Ian Nickerson 8-3-25

Good morning. Grace and peace be multiplied to each of you today in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. Let me publicly thank our brother Shane Hughes for the wonderful invitation to be with you today and to proclaim the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. I am thankful to the elders of this congregation, the leaders of this congregation, for welcoming me into this space. I see many familiar and friendly faces.

It makes me say, as did Peter did on the Mount of Transfiguration, it is good for us to be here. Thankful also to have members of the Key City Church of Christ that allowed me to drive down the road to come here. And they have come with me and it says something if they would drive over here and still hear me preach again. Appreciate, appreciate that. Please pray with me, Father, in the name of Jesus.

We pray that you will open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things from your word. Be with my head and my heart, my mind and my mouth. Help me to speak faithfully. Help us to hear clearly your word and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory is in his name. Amen.

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ the Apostle Paul, while under house arrest, received news about the church of Colossae. Epaphras informed Paul about their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints. There was also some disturbing news. False teachers promoted errors about the person of Christ. They preached a Christ that was prominent but not preeminent.

They claimed that Jesus was just one of many angelic emanations of God. This era about the person of Christ opened the door to confusion about the Gospel, about the church and the Christian life. Various isms began to infiltrate the church. None of these errors were promoted to rival Christ. Worse, they were all presented alongside Christ.

As if Jesus is not enough, the apostle Paul, receiving the news, was moved to write this letter to the church exalting the supremacy and the sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ. So Colossians chapter 1:15 through 20 is the beginning of the main body of the letter. The text before us is one of the most important statements about the person of Christ in the New Testament. Paul in this text presents to us the most essential truth of the historic Christian faith. I can state it in seven words.

Christianity is Christ and Christ is God. Colossians chapter 1:15 through 20. It's about the real Jesus. Here, Paul gives us two big reasons why we can live and minister and witness with unwavering confidence in the supremacy of Christ. The first reason is because Jesus Christ is supreme over all creation verse 15 begins, he is the image of the invisible God.

Paul begins the text with two great affirmations. First, he wants to be. He wants to make it clear that God is invisible. This is the consistent teaching of scripture. John, chapter 4, verse 24, Jesus says God is Spirit.

In First Timothy chapter 1, verse 17, we are told that he is the immortal invisible God. And First John, chapter 4, verse 12 just bluntly says, no one has ever seen God. God occasionally showed up in a theophany, but his essential nature has never been seen. God is invisible. Then Paul further affirms that Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

This word image is the term from which we get our word icon. It means the representation or manifestation of a thing. Exodus chapter 20, verse 4 warns us not to make any carved image in the likeness of anything on earth or in heaven or in the waters. Nothing man creates can fully or faithfully represent God. Yet Genesis 1:27 says that humans were made in the image of God.

We are made with personhood, mind, will and emotions. But humanity does not perfectly represent the image of God. We do not represent the image of God essentially. That is, we do not share God's incommunicable attributes like eternality and immutability and omniscience and omnipresence and omnipotence. And more importantly, we do not share God's image morally.

God is holy and we are not all have sinned and fallen short of his glory. But there is one who truly, perfectly represents God essentially and morally. Verse 15 says, he is the image of the invisible God. Jesus represents God. Jesus manifests God.

John chapter 1, verse 18 says, no one has ever seen God, but the only God who is in the bosom of the Father has made him known. That last phrase of John 1:18 has made him known is the term from which we get our word. Exegete to bring out of. John uses the word to say that Jesus is the exegesis of God. If you want to know.

If you want to know what God looks like, just look at Jesus. He manifests God. Remember in the upper room when Philip says to Jesus, you know, we've had all this Father talk, but just show us the Father and that'll satisfy us. And then in John 14:19, Jesus says, Philip, you're asking an elementary question. On graduation day, how can you be with me so long and not know who I am?

What you are asking for is what you are seeing. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. That Jesus is more than just a representation of God. He himself is the very image of God. He is God in the flesh.

I hear the Bible, first Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. And without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Firstborn here does not mean first in order, right? In that regard, Cain is the firstborn of creation. It is first in rank. It is a language used in Exodus, chapter 4, verse 22, where God says to Pharaoh, Israel is my firstborn, reflecting the special favor of divine rank that Israel had among the nations with God. And in Psalms, the Lord said to David that he will make a king who will be the firstborn higher than all the other kings.

