Yes, you can see by the handout I've given to you this morning that our focus will be on verses 15 through 20 of this chapter. But I read them in their context. Paul is praying for the Colossians. He wants them, and he's praying for them, to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, not merely his ethical will for us, what we should do and what we shouldn't do, but God's will as it's revealed in his plan of salvation. He's praying that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. Well, if we're to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, we have to know how worthy he is. And that's why we're given what we're given in verses 15 through 20 of this chapter. Here is a revelation of the worth of our Lord. And then he starts to outline in particular detail, at least in some broad strokes, what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. It means bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, and finally, giving thanks to the Father, who's delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. So if we are to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, part of what that involves is giving thanks to the Father for placing us in the kingdom of his beloved Son. And to that end, again, we're given verses 15 through 20 so that our hearts may be filled with gratitude of the fact that we've been placed in the kingdom of this beloved Son. This passage, verses 15 through 20, there's so much richness here. And I'm going to promise you, this is the last week I'm going to be here, because we've been here before. But we can summarize all of verse 15 through 20 In one way, we can summarize it very simply. The message of this passage, verses 15 through 20, is this. The beloved son is Lord, and he's well qualified to be so. The beloved son is well qualified for preeminence. He's well qualified to be of the highest rank. He is well qualified. He, for preeminence, he is well suited to rule. And so that's, in a summary manner, that is the content of these verses. And if you look at the handout there, you can see that I've tried to highlight that in the layout of this passage. The passage divides into three sections. And in the first and the last section, there's a two-pronged statement about our Lord. In the first section, the two-pronged statement is this. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. In the last section, two-pronged statement is he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. And then a little anomaly in the last section is Paul spells out the significance of the fact that The beloved son is the beginning of the firstborn from the dead. The significance of that is that in everything, he might be preeminent. But then you see in both the first and the last sections, I've highlighted in blue the rationale, the qualifications, the resume, you might say, for the son in this high position. He's the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Why? Why does he have this position? It's because in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him. And then in the last section, he's the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Why? For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. So again, the summary of this passage is Jesus is Lord, and he deserves to be so. That's what the blue highlight is highlighting, the fact that Jesus is worthy to be Lord. And if you were to count the words in the original language, in the original language, in the first section, 77% of the words are devoted to describing why Jesus is the image of God, the firstborn of all creation. And then in the last section, 61% of the words, at least, are devoted to describing why Jesus should be preeminent, why Jesus should have the first place. Another way of looking at this passage, you notice the first column, I've got these letters A, B, C, B, A. It's a very well-organized passage. The first and the last sections, there's a lot of repetitions of words and ideas between these two sections. And then in the middle section, the first and the last line of the middle section begin with the same, well, there are two words in the original, or three, no, it is three words. And he is before all things. And he is the head of the body, the church. And at the very center, At the very center of this poetic passage is Christ, holding all things together. And in Him, all things hold together. So the very structure of this poetic passage reflects the structure of reality itself. Christ is at the center of reality, holding all things together. so that all endures, all stands fast, because he is holding it all together. And he's holding it together as the one who is before all things. By the time you get to this line in the passage, he's already explained this, but we'll get back to it in a bit. It's because he is before all things that in him all things hold together. Before there was anything, there was the beloved son. And the idea is not only a temporal thing, but He's before all things in rank. He's before all things in authority, because he was before all things in existence. The Son always existed, and because he always existed, he is first in rank. He's before all things. And he rules over all things. And it's through his rule over all things that all things are held together. But all things are held together by the last statement of the central section as well, where it says, and he is the head of the body, the church. He rules over the church. He is the head of the church. He has authority over the church, which is his body, the church. But it's not only a matter of authority. There's so much more to this idea of the Son being the head of the body, the church. There's a vital union between Christ and his body. a life-giving union between the beloved son and his body. We see this passage, verse 15 through 20, is