Well, good morning.
Good morning.
I realized that it's so easy for this life to be out of kilter, isn't it?
Things don't work the way they should, and things are not right as they ought to be.
Obviously, shower heads and door locks can be fixed.
They're little.
They're mundane.
They're part of our everyday life in a fallen world.
But it reminds us that all is not as it should be in our world as well.
As Jonathan prayed, we think about countries around the world where famine and warfare are destroying people's lives.
They're dying in hunger and in violence.
We pick up the newspapers and we see how deeply affected even our own society is as racism shows its ugly head again and again.
Where the mistreatment of women shows itself again and again.
We think of the trials and the tragedies of this world and our heart cries out.
It's not right.
It's not the way it's supposed to be.
And we want justice.
We want righteousness.
We want things to be made right and to put back the way they're supposed to be.
So we organize protests, come up with clever hashtags, and call for change.
And that's right.
We ought to cry out against the wrongness of the world.
We ought to rail against the way the world does not work the way it was supposed to.
And this deep-seated sense that we all have that that's true.
That's right.
God affirms that.
But even as we look at this, particularly if you're a student of history like I am, you realize humans have been working since the beginning of time to make the world a better place.
And we haven't succeeded, have we?
If we are honest, the older I get, the bigger the problem looks.
The deeper the sin is.
The greater the dislocation between what is and what ought to be in our lives and in our world.
And I get weary of it.
I get weary of a broken world.
I get weary of not seeing things change.
I get weary of my own failure.
And I get weary of the things I have to walk through because of the fallenness of this world.
Maybe you're like me this morning.
Maybe you're still young and youthful and hoping by protest and change we can actually make this world no longer feel that way.
But I tell you that though that hope is right and even that work is right for us to do, the message of Christianity is that there is a greater hope in the midst of this.
There is something greater for us to look to and to stand on in the midst of this world.
And it is very simply the person of Jesus Christ.
In him we find answers both to the longings for righteousness and justice and an answer to the despair that we can fall into as we face it.
And this brings us to our passage this morning, the book of Colossians.
If you want to turn with me there, it's 983 in your pew Bibles.
We're going to look at Colossians 1 verses 15 through 23.
The last couple of weeks what we have heard is an apostle writing to this church that he's never been to but that he loves.
He's writing to them to encourage them in their faith with a concern that they might be losing the clarity of their faith.
That Christ really is enough for them.
That they might be thinking they need something more or something else.
We've seen in verses 3 through 8 how Paul writes with thanksgiving for the work of God in their lives.
For seeing how the gospel of Jesus Christ has changed them.
We see how in verses 9 through 14 he then has prayed for them.
Praying that that would continue and even more.
That it would be abundant in their lives.
And then we come to our passage this morning.
In your Bible there's a break.
There's a new section heading.
But in the original it's actually a relative clause.
It's describing the beloved son from verse 13.
So let's read this together.
Colossians 1 verses 15 and following.
He is, that is Christ, is the image of the invisible God.
The firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth.
Visible and invisible.
Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.
All things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things.
And in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning.
The firstborn from the dead.
That in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
And through him to reconcile to himself all things.
Whether on earth or in heaven.
Making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you who were once alienated and hostile in mind.
Doing evil deeds.
He has now reconciled in his body.
Body of flesh.
By his death.
In order to present you holy and blameless.
And above reproach before him.
If indeed you continue in the faith.
Stable and steadfast.
Not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard.
Which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven.
And of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Will you pray with me?
Lord, as we look at this passage this morning.
We do ask that you would open our eyes.
To see the greatness of Christ.
Lord, that you would help us to grow in confidence.
In faith.
In him.
As the all sufficient.
And all supreme one.
Lord, that in the face of this fallen, broken world that we live in.
Lord, that we can continue in hope.
Because of Christ.
Lord, I pray for your help this morning.
As we look at this passage together.
Lord, use me.
And speak through my words.
Lord, that we might hear.
You.
This morning.
We pray these things in Jesus name.
Amen.
Friends, we are on rare ground as we look at this passage this morning.
The English versions don't show it, but this passage, particularly verses 15 through 19,
is actually a hymn of praise.
The prose actually changes in the original language.
The cadence and the rhythm, it feels like and it seems like.
and many believe that it is an old hymn
that was sung in the early church,
whether Paul wrote it
or whether he was appropriating it
and using it for this particular context.
There's this song of praise to Jesus
that exalts the glories of Christ
and lifts up before us
how he is all that we really need.
He's all that we really need
when it feels like life is falling apart.
