R sbc
July 4th 2004
Sunday Morning
SERIES: CHRIST THE SUM AND THE SUBSTANCE OF THE BIBLE
Subject: “ The Uniqueness of Christ”
Text: Col 1- 15-20
Intro: Housed in these few verses without a doubt is a full length commentary on the LORD JESUSCHRIST. In this passage we can see the uniqueness of Christ. It is seen in all that is described by Paul in these verses.
In the life of Christ we can see his intimate relationship with his Father. He wanted to please him, he prayed to him, he work for him, he submitted himself to his will. The word unique means: there is but one, standing alone in comparison with others, it carries the idea of being rare or unusal, nothing like it...
This my friends is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is unique and we wish to show how he is uniques in the message this morning.
I.. “ SEEN IN HIS IMAGE OF THE FATHER”... VS 15
Paul said that Christ came to reveal the Father in a unique and complete way. Listen to the words of the verse: Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
We will see all that God is in Christ for he is God and he reveals God to us. In fact in this very book it is said: Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. It was John who said: John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(1.) To see him is to see the Father: John 12:44-45 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
(2.) To honour him is to honour the Father: John 5:23 That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
(3.) To hate him is to hate the Father: John 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
(4.) To know him is to know the Father:John 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
There are many more things that could be said about this particular uniqueness of Christ but I must move own.
II... IT IS SEEN ALSO IN HIS CREATIVE ABILITIES : VS 16
What power is attributed to Christ, which sheds forth the fact that Jesus is more than just a man, he is very GOD... look at it with me.
(1.) The ability of Christ: “ all things were created by him”
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
The one that is being spoken to is The Lord Jesus Christ. In the first chapter of John’s gospel he clearly states this fact: John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Not only did Christ make the world but he made us also: Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
When he rose from the dead, and meet with his church to comission them he it was said that they meet him and when they saw him they worshiped him. Then he proclaims that famous passage to them and it has been passed down to us... Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Luke 9:42-43 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare [him]. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
All that Jesus did while on earth, demonstrated his awesome and unique power, he walked on water, he healed the sick, he raised the dead, he appeared instantly to some. He was able to resist or to refram from it, he could see what was in man’s heart. He turned water into wine, he gave food to eat that was not there. But this is unique to us, but to him it was normal. For it was him who feed and led the children of Israel through the wilderness.
II... SEEN IN HIS PREEXISTENCE...VS 17
Paul does not say I think he existed before, but he emphactically states he is before all things and by him all things consist. This could not be said about any other. This is why Christ is unique. No one nothing could exist before like Christ our Lord.
John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God. My immediate reaction to such a statement is “WOW”what a GOD.
In his prayer to the Father: Listen to this my friends: John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Before the morning stars sang together, before the mountains were ever formed David said from everlasting to everlasting thou art GOD... Bless his name
Listen to this if you think that his hard to grasp: 1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.
(1.) His equality with God shows his preeminence.. John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
(2.) His preeminence was ackowleged by himself: John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; Note three things in this verse: His authority, His origin, His destiny. What a saviour we have, what a God we have.
IV... “ HIS UNIQUINESS IS ALSO SEEN IN HIS SUSTAINING ABILITIES: VS 17
This means that he placed it all together and then he is near by it watching it, protecting it, making it work. It is his, thereofre he maintains it. It was the writer of the book of Hebrews that said these words concerning this very thing: Heb 1:3 “upholding all things by the word of his power” Christ is a multfuntional GOD, he does all things well.
One of the synonyms of consist is sustain: David said: Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. All things in this text includes us. We are his people the sheep of his pasture.
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Our existence, our being, is totally dependent on him. We must have him sustain us, he must sustain his creation and he is fully capable of doing it.
V... “ HIS UNIQUINESS IS ALSO SEEN IN HIS SUPERIOR POSITION” VS 18
(1.) Head of the church. This is not some mystical body of Christ, this is his body the church. It is his local assembly of baptized believers. He is our head here at RSBC and I am thankful that he is the head.
He has no visible head to replace him, he is that unseen invisible GOD who is present with us this morning. He started his church, he is the head of his church, he is the power of his church, he is the provider of his church, he is the one in whom all glory and praise is due in this church. Never forget it is he that we have come together for this day, it is his day and we adore him.
(2.) First born from the dead:
That is is he is the one that was raised from the dead in a glorified state. Yes I know after his resurrection many of the saints arose and was seen in Jerusalem, but they died again. Lazurus was raised to die again, the widows son was raised but he died again. The many that Christ raised from the dead to show his eternal power and that he was GOD, the giver of life died again. But not our LORD...
a. Rasied from the dead to die no more: Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
b. Raised from the dead for our rigtheousness and justification : Romans 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
c. He was raised up by the Father so he could raise us up also: 2 Corinthians 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present [us] with you.
d. He was raised by the Father so that we could have faith in him: 1 Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
(3.) That he might have the preeimence:
Which means that Christ is above all things, that he has this preeminent position because he has the right to it... Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Anyone here this morning doubt that Christ has this eternal right I doubt it. I like the way that Paul describes it in another book: Philippians 2:9-10 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
Since he has this high position and this eternal right listen to me this morning: His ways are right, his word is eternal, his will is unchanging, he will never forsake us, he will never mislead us, he will never forget us, he will never overlook us.
He is the one that was dead and brought life: Revelation 1:18 I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
He is risen and has brought great power to us: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
He reigns and brings peace into our hearts: Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Just remember this morning, That he always was, he will always be, he is unmoved, unchanged, he is undefeated and he will never be undone.
VI... “ HIS UNIQUNESS IS SEEN ALSO IN HIS GREAT WORK HE DONE BY THE DECREE OF HIS FATHER: VS 19-21
Note three things and I will close:
(1.) He pleased the father: vs 19
The Father said at his baptism and transfiguration: “This is my well beloved son in whom I am well pleased”
(2.) He did this by the work he did: vs 20
(3.) He reconciled us: vs 21
All of these things and many more tell us of the great uniquness of the Son of God. Do you know this Jesus this morning. Come to him.