I want you to take God’s Word and find Colossians chapter 1; and, when you’ve found it, look up here. Last week, we talked to you about the one true God, and we told you it’s not enough to believe in one god—if you believe in one god, and he’s the wrong god, that’s doubly dangerous. There is one true God. He is Jehovah, the triune God of the Bible. And, today, we’re talking on this subject: “Jesus—the One and Only.” Let me tell you why I’m preaching this: There are so many people today who want to make Jesus just One among many—He’s just One of the ways to Heaven.
As a matter of fact, recently, there was a conference—a parliament of world religions—and let me tell you what a minister said, from one of the mainline denominations; and, I’m not going to give the name of his denomination, because I’m sure there are others in his denomination who would be hurt, if I gave his name. But, here’s what this man said—listen to this: “So, what’s the big deal about Jesus?” That’s what he said: “So, what’s the big deal about Jesus?” And, this is—he is—the Executive Director of the Council for a Parliament of World Religions. His name is Ficca, and he warned that we, as Christians—listen—we ought not to attempt to make converts; we ought not to attempt to share Jesus; we ought not to evangelize. And, here’s what he called Christian evangelism: “ethnic cleansing.” Well hey, folks, that’s in the world today.
And, you know, just recently, that Peter Jennings, in a primetime special, put on a program—I saw it until I could take no more, and turned it off—“The Search for Jesus.” And, he had some so-called theologians, a part of the Jesus Seminar, who pooled their ignorance. They were searching for Jesus. They never found Him, because they were looking in the wrong place. I’d just as soon trust a group of blind men in a dark cave, blindfolded, with some lightning bugs in a jar, looking for the noonday sun as, as to help these people to find the true Jesus.
A while back, Bryant Gumbel, on television, was interviewing Larry King—the other way around. And, Bryant Gumbel said to Larry King—and Larry King’s a Jew, “Larry, if you could ask God question, what would you ask Him?” He said, “I would ask Him if He has a Son.” That’s a good question.
Now, let me tell you something, folks: Of all of the people—of all of the people who have ever lived on this terrestrial ball—ever, since creation to this time—scholars estimate there have been about 60 billion—about 60 billion; about 6 billion on Earth, right now. And, I can tell you, that out of the billions, and billions, and billions who’ve ever lived, only a handful of people have really made a lasting, dramatic imprint upon society. But, there is one person who stands head and shoulders above all the others, and His name is Jesus. Out of all 60 billion, I want to tell you that this man, Jesus—who is more than a man, as we’re going to see in a moment—has received more attention, more devotion, more criticism, more adoration, and more opposition than any of the 60 billion who have ever lived. Every recorded word that Jesus Christ ever said has been studied, scrutinized, analyzed, dissected, thought about, compared—every word that He has written. And, today, more than 20 centuries after Jesus Christ was here, on this earth, there is not a moment—not a moment, 20 centuries later—where literally millions are not studying His Word—not one second. They’re thinking about the significance of His words and His actions.
Now, Jesus Christ lived in a tiny little place called—today, we call it Bethlehem. He lived there about 2,000 years ago. And yet, His very birth divides all history. It’s 2001 AD—anno Domini, “the year of our Lord.” BC is “before Christ.” Listen. He never wrote a book—that we know of; and yet, the books that have been written about Him fill—the thousands and millions of volumes—fill the libraries of this world. He never painted a picture—that we know of; never did a sculpture—that we know of; and yet, He has been the inspiration behind the greatest art of this world. Go into the great art museums of this world, and you’re going to find out that Jesus Christ has been the progenitor of the greatest art. He never wrote a song—that we know of; but just think of the songs that we have sung this morning adoring the Lord Jesus Christ; and, around this world today, millions, and millions, and millions are singing the songs of Heaven based in Jesus. He never raised an army—that we know of; certainly, He didn’t. But, He has an army of followers—not who are willing to kill others for Him, but who are willing to die for Him, to live for Him, to share His love. His travels were limited. So far as we know, He never, in His earthly travels, went outside the circumference of that little land of Israel; and yet, around the world—around the world today—the sun will not set on people worshiping our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He only started with a handful; and yet, today, friend, over 30% of the world’s population say they believe in Jesus Christ. He only taught for three years, and 2,000 years later we’re still studying every word that the Lord Jesus said. He had no formal education; and, think of all of the universities, think of all the seminaries, that have been founded in His name.
