Jesus' Position
Colossians 1:15-22
Introduction
I. In the Book of Colossians Paul is showing that Christ is preeminent.
A. In fact, Paul lists 10 points of Supremacy.
1. Image of the invisible God (Eikon: perfect likeness/manifestation).
2. Firstborn over all creation (supremacy in rank).
3. Before all things (preexistence).
4. In Him all things consist (sustainer).
5. He is the head of the body, the church (ruler).
6. He is the beginning (originator/source).
7. He is the firstborn from the dead that in all things He might have the preeminence.
8. In Him all the fulness dwells.
9. He reconciles all things to Himself.
10. He presents us holy, blameless and irreproachable in His sight.
B. There are two profound statements made:
1. (Vs. 16) All things were created through Him and for Him.
2. (Vs. 18) That in all things He might have the preeminence.
II. All these passages speak to Christ's Position.
A. And the Christian life should reflect that Position.
1. But what does that position involve?
Discussion
I. CHRIST IS PROPHET.
A. Prophet = Forthteller/ foreteller, Spokesman for another, Mouth-piece for God.
1. Jesus is the ultimate prophet (Heb 1:1-3).
2. Jesus is the Word of God (Jn. 1:1).
B. In times past God spoke through prophets (Abraham - Malachi).
1. At sundry times at various times
a. Abraham (Gen. 12); Moses (Deut. 18); David (2 Sam. 7); Isaiah (Isa. 53).
2. In divers manners In different ways.
a. Dreams, visions, voices, angels, Urim-Thummim.
C. But God "hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son"
1. Last days Age of the Messiah (Christian age) (Ax. 2:16ff).
2. Jesus is the prophet that all must hear
(Deu 18:18-19 NKJV) 'I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their
brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I
command Him. {19} 'And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He
speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
(Acts 3:22-23 NKJV) "For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will
raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all
things, whatever He says to you. {23} 'And it shall be that every soul who will not
hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'
a. Jesus speaks through his written word (1 Cor 14:37)
(John 17:8 NKJV) "For I have given to them the words which You have given
Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth
from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
II. CHRIST IS PRIEST.
A. Priest = Mediator between God and man, Bridge-builder.
(Job 9:32-33 NKJV) "For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we
should go to court together. {33} Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his
hand on us both.
1. Office of Priest was different from Prophet.
a. Prophet spoke for God to people - Priest spoke for people to God.
(Psa 110:1-4 NKJV) The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I
make Your enemies Your footstool." {2} The LORD shall send the rod of Your
strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! {3} Your people shall
be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the
womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. {4} The LORD has
sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of
Melchizedek."
(Zech 6:11-13 NKJV) I Jesus they came together.
B. Book of Hebrews exalts Jesus as High Priest.
1. Apostle and High Priest (Heb. 3:1)
2. High Priest who understands both God & Man (Heb. 4:14-16).
3. High Priest after order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6).
4. High Priest who is sinless and can save us (Heb. 7:25~26).
5. High Priest who became the sacrifice (Heb. 9:11, 12).
C. As High Priest, He cannot return to the earth (Heb. 8:4).
III. CHRIST IS KING.
A. King = to rule over, to possess.
1. Separate office from Prophet or Priest.
(Gen 49:10 NKJV) The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the
people.
(2 Sam 7:12-14 NKJV) "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I
will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his
kingdom. {13} "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of
his kingdom forever. {14} "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.
(Psa 89:35-37 NKJV) Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: {36}
His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; {37} It shall be
established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky." Selah
2. Jesus was to be the ultimate King.
(Luke 1:32-33 NKJV) "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. {33} "And He will reign
over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
B. When did He sit down to begin reigning?
1. Following his resurrection and upon His ascension.
(Mark 16:19 NKJV) So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up
into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
(Acts 2:30-32 NKJV) "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn
with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise
up the Christ to sit on his throne, {31} "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the
resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see
corruption. {32} "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
2. Jesus is now reigning (Rev. 19:18).
(1 Cor 15:24-26 NKJV) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God
the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. {25} For He
must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. {26} The last enemy that will be
destroyed is death.
a. Universal reign (Mt. 28:1.8).
b. Special reign - Church=Kingdom (Mt. 16; Rev. 1:9: Col. 1:13)
3. Daniel spoke of the kingdom & reign.
(Dan 2:44 NKJV) "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a
kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other
people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
forever.
(Dan 7:13-14 NKJV) "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like
the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of
Days, And they brought Him near before Him. {14} Then to Him was given
dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not
pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
IV. CHRIST IS REDEEMER.
A. Redeemer = the one who redeems, receives or buys back.
1. In the OT the thought was the "nearest kinsman" or "kinsman redeemer."
a. This provision was made in the Law of Moses for the poor person who was
forced to sell part of his property or himself into slavery.
b. His nearest of kin could step in and "buy back" what his relative was forced to
sell (Leviticus 25:48f).
c. Jehovah was the great Kinsman of His people.
(1) When their liberty was lost in Egypt, He rescued them from bondage.
(Exo 6:6 NKJV) "Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am the LORD;
I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue
you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm
and with great judgments.
(2) Ruth was redeemed by her nearest of kin, Boaz.
(3) Years earlier, Job said:
(Job 19:25 NKJV) For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall
stand at last on the earth;
2. Four things were required in order for a kinsman to redeem:
a. He must be near of kin. (Leviticus 25:48; 25:25 Ruth 3:12-13)
b. He must be able to redeem (Ruth 4:4-6). He must be free of any calamity or
need of redemption himself.
c. He must be willing to redeem (Ruth 4:6ff)
d. Redemption was completed when the price was completely paid (Leviticus
25:27; Ruth 4:7-11).
B. Jesus Christ is my Redeemer.
1. Jesus is our nearest kinsman through the incarnation.
(John 1:14 NKJV) And the Word became 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.
(Heb 2:17 NKJV) Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that
He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make
propitiation for the sins of the people.
(Heb 4:15 NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
2. Jesus is able to redeem us He is sinless.
(Heb 7:25-27 NKJV) Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who
come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. {26}
For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate
from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; {27} who does not need
daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for
the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
(1 Pet 1:18-19 NKJV) knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,
like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
{19} but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot.
3. Jesus was willing to redeem us.
(John 10:17-18 NKJV) "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life
that I may take it again. {18} "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have
received from My Father."
(Titus 2:14 NKJV) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
4. Jesus paid the price in full (Eph 2:8-10; Heb 10:1-10.)
Conclusion
I. Jesus' preeminent position must be realized before we can reflect that position in our
lives.
** If you have any questions or if you would like to become a Christian, please let us know.
Alan C. Cole
26th St. Church of Christ
101-26th Street Huntington, WV 25703
Phone - (304) 522-0717
E-Mail - mailto:Cole8@marshall.edu
Homepage - http://mupfc.marshall.edu/~cole8/