“I wouldn’t say I’m the best manager, but

I’m certainly in the top 1!”

“I am the greatest”

“Christianity will go. It will vanish and

shrink. I needn’t argue with that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular

than Jesus now”

Series - ‘Living for Christ every day’

‘Recognise the

supremacy of Christ’

Colossians 1:15-23

Paul’s warning against false teachers

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which

depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ

Col 2:8

Paul’s aim in writing the letter

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have

the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God,

namely, Christ

Col 2:2

Paul exalts Christ as:-

1. Sovereign in Creation

2. Sovereign in the Church

‘Recognise the supremacy of Christ’

Christ as Sovereign in Creation (15-17)

The Son is the image of the invisible God

Col 1:15a “Don’t you know me, Philip … Anyone who has seen me has

seen the Father ...”

John 14:9

Christ as Sovereign in Creation (15-17)Christ is the firstborn over all creation

… the firstborn over all creation

Col 1:15b

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the

Word was God

John 1:1

Christ as Sovereign in Creation (15-17)Christ is the Creator of all things

For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on

earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things

have been created through Him and for Him

Col 1:16a

Christ as Sovereign in Creation (15-17)Christ is the Sustainer of all

things

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together

Col 1:17“Jesus is the nucleus of creation and the glue of the galaxies”

Christ as Sovereign in the Church

And He is the head of the body, the church

Col 1:18a

Christ as Sovereign over death

He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead

Col 1:18a

in everything He might have the supremacy

Col 1:18b"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the

kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my

Father who is in heaven Matt 7:21

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in him

Col 1:19a

Christ as Sovereign in reconciliation

and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace

through His blood, shed on the cross

Col 1:19b-20

Christ as Sovereign in reconciliation

There is salvation in no one else!

God has given no other name under heaven by which we must

be saved

Acts 4:12 NLT

The past – what we were

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies

in your minds because of your evil behaviour

Col 1:21

The present – what we are

But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body

through death

Col 1 :22a

The future – what we will be

to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope

held out in the gospel

Col 1:22b-23a

“Whatever else in the Bible catches

your eye, do not let it distract

you from Him” J.I. Packer