We Believe: Jesus Christ Series

WE BELIEVE: JESUS CHRIST HIS ONLY SON

Text: Col. 1:15-20

Introduction

1. “There is only one God, revealed by Jesus Christ his Son, who is his Word sprung from silence.” — John Starke

2. The Apostle’s Creed answers the most important question anyone can ask: Who is Jesus?

3. Jesus is the center of the Christian faith. Our faith is based upon the Son of God and what He did for us.

4. Therefore, it is essential that we understand what we believe as Christians about our Lord and Savior.

5. Read Col. 1:15-20

Transition: Let’s take a journey and look at…

I. What We Believe About Jesus

A. When we think about creeds, we often think of them as cold, boring statements of what we believe. But the true centerpiece of the Apostle’s Creed is not a doctrine but a name.

1. If we look at the creed, we see it referring to God the Father with two lines, but it takes ten lines to talk about Jesus.

2. In fact, it talks about Jesus more than anyone else.

3. From the beginning of the Church, and for us today, the three most important words are “Jesus is Lord!”

4. The Apostle Paul said in Phil. 2:9-11, “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

5. To confess Jesus as Lord means that He is not only the center of the universe, but He is also the center of us. We all owe our allegiance to no one other than Jesus.

B. Now let’s look at Col. 1:15-20. Many New Testament scholars believe that this section was based on a hymn that was written before Paul’s letter.

C. These verses are seen as some of the most important verses in the NT declaring the deity of Jesus Christ. In v. 15 it says, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,”

1. Paul says that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. The verb used in this phrase is in the present tense, which means that Jesus’ position is both now and forever.

2. As a Spirit, God is invisible and always will be. However, God’s Son, Jesus Christ is His visible image.

3. Like the Father, Jesus always is, always was, and always will be. He existed before God made the world.

4. For this reason, He is supreme over all creation. He has all the priority and authority of the firstborn prince in a king’s family.

5. He came from heaven, not from the dust of the earth, and He is lord of all.

6. He is supreme over all creation, and that includes the spiritual realm.

7. That ought to make us happy because it means that He is supreme over the devil! He is not a separate but equal to the devil, He is supreme and more infinitely powerful!

D. Then in v. 16 Paul says, “for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.”

1. Paul says that all things were created through Christ. Just all the fullness of God is in Him, all of the creative powers are in Him and that makes Him the supreme Lord.

2. Furthermore, Paul says that all of things in heaven and on earth were created by Christ. All the things that can be seen, and those things that cannot be seen, were created by Christ.

3. In addition, all the things in the spiritual realms were also created by Christ.

4. Christ has no equal and no rival! All of the forces of evil are subject to Him.

5. If you remember, there were times in the Gospels where demons came to Jesus and begged Him not to destroy them!

6. Now, I want you to see this, Paul says everything was created not just through Him, but for Him!

7. You were created for His pleasure, and that’s why He loves you so much!

E. Next Paul says in v. 17, “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”

1. Christ existed before everything else. He existed before the world, people, history, and time.

2. But not only is He the creator, but He is also our Sustainer. He holds all things together. If it wasn’t for Christ, everything would fall apart.