All things means all things – visible and invisible. Colossians 1.15-18
Introduction and Purpose: Colossians 1.1-18 (6)
Opening Prayer: Psalm 110.1-3
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
Sing Psalm 110.1-3
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
“Sit by Me at My right hand,” the Lord says to my Lord,
“until I make Your foot stand on all who hate Your Word.”
From in His Church the Savior rules all His enemies;
while those who know His favor go forth the Lord to please.
Read Colossians 1.15-18
Preparation
1. How does Paul describe Jesus?
2. What does God intend for Jesus in His role as Head of the Church?
Meditation
If we let this profound litany settle into our soul, our love for Jesus cannot help but increase, and our confidence in Him will soar.
He is the very image of God, the Creator of all things and the One Who upholds all of creation, so that it continues in its order, beauty, knowability, and utility without fail. He is the Head of the Church and the firstborn from the dead. He is Jesus! Do we want to know God? Look to Jesus. Do we want to understand and make best use of the workings of the cosmos? Look to Jesus. Do we want to realize our own fullest development as believers, and as communities of believers? Look to Jesus.
No wonder that, in just a bit, Paul will instruct us to set our minds on the things that are above, where Christ is seated in heavenly places (Col. 3.1-3).
God’s intent is that “in all things He may have the preeminence.” Jesus is “to be in the first position, with the implication of high rank and prominence – to be first, to have superior status” (Louw and Nida). The question that confronts every faithful saint is, “How will I acknowledge and practice this today?”
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Jesus is the image of the invisible God, and to be invisible means to be not perceptible by vision.
God sent Jesus as a visual representation of Himself. And through Jesus, Who is the Word of God (Jn. 1.1-4), we can know God. We see Him through His Word and through His creation. We are told to pray: “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (Psa. 119. 18).
Then we are told that not only is God invisible, but a lot of His creation is also unseeable by the human eye. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and earth, visible and invisible…” (v. 16). This brings to mind the story we read about in 2 Kings 6, when Elisha prayed that the invisible would become visible: “And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (v. 17).
There is a world full of the majesty and glory of the Trinity, visible and invisible. And all these things were created “through Him and for Him” (v. 16). He is Preeminent over all.
Sadly, we miss many opportunities for enjoying the Lord and praising Him because our focus and attention are only on the seeable; and God is obscured from our view because we ignore the powerful invisibles of life. But they are there, nonetheless.
Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou has for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee, Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
(Clara H. Scott, 1895)
Reflection
1. What do you find to be helpful disciplines in acknowledging and submitting to the pre-eminence of Jesus?
2. “Things unseen” play an important role in the life of faith (Heb. 11.1). In what ways?
3. How would you explain to a new believer what it means that Jesus is pre-eminent in all things?
For if he is the Author and Restorer of all things, it is manifest that this honor is justly due to him. At the same time the phrase in omnibus (in all things) may be taken in two ways ― either over all creatures, or, in everything. This, however, is of no great importance, for the simple meaning is, that all things are subjected to his sway. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Colossians 1.18
Closing Prayer: Psalm 110.4-7
Praise Jesus for His excellence, His greatness, and His victory over sin and the devil. Commit yourself afresh to Him for this day’s work, that He might be preeminent in all you do.
Sing Psalm 110.4-7
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
Filled with the Spirit’s power, in holy robes of love,
from early morning’s hour they serve their Lord above.
Christ reigns a priest forever, the King of Righteousness
and King of Peace who ever His chosen ones will bless.
The Lord at Your right hand, Lord, in wrath shall shatter kings,
when judgment by His strong Word He to the nations brings.
Then, all His foes defeated, He takes His hard-won rest,
in glorious triumph seated with us, redeemed and blessed!
T. M. and Susie Moore
You can listen to last week’s summary of the book Ruth by clicking here.
Colossians in God’s Covenant
Where does the book of Colossians fit in God’s covenant with His people? Our workbook, God’s Covenant, can help you to answer that question and to gain a better understanding of how the grace of God reaches and transforms us in Jesus Christ. Order your free copy by clicking here.
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Except as indicated, all Scripture are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.