The noted historian, Kenneth Scott Latourette, said this—listen to this quote: “Jesus has had more effect on the history of mankind than any other of its race, whoever existed.” Can you say amen to that? Listen. To explain Jesus is impossible; to ignore Jesus is disastrous; to deny Him is fatal. Oh, we need to understand who Jesus Christ is!
And, as I try to preach this morning, I understand that my speech is too limited, my mind is too finite, and my heart is too small, to tell you what I want to tell you about the Lord Jesus Christ. But, in Colossians 1, verse 19—look at it—this verse would sum it up: “For it pleased the Father that in him”—in Jesus—“should all fulness dwell” (Colossians 1:19)—“It pleased the Father that in Jesus should all fulness dwell”. Now, we’re going to find out that Jesus is notto be prominent in our lives; Jesus is to be pre¬eminent. Jesus doesn’t just show the way; He is the way. Jesus doesn’t just give life; He is the life. He doesn’t just tell the truth; He is the truth.
Now, there are three things I want you to learn about the Lord Jesus Christ today. And, look, if you will now, in Colossians chapter 1. And, I wish I just had more time to tell you what the Book of Colossians is about in its entirety, but we’re going to have to cut to the chase, and you’re going to have to listen in a hurry, if we get these three things said. We’re talking about “Jesus—the One and Only.”
I. Jesus Alone Reveals the Father
Let me tell you this: Jesus alone reveals the Father—Jesus alone reveals the Father. Look in verse 15—it speaks of Jesus. We’re going to break right in the middle. It speaks of Jesus, “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15). Now, God Himself is invisible. God, in His essence, is Spirit. God is un-seeable, unknowable, unapproachable, unless we have some way to come to Him, someone to bring us to Him, someone to reveal God the Father. Reason is not enough. Friend, religion is not enough. Ritual is not enough. Jesus Christ Himself is the One who makes the invisible God knowable. He is the image of the invisible God. I’m telling you, you can never fully know God the Father, unless you know God the Father through God the Son.
Jesus, the Bible says, “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Now, I want you to think with me about those two words. Those two words are very, very important, in verse 15. Look at the word image. Do you see it—the word image? Put the scripture back on the overhead, if you will, and I want you to look at this word image. This is Colossians 1, verse 15. Sirs, if you can do it, I want you to put it back up there, for just a moment; and it’ll be there, I think, in just a moment. Look at it: “Who is the image”—the image—“of the invisible God.” Underscore that word image. It’s the Greek word eikon, and what it means is, “the exact representation.” Jesus is the express image of the invisible God. Jesus is God in human flesh.
Now, go back, again, to Colossians 2, verse 9: “For in him”—in Jesus—“dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). What do we mean by the Godhead? God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Now, Jesus—listen— He has a monopoly on revelation. Jesus has cornered the market. The only way that you can know the Father, according to the Scripture, truly know Him—you might know about Him; you might know He exists from creation and conscience—but the only way that you can know God as Father is through Jesus Christ.
Put this verse in your margin—Matthew 11 and verse 27—Jesus said, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save”—or, except—“the Son, and he to whomsoever…”— listen—“he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). Black print on white paper. Now, I submit to you that what Jesus said is either true or false; and, if you don’t like it, if you think that I’m narrow-minded, don’t argue with me. Just take your Bible and read Matthew 11, verse 27—the words of Jesus—and take it up with Jesus, okay? Jesus said, “You can’t know God, unless I reveal Him to you, unless I introduce Him to you.” Other than that, you’re worshiping the god of your guesses.