This is what. This is the way Paul uses the term here, of rank. He says Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. The false teachers are claiming that Jesus is just another emanation of God derived from generations of angels. But Paul refutes that by saying Jesus is lord over all creation, Lord of all creation.

He makes that point by claiming that Jesus both created the world and sustains the world. Jesus created the world. Verse 16 explains verse 15 and shows us the threefold relationship Christ has to creation. He first says Christ is the the source of creation, for by him all things were created. Paul claims that if you check the label of everything created, the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains upon mountains, if you check the label of everything created, you and me, it is all imprinted the same way made by Jesus.

This is what Paul means when he refers to things on earth and things physical. Jesus created everything visible on earth and not only did he create the physical world, he also created the spiritual world. This is what Paul means when he refers to it in verse 16. Things in heaven and things invisible. He he lists four categories.

Thrones, Dominions, rulers or authorities. No need to try to distinguish those things. The point is, whatever they mean, Jesus made all of them. He is the one who created not only the physical world around us, but he is the creator of all of the spirit beings in the unseen world around us, including evil angels aligned with Satan's wicked agenda. They must submit to the authority of Jesus Christ.

He created the world. He is the source of creation, but he is also the agent of creation. All things were created through Him. The Bible says in John chapter one and verse three that he created all things and without him was not anything made that was made later. In Hebrews chapter one, verses one and two, we are told long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.

But in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things and through Whom he created the world. He is the source of creation. He is the agent of creation and he is the goal of creation. All things, all things were not only made by him and through him, but verse 16 ends by saying they were all made for him, the glory of Jesus Christ. All things were made for his purpose and his pleasure and his praise.

Philippians chapter 2, verse 9 says, Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above all names.

Excuse me, give him the name that is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Jesus is the supreme over all creations because Jesus created the world and Jesus sustains the world. If you have your Bibles, look at verse 17. He is before all things.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He is before all things. He predates and antedates all creation. He is before all things. Before Abraham was He said, I am and in him all things hold together.

Verse 17 is probably my favorite part here.

Verse 17 of our text says that Christ is before all things and he is the One who holds all things together. Jesus not only created the world, he sustains the world. Why do you think it is that the world is a cosmos and not a chaos? Why do you think it is that the sun keeps rising in the east and going down in the west? Why do you think it is that winter, spring, summer and fall keep passing in their course?

Why do you think it is that the flowers keep budding and blooming and fading and falling? 1 Answer Jesus is holding all things together. And what is true of the vast universe? Allow me to say parenthetically, it is true of our lives today. It's true of your family.

It's true of your ministry. The only reason you're looking at me today and I'm looking at you is because Jesus is holding all things together. There's a song we sing sometimes that says if it had not been but for the Lord on my side, where would I where would I be if it had not been for Jesus stepping in at the right time when I was about to lose my mind where would I, where would I be if it had not been for Jesus? It wasn't me, it was Jesus who kept my family together. It wasn't me, it was Jesus who kept my mind sane when trouble was coming my way if it had not been for the Lord, where would I be?

He holds all things together. Jesus Christ is supreme over all creation. But quickly, with the time that I have left. Consider with me that Jesus Christ is supreme over the church. Verse 18 and he is the head of the body, the Church.

He is the beginning, firstborn from the dead. That in everything he might be preeminent. There are three titles for Christ here in verse 18. He is first of all, the head. The New Testament does not define the Church as much as it describes the Church using various word pictures.

Here the reference is to the total dependence the body has on his head. Anything without a head is dead.

Anything with multiple heads is generally considered a monster.

Jesus alone is the one true head of the Church, and He is the beginning. Revelation 22:13 I am the Omega and Alpha. I am the last and the first. I am the end and the beginning. He is the beginning.

But the text also declares he is the firstborn. From the date in Revelation 17 and 18. Revelation 1, verse 17 and 18, he declares, I am the first and the last, the living one. I was dead, but behold, I'm alive forevermore. I was dead, but three days later I rose again.

