Jesus: "He Is…”

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Jesus, is the image of the invisible God (vs 15a)

(2). Jesus is the firstborn of all creation (vs 15b)

(3). Jesus is the creator God (vs 16-17).

(4). Jesus is the head of the church (vs 18).

(5). Jesus is the fullness of God (vs 19).

(6). Jesus is the saviour (vs 20).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• In the summer we went to Portugal for our family holiday;

• We spent three of those days in the capital city of Lisbon,

• As you drive into the city you cross two familiar sights;

• One is ‘The 25 de Abril Bridge’ that you cross as you enter the city,

• (It looks just like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, US).

• But there is another more dominating feature;

• It’s called, ‘The Sanctuary of Christ the King.’

• It was inspired by the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.

• This tall monument stands on a cliff overlooking Lisbon;

• And is situated in Almada, overlooking the left bank of the Tagus River.

• The monument is high above everything else and dominates the skyline.

• TRANSITION: The statue reminds you that Jesus Christ is supreme!

• He stands above all others, above all who ever lived in the past,

• And who ever will be born in the future!

The most important question that anyone can ask and explore is ‘Who is Jesus Christ?’

• So much rides on knowing the answer to that question.

• Both in this life and the next!

• Jesus Himself, when he walked on this earth;

• One day turned to His disciples and said; ‘Who do you say I am?’

• It was a critical question for the disciples 2,000 years ago;

• And it is life’s most important question today.

Background to these verses:

• The church at Colossae was being infiltrated with false teachers;

• False teaching that would later become known as Gnosticism;

• And one of their beliefs was that Jesus was not divine;

• They did not believe in the Godhead (Trinity)

• And Jesus was not the eternal Son of God who was born into our world as a man.

• Gnosticism taught that Jesus was himself a created being.

• And this false teaching was infiltrating the Church at Colossae.

• TRANSITION: Some people were wrong about Jesus then;

• And sadly over the last 2000 years up to today;

• There are still may false ideas as to ‘Who is Jesus Christ’.

• Just listen to what some of the different religions/cults teach concerning Jesus:

Other religions:

• ISLAM;

• Jesus is only a prophet of Allah who was superseded by Mohamed.

• BUDDHISM - Christ is not recognized as Deity.

• (Zen Buddhism also does not affirm the existence of the living God.)

• HINDUISM/NEW AGE :

• Jesus is one of many gods and a spiritual master

• JUDAISM:

• Jesus is not divine not the Son of God and not the Messiah.

Other cults/sects:

• JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES;

• Jesus was created as Archangel Michael, he is a lesser god; Not Jehovah God.

• MORMONS - Jesus was born in heaven as the spirit child of Elohim;

• (The Heavenly Father) by one of his wives,

• And Jesus' brother was Lucifer, who became Satan. Jesus was just one of many gods.

• SCIENTOLOGY – L. Ron Hubbard taught;

• That Jesus was a false memory implanted into humans;

• As a result of the Xenu space opera and that Christianity evolved from an R6 implant.

• Yes, I have no idea what he is on about either!!!

• CHRISTIAN SCIENCE:

• Denies that Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity (S&H, 361:12-13).

• TRANSITION: Our world may be confused as to who Jesus is;

• But that apostle Paul was in no doubt;

• And teaches this Church at Colossae and us some important truths.

(1). Jesus, is The Image of The Invisible God (vs 15a)

“He is the image of the invisible God”

An image can be two things:

• FIRST: It can be a representation.

• The apostle Paul uses the Greek word, “eikon,”

• Which was used of the image of Caesar on a coin.

• The average person couldn’t see Caesar,

• But by looking at a coin, they could see what he looked like

• SECOND: It can be a manifestation.

• When the apostle Paul uses this word,

• This is what he means (Jesus is the invisible God).

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• This Greek word translated as image,

• Was the word used for a portrait in Greek, nearest thing we have for photograph.

• Paul is saying Jesus is the visual manifestation of the invisible God.