Now, you say, “Well, that’s narrow-minded.” Well, we just had a young medical doctor to stand up here and sing. I hope he’s narrow-minded when he writes prescriptions. I just flew from Seattle last night. I wanted my pilot to be very narrow-minded. I didn’t want him to land with the landing gear up. I want my banker to be narrow-minded.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He has cornered the market. The only way that you can know God is through the Lord Jesus Christ.
I love the story of Jesus going to the temple when he was a 12-year old boy. I wish I could have been sitting in a corner. And, all of the wise doctors there, the learned theologians, were questioning the Lord Jesus Christ. They might have said to Him, “Well, son, how old are you?” He could have said, “Well, on my mother’s side, I’m 12¬years old; on my Father’s side, I’m older than my mother and just as old as my Father,” because there never was a time when Jesus was not; He always has been. On his mother’s side, He got thirsty; on His Father’s side, He created the oceans, and every brook, and every lake, and every spring. And, on His Father’s side, He said, “I am the water of life. If you’re thirsty, come to Me, and drink” (John 7:37). On His mother’s side, He got hungry; on His Father’s side, He fed 5,000. He said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). On His mother’s side, He lived in poverty and was homeless; on His Father’s side, He created the universe, and owns the cattle on a thousand hills. On His mother’s side, with a broken heart, He wept at the tomb of Lazarus; on His Father’s side, He said, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43), and Lazarus came out of that grave.
And so, the first word I want you to see is the word image—eikon. He is the express image of the invisible God. He could say, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). But also, He’s called, in that verse, “firstborn” (Colossians 1:15). Do you see that? Again, look in verse 15: “[He] is…the firstborn.”
Now, I want to slow down here and talk a little bit about the word firstborn, because that might seem to some people that He was created. But, the word firstborn here—be very careful; listen to it—it does not refer to time; it refers to position, to status. It doesn’t mean that Jesus was the first being ever created. Now, we know already that He’s the One who created all things, and we’re going to see, in verse 16: “For by him were all things created” (Colossians 1:16). Well, He couldn’t be created if He’s the One who created all things. So, firstborn certainly doesn’t mean that God, one day, created Him.
By the way, our friends the Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you—they’ll use this verse to say, “Well, Jesus had a beginning.” No, He never had a beginning. There was never at time when Jesus was not. Jesus is before all things, above all things—whether things in Heaven, or things on earth, principalities, or powers—we’re going to see this. The word firstborn refers to His status; it means that He is over everything. Let me give you a good verse in your margin; I gave you this before, when we preached on this passage—Psalm 89, verse 27—God says, “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27). It speaks of status.
So, what do we see in verse 15? That Jesus Christ is the exact representation—He is the visible image—of the invisible God, and that the Lord Jesus Christ is higher than all the kings of the earth, and He is King of kings; He is Lord of lords; He is in the high spot of all. So, number one, Jesus alone reveals the Father. Say amen.
II. Jesus Alone Rules the Universe
Number two: Jesus alone rules the universe. Begin, now, in verse 16: “For by him”— Jesus—“were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16–17). Now, friend, not only does He reveal the Father; He rules the universe.
A. Jesus is the Power of Creation
You see, Jesus is the power of creation. Jesus made everything. That little baby in Matthew 1 is the mighty God of Genesis 1. That little baby on His mother’s breast is the same God who created it all. That’s the reason I said that Jesus, when He was born, was older than His mother, and as old as His Father.