I was crucified on the cross. I was buried, but three days later, early how early Sunday morning, He rose up with all power in his head. He has the keys to death in Hades. He is the firstborn from the dead. This is the second reference to the firstborn.

Verse 15 says, he's the firstborn of all creation. Now he is the firstborn from the dead. Again, this is about rank, not chronology. Jesus was not the first dead person raised. He Himself raised three persons from the dead, but they were raised and died again.

Jesus was raised and lives forevermore. He is the head, the beginning, the firstborn. And for this reason, so that in everything he might be preeminent, that he might be supreme, Jesus is to have first place, full authority and final say in everything that happens in the Church. So we should serve him and honor him and worship him as the supreme Head of the church for two reasons here in the text, verse 19 and 20. First of all, because of the incarnation of Christ, in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

This is a statement as much about God the Father as it is about the person of Jesus Christ. God dwells in Christ. John, chapter 1, verse 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

But not only did the Father dwell in Christ, he was pleased to dwell in Christ. Matthew chapter 3 Jesus receives this benediction from the Father. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And it pleased the Father that all of the fullness of the Godhead should dwell in Christ. Colossians 2, 8, 10 Paul says, See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy or empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority. The supremacy of Christ and the sufficiency of Christ are inextricably tied together because he is supreme over all. There is nothing lacking in our salvation. We are complete in Him. Jesus is everything that we need.

Oh, if I was at home, I'll start preaching a little differently right about here.

I say, he's my A, he's the anchor of my soul he's my B He's my bread of heaven who feeds me until I want no more. But I won't give you my ABCs.

He's everything that we need. We see this is we see this in His Incarnation and and we see this in his atonement. Verse 19 and 20 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 Making peace by the blood of his cross the Word the Word Reconciled this text assumes that a relationship has been broken. This is the human predicament.

Our sin has separated us from God, but God has graciously sought us and provided a means of reconciliation by His Son.

I'm thankful that thankful that he sought after me because I was sinking deep in sin and when I didn't know, have the good enough sense to look for him, he was seeking after me.

Paul writes, we have been reconciled, but not just have we been reconciled. Listen to what Paul says. He writes, he has reconciled to himself all things. Notice how this all inclusive language is used throughout this passage. Verse Verse 15 Jesus is the firstborn of all creation.

Verse 16 by him all things were created. Verse 17 he is before all things all things hold together. He's the beginning, verse 18 the firstborn, so that everything or in all things he might stand as preeminent. Verse 19 in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and now we see through His Reconciling work. All things have been reconciled to himself.

Not only are we beneficiaries of his reconciling work, but so is all of creation, everything in heaven and on earth.

He has made peace by the blood of his cross. This is. This is language not used anywhere else. The Bible says a lot about the blood of Christ, right, And a lot about the cross of Christ. But here Paul joins the ideas together and speaks of the blood of his cross emphatically, declaring the total sufficiency of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is because this Christ is who he is and has done what he has done that we can live and minister and witness with confidence in him. We are ambassadors for Christ, Paul says God making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God, for he God made him Christ, who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.

Alas indeed my Savior bleed And did my sovereign die? Would he devote that sacred head for such a worm as I was it for crimes that I have done? He groaned upon the tree Amazing pity, Grace unknown Love beyond degree at the cross at the cross where I first saw the light and the burdens of my heart did what roll away it was there by faith I received my sight and now I'm happy all the day. Thank you Jesus. Will you pray with me?

Thank you Father, for your sovereign, supreme and all sufficient son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you that we are complete in him. Thank you that we can face the days before us by faith and with faithfulness. In light of the fact that this Christ, our Savior and Lord, reigns over all creation and is the head of the Church. Lord, would you forgive us for making more of the circumstances around us than we do the supremacy of Christ?

And would you help us to be steadfast and movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in this Lord our labor is not in vain. In Jesus name, Amen.

Church let's thank Ian.

Well, Ian, thank you so much for joining us today. We just are so grateful that you invited us to step into this story and into the transforming and everlasting power of Jesus who saves us. And so, Church, this week, no matter what your days hold, know that you are surrounded by the everlasting fullness, love of God and the peace of Christ. May you feel this presence every single minute this week as you serve and love in the name of Jesus, go in peace.

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