so foundational to so much of what is said through the rest of this letter. And this idea of Christ as the head of the body, the church, and not only not only as the authority over the church, but as the vital principle, the vital, the source of vitality for the church comes out, especially in chapter two of this epistle. Turn to chapter two, first to verse 13. And you who were dead in your trespasses, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him because of your union with Christ. You've been made alive when he was raised. Because you, through faith, have been united to him, you were raised. You live because of the connection to the head. If you're disconnected from the head, that's not good. That's what guillotines are for. But if you're connected to the head, all things are well. There's life. Then later on in the same chapter, the apostle Paul is speaking about those who are trying to, influenced the Colossian believers with their worldly philosophies and empty ideas. And he says, he gives the Colossians warning in verse 18, he says, let no one disqualify you insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on a detail about visions popped up without reason by a sensuous mind and not holding fast to the head. Now here's the part I want you to see in particular. from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with the growth that is from God." Because of your connection to the head, there's growth, there's development, there's life. So, all that is given to us back here in chapter 1 when it says, of Christ, that he is the head of the body, the church. The church lives through its vital union with the head, Christ, who has authority over the body. He is Lord over all creation and over the church. There's a very similar passage in Ephesians chapter 1. In verse 22 of Ephesians chapter 1, it says of Christ, well, actually, the first pronoun refers to the father. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body. The fullness of him who fills all in all. Christ is the head. And he's been given all authority over all creation for the sake of his body. And it's all things are held together in the beloved Son. All of creation and the church. And it's through Christ Authority over all things, and there's authority over the church, that all things stand, are preserved, are held together. Now, there's another dimension of this very well-organized poetic passage of scripture that's, as I've already mentioned, the first and last section of this three-sectioned poetic passage. There are many correspondences between these. Both begin with the relative pronoun and the verb is. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first section? Who is the beginning? Then the second line, both of the second lines of these two sections mention the firstborn. The firstborn over all creation. The firstborn from the dead. Then there's the blue sections that give the rationale for that statement of both sections. Both of these rationales begin with the word for. And then, while our English translations may not always reflect this, those words you have in red on your page there, in both sections, those words are exactly match up from section to section. In him. All things were created in him, all the fullness of God was peace to dwell. All things were created through him and through him to reconcile. And for him, all things were created. And through him, all things were reconciled to himself. It's the same exact words, though there's a variety in English to make sense for us. They're the same words. And then there's mention, in heaven and on earth, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth. And then in the last section, he's reconciled to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. So in the first section, we see the focus is on the son's work and creation. And in the last section, We see the focus is on the Son's work in renewal and reconciliation. And those two ideas, in the mind of the Apostle Paul, the idea of renewal and reconciliation are tightly wound together. We'll see that in a moment. But let's ask ourselves the question, What's the significance of this? Is this just pretty, pretty words? I think it goes beyond that. I think we have, as we've just outlined in a few brief moments, we've outlined that the last section is in a sense a repetition of the first section. So much of what is said in the first section is repeated in the last section. And what I think is the significance of that poetic structure and that poetic pattern, this repetition, is to suggest that the work of creation is being repeated. In the first section, we have his work of creation. In the last section, we have his work of recreation. It's a repetition of the first. There's renewal and reconciliation. So The last time we met together, we spent a lot of time talking and focusing on the fact that the son is the image of the invisible God. And we saw, I believe, that this is not only to say that the son reveals the father, it's also to say that he fulfills the commission for mankind. was created to rule over creation as God's representative, making visible God through their representative rule over creation. And Jesus Christ accomplishes that. He is the image of the invisible God. We were created in the image of God, but he is the image of God. I believe that the Apostle Paul, there's lots of resonating ideas in his statement, but I believe his focus here in the first two lines of the first section is on the authority. of the beloved son. He is the image of the invisible God, and so he's well qualified to rule over creation. And he is the firstborn over all creation. Turn to Psalm 89. Now, many times, I've done this myself, when you're dealing with a Jehovah's Witness or a Mormon, and they might come to this passage in Colossians and say, see, there was a