1. Problems You Have, if You Believe in Evolution
I don’t believe in evolution—not for a skinny moment. Now, when I was younger, I didn’t believe in evolution, because the Bible taught against it. Now, I’ve gotten older. I wouldn’t believe it if I were an atheist—I really wouldn’t. I mean, it is absolutely stupid to believe that nothing times nobody equals everything. Think about it. Friend, I want to tell you, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t say it all just happened and you believe in Jesus. No, it all didn’t just happen. He created it all. And, if you don’t believe in the creation by the Lord Jesus Christ, you’ve got three problems.
a. A Problem with Scriptures
Number one: You’ve got a problem with the Scriptures. If you can’t believe the Scripture, when the Scriptures tell you from whence you’ve come, how can you trust the Scriptures when it tells you where you’re going? And, you know, we need to be worried—not only about the origin of the species, but the destiny of the species, amen? I mean, where are you headed?
b. A Problem with Salvation
And, not only are you going to have trouble with the Scriptures; you’re going to have trouble with salvation. You see, if you believe that man just slowly emerged, and came out of some primordial ooze, and kept on going up, and up, and up, then you don’t believe in a creation; you don’t believe that man was made perfect and that he fell into sin; you don’t believe in a Garden of Eden; you don’t believe in a Fall. Well listen, if Genesis 3 is a myth, then John 3, that says you must be born again, is a farce. If you don’t believe in a direct creation, you’re going to have trouble with salvation.
c. A Problem with Society
And then, I’m going to tell you something else: You’re going to have trouble with society. When we teach young people that they just sort of came from animals, we ought not to be surprised when they begin to act like animals. An animal lives for three things: self-gratification, self-preservation, and self-propagation. That’s what most people are living for today, because they don’t understand that they are made in the image of God. And, we see, today, sort of an animal rights movement—like animals have the same rights as human beings. They don’t. Animals are distinct. God gave man body, soul, and spirit. He gave no animal a spirit. Animals don’t know God. They can’t worship; they cannot pray. Certainly, we don’t believe in cruelty to animals, but don’t ever get the idea that man is just an intelligent animal. He is made in the image of Almighty God, and we need to understand that.
And, friend, random and impersonal chance is not going to create complexity and design. If you want a good book to read—and it’s not a real hard read, but you can’t just dash it off—I want you to read Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe—B-e-h-e. And, he has a principle that he calls irreducible complexity.
You know, in the day of Darwin, they didn’t realize how complex, for example, a cell is—just one cell. For example, in a cell, a human cell that you have to put under a microscope to see—and, folks, I want to tell you that, in the human body, we have about 300 trillion cells. I counted them last night, so I’m sure of this—300 trillion cells in a human body. Now, you have to put them under the microscope, but in these cells, if you look inside the cell—you’ll find some rods, and these rods are known as chromosomes. And, in these chromosomes, we have what we call the genes. And, in those genes, encoded in those genes, is what we call DNA. And, that DNA is a detailed description for every part of your body. If you were to take the DNA, the code that is in your cell, one of those cells—just one of those 300 trillion cells—and take the code that is out of there, and put it in a book, it would be a book of 600,000 pages. Now, that’s one of the most minute parts of that minute part called the cell.
And, what Michael Behe says is this—he says, “If you reduce it down till you cannot get it more simple—irreducible,” then he says, “it is so complex that, in the cell, not one part could exist without the other part. One cannot come from the other, or it can’t come by steps. It all has to come together.” And, I’m telling you, he’s been going around, debating evolutionists till they don’t want to debate him anymore. And, this man is a brilliant man. Get the book.
B. Jesus is the Preserver of Creation
Listen, folks. Jesus is the One who created it all. He is the power of creation. Secondly, Jesus is the preserver of creation. Look again in verse 16: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things,”—now, watch this—“and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16–17). That means they all stick together. He is the glue of the galaxies. He is the One who preserves creation.
Now, a lot of times, you’ll hear people spout about natural law. There’s no natural law—none. The laws of nature don’t exist. They’re God’s laws; nature obeys them. By Jesus, all things consist. He’s the One who fuels the sun with power. He’s the One who veils the moon with beauty. He’s the One who keeps the stars in their courses.