He is all that we need
when it feels like it's just getting worse.
And that's what we're gonna look at this morning.
In those two sections,
verses 15 through 17,
we'll think about how it is
that Christ is holding us together
when we feel like it's falling apart.
The second one,
how Christ is making it right
when it feels like it's all going wrong.
So let's look at that.
This morning.
First of all,
verses 15 through 17.
There's so many rich theological pictures here.
I wish I had time.
We could spend the rest of the fall
just preaching on this.
I'll just preach on 15,
the first half of it this morning
and then we'll go on.
Does that sound good?
No, I'm kidding.
We won't really do that.
We're gonna keep moving through.
But so much rich.
In referring back to this kingdom
of the beloved son that he says
believers have been brought into
by their faith in Christ,
he now lifts up,
what is the character and the nature of this son
who rules over this kingdom?
And he says, first of all,
he is fully God.
He is the image
image of the invisible God.
And by image,
he doesn't mean a replica.
He doesn't mean a projection of.
He means an exact representation
of the fullness of God
is seen in this one Jesus Christ.
And he is the firstborn of all creation,
which does not mean,
as a Jehovah's Witness would argue,
that he is the first created being,
but instead it means
that he is the firstborn
taking the place of preeminence
and priority over.
So he is the firstborn over all creation
is the best way to see that.
Firstborn in the Bible is a position.
It's not merely a temporal term.
Although Christ was birth,
because Christ existed
from all eternity past,
and yet also he takes this place
of being over all of the creation.
And we know that,
particularly because then in verse 16
it goes on and says,
for by him all things were made.
And so we know that Christ
isn't a part of what was made.
In fact, he was the agent
by which God created
all things in the world.
And so we're lifting up
this person, Jesus Christ.
And remember,
this is a generation
after Jesus walked the earth.
He was a man who had hair
and clothes that you could touch,
that you could eat a meal with.
And Paul is saying,
that man is this incredibly exalted
God in the flesh
who has come to be for you,
the one over all creation.
And he goes on and he says,
all things were created in him.
There's not a single thing
in this world
that doesn't come from Christ.
And particularly it seems
he's focusing,
as the concern goes on in the books,
he's focusing on powers
that we think might be
beyond his control.
It seems like
in the Corinthian church
there was some fear,
particularly that there might be
some spiritual powers,
maybe angels,
maybe,
it's not clear,
we're guessing,
because we don't know for sure.
But some power
that was beyond
what Christ
and the gospel
could actually address.
And Paul is very explicit here.
There is nothing
that was not created by Christ.
There is no economic
or socio-political structure.
There is no culture
and no worldview.
There is no spiritual power
or physical malady
or condition.
There is no addiction
or sin.
There is no government
or legal system.
No social clique
or grouping.
There is nothing
in this creation
that did not flow
from his created purpose
that does not come
from him.
Now look,
he is not the author of evil.
But in every structure,
in every power,
in everything,
Christ says,
I am over this.
Nothing is outside
of my control.
It has sprung from me.
And as you see,
it goes on
in verse 17.
It hasn't just sprung
from my creative power,
but I am the one
who sustains it.
There is nothing
that continues
in this world
that I don't uphold.
This is true
of the physical world.
It is God.
It is Christ
who makes atoms
spin around the nucleus.
It is Christ
who holds
gravitational constants
constant.
It is Christ
who makes life
flow from DNA
and biochemistry
and things
that are far
beyond my understanding.
And it is Christ
who sustains
countries
and nations
and societies.
It is Christ
who holds it together
so that it might not be
as bad as it could be.
Christ holds
all these things together.
together.
And not only
does Colossians
here say
they are from him
and they are sustained
by him,
but they are made
for him.
Do you see this?
The end of verse 16.
They were created
through him
and they were created
for him.
All of these things,
the physical world,
the social world,
the world of humanity,
all of these things
were created
so that in them,
in their created goodness,
they would glorify Christ.
That they would be centered
around him.
That he would take
the first place
in all of them
and that they would live
for his glory.
Glory.
Paul says,
this is the son
who rules the kingdom
that you've been brought into.
The one who created
all of these things
and he is over all of it.
Now I know,
I know that's hard to believe.
That's a hard message
to swallow
because I see you
as you sit in my office
and as we talk
about your lives.
Christ is really
holding all things together
in my marriage
that's falling apart.
Christ is holding
all things together
when the society
that I live in,
the school system,
is completely
coming unraveled.
Christ is holding
all things together
when I don't think
I'm going to be able
to pass my exams
or make it
through my program.