time that Jesus was not, because he was the firstborn. And people who have any familiarity with this teaching will turn to Psalm 89 to say, no, that term does not always refer to a temporal idea. It refers to a privileged position. And here in Psalm 89, we see that. I'd like to begin reading at verse 19 of Psalm 89. Of old, O God, you have spoken a vision to your godly one and said, I have granted him to one who is mighty. I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David my servant with my holy oil. I have anointed him so that my hand shall be established with him. My arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him. The wicked shall not humble him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him. And in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to me, you are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. So here the idea of first and birth has nothing to do with this passage. The idea here is I will make you the firstborn. I'll put you in the highest privileged position of a son. I will make him the firstborn. In other words, what do I mean by that statement? The highest of the kings of the earth. And so then to explain that privilege, he goes on in the first section, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. So like I said, many times we'll turn to this passage in Psalm 89 to say, look, firstborn doesn't always mean, it isn't always talking about birth order. It's talking about a privileged position of authority. But we're not. seeing all that's here to be seen, if that's as far as we go. What this passage in the Colossians is telling us is that Christ is the fulfillment of this passage in Psalm 89. He is the one whom God has made the firstborn. He is the highest of the kings of the earth, and he's been given that position because all of creation was created just for him. In Him, all things were created. In connection with Christ, all things were created. In heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him. So in this language of Christ, this beloved Son, being the image of the invisible God and the firstborn over all creation, is focusing on His authority and His fulfillment of this messianic promise And we're told in the blue section that this was the very purpose of creation. So that the beloved son would be resurrected, glorified, and exalted to the right hand of God to rule over all creation. And he's well suited to rule over creation because he knows all about it. He brought it into existence. But then we come to the third section. And we have here, like I said before, there's this link in Paul's mind between renewal and reconciliation. And I want to show you one passage that has the similar connection. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and I want you to see that in Paul's mind, the idea of renewal and reconciliation are bound together. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He's a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. Now watch this, verse 18. All of this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them. and trusting to us the message of reconciliation. So in Paul's mind, the idea of renewal and reconciliation go together. And so he starts the third section by saying that this beloved son is the beginning. The beginning of what? It's the beginning of a new creation. How is he the beginning of the new creation? It's through his being the firstborn from the dead. And Paul is not the only one to teach this. Turn to the book of Revelation. Book of Revelation, chapter 1. And beginning at, we're going to jump into the middle of verse 4. Revelation chapter 1 verse 4, the middle of it. Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ. And who is Jesus Christ? He's the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. See? That's the idea of Psalm 89 repeated there, is it not? That's what firstborn means. The focus is not on birth order. It's on privilege, inheritance, authority, given from the father to the son. Now turn to Revelation. Chapter 3, in verse 14, this is the letter to the last church, the Laodicean church. In verse 14 of chapter 3, it says, and to the angel of the church in Laodicea, the words of the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. He's the beginning of the creation, not in the sense that the Jehovah's Witnesses say that there was a time when Christ was not, when the Son was not. No, not in that sense. But He is the very beginning of God's new creation. The old has been wrecked by sin. Christ has come, and He's entered into that very creation in order to renew that creation. And he's done it so that he might be preeminent, that he might have first place. And then, why should it be given that position? Again, we come to the blue section. For in him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. For in him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. God dwells in human flesh in Christ. And the parallel to this passage we find again in the Psalms. Let's turn to Psalm 68. Psalm 68. And verse 15. O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan, O many-peaked mountain of Bashan, why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for His abode? Yes, where the Lord will dwell forever. Here is the only passage in the Old Testament that I'm aware of where the idea of God's desire and His dwelling are brought together. And then the idea of fullness, if you think in terms of the tabernacle and in terms of the temple, when God's glory came, his glory filled the tabernacle. His glory filled the temple. Well, in Christ, that tabernacle and that temple, they just pointed forward to Christ, because it's in him that all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. And the purpose of him, of the fullness of God dwelling there in his flesh was in order to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And