Series: Church On The Move (Colossians)[#3]
GREATEST
Colossians 1:13-23
Introduction:
We live in a world where material things seem to matter a lot; but I believe that many people are not as concerned about how many things they have as they are about how important they are. There is a reason that our culture enjoys all of these reality shows; and shows of the rich and famous.
This is not a new problem. Even the disciples struggled with wanting to be the greatest.
Matthew 20:20-28 (NIV)
[20] Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. [21] "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom." [22] "You don’t know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered. [23] Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father." [24] When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. [25] Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [26] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Paul settles the dispute of who is the greatest in our text today. Jesus is the greatest because…
He Rescued Us
I am afraid that in our churches we no longer believe practically that Jesus is the Savior of the world. We believe that Jesus is a means to an end. We believe that Jesus is there to make us better husbands and better fathers. We believe that Jesus is there to make us better wives and better mothers. We believe that Jesus is there to make us better businessmen. We believe that Jesus is there to make us more respected in our community. We believe that Jesus is there for many things. We have forgotten that Jesus’ prime reason for coming to this earth was to seek and save that which was lost.
Colossians 1:13-23 (NIV)
[13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [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; all things were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. [21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- [23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
I love that Paul starts here by showing the guilt of man. We don’t like that. We don’t like to be shown that we are sinners. Paul starts with guilt. Look in verse 13. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness.” That’s where we were, in darkness. “… and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves”. That’s where we were not. “In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We had to be redeemed and forgiven from our sins. That had to happen because we are guilty before God.
There are some people who believe that man is basically good. Those people don’t have kids. My first kid taught me that we are all sinners. My second kid taught me that some people are bigger sinners than others. My third kid just confirmed all of the above. We are born in sin and shaped in iniquity.
Look at the words here in verse 13. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness.” That word “rescued” means “to come in and take out by force”. It’s like Rambo or Arnold Swartzinhager or somebody who comes in and kicks the door down and walks in, snatches us up, and drags us off somewhere. I didn’t do that on my own.
There is an illustration of salvation that used to be one of my favorites until God, through a sermon, showed me it doesn’t work. It is the illustration of the life raft. It is like man is drowning and we throw him a life preserver and man has to reach up and grab the life preserver and then he is pulled in. You know the only problem with that? According to Ephesians 2, I was dead in my sins. Dead men don’t grab life preservers. I did not help God save me. I was lost and dead in my sins. I was guilty before a holy God, a holy and just God who must punish sin. God has to deal with sin. How does He do that? The wages of sin is death. When we die in our sins, we die eternally separated from God. We are in terrible shape and until we realize that, we do not understand the significance of Christ as Savior of the world. Jesus did not come to make me better; He came to transform my life. People don’t need to be better dressed up sinners.
Illustration: It’s like boys that start playing ball in school. These boys will come after school and go to practice and after they go to practice, these sweaty and nasty boys will take off their uniform and put back on their street clothes. Some of them even have the audacity to put on deodorant and cologne. They don’t understand that deodorant and cologne have prerequisites. You need to bathe first.
Our philosophy in our churches has become one of socialization. We need to learn how become better people. We need to learn how to be better organizers. God does not want to make us better; He wants to make us new. We do not understand that Jesus is Savior until we understand the guilt of man. All men are guilty before God and all men need salvation.
Jesus is the greatest because He rescued us and because…
He Alone Is Worthy
We can’t understand the significance of our sin until we look at it compared to the glory of Jesus Christ. We sometimes act like Jesus died on the cross because He had nothing better to do. Look at verse 15. “He is the image of the invisible God”. Jesus is the revealer of God. God came to earth and showed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not like God. He is not close to God. He is not almost God. Jesus is God. He was the us in the “Let us make man”. He was the us in “Who will go for us”. He is Almighty God.
Not only is Jesus the revealer of God, He is “the firstborn over all creation”. This does not mean that He was the first thing created. The word “firstborn” means preeminent. This means that Jesus was here when it all happened. He is the Creator of all things.
Colossians 1:16-18 (NIV)
[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; all things were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Not only is Jesus the revealer of God and the Creator of the world, He is also the One who holds it all together. He is the Sustainer.
This means that when they put Jesus on the cross that Jesus was the One who spoke the seed into existence that grew into the tree that became the cross that He was hung upon. This means that He is the One who called the molecules together that made the metal that was formed into the nails that was nailed into His hands and feet. That means that He is the One that gave the breath of life to those that mocked Him and nailed Him to the cross.
Jesus Christ is the One who created the universe and allowed Himself to die so that He could be our Redeemer. Jesus is the One who had victory over sin and death so that I could have eternal life.
Folks, don’t forget who Jesus is. Don’t take Jesus for granted. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords; and when we see Him we will automatically fall to our knees and worship before Him. The Bible says that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Jesus is the greatest because He rescued us, because He alone is worthy, and because…
He Fulfilled The Plan Of Redemption
Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV)
[19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
The Father was satisfied by the death of the Son. This was the only thing that would appease Him, not man doing better. According to Romans 3, it was the Fathers only opportunity to be both just and the justifier of those who place their faith in Christ.
God had a dilemma. He is holy and just. He must punish all sin everywhere. His holiness demands it; but God loves us, those whom He created. How does God get away from this dilemma? How is it that God can save us when what we deserve is death and eternal separation from Him? Why don’t we just be good enough? No, we can’t be good enough. Why don’t we go to church enough? Why don’t we do whatever enough? None of that could ever take away our sins because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. So what does God do? Why not have another die for us? So who could die for us?
Jesus humbled Himself and became sin for us on the cross so that we could stand righteous before God. Jesus became our substitute.
Jesus is the greatest because He rescued us, because He alone is worthy, because He fulfilled the plan of redemption, and because…
He Has Made Us Holy
Colossians 1:21-22
[21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
Look at what God does when we surrender our lives over to Jesus Christ. We are presented holy in God’s sight without blemish and free from accusation.
One day, I will stand before God and this tells me that when I do, I will be presented to Him as holy and perfect. Sinful me will be presented to God Almighty as perfect. Is that crazy or what? Not only that. When I am presented to God, I will be presented to Him as His son. I have inherited all of the same rights as Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
This cannot happen because I am good. This can only happen because Jesus took my place and carried my sin.
If you do not know this Jesus that I have been preaching about as your personal Savior, then you are dead in your sins and bound for an eternal hell. What you need this morning is hope? That hope is found in the blood of Jesus Christ.
