The One and Only

 "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."   John 1:14

As I begin this post, I am completely overwhelmed with the love of God.  The great love that sent His one and only Son into the world to pay a ransom for those who were captive to sin, without hope, without God.  (Eph 12:2).  I never want to take for granted the price that He paid.  I never want to take for granted the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ.  

For all the good things that Paul thanked God for in the church at Colossae, there was a false teaching that had infiltrated the congregation.  This teaching propagated the idea of "Christ and" something else. Instead of emphasizing the sufficiency of "Christ alone" for salvation and spiritual growth, this false teaching suggested that additional elements or practices were necessary for true enlightenment or spiritual completeness. The specific elements included in the "Christ and" teaching are not explicitly listed but it is believed to include the following:

1. Jewish Legalism: This refers to a focus on strict adherence to Jewish laws and customs, such as dietary restriction, festivals and circumcision. It was likely that they had emphasized that following these laws were necessary for salvation or spiritual growth.
2. Mysticism: Involves the belief that there was some type of hidden knowledge that was only accessible to a select few. It is thought this may have involved the worship of angels or belief in spiritual hierarchies.
3. Asceticism: These practices included severe self discipline that was to result in spiritual growth. Some of these practices were extreme fasting, self denial or living with few or no luxuries.

Our verses today, emphasizing the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ, are Paul's response to this false teaching. Christ is superior in who He is and surpassing in all that He does.

Let's jump into our reading for today.

God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit

People

Places

Repeated words (some of the words may not be repeated in these verses but are in following ones)

Words related to the Gospel

In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things,
and by him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church.
he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross

In this letter Paul wants to emphasize the sufficiency, the supremacy and the preeminence of Jesus Christ. He was the originator and is the sustainer. Jesus did not need to be supplemented with any Jewish customs, hidden knowledge, or severe practices. Let's look and see some ways that Paul describes Christ as ENOUGH!

In His Purchase: In Christ's purchase, we see what He has done for us.

• His redemption and forgiveness of our sins (v14)
• He has reconciled us to God through His death (v20)
• He has made peace through His blood shed on the cross (v20)

The work that Christ did on the cross, through His sacrificial death and resurrection made it possible for us to be reconciled to God. Sin caused a spiritual alienation and brokenness, We were spiritually lost and estranged from God, but Christ's sacrifice bridged the gap between humanity and God and offered us a way to have forgiveness of our sins and restored right relationship.

Christ is sufficient. His sacrifice is enough!

In His Person:

• He is the image of God (v 15)
• He is the fullness of God (v 19)

Jesus was sent by the Father to show us what God is like. In the incarnation, Jesus embodied God's nature. His mercy, justice, compassion and grace were present in Christ. In the same way that He was fully man, Christ was also the fully God. Not only does Christ embody God's nature, but He possesses all the attributes of His deity, such as omnipotence (all powerful), omniscience (all knowing), omnipresence (present everywhere) and eternality (existing forever,) Although God took on human form in Jesus, He maintained all the attributes of His deity.

Christ was fully God.  In His deity, He is enough!

In His Position:

• He is the beginning (v 18)
• He is the firstborn from the dead (v18)
• He is head of the church (v 18)

In his writing Paul reminds us that there has never been a time that Christ was not present.  Verse 17 tells that He was before all things,  Not only was Christ present prior to all things, He was the firstborn from the dead.(Acts 26:23)  Although there were those in scripture who were raised from the dead, they went on to die again, but not Christ (Romans 6:9)  ,  Christ said He was the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26).  Although my physical body will die, Christ's resurrection ensures me that my soul will have eternal existence with God. The good news of His resurrection just keeps getting better the more we read scripture.( Romans 8:11) When Christ was raised and departed the earth, He gave us access to the Spirit, living in the believer and provides resurrection power to conquer sin or any strong hold of the enemy.   