I wish I had studied astronomy when I was young, because I’m so enthralled by it. I think of the speed of light—186,282 miles per second. That, friend, means that a light beam goes around the earth seven times in one second. If you could turn on a flashlight and shine it around the earth, it would go around the world seven times before you could turn it back off, traveling at 186,000 miles per second. Traveling at that speed, light—it would take it 8½ minutes to reach the sun, which is 93 million miles away. It would take it 4½ years to reach the nearest star, traveling at the speed of light—4½ years to reach the nearest star. Oh, if you were to look out at Proxima Centauri and see that star, know that the light you’re seeing has been 4½ years getting here, traveling at the incredible speed of light. And, you just think, friend, that’s just in the Milky Way. The Milky Way, our galaxy—there are 100 billion stars in our galaxy. And, our galaxy, they tell us, is just one of billions of galaxies. Who did all of that? What’s His name? Jesus. Who is it that keeps it all running together?
You probably heard the story of a nuclear physicist who was traveling, going from one grand university to another, lecturing on the complexities of the universe, and nuclear physics, and all of the dynamism in nuclear matter. He had a chauffeur that drove him from school to school. Finally, the chauffeur said, “Listen. You have given that speech so many times—I have listened to it so many times—I’ve memorized it; I could give it.” And, the learned doctor said, “Well, to tell you the truth, I’m getting a little bored. I’ll tell you what, let me put on a chauffeur’s uniform. The next university we go to, you stand up there and give the speech, and I’ll sit out there in the audience and act like the chauffeur.”
They thought it would be jolly good fun. So, the chauffeur got up there in this great university and gave this lecture on nuclear physics, and he was brilliant. He had it down to an ant’s eyelash, but he spoke a little faster than the learned professor. And so, the chancellor of the university said, “Well, I see we’ve finished 20 minutes early. We have time for some questions and answers.” So, one student stood up, and he said, “Sir,” he said, “you know, in the center of the atom there are these protons, and both of them have a positive charge. And, we know that positive charges normally deflect and resist one another, but these seem to cohere. These seem to hang together. Sir, can you tell me why the nucleus of the atom does not disintegrate?” The chauffeur said, “I have traveled for a long time. I’ve been to many universities, but that, beyond the doubt— beyond any doubt—is the dumbest, most stupid question I have ever heard. I can’t understand how you even got in to this university.” He said, “Even my chauffeur could answer that question.” He brought his chauffeur up to answer the question. Friend, I want you to know that chauffeur and that learned doctor—neither one can answer that question.
What keeps the whole thing from flying apart? I can answer it. His name is Jesus. Friend, He is the glue of the galaxies. He’s the One who holds it all together. Now, listen. It was all made by Him; it is all controlled. He is the Creator. He is the Preserver.
C. Jesus is the Purpose of All Creation
And, friend, He is the purpose of all creation. Look in verse 16 now—the last part: “All things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16). What’s this world coming to? It’s coming to Jesus. What’s this universe coming to? It is coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, the eastern religions have come into America, and the eastern religions teach that life is cyclical; that is, it goes around in a cycle. And so, they believe in reincarnation—that you keep getting born until you get it right. You just go round, and around, and around. Now, if your karma is good, you may make progress. If your karma is bad, you may not make progress. So, if you’ve been a bad boy, you may come back as a roach. Or, maybe a little higher—you may come back as a cow. That’s the reason they won’t eat meat—they think they’re eating their grandmother, maybe. And so, that’s what they believe—that life is cyclical.
No, that’s not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that life is linear, that history is linear, that we’re moving toward a climax. And, I believe we’re getting close to the climax of history, where Jesus Christ is crowned King of kings and Lord of lords, and I can hardly wait. We are moving toward that. It was all made by Him, and it was all made for Him. It is controlled by the Lord Jesus Christ.
III. Jesus Alone Reconciles the Lost
Well, let’s come to the third thing about our solitary Savior, the one and only Jesus Christ. Friend, Jesus alone reveals the Father. Jesus alone rules the universe. And, I’m going to tell you something else about Him: Jesus alone reconciles the lost. Jesus alone reconciles the lost—no other way to be saved. Look, if you will, in verse 20 of this wonderful chapter here: “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him”—Jesus—”to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” And, let’s go to verse 21: “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”
(Colossians 1:20–21). O, Hallelujah! Glory to God! This One who created it all; this One who preserves it all; this One who is the eikon, the express image of Almighty God; this One is who is the firstborn, the highest of the high, the Lord of lords and the King of kings—can you believe it?—He stepped out of Heaven and died on a cross! When you see His deity, then you’ll understand the greatness of His death.
