The Supremacy of Christ is Declared in
Creation
Colossians 1:15-17
September 9, 2001
Intro:
A. [The Dinner, via Kelli Ammons]
Kelli Ammons sent me this story this past week…
An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all the "accidents" that evolution had created.
"What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.
Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran away as fast as he could up the path.
He looked over his shoulder and saw the grizzly was closing.
Somehow he ran even faster, so scared that tears came to his eyes.
He looked again, and the bear was even closer.
His heart was pounding, and he tried to run faster.
He tripped and fell to the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up, but the bear was right over him, reaching for him with its left paw and raising its right paw to strike him.
At that instant the atheist cried, "Oh my God!"
Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent.
Even the river stopped moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others that I don’t exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"
The atheist looked directly into the light and said, "I would feel like a hypocrite to become a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?"
"Very well," said the voice.
The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forest resumed.
Then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed its head, and spoke: "Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful."
B. [God’s Power in Creation, Citation: Christianity Today (4-23-99), reprinted in "To Illustrate Plus," Leadership Journal (21.1), p. 69]
Patrick O’Boyle recalls the late-1940s Hyde Park "Speakers’ Corner" appearances of Frank Sheed, the Catholic author and publisher:
Sheed could be devastating with hecklers.
Once, after Sheed had described the extraordinary order and design to be seen in the universe, a persistent challenger retorted by pointing to all the world’s ills, and ended shouting, "I could make a better universe than your God!"
"I won’t ask you to make a universe," Sheed replied. "But would you make a rabbit—just to establish confidence?"
C. Today, as we study Colossians 1:15-17, I believe we will see that the supremacy of Christ is declared in creation; first…
I. Christ is the firstborn
Colossians 1:15, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
John 1:1-2, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
A. Paul says that Christ is the firstborn of creation.
1. John says that Jesus was the Word and that He was with God in the beginning.
2. When Christ was born as a human being was not when He came into existence.
3. Christ has always been in existence; since before creation.
4. The Bible says that Christ was with God in the beginning—before creation.
B. When Christ was born, He simply put on some flesh and became a human being.
1. He was already God.
2. He was already in existence.
3. He just put on some flesh and became a human being for 33 years.
4. But He was already in existence before He became a human.
5. He was already in existence before creation.
6. Christ is the firstborn over all creation; in fact…
II. Christ is the creator
Colossians 1:16, For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
John 1:3, Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
A. Paul says that all things were created by Christ and John says the same thing.
1. Christ was the creator. Christ created the world.
2. Paul and John both say that Christ created everything.
3. Christ created things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities.
4. Without Christ, nothing was made that has been made.
B. John said that Christ is the Word of God that became flesh.
1. And when we think back to the creation story in the book of Genesis, we see that very fact.
2. In Genesis we see that God said, "Let there be light" and it was so.
3. God said, "let there be an expanse between the waters to separate the water from the water" and it was so.
4. God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear," and it was so.
5. God said, "Let the land produce vegetation" and it was so.
6. God said, "Let there be lights in the sky" and it was so.
7. God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures and let birds fly above the earth" and it was so.
8. God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds" and it was so.
9. God said, "Let us make man in our image" and it was so.
10. God spoke the Word and it happened.
11. How many of you would like to have that kind of power—to speak the word and it happens!?
12. The Word of God created the heavens and the earth.
13. Christ is the creator of the world.
14. Christ created everything that has been created.
C. To think otherwise is to have more faith than I…
1. To believe that all of this just happen by some cosmic coincidence is a giant leap of faith.
2. To believe that you came into existence by some long coincidental chain of events requires a huge amount of faith.
3. It takes much more faith to believe that the big bang happened out of nothingness and it took a long coincidental chain of events to get you here than to believe that a creator created it.
4. The big bang requires much more faith than the Big Creator!
5. Nothing was created apart from Christ.
6. Christ is the creator and…
III. Christ is the beneficiary
Colossians 1:16, …all things were created by him and for him.
