First Born From The Dead Series

Today, we celebrate Easter, the incredible event in which Jesus Christ, who died on our behalf, rose again from the dead.

But we really aren’t celebrating an event, but rather a Person.

We aren’t worshipping an event, but a Person.

For us to grasp the significance of Easter, we really need to grasp the nature of Who we celebrate on Easter morning.

Most often we celebrate the what, the event…which is important and full of meaning, but the Person who we celebrate is far more important.

In fact, the magnitude of this event points to the Person and not to itself.

This Person’s Name is Jesus the Christ,

He is the Son of the Living God,

He is the Messiah,

He is Emmanuel, God with Us.

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

He is the Prince of Peace.

He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Listen to what Colossians 1:15-20 says about Him: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

We come to celebrate Jesus today. And so my sermon will focus upon who He is as described in this passage I just read.

The first verse in this passage is verse 15 which says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

The amplified bible says, “[Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation.”

The Living Bible says, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.”

Have you have ever seen those pictures at the mall that look like a bunch of dots or symbols, and when you stare at one spot long enough, the entire picture jumps off the page and you see the big picture?

I am convinced that if you and I will let this verse sink deep into our hearts then the rest of the picture will come into clear focus.

We need to understand just how awesome and majestic, how powerful and glorious our King and Savior Jesus truly is.

When Paul says that Jesus is the "image" of God, what does he mean?

Genesis says that you and I are created in the image of God so does Paul mean that Jesus is merely one of us? That he was created like we are? No he does not. .

While you and I were created, Jesus was never created. He has always existed with the Father and been one with the Father.

The word for Image used here is used just six times in the bible: Eikon (exact or perfect copy)

We have a church directory printed up with many of our folk’s pictures in it. They are available in the back of the church for you to take with you. You might notice the striking resemblance of each person to their image on the paper. Why is that? Because they are a copy of one another. But they are not exact copies, rather they are only facsimiles, images of the real thing. The pictures cannot stand up and walk and talk.

So the use of the word “image” here isn’t that interpretation.

Jesus is so much more. He is not a “copy” of God, and he is not a facsimile of God, Jesus is the exact visible image of the invisible God.

Jesus told his disciples in John 10:30, “"I and the Father are one.”

It is why Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” Jn 14:9.

If you were to look in his eyes you would see God’s eyes looking back at you.

If he were to smile at you, it would be God himself smiling at you.

If he were to speak to you, it would be God’s voice you heard.

If he were to touch Him, you would be touching the eternal God and Creator.

Does that possibility blow your mind? It did the disciples! John wrote, (John 1:14) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”