The Supremacy of Christ

Guest speaker: Jerry Erickson

The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians 1:15-18

“He is the image of the invisible God.”

• Eikon = image, picture, representation
• “The son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” –Hebrews 1:3
• “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” –John 14:9

“The firstborn over all creation.”

• Firstborn does not indicate a time sequence.  Jesus existed from the beginning with God the Father. (John 1:1)
• “This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.”–Exodus 4:22
• God’s description of King David:  “I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.” –Psalm 89:27
• Jesus is supreme over the whole created world.

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.”

• We see here Jesus as creator, something not readily apparent as we read the Old Testament.
• “Let us make man in our image.” –Genesis 1:26
• “He has spoken to us by his Son…through whom he made the universe.” –Hebrews 1:2

“All things were create by him and for him.”

• He is the reason for creation.  
• “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bo, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” –Philippians 2:10-11

“In him all things hold together.”

• Jesus Christ is the sustainer of this world.
• “The Son is …sustaining all things by his powerful word.”—Heb. 1:3

“He is the head of the body, the church.”

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body…”

“the firstborn from among the dead.”

• Once again firstborn indicates preeminence.  Others were raised from the dead before him only to die again.
• Christ’s resurrection was unique.  He was the first to be raised never to die again.
• “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”

“So that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

• The world was created in order that Christ might have supremacy, preeminence, first place, in all things!