If a man needs to be humbled, there’s nothin’ like a winter night on the prairie. Just lookin’ up at all the stars reminds you we’re all just a small part of something bigger.”
–A.K. Vyas (Dodge City)
“In these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.”
–Hebrews 1:2 (NASB)
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We have finished going through the Psalms. I started the study back in 2016, and though it was not weekly until 2021, we have made it through. But that doesn’t mean that we are through with psalms and songs. There are some others in the Bible that I want us to glean from. Plus, I changed the format from earlier psalms so I might go back and revisit them. This morning, however, I would like to draw attention to a song by Paul. We find it in Colossians 1:15-20.
15 — He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 — For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 — And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 — And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 — For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 — And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (NKJV)
WOW! What a message. Such a powerful statement of theology! Handley C.G. Moule said this, “Can we read this passage and not feel that it glows and moves with a personal joy in believing? Paul is not only discussing; he is worshiping.” There is so much to be said of these verses, but I want to draw attention to a few things in this short time and space.
Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” It is through Him that we have a clearer picture and understanding, though not complete, view of the character of God. Barclay says that Jesus is a representation and a manifestation of God. Jesus is God in His fullness who came to earth for the redemption of mankind. William Petersen says that this song of Paul should be read alongside the Christmas story in Luke 2. Yes, Jesus came as a baby, but He was still the fullness of God. He is a portrait of the Father and in Him are all the characteristics of the Father.
There was, at this time, the rise of the Gnostics. They had different views, but they claimed to present true knowledge. Paul, often had to refute them, and they were a hardship to the church for centuries, and we still see forms of their false teachings rise from time to time. Paul is answering them in these few verses. He is saying that it was Jesus who created all things. All things! Get that–here we see John 1 along with Genesis 1. Powerful, all is from the word of Christ for He is the Word. All things were created by Him and for Him. Grasp that, you are created for Him, to be part of His kingdom, to bring Him joy. We exist because of Him. Barclay tells us, “All the laws by which this world is order and not chaos are an expression of the mind of the Son.” He further states that it means “the law by which the universe hangs together, are not only scientific laws but also divine laws… The Son is the beginning of creation, and the end of creation, and the power who holds creation together, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Final Goal of the world.” Can we go back to the Psalms and get a better glimpse of Christ?
“The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them.” (89:11, NKJV)
The NLT translates the last phrase this way, “You created it all.” That’s it–end of discussion. Here we have barely touched on these verses, but the day is calling for our attention. Go out into the world knowing that Christ Jesus is Lord of all. That everything is by Him and under His control, and that includes all aspects of our lives. Perhaps, I will visit this song of Paul again because we have barely touched it.
“In these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.”
–Hebrews 1:2 (NASB)
————————–
We have finished going through the Psalms. I started the study back in 2016, and though it was not weekly until 2021, we have made it through. But that doesn’t mean that we are through with psalms and songs. There are some others in the Bible that I want us to glean from. Plus, I changed the format from earlier psalms so I might go back and revisit them. This morning, however, I would like to draw attention to a song by Paul. We find it in Colossians 1:15-20.
15 — He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 — For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 — And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 — And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 — For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 — And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (NKJV)
WOW! What a message. Such a powerful statement of theology! Handley C.G. Moule said this, “Can we read this passage and not feel that it glows and moves with a personal joy in believing? Paul is not only discussing; he is worshiping.” There is so much to be said of these verses, but I want to draw attention to a few things in this short time and space.
Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” It is through Him that we have a clearer picture and understanding, though not complete, view of the character of God. Barclay says that Jesus is a representation and a manifestation of God. Jesus is God in His fullness who came to earth for the redemption of mankind. William Petersen says that this song of Paul should be read alongside the Christmas story in Luke 2. Yes, Jesus came as a baby, but He was still the fullness of God. He is a portrait of the Father and in Him are all the characteristics of the Father.
There was, at this time, the rise of the Gnostics. They had different views, but they claimed to present true knowledge. Paul, often had to refute them, and they were a hardship to the church for centuries, and we still see forms of their false teachings rise from time to time. Paul is answering them in these few verses. He is saying that it was Jesus who created all things. All things! Get that–here we see John 1 along with Genesis 1. Powerful, all is from the word of Christ for He is the Word. All things were created by Him and for Him. Grasp that, you are created for Him, to be part of His kingdom, to bring Him joy. We exist because of Him. Barclay tells us, “All the laws by which this world is order and not chaos are an expression of the mind of the Son.” He further states that it means “the law by which the universe hangs together, are not only scientific laws but also divine laws… The Son is the beginning of creation, and the end of creation, and the power who holds creation together, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Final Goal of the world.” Can we go back to the Psalms and get a better glimpse of Christ?
“The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them.” (89:11, NKJV)
The NLT translates the last phrase this way, “You created it all.” That’s it–end of discussion. Here we have barely touched on these verses, but the day is calling for our attention. Go out into the world knowing that Christ Jesus is Lord of all. That everything is by Him and under His control, and that includes all aspects of our lives. Perhaps, I will visit this song of Paul again because we have barely touched it.