The Person Of Christ
Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 2nd August service and hymns are below.
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Our principal verses are:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 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 might have the preeminence.
The Person Of Christ
We have a wonderful Lord and Saviour in Jesus Christ. When we begin, as believers, to realise all the things the Lord has done for us we have every reason to be in awe for His love and mercy. And yet, it is important to remember that the Lord was wonderful in His person before ever He came to earth, went to the cross and laid down His life for His friends. It is a delightful and precious thing to meditate upon the person of the Lord Jesus as well as His work and to behold Him in all His glory.
Many crowns
When John saw the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven he tells us that on His head were many crowns (Revelation 19:12). John is revealing to the church that our beloved Saviour possesses a wealth of glorious attributes. Many qualities distinguish Him from all others and set Him forth as the unique Lord of glory. He is crowned with many crowns. The huge range of unique names and wonderful titles applied to the Lord Jesus throughout scripture point to His matchless character and person.
Preeminent glory
In our verses today Paul draws our attention to seven descriptions of the Lord Jesus that declare the preeminence of Christ and testify of His glory. These are precious, precious statements that confirm just how wonderful Jesus is in every way. We are blessed and honoured as His church to have such descriptions as these committed to us. We shall think about each of them tomorrow. They teach us to be humble in the presence of our God and respectful of the glory of His Majesty.
The Image of God
First, the Lord Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Behold your God! When our Saviour came to earth to establish His spiritual kingdom, He was, in Himself, the revelation and expression of the invisible God. All that can be known by man of the character and attributes of the eternal God is revealed to us in Christ. We have seen the invisible God in the person of Jesus Christ.
The Firstborn
Second, Christ is the Firstborn of every creature. This does not mean that He Himself is a creature. The Lord Jesus was begotten of the Father, a unique and mysterious relationship of perfect equality. He was not created. Rather, the Lord Jesus is first over every creature. As God surveys the complete created order He views it under Christ’s dominion and the God-Man as preeminent over it all.
The only Creator
Third, all things were created by our Lord Jesus Christ. His was the voice that brought all angels, all people, all living things and all worlds into being. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:3). This does not deny the involvement of the Father and the Spirit in creation but it does place the work of creation wholly in the hands of Christ as the executor of the divine work. Paul tells the Ephesians that God created all things by Jesus Christ (3:9)
The ultimate owner
Fourth, not only were all things created by the Lord Jesus, all things were created for our Lord Jesus. It was the Father’s good pleasure first to create all things by Christ and thereafter, to give all those things created to His Son in love. Everything belongs to the God-Man to do with as He will. The Apostle tells us in John 3:35, ‘the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand’.
Upholds all things
Fifth, Christ is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Our Saviour upholds all things by the word of His power. He is the creator and He is also the sustainer of everything. Nothing outside of God can exist if Christ did not create it and nothing would consist if Christ did hold it together, element by element, atom by atom. It is He who holds and upholds the whole world, the whole universe, in His power.
God’s elect
Sixthly, Christ is the Head of the body, the church. There is a particular sense in which the elect of God consist in the God-Man. We live in Him. Being creatures of time and space we cannot be joined with the eternal, invisible, spiritual God. To remedy this Christ became flesh in order to unite us everlastingly. His divine Spirit joined with our human flesh so that the church is joined to Him spiritually as possessors of the life of Christ.
All in All
Seventh, Christ is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead. He is Alpha and Omega. He is First and Last. Just as our Saviour is the firstborn of every creature, which gives Him preeminence over all life, so He will have preeminence in final things, too. Christ rose from the dead as the firstfruits of a new creation, an everlasting body of redeemed sinners who will share His resurrected life and inheritance.
Christ exalted
Jesus Christ, the God-Man, created all things and is highest in rank, importance, authority and responsibility before God. He was preeminent before anything was created and He will be preeminent when this created world is wrapped up as a scroll and passes away. Everything flows from the omnipotent hand of Christ and everything will return to Him. When this physical universe is gone, when all things are brought to their conclusion, Christ will still be preeminent.
Amen
Hymn 514
“The glory of the Lord shall be revealed.” Isa. 40. 5
W. Gadsby 8.7.4.
1
O what matchless condescension
The eternal God displays;
Claiming our supreme attention,
To his boundless works and ways.
His own glory
He reveals in gospel days.
2
In the person of the Saviour,
All his majesty is seen!
Love and justice shine for ever;
And, without a veil between,
Worms approach him,
And rejoice in his dear name.
3
Would we view his brightest glory,
Here it shines in Jesus’ face;
Sing and tell the pleasing story,
O ye sinners saved by grace;
And with pleasure,
Bid the guilty him embrace.
4
In his highest work, redemption,
See his glory in a blaze;
Nor can angels ever mention
Aught that more of God displays;
Grace and justice
Here unite to endless days.
5
True, ’tis sweet and solemn pleasure,
God to view in Christ the Lord;
Here he smiles and smiles for ever;
May my soul his name record;
Praise and bless him,
And his wonders spread abroad.
Hymn 667
Safety in Christ. Phil. 4. 19; Heb. 13. 6
W. Gadsby 10s
1
Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my Portion, and my Living Bread;
In him I live, upon him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.
2
He is my Refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames he leads me safely on,
And daily makes his sovereign goodness known.
3
My every need he richly will supply;
Nor will his mercy ever let me die;
In him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.
4
O that my soul could love and praise him more,
His beauties trace, his majesty adore;
Live near his heart, upon his bosom lean;
Obey his voice, and all his will esteem.
We often speak about the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ but what does this phrase mean? In this passage Paul teaches us seven amazing truths concerning the glorious Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Afterwards He will speak of Christ's wonderful works.