Christ is holding
all things together
when I've lost my job
and I'm losing
and I don't have any money.
Christ is holding
it together
when I'm in the hospital
again
and all the procedures
and all the diagnoses
don't seem to be fixing
what ails me.
It's easy, isn't it,
to lose sight
of the fact
that all of this
is from Christ
and through Christ
and for Him.
He's got the whole world
in His hands.
Even the worst of it
is not outside
of His sovereign power
and control.
Paul says,
remember Him.
Look to Him.
See Him high
and exalted
over all things
and trust
that when it all
looks like it's
falling apart
for you,
He's got it
in His hands
because He is the one
over all creation.
You see,
our greatest fear
I think is that
when things fall apart
we think
it's truly out of control.
We think it's bad
and it's only going to get worse
and we think there's no way.
It's out of our control.
It's out of anybody's control.
I think we fear
and so we don't trust.
But the good news
as Paul goes on
is that not only
is Christ
the one who
is over all
in creation
even in its fallenness
but now He says
He is
in the midst
of this now
fallen creation.
He is making
a new creation.
He is over
a new creation
that He has begun.
We see this
in verse 20
where it talks
about Him
being the one
who is going to reconcile
all things
to Himself.
And this is where
we see that Christ
is not only
holding it together
when things are falling apart
but Christ is also
making it right
when it feels like
it's all
going wrong.
Reconciling
all things.
Have you noticed
by the way
in Colossians 1
how often
the idea
of all
has been repeated?
Look with me
just in the verses
that we have
before us.
In verse 15
all of creation.
In verse 16
all things
were created
and again
all things
were created
through Him
and for Him.
In verse 17
He is before
all things
in Him
all things
hold together.
Verse 18
in everything
He might be
preeminent.
Verse 19
all the fullness
of God
and verse 20
through Him
to reconcile
to Himself
all things.
Christ is saying
that He's going
to take
all of these things
and He's going
to make them right
by reconciling
them to Himself.
And what does that mean
reconciling
all things
to Himself?
We often think
of reconciliation
as a relational term.
Right?
We have a broken
relationship
and we need
to reconcile
them.
And that's
inappropriate
and that's
a good
biblical
picture
and a good
understanding
of what
reconciliation is.
And it's
very clear
in other places
for instance
in Ephesians 2
it talks about
God reconciling
Jew and Gentile
and bringing
them together
and that's
very clearly
bringing together
of broken
relationships.
But here
I think
it might actually
be
there's a
different way
that we
use reconcile
in our
world today
I think
might be
helpful
and that's
an accountant.
Now I'm not
very good
at being
an accountant
but I remember
when I was
younger
and for those
of you
who are under
the age
of 40
you're just
going to
have to
imagine
that this
is true
but when
you used
to get
a bank
statement
in the
mail
right
some of
you still
get that
on the
back page
there was
a blank
chart
and you know
what you did
with that
chart
you wrote
down all
of the
withdrawals
and all
the checks
you wrote
and then
you checked
the math
to reconcile
your accounting
with the
bank's accounting
to make sure
that it was
brought back
to a proper
orientation
right
the idea
is that the
bank makes
mistakes
and sometimes
they count
wrong
and to have
an unreconciled
account is to
not know
whether it's
actually been
made right
or not
and it's
out of
joint
and to
reconcile
it is to
make sure
that it's
brought back
to its
proper place
and its
proper order
now clearly
some of you
who are
accountants
I just
mangled that
pretty badly
but that's
the idea
is that
by reconciling
accounts
you have
two things
you're making
sure this
is like
this
and it's
meant
the way
it's
meant
to be
and you're
bringing them
back into
harmony
and to
rightness
and this
is what
God
is doing
with the
world
he does
this
look with
me again
in verses
19 and
20
right
he does
this by
being the
one in
whom the
fullness of
God
dwells
and doing
this
as you
see at
the end
of this
by making
peace
through
his
blood
what the
Bible
says
is the
way
that
God
is
going
to
reconcile
the
whole
world
to
himself
is by
the
