives are not focused on where they should be We are here to worship
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God and that should be our primary focus Are you here to worship
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God today? Paul here is not only speaking of the church at Colossae.
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He is speaking of the Universal Church It's not a local place where believers congregate specifically
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The Universal Church is not a building with walls or even a given denomination The church which
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Paul is speaking of here consists of the current global believers including all past present and future believers
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It is an organism which Christ is said to be its head and the Apostles are the foundation upon which it was built
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Paul's giving the biblical analogy of the church being a living organism here and Christ is its head
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Why is that important should it be important how many of you here have seen a body without a head a body without its head cannot survive a
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Body without its head cannot receive the necessary commands or functions necessary a Body functioning apart from its head would be chaotic and spasmatic at the least.
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It's like a chicken with its head being cut off My grandmother showed me at a very early age what it was to cut that head off of a chicken
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And I have a picture of that in my mind right now it continues to flop around for quite some time
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We ate that chicken afterwards though, just so you guys know it was very tasty, but that would be similar
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To the removal of Jesus Christ as the head of the church Paul's use of Christ being the head says that Christ is superior over and preeminent over the church
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The church is his bride We are to submit to his authority the
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Greek word here means Origin ruler or leader
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Christ is superior over the church because he is our one Leading he is he is the one leading and controlling the rest of the body
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Jesus Christ is the one keeping the eternal body of believers functioning That is his role
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It is only through Christ's providence and and sovereignty that the church can stand against the demons of hell and Satan himself
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It has nothing to do with us It is also significant because the head is able to maintain the necessary controls alerts and warnings
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So that when the body knows when something is not properly functioning or you touch that stove that is hot
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The brain says pull it away and that's exactly what
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Paul is saying. Jesus Christ does For the church Paul's having to write to the church here at Colossae probably because they may have forgotten that They may have lost their first love.
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They may have thought it was about themselves and not about Jesus Christ Paul's example leaves
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Christians understanding how close Christ is to those God loves There's just no way of separating a head from its body as one cannot separate
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Christ from the church Christ is the measuring rod by which the body is to be viewed against Are you submitting yourself to the lordship of Jesus Christ?
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Would you have been one of those that Paul was having to teach at the church of Colossae?
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Who Jesus Christ was? So we've seen that Christ is the exact representation of God Christ is superior over creation
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Christ is superior as the creator of the universe and Christ is superior because he's the head over the church now look with me at the fifth attribute
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Found also in verse 18 number 5 of 7 in verse 18.
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Paul is saying not only did Christ Pre -exist and is sovereign over creation as we saw in verse 15 here
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He is saying that Jesus Christ is the firstborn from among the dead
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We looked at Christ relationship to God Christ relationship to the universe
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Christ relationship to creation and Christ relationship to the church And now Paul says Christ is superior preeminent and should be in your lives because he is
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Sovereign over death is it not comforting to know that there is one who has gone before us
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That holds the power and keys of death Does that not give you hope and peace peace with regard to death
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It's not that we desire to die or even the process of dying But we can look for a hope within us
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That Christ has conquered the power of death and now reigns Sovereignly over it
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You may be thinking to yourself. Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait. Whoa timeout, right? The Bible tells us that others have been raised from the dead before doesn't it
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How can Paul be saying here that Jesus was the firstborn from the dead? True I tell you true
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Others have died and have been raised. So we see examples of that in the Old and the New Testament But Paul is saying
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Here that Christ is the first to rise from the dead never to die
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Again never to die
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Again, Jesus was the first to receive a glorified body
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All others who were raised throughout the text that we see died later
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Physically and still await their glorified bodies upon Christ return
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What a hope one needs to think back to the meaning of the word firstborn as I talked about earlier
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Hopefully that's still in your mind a little bit But remember Paul is using the word figuratively and not literally here
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It's a metaphor Paul is saying that Jesus Christ is superior over death. He is sovereign over it.
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He rules over it He is supreme over it Christ has defeated the sting of death and we will see this power when he comes again as the king of kings
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This raising of Christ from the dead tells us two things two things First it's clear that God has accepted payment for sin through the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross
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Those who have put their faith and trust have their past present and future sins paid for by the shed blood of Jesus Christ This is the good news people
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This is the good news The resurrection of Jesus is your assurance that God has accepted
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Christ payment as we even read today in Colossians by suffering and dying in your place on the cross
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If you were here today, and you didn't know Christ took the place of sinners for all punishment in the courtroom of God as we read today, it was a legal transaction and Secondly Christ being the first to be eternally raised from the dead
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Signifies that he has always possessed power and authority over death Positionally he reigns over it
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Man is told not to fear the one who can kill the body physically you are to fear the one Who can kill the body and soul in?