A. Everything was created by and for Christ.
1. Everything was created for Christ. Everything is here for the benefit of Christ.
2. In the KJV Revelation 4:11 we find the 24 Elders praising Christ saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
3. Everything was created for Christ’s pleasure.
B. The earth and everything in it is here to bring glory to Christ.
1. Everything that is in the earth is here for Christ.
2. Everything that is on the earth is here for Christ.
3. Everything that is above the earth is here for Christ.
4. Every human being is here for the glory of Christ.
5. Everything is created by and for Christ.
6. Christ is the beneficiary of creation; then…
IV. Christ is the epoxy
Colossians 1:17, He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
John 1:4, In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
A. Christ is the epoxy that holds everything together.
1. Christ is the life that keeps everything going.
2. Christ is the only One that can keep everything going.
3. Christ is the only One who can sustain life!
B. Evolution is silliness for many reasons, but one of the reasons is that nothing left to itself improves.
1. Anything left alone will eventually break down and decay.
2. There is no way that this planet could continue to go on for millions and millions of years and not have anyone maintaining it—that’s just silliness!
3. First of all the planet hasn’t been here for one million years let alone millions upon millions.
4. Secondly there is no way possible for life to continue to go on and on and on without someone maintaining.
5. You see the truth is that there is someone maintaining the world!
6. The truth is that there is someone sustaining life on earth!
7. And that Someone is the same one that created the planet: Christ Jesus!
8. Christ is the One that holds it all together and keeps it from spinning into chaos.
9. Christ is the epoxy that holds everything together.
10. Christ is the One who sustains life on this planet!
11. In Christ all things hold together!
12. In Christ is LIFE!
13. Christ is the epoxy that holds all of creation together; and…
V. Christ is the conclusion
Romans 1:18-20, The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
John 1:10-14, He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 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.
A. John says that although Christ came into the world, and although He had created the world, the world did not know Him.
1. And that is every bit as true today as it was then.
2. Although Christ created the world, the world has no clue who He is.
3. Jesus walked the face of this earth for 33 years and many never recognized Him.
4. Christ created the wold and yet many don’t recognize Him.
5. Christ is the image of the invisible God and yet many don’t recognize Him.
6. Christ created each and every human being and yet many don’t recognize Him.
B. But Paul says in Romans that even though they don’t recognize Him, they have no excuse.
1. Even if scientists tell us that there was no creation, God says there will be no excuse.
2. Even though some try to say that there are many who have never heard of Christ in the remote parts of the world, God says there will be no excuse.
3. When Paul says they are "without excuse" the Greek word is a legal term of defense.
4. It is a word that implies being in a court before a judge where the defendant has absolutely no excuse for his actions.
5. And clearly Paul is referring to judgment day when we all shall stand before God the Father as the judge and Paul is saying that on that day there will be no excuse for not knowing His Son, the creator.
6. Why can there be no excuse? Because since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
7. Paul is saying that EVERYONE is able to look at the world and figure out that there had to be a creator.
8. And if for no other reason, EVERYONE should be able to come to a saving knowledge of Christ through the creation itself!
9. Everyone is able to look at the stars and the moon and know there is a creator.
10. Everyone is able to look at the animals and know that the creator is divine.
11. Everyone is able to look at human bodies and know that there was a God that created it all.
12. [The Miraculous Human Body, Citation: Jeff Arthurs; references Dr. John Medina, genetic engineer, University of Washington, in 1995 lecture at Multnomah Bible College, Portland, Oregon]
The average human heart pumps over 1,000 gallons a day, over 55 million gallons in a lifetime.
This is enough to fill 13 super tankers.
It never sleeps, beating 2.5 billion times in a lifetime.
The lungs contain 1,000 miles of capillaries.
The process of exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide is so complicated that "it is more difficult to exchange O2 for CO2 than for a man shot out of a cannon to carve the Lord’s Prayer on the head of a pin as he passes by."
DNA contains about 2,000 genes per chromosome—1.8 meters of DNA are folded into each cell nucleus.
A nucleus is 6 microns long.
This is like putting 30 miles of fishing line into a cherry pit.
And it isn’t simply stuffed in.
