#310 Colossians Series# 3, “He Is Supreme and He Is Sufficient”

#310 Colossians Series# 3, “He Is Supreme and He Is Sufficient”
By: Pastor D. Karl Thomas 

Ashrita Furman Has had as many as 600 Guinness World Book Records. Currently holds 200 records.
Today we will approach one of the greatest “Christological” segments in the entire Bible.Paul, inspired by Holy Spirit, explains exactly Who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He continues to do as our risen Saviour.

In a place where religious pluralism and syncretism is encouraged … (Truth being diluted for the sake of unity) Paul asserts the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Jesus is Lord! Therefore He fully qualify us as saints.

Primarily written to confront rising heresies (false teachings) of the day.
Combative in tone and abrupt in style.
Confronts four basic heresies:  1. Gnosticism   2. Legalism   3. Mysticism     4. Asceticism 

Instead of attacking false teachers Paul exalts Christ.
By using their own language and terminology he confronts the false origins for their teachings.

Colossians 1:12 “…always thanking the Father. He has enabled (Qualified) you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.”
Qualified Hikanoo:—to make sufficient, render fit,   to equip one with adequate power to perform. 

How is Jesus qualified to complete such a thorough redemptive work?
Because of Jesus Preeminance (Proteuo) He is able to, in the one act of shedding His blood, reconcile and restore all things to Himself.   He has Supremacy and Sufficiency!!! 

Colossians 1:15-23
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.   PROBABLY A CHURCH HYMN   19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

1. He’s Perfectly God
Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God,…”
John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
Hebrews 1:3 “…who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” 

F.F. Bruce “It is because man bears the image of his Creator that it was possible for the Son of man to become incarnate as man and in his humanity to display the glory of the invisible God.”

2. He Is Absolutely First
Colossians 1:15-16 “…the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” 

Priority of position and not origin. Rights of the Firstborn.
A. Person Of Creation “By”
B. Power Of Creation “Though”
C. Praise Of Creation  “For”

3. He Is Eternal
Colossians 1:17 “And He is before all things,…”
Revelation 1:8 “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

4. He Is The Dynamic Sustainer
Colossians 1:17 “…and in Him all things consist.”
Hebrews 1:3 “…and upholding all things by the word of His power,…”
Science admits that there is something that keeps it all from spinning out of control. 

Louis Pasteur:  “A little science estranges man from God, but much science leads them back to Him.”

5. He’s The Churches Priority … He is our focal point … Looking to Jesus Author finisher
Colossians 1:18 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
He’s Reigning In His Church   He’s The Redemption Of Church

6. He’s Qualified to Redeem
Colossians 1:19-20 “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
Hebrews. 9:22 “… and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”
Hebrews 9:7 “…not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins…”
Hebrews 9:12 “…but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

7. He Gloriously Reconciles
Colossians 1:21-22 “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight…”

8. His Gospel Establishes Us
Colossians 1:23   “…if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” 

In the Greek, the “if” indicates an assumption of truth. Paul assumes that the Colossians will continue in the faith. This is not an “if” of the future; it is an “if” of the past. The word can be translated “since.” “Since indeed you continue in the faith.”

The condition in Colossians 1:23 is the first class condition.  The writer is assuming this condition to be reality, to be true.   He’s not continuing in order to be reconciled.    He’s continuing because he’s been reconciled already. 

How is Jesus qualified to complete such a thorough redemptive work?

Because of Jesus Preeminance (Proteuo) He is able to, in the one act of shedding His blood, reconcile and restore all things to Himself.
He has Supremacy and Sufficiency!!!

HE IS MIGHTY TO SAVE!!!

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