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Hell so far We've seen Christ is an exact representation of God Christ is the firstborn over creation
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Christ is the creator of the universe Christ is superior over the church Christ is the firstborn from the dead and look with me now at the sixth attribute
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Christ is supreme authority over look with me at verse 19 Sixth in verse 19 you will see
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Christ is said to be the fullness of God the fullness of God in writing this
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Paul was directly attacking what the false teachers message was that Jesus Christ only possessed a portion or some of the attributes of God Paul in verse 19 is saying that Christ is the fullness of God This is
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Paul's way of arguing with the false teachers who incorrectly stated that God gave Christ only a small portion of the attributes
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That he is not fully God Christ always had and always will have every one of God's attributes from eternity past to eternity future
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Showing that he has always existed with God. Have you had to discuss this with those people who may become knocking at your door?
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with shirts and ties You may have had a similar conversation with those who are willing to hand out a watchtower magazine to you cults are going to attack the
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Godhead of Jesus Christ so that they can stick to their works based religions.
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Why do you need a Savior when you can save yourself? How many people here have had a heart attack and woke up from that and thank the doctor for the work
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They did in that in bringing themselves back from the dead The modern -day false teachers come with a different gospel and like the
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Pharisees desire to place heavier burdens upon those in the church
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It's imperative that Christians know and understand Jesus was is and will always be fully
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God Paul refuted the false teachers message by saying that Jesus Christ is and has always been fully
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God as we saw earlier Christ in his earthly ministry
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Was the image or icon of the invisible God while here on earth? God in Christ alone with the
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Holy Spirit Were and will always be in fellowship as the Godhead This one attribute
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Jesus being fully God that Paul says here envelops the entirety of Paul's message to the church
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Paul is trying to convey to them to those at the church that Christ was who he said he was no matter what you've heard
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From the false teachers bringing their false messages Paul is saying that Jesus Christ is fully
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God the fullness of God Believe it Here Paul is wrapping up everything.
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He's previously stated about Jesus Christ that he is supreme In this one statement
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He's saying as we would say probably in the vernacular today Look guys, don't you get it?
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Look at all the things that we just discussed and you don't get it Don't you understand how preeminent
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Jesus Christ is? So Christ is superior as an exact representation of God Christ is superior because he's the firstborn over creation
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Christ is superior because he is the creator of the universe Christ is superior because he is the head of the church
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Christ is superior because he is the firstborn from the dead Christ is superior because he embodies the fullness of God And verse 20 reveals the last reason
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Christ is superior Look with me at this verse We'll see the seventh attribute
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Some ways I wish that I had asked the kids to write down how many times I said the word Christ The last and one of the most important to us as sinful humans is the attribute we find in verse 20
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Here Paul says that Christ is superior because he is the reconciler of all things
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Christ is the means by which all who put their faith and trust and believe in him will be reconciled to God the
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Father This is Christ's relationship between God and sinners
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As all of us are in it the relationship Christ has with the believer is his priest and his mediator between God and sinful man
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So what is Reconciliation you might be asking You got to love these the dictionary says this
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The state of being reconciled It continues just a little bit being brought back into a right relationship with another a
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Bible dictionary I think actually does it one more Better as they would say It says this
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Reconciliation is Quote the restoration of friendly relationships and of peace where there had been previously hostility and alienation
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Get this though, this is where it gets important ordinarily it also includes the removal of the offense that caused the disruption of peace and Harmony in the first place if that doesn't give you goosebumps.
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I don't know what does because That is what Christ came here for It's amazing that no other world religion has a reconciler as Christianity does
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In all these other religious system man attempts to reconcile himself to the Creator through good works or other means of appeasement and offerings
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This is one more thing setting our faith apart from those of other religious systems out there Take some time right now and ask yourself this question
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Have I been reconciled to God through Christ? if not
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The Bible says today is The day this reconciliation is not for sinners alone, but it includes all of creation
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Which was also tainted by Adam's sin? So God Christ does not only reconcile sinners to God But it's a reconciliation of creation also
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Scripture even tells us that creation cries out for reconciliation as it awaits the final work of Christ when he returns to rule as King of Kings We read in Romans 8 19 for the creation awaits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God As all things were created by God all of creation eagerly awaits the time of ultimate reconciliation when
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Christ returns Are you here today eagerly awaiting
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Christ's return or does that put fear in your heart? Paul's use of the word here all things needs to also be properly understood
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Some have taken this to mean that in the end Christ will reconcile everything both good and bad to God It is a form of what most people today would call universalism
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It doesn't matter what you believe who you believe who you put your trust in Everybody will go to heaven. It's another heresy that's being propagated by the false teachers and even in some of our churches today
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The Bible is clear that God has created a place for those who are reconciled to him in Christ Jesus, which is called heaven
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It is also clear that there's a place called hell Where people who do not repent and put their trust in Jesus Christ as their
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Savior will spend eternity after judgment Are you certain here today that if you were to die?