so as we're joined to Christ, We're raised to new life. The enmity within our hearts is pushed aside. There's a new birth, new desire, new delight in the Lord. We've been made one with him by the blood of his cross. He, by the blood of his cross, We are reconciled to God. He dies to take away our sin. And this is further explained again later on in the book. of Colossians chapter 2. He develops this idea. He states it very simply here, but he develops it again in chapter 2. Look at that passage that we looked at earlier, chapter 2, verse 13. And you who are dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your heart, God made a lie with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses. How did he do that? He did it by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. You had all this debt. owed to God because of your sin. But that was canceled. How was it canceled? It was canceled when it was nailed to His cross. And so we are reconciled to God through the blood of His cross. And peace comes through the blood of His cross And even peace with respect to all the evil forces of the world. They are brought into subjection, the rulers and authorities through his cross. are brought into subjection. And we see that here in this passage as well. Chapter 2, verse 15. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in Him. The battle, in effect, has been won. Christ has triumphed over His enemies through the blood of the cross. He's disarmed them. They used our sin in their war against God. They used our sin. to wreak havoc and discord. But through the blood of his cross, our sins are forgiven, and they're disarmed. And so peace is coming. In the book of Isaiah, There's passages that talk about the good news. And these passages that talk about the good news, they tell you what the good news is. And what is the good news? The good news is our God reigns. That's what this passage is telling us. Our God reigns, and it's good news. It's reconciliation. It's peace. And he's the firstborn from the dead. And in this sense, there is a temporal aspect. The language in the original is a little different here. He's the firstborn from the dead, but he's not the last who will be born from the dead. All those who trust in Christ, who are united to him, who are united to the head, will be raised and conform to his image. And that is life. That is why the human race was created, for that enjoyment, to be conformed to the image of the sun. It was a very standard for our creation. This is good news. In our culture, well, Paul in chapter 2, he says, I say all this so that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent of body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, So walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and establish in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. You see the similarities between how the Apostle Paul prayed for these Colossian believers in chapter 1, that the passage that we started with, and this passage right here? Therefore, as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, where do we have him pictured as Lord? Where do we have his qualifications for lordship laid out? Chapter 1, verses 15 through 20. So walk in him. Walk in a manner worthy of him. How do you do that? By walking in him, by walking united to him, recognizing your union with Christ, rooting yourself in, building yourself up in him so that you may be established in the faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. This, our culture has its own ideas, it has its own philosophy, its own empty deceits. Our culture is all about expressive individualism. Expressive individualism. You find fulfillment by expressing yourself. You do you. That's the domain of darkness that we can thank God that we've been delivered from. That's darkness. That does not lead to fulfillment. Christ, the image of God, being conformed to that image, that's fulfillment. That's life. Our culture exalts human autonomy. Everyone has a law to himself. Everyone takes charge of his own life and lives life as however well he sees fit. That's not fulfillment. Fulfillment comes. through union with the head, and being conformed to his image, and looking forward to the day when you, too, will be raised from the dead and enjoy, as never before, what it means to be conformed to the image of Christ. And this culture of ours, with its expressive individualism and its human autonomy, we see it fracturing society at every level. We see it in our politics, the fractiousness of it all. We see it in families, disintegrating. We see it in the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children. Everything is disintegrating because of this exaltation of expressive individualism, of human autonomy. But union and peace, grand, mind-boggling peace, comes in Christ alone. So thank God, thank the Father, that he has transferred you into the kingdom of his beloved son. And don't be caught up in the philosophy of this world. Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. Walk in a manner, in a way that says, yes, he's my king, and I'm glad it's so. He's created me. He knows me better than I know myself. He's come for me. He's led the way for me. He's the beginning of a new creation, and I'm a part of it because of God's grace, the Father's grace. This is fulfillment. This is life. Don't be deluded by the philosophy of our age. Father, we thank you. We thank you for your great grace toward us. We were chained in the domain of darkness, but you came and you rescued us. You transferred us into the kingdom of your beloved son. Father, may our lives reflect how worthy Christ is to rule and reign. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. Help us to do so by walking in him, rooted and built up. in Him. We ask it in Christ's name. Amen.