It is folded in.
If folded one way, the cell becomes a skin cell.
If another way, a liver cell, and so forth.
To write out the information in one cell would take 300 volumes, each volume 500 pages thick.
The human body contains enough DNA that if it were stretched out, it would circle the sun 260 times.
The body uses energy efficiently.
If an average adult rides a bike for 1 hour at 10 mph, it uses the amount of energy contained in 3 ounces of carbohydrate.
If a car were this efficient with gasoline, it would get 900 miles to the gallon.
13. And that is just a small sampling of the complexity of the human body—to believe all of this evolved from a big bang is silliness!
14. Everyone is able to look at the creation and see the eternal power of the God that created it.
15. It is SO evident that Paul says that everyone is without excuse.
16. There will be no excuse for standing before God on judgment day and saying you believed the scientist that told you that there was a big bang and no creator.
17. There will be no excuse for standing before the Judge and saying that you thought you evolved from other life forms and you never dreamed there was a creator.
18. Jesus Christ is THE ONLY CONCLUSION!
19. There is no other conclusion! Looking at the earth and the moon and the stars and everything in them (including humans)—there is no other conclusion!
20. Jesus Christ is the Creator! The supremacy of Christ is declared in creation.
C. But the creation is not the conclusion of the story.
1. John says that many did not and do not recognize Christ, but he went on to say…12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 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.
2. To all who will recognize Him and receive Him and believe in Him, Christ will make them children of God.
3. And as children of God we can be with Him for eternity in heaven.
4. That will be the conclusion (if you will) of the never ending story!
5. If we acknowledge Christ as the creator of the world and make Him the Lord of our lives, we can be with Him forever in heaven!
6. And because of the never ending creation story: CHRIST REIGNS SUPREME!
Conclusion:
A. The supremacy of Christ is declared in creation!
B. [C. S. Lewis Depicts Unbelief, Citation: C. S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew (Collier), pp. 125-126; submitted by Eugene A. Maddox, Interlachen, Florida]
In his book, The Magician’s Nephew, C. S. Lewis writes of the creation of fictitious Narnia through the song of Aslan (the lion who represents Jesus in the book).
The Creation Song is clearly intended to reveal the majesty and glory of Aslan.
As in Genesis 1, it is a grand call to worship.
But there was one (Uncle Andrew) who would not hear it.
The consequences were staggering:
When the great moment came and the Beasts spoke, he missed the whole point, for a rather interesting reason.
When the Lion had first begun singing, long ago when it was still quite dark, he had realized that the noise was a song.
And he had disliked the song very much.
It made him think and feel things he did not want to think and feel.
Then, when the sun rose and he saw that the singer was a Lion ("only a lion," as he said to himself) he tried his hardest to make himself believe that it wasn’t singing and never had been singing—only roaring as any lion might in a zoo in our own world. Of course it can’t really have been singing, he thought, I must have imagined it. I’ve been letting my nerves get out of order. Who ever heard of a lion singing?
And the longer and more beautifully the Lion sang, the harder Uncle Andrew tried to make himself believe that he could hear nothing but roaring.
Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.
Uncle Andrew did.
He soon did hear nothing but roaring in Aslan’s song.
Soon he couldn’t have heard anything else even if he had wanted to.
And when at last the Lion spoke and said, "Narnia awake," he didn’t hear any words: he heard only a snarl.
And when the beasts spoke in answer, he heard only barkings, growlings, bayings, and howlings.
C. How is it for you?
1. Have you convinced yourself that Christ isn’t really singing in the creation?
2. Can you no longer hear Him sing in the sunrise?
3. Can you no longer hear Him sing in the grandeur of the mountains?
4. Can you no longer hear Him sing in the starry skies?
5. Have you convinced yourself that Christ is not singing in the vastness of creation?
D. Do you need to stop and smell the roses and listen for Christ to sing?
1. Do you need to acknowledge the Creator as your Savior and start living for Him?
2. What commitment do you need to make to Christ as we stand and acknowledge His supremacy which is declared in creation by singing, "Thou Art Worthy."
