20.03.11 AM Sermon Christ and the Christian Gospel # 6
The person of Christ (Col 1:15-20) Christ and the new creation (Col 1:18)
We have heard previously how the original creation came about through and for the Lord Jesus Christ.
However, the scripture speak of how that original creation was marred and distorted by sin.
Through Adam and Eve making a choice to live for themselves and live independently of their loving creator.
They turned their back on him and his instructions which were for their own good.
In Japan these past weeks, Japanese authorities firstly asked people to leave the vicinity of the Nuclear reactor
Then they ordered the evacuation – they commanded people to leave – for their own good.
In that garden of Eden, God gave humanity the freedom to eat from all the tree, apart from one, whose fruit he commanded them not to eat - but they willingly and consciously chose to disobey.
And so life was turned to death, good into evil, order into chaos.
Now this did not take God by surprise, for he put into action a plan which had been his ‘before the creation of the world’ - He would re-create, renew, restore, repair.
He would create a new humanity, called out of the old, which knew his Lordship, and lived it out.
An early part of this plan occurs with Abraham and the people of Israel. But it comes to fulfilment in the coming of Christ and the creation of the church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head.
He is its Head
This is the first of three things that Paul speak of Jesus in verse 18 of chapter 1 of Colossians.
Christ Jesus sustains all things in the wider creation, but now out of it, he brings into being a new creation.
Paul points out to the Colossians that Jesus Christ is the head of this new creation, a new creation which is his body, and his body is the church.
Now Paul has written of the church as the ‘body’ several times (Rom 12:4-5, 1 Cor 12:12-31).
He taught about the organic nature of that body – of its membership – each member different yet significant - serving together for the benefit of the whole. Each member is to live in coherent loving relationship with other members of the church.
But now Paul is focusing upon the Head of that body. And he is saying two things.
Firstly, the Head is the source, the origin - for example – the head of a river is its source.
Jesus Christ is not only the source of all creation, but the source of the new creation.
It is he who gives life to it, he who brings it into being, he that is its origin.
Secondly Paul has in mind, when he talks about Jesus Christ being the head of the church, that he is the one who has the place of honour, of primacy, authority, control.
He is its chief, leader, Lord! He not only brings it into being, he has authority over it.
You see, the Colossians were being tempted to listen to and seek to please other voices of authority – voices that would lead them away from the Way, the Truth and the Life.
They sought to add to Christ by obeying rules and regulations and by worshiping angels, yet were instead taking away from the Lord Christ – regarding him as an insufficient Saviour, not up to the job.
But, Paul is making clear that if Jesus is the source of and the authority over the church, then the church should look to him for direction and purpose.
I want to make clear that our fruitful existence as church depends upon Jesus Christ and nothing and no one else – we are to look to him and live for him.
We are not to pay lip service to him, or just go through the motions of discipleship and worship.
We are to engage fully in them because our very life depends upon us being connected with the Head.
We are to pay attention to him, heed his commands, seek him wholeheartedly and single-mindedly.
One commentator on this verse puts it this way: “As the body of Christ, the church is vitalised by his abiding presence and his risen life.”
Imagine that! That this little bunch of Christians in Colosse, or those that gather in Wollaston have as their Head the living Lord Jesus Christ! We are part of His body here, living out his resurrection life here on earth! How incredible is that? We are none other than the deliberate creation of the King of creation, designed by, loved by, commanded by him.
We are part of God’s rescue plan of salvation for the whole of creation.
We are a vital part of the whole plan of renewal of all of creation.
“The church which looks to Jesus as its head is one he brought into being and is going to be vitalised by his presence, energised by his power, governed by his authority, used as his instrument and jealous of his honour.” Therefore, may we, as church, encourage each other towards vitality in Christ.
He is its beginning.
Just as Jesus was the initiator of the physical creation, so he is the beginner of the new creation.
He is its beginning – its Alpha.
The word here that he uses is ‘arche’ – a word which means origin, root cause, the one from whom everything stems and flows.
Paul draws our attention to the fact that without Jesus, the new humanity would not have started.
Without him we would still be waiting for a rescue plan.
But through him a new chapter has begun. Salvation has come.
I wonder if you know for yourself this salvation which comes only through Jesus Christ, dying to be your Saviour?
He provides in himself a new start, a new order, a new process which will one day climax in the restoration of all things in him.
Jesus Christ is worthy not only of the title “Arche” but also of the obedience and the adulation which goes with it.
He is its firstborn
Paul has already stated that Jesus Christ isthe firstborn over all creation (v15).
Now he asserts that Christ has the same status over the new creation since he is… the firstborn from among the dead.
He has held the place of honour, like the older son in a family, over creation.
He now occupies the place of honour in the new creation.
This new humanity in Christ, the church, has been called “the community of the resurrection”.
It is the community of those who defeat death.
Jesus pioneered the way forwards through his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave.
And those who follow him will follow him – passing through death into life.
Jesus Christ demonstrates that he is supreme over all, because even death cannot hold onto him.
However great his teaching or effective his miracles, it is the ultimate power of the resurrection which proves his supremacy.
And Jesus is not only the model of the resurrection to all those who are in him, but he is also its source.
Peter Lewis says, “Our resurrections shall issue from the power of his original and definitive resurrection. Our life from the dead will be the outflow of his risen life as the Son of God in power. Our eternal place will be alongside our elder brother who is the author of the life we share.”
Paul makes it clear that in everything Christ Jesus might have the supremacy.
He is the head of the body, he is its beginning, he is its resurrection’s model and source.
There is nothing which is outside of his control and nothing in which he comes second.
Both in the creation of the cosmos and in its redemption and restoration, he takes precedence and is unsurpassed.
We do not make him, or allow him to be Lord in our lives – he is Lord, whether we acknowledge it or not, like it or not.
We do not put him first, he is first.
He is not dependant upon us to give him control, he has it already.
Our response therefore should be one of worshipful submission to him, rather than selfish rebellion against him.
Questions to Ponder
20th March 2011
Read Colossians 1:18 – Spend some time ‘meditating’ upon this verse (ie. thinking and chewing it over, deepening in understanding its meaning and implications)
- Paul pictures the church as a ‘body’ - see Romans 12:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. In what ways do we live up to or fail to live up to that image and why?
- Jesus Christ is the Head of the church – he is its source and its authority. How can we, as His body the church, ensure that we are responsive to the Lord Christ?
- “As the body of Christ, the church is vitalised by Christ’s abiding presence and his risen life.” (P.T. O’Brien) In what ways do we allow or not allow his presence and his power to be active amongst us? How can we encourage each other towards vitality in Christ? (see John 10:10)
- Christ is the ‘beginning’ of the church – He is worthy not only of the title “arche” but also of the obedience and the adulation which goes with it. How do we ensure that we obey and worship Christ fittingly?
- Christ is “the firstborn from among the dead”. “The church is the community of the resurrection” - What hope are we able to offer out to those around us, and what are the best ways to do so?
- Jesus Christ is LORD – In what areas of life are you resisting or rebelling against his Lordship? What are you going to do about it?