The theme of the book of Colossians is the sufficiency and the supremacy of Christ. Heresy and false teachings do not deny Jesus, but they attack His deity. They say you need Jesus plus something. Paul said Jesus is enough. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the One and only Savior of the world. Looking at Colossians 1:15-20, we’ll see why Jesus should be first in our lives.
Jesus is Our Source
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him” (v. 15-16). When it says Jesus is the firstborn, it does not mean He was created. It is a word that refers to function. It is a term of honor and dignity, a term of time and not title. For example, every President’s wife is called the First Lady. Eve was the first lady, but the title is given to the President’s wife because of her rank and order in connection to the one in charge. Because of His connection to the Father, Jesus is the firstborn. John 1:3 says, “All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.” Everything originated with Jesus. Genesis starts, “In the beginning God….” That is the way the world started and that is the way to start your day, marriage, family, school, college, or business. Put God first.
Jesus is Our Sustainer
“He is before all things, and by him all things hold together” (v. 17). In John 8 Jesus told the Pharisees, “Before Abraham was, I am” (v. 58). The men who spent three years with Jesus called Him God. His half-brother James called Him God. Tammy, my wife, has lived with me 36 years and she can tell you I am not God. You are not either! Jesus is the one who holds the whole world in His hands. Isaiah 40:26 says, “Look up and see! Who created these? He brings out the stars by number; he calls all of them by name. Because of his great power and strength, not one of them is missing.” Jesus holds the planets and stars in their orbit. The heavens declare the glory of God. Have you ever said or heard someone say, “I am about to lose it!”? The only thing that can hold you together and keep you from falling apart, the only thing that can hold your marriage, your family, your business, or this country together is Jesus.
Jesus is Our Shepherd
“He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (v. 18-19). The one God exists in three persons. The second person of the Trinity took the form of human flesh. Since He was human, He understands our problems. Since He is God, He can fix them! Jesus is all God and all man. The heresy and false teachers taught that Jesus was a created being. Here, it says He was the firstborn of the dead. We know Jesus was not the first to be raised from the dead but the first to be raised who lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and was raised with a glorified body.
All the others raised to life before Jesus were raised to earthly life and died. Jesus was not just raised to earthly life but to eternal life, never again to face death! Because He is the firstborn, we know there will be others raised with a glorified body! He paid the down payment on our resurrection! The church is called the body of Christ. Jesus is the head of His body. He is the Shepherd, and we are the sheep of His pasture.
Jesus is Our Savior
“…and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (v. 20). After each day of creation, “God saw that it was good.” After He made humans, we read, “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31, emphasis mine). Then sin came and separated us from God. God sent His son Jesus to reconcile us back into a right relationship with Him. The name of Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, Hare Krishna, Saint Joseph, Virgin Mary, Saint John, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, MLK, Billy Graham, Pope, Dali Lama, or anyone else cannot save. There is only one name. Jesus said, “I am the way…no one comes to the Father but by me” (Jn. 14:6). Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Jesus suffered in my place. “He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Who is number one in your life? Is it your spouse, children, boyfriend, girlfriend, your job, hobbies, sports, you? The fact that He created everything means you are not the product of random chance or accident. You were created by God for God. You are valuable and your life matters to God. In Matthew 12, we read that Jesus is greater than the temple (v. 6), the Sabbath (v. 8), the devil (v. 29), Jonah (v. 41), and Solomon (v. 42). God has highly exalted Jesus and above Him there is no other. It is not enough for Jesus to be prominent in your life. He is to be preeminent. Jesus first.
*Tony Evans Bible Commentary, pg. 1251.