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You would go to heaven. If not, please make sure you see one of the church leaders or myself after this message
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If you're unaware 155 ,000 people die every day 155 ,000 people who probably woke up today and said today is not my day and they died
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Get right with God Repent and put your faith in him. So Paul using the word all things here doesn't actually mean what does he actually mean?
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You're saying it's implied that Paul can only be speaking of redeemed sinners. Holy angels and creation itself
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It's made more clear by Paul only including the words heaven and earth in his writing and leaving out the phrase under the earth a
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Term which is often used in the Bible to reference Unredeemed or evil angels
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Jesus Christ is the only means of Reconciling all that is righteous good and pure back to his rightful owner and creator
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God He is our great Reconciler the seven attributes
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Need to be understood rightly if not So many could be led away just like those in Colossae These confirm
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Christ's deity his preeminence and his supremacy and For those who didn't get it.
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They are this Christ alone is the exact image of God Christ alone is the firstborn over the over creation
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Christ alone is the creator of the universe Christ alone is the head of the church Christ alone is the firstborn from the dead
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Christ alone is the fullness of God and lastly
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Christ alone is the reconciler of all things
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From these seven attributes which Paul lays out for us in this portion of Scripture You must conclude that Jesus Christ is co -equal and co -eternal with the other persons of the
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Godhead Paul wants to clear up any confusion Those in the Church of Colossae may have had by hearing the teaching of the false
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Gospels being spread It is the same message for this text we have here today
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Do you believe that Jesus Christ is superior over all do you believe that Jesus Christ is superior in his deity?
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Or have you accepted the heresy being taught by the false teachers? Some of you may be asking yourself.
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How does this fit into my life? How does this make it personal for me? Let me leave you with this question if Jesus Christ created all is superior over all
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And it was done all for his pleasure and glory alone is Jesus Christ superior in your life
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Is Jesus Christ the most important thing to you today? Or is Jesus Christ just another good teacher?
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moral example Something good to have as a just in case
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On your path to God, let me go back quickly to the situation of this person who was bleeding to death in the car
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You're the first one on the scene The person again has 30 seconds to live and this person grabs your shoulder and asks you the question.
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How can I get to heaven? Oftentimes it isn't that easy.
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But when you have 30 seconds to live and that's what you need to know Would you be able to tell this person? Would you be able to tell this person that salvation is found only in the preeminence of Jesus Christ?
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And his work for sinners on the cross would you be able to tell them that the Bible says one must repent and put their trust in a
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Savior and nothing more or nothing less That would be 30 seconds
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If you're here today and much of what you heard seems foreign know this You may believe in your mind that Jesus Christ is superior over all things
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You may believe in your mind that Jesus Christ created the universe is sovereign over all things But scripture tells us that even the demons believe
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And shudder, they will not be spared the torments of hell and yet they believe everything
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I have taught you today You must put your trust and faith in a
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Savior One day you will kneel before the feet of Christ in submission and Jesus Christ is the one that will judge the living and the dead
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When you face Christ on that day two possible outcomes Will you hear well done good and faithful servant
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Or will you hear the words depart from me? I never knew you let's pray
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Lord Jesus We thank you and we praise you what you've given to us today in this word
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Lord for those who might not have known these things of you Lord that they would not only know them in their minds
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But Lord they would know them in their hearts that they would trust what your word says They would believe it with all their hearts and understand
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Lord that they are without excuse on the day of judgment Lord Jesus apart from your work on the cross
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Dying the shedding of blood for sins
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Lord every one of us here is damned and condemned to hell We would thank you and praise you that your son willingly went to the cross for sinners
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Lord oftentimes I question why he chose even me and yet Lord you are a good and gracious God Allow us to take this information today a lot of information
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But let us at least leave this place Lord knowing that Christ is superior over everything
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We thank you and we praise you for this opportunity today for this time to worship We just love you for the great