Christ is the head of the church (Eph 1:22-23) Your Pastor is the leader of the church, but he and the congregation all submit to the headship of Christ.  The church's life source is Christ.  We must remember that the church was not the grand idea of the disciples or anyone else, it was Jesus who founded the church.  Christ brought forth the church and gave it life through His death and resurrection.  The church functions as Christ's hands and feet, with the mission of bringing Him glory and doing His will on earth. 

In His position, He is enough!

In His Power

• Creator (v 16)
• Sustainer (v17)

I hope you are taking the time to really observe the scripture passage before you start reading this blog.  Your CAREFUL OBSERVATION is key to understanding the passage.  Read the passage multiple times, highlight those things we discussed, circle and underline what stands out to you.

If you took some time to carefully observe you will have noticed that scripture says in v16 that everything was creasted BY Him and THROUGH Him and FOR Him. Notice how Paul says that Jesus created everything - that which is seen and that which is unseen, that in heaven and on earth, which included thrones or dominions, rulers or authorities.  False teachers in the Church are trying to lower Christ to the level of the angels and have engaged in worship of the created.  Paul is saying that Christ's authority trumps that of which He created. Everything He created is subject to His authority.

Do you ever wonder why you are here?  This passage tells us that we were created FOR Him.  My existence is for Him and for His glory.  With that in mind, I have to ask myself the question, "Am I living my life for Him or myself?"  Is there anyone or anything that I put before God?  My family, technology, house, etc.  What could it be for you? What do you put in place of Him to fill a void in your life?  What ever it is-It is an idol.  Idols in our lives prohibit me from living our the reason FOR my existence - HIM!

Christ is not only creator, but He is the glue that holds everything together! Hebrews 1:3 says, 

"The Son is the radiance of the Father's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word."

Jesus is the very Word of God (John 1:1-3) and the central life giving force in creation. Everything in creation not only has its beginning in Christ, but its continued existence depends on Christ. 

As Creator and Sustainer, Christ is enough!

CONCLUSION: Paul reminded the church at Colossae and us that it is in Christ alone that we have received  redemption.  Not only was He sufficient for salvation, but He was the only way to be reconciled and have peace with God.  Because of His provision, His eternal position, His deity, Christ alone is all we need and all that is required.  Why then do we, like the church at Colossae, try to think there is something else in addition to Christ that we need to pursue or attain?

It is Christ alone! Supreme and sufficient! Christ is ENOUGH!

So how can you apply this passage to your life? 

• I need ask God to show me where I am placing something or someone above Him?
• Am I adding to what is required for salvation?  Is it Christ plus something or Christ alone?  
• Am I actively sharing the gospel of Christ and pointing others to the redemption that comes only through Him?

I would love to sit and talk with you about this passage and just how amazing our Savior is!!It is my prayer that you are carefully observing the scripture and finding things in a passage that I even missed.  Let God's Word permeate your life, your mind and bring lasting change as you develop the habit of spending time with Him and digging deeper into His Word.

Next wee we will finish out Colossians chapter 1.  So here is your homework

1.  Read the Colossian 1 at least 3 times.  
2. Go back and focus on verses 21-27
3. Get out your colored pencils and begin marking the passage
4. Take your notebook and answer the following:

• Does holy and blameless and above reproach mean that we do not sin? Explain your answer.
• What does it mean to "continue in the faith?"
• To what does the " mystery hidden for ages" refer?
• How did Paul say he felt about his suffering?
• What is our hope of glory?
• What was the goal of Paul's teaching?

This is a smaller segment of scripture but rich in content.  After you carefully observe, get out your commentary, your STEP app and any other resources that you use and see what God is saying to you.  

NOTE: If you have not downloaded the free STEP Bible app, I encourage you to do so now.  The app not only provides scripture references for each of these by tapping the blue letter, but also allows you to see the original Greek and the meaning of the words in a passage.  This will enhance your time and use scripture to help you understand other scripture.