Now listen, folks. His deity makes His death meaningful; His death makes His deity knowable. His deity—His deity—makes His death meaningful. Other people may die, but, we sing that song, Brother Whitmire, that God, the mighty Maker, died for man, the creature’s sin, that He would die for me; that the blood that was poured out at Calvary was the blood of the very Son of God; that Jesus, who was the God-man, God in human flesh, as much man as if He were not God at all; as much God as if He were not man at all—not half God and half man, not all God and no man, not all man and no God; but the God-man—the God-man—came to this earth, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was nailed up on a cross with a broken heart dying for me. The One who created every seed, every shrub, every tree, every limb, was hung on a tree, on a cross. The One who scooped out a place for the seas, the One who created every lake, every pond, every brook, every spring—He was the One who said, “I thirst.” The One who flung out the sun and ignited the sun with a word was the One who suffered under that broiling noonday, Middle Eastern sun. He was the One who had flung it into space. Let me tell you something, folks: When He created the universe, you know how He did it? With a word. He just spoke, and it was so. He said, “Let it be,” and there was, and universes dripped from His fingers. He just spoke it into existence.
A college student asked his pastor, “Do you think there is life on other planets?” And, the pastor said, “No, I don’t think so.” He said, “You mean, all those billions, and billions, and billions of planets out there—don’t you think there’s life out there?” He said, “No, I really don’t think so.” He said, “Then, why did God go to all that trouble to make all that stuff?” The pastor said, “What trouble?” No trouble—He spoke, and it was so. The only trouble that God ever had was bloody Calvary.
Oh, when Jesus died, He didn’t just speak, and say, “Be forgiven.” No, by the blood of His cross, He paid the sin debt, and became both just and the Justifier of those that believe in Jesus (Romans 3:26). He never overlooked sin. One-half of one sin will never be overlooked. Sin must be paid for or punished. And, your sin will be pardoned in Christ, or punished in Hell, but it will never be overlooked. God is a holy God. He is the thrice-holy God of Israel.
And, God knew, in order for you to be redeemed, for me to be redeemed, for us to be reconciled, without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22), “for the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). And, over here, on this side is His deity— over here is His humanity. We’re on this side. We’re humans, and we’re sinful. Over here is Almighty God, and He is holy and He is righteous. And, between a holy God and sinful man there is a chasm of sin, and man is separated from Almighty God by sin. Jesus is going to reconcile, and He’s going to build a bridge that will span this chasm. And, over here, the Lord Jesus Christ puts down the foundation of His deity. He is God. And, over here, He puts down the foundation of His humanity. He is man. He is taking our place. He is dying for us. And then, with the rough hewed timbers of a cross, He reconciled us, God and man.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Friend, I am telling you, He is Jesus—the One and only. He is the One who reveals the Father. He is the One who rules the universe. And, He is the One who reconciles the lost. And, I am so glad that I can tell you He is my Savior and Lord, and I love Him with all of my heart, and I want you to love Him.
Conclusion
Would you bow your head in prayer? And, while heads are bowed and eyes are closed, how many of you can say, “Pastor Rogers, I am absolutely certain, by the grace of God, the Word of God, and by a changed life, that I have been saved, that I’m Heaven-born and Heaven-bound?” Would you lift your hand? ”I’m certain, Pastor.” Thank you. Take your hand down. Now, if you could not lift your hand, I know you’re interested in spiritual things, or you wouldn’t be here, this morning. Let me help you.
This Sermon From Adrian Rogers Legacy Collection
Used By Permission © 2010 www.ARLC.org