death
of
Jesus
Christ
on the
cross
now
how
in the
world
does
that
actually
work
I'm
going to
step
back
and do
a little
bit
of
biblical
theology
so
you
can
think
about
this
in
the
Bible
storyline
God
created
a
world
and in
Genesis
1
it
said
that
it
was
all
good
and at
the
very
end
he
said
it
was
very
good
and
it
was
a
creation
that
was
in
perfect
alignment
with
God
and with
his
purposes
and it
reflected
his
glory
in
every
way
possible
and
just
as a
side
note
I
think
that
we
have
so
little
imagination
to
think
of
how
it
would
be
to
live
in
a
world
where
sin
was
not
we
have
a
hard
time
imagining
how
beautiful
and
perfect
it
was
we
think
about
worlds
like
that
and
we
often
have
very
warped
pictures
of
it
where
it
feels
very
vanilla
and
bland
and
there
are
sort
of
clouds
and
people
in
long
white
things
and
it
just
feels
very
unattractive
but
that's
not
the
picture
at
all
because
God
created
a
world
that
was
full
of
life
and
abundance
and
goodness
and
richness
and
beauty
and
joy
but
into
that
world
then
sin
came
and
it
didn't
just
come
out
of
nowhere
it
came
particularly
in
the
form
of
the
rebellion
of
humanity
you
see
at
the
pinnacle
of
this
creation
God
had
created
human
beings
male
and
female
to
be
over
the
created
order
and
under
him
in
perfect
alignment
and
attend
this
created
world
and
to
glorify
God
by
enjoying
all
that
he
had
made
but
instead
of
receiving
that
gladly
and
humble
submission
to
God
living
out
that
calling
humanity
rebelled
and
rejected
God
and
said
I
would
rather
be
my
own
God
I
would
rather
be
my
own
Lord
rather
than
be
in
control
or
rather
than
submit
to
you
and
your
control
I
would
rather
be
my
own
source
of
life
rather
than
believing
and
trusting
that
you
can
bring
me
life
and
the
whole
world
was
broken
and
so
as
sin
the
rebellion
of
humanity
against
God
then
according
to
Romans
8
corrupted
all
of
the
world
all
of
it
was
subjected
to
the
curse
and
to
futility
and
so
this
is
the
world
that
we
know
well
and
we
live
in
where
sin
is
not
only
in
our
hearts
because
we
are
selfish
and
because
we
don't
love
God
the
way
we
ought
to
and
because
we
are
hateful
and
jealous
and
envious
and
proud
and
arrogant
and
stubborn
and
all
the
things
that
we
know
are
part
of
our
hearts
but
we
also
live
in
a
fallen
world
where
ease
and
decay
and
we
see
from
in
the
whole
breadth
of
human
experience
this
fall
has
corrupted
the
world
such
that
nothing
is
as
it
ought
to
have
been
and
Christ
who
rules
over
it
all
and
made
it
all
for
himself
has
a
plan
to
redeem
it
to
reconcile
this
broken
world
back
to
himself
but
just
as
the
corruption
happened
through
humanity
so
the
redemption
happens
through
humanity
I
don't
know
if
it
struck
you
how
odd
the
order
feels
sometimes
in
this
but
what
I'm
trying
to
get
at
is
this
is
the
center
piece
of
how
God
is
going
to
reconcile
the
world
to
himself
look
with
me
again
he's
coming
through
verses
15
16
17
8
or
15
16
17
God
is
Christ
is
the
one
who's
over
all
of
creation
he's
holding
it
all
together
and
then
in
verse
18
it
says
and
he
is
the
head
of
the
body
the
church
has
that
ever
struck
you
as
weird
why
does
he
suddenly
bring
up
the
church
when
he's
getting
back
to
in
verse
20
this
idea
he's
going
to
reconcile
the
whole
thing
to
himself
because
sin
subjected
all of
creation
to the
fall
the
sin
of
humanity
so
the
redemption
of
humanity
is
the
beginning
of
God's
reconciling
the
whole
world
to
himself
the
redemption
of
men
and
women
is
the
centerpiece
it
is
the
lead
foot
it
is
the
engine
that
drives
the
rest
of
reconciliation
and
the
church
as
fallen
and
as
broken
and
as
full
of
warts
and
ugliness
as
it
has
been
is
God's
intended
plan
that
through
the
church
the
proclamation
of
the
good
news
of
the
gospel
and
the
lifting
up
of
Christ
would
be
the
leading
edge
of
God's
redemptive
work
in
this
world
until
the
day
when
he
comes
back
and
makes
all
accounts
final
and
brings
a
final
judgment
and
a
final
redemption
when
he
reconciles
everything
to
himself
this
picture
of
God's
redemptive
work
in the
church
as the
centerpiece
of his
redemption
is part
of what
Paul wants
us to
get
from
this
passage
see
we
wrestle
with
the
fallen
world
don't
we
wrestle
with
why
can't
God
just
fix
it
why
hasn't
he
just
snapped
his
fingers
and
made
that
wrong
right
why
hasn't
he
cured
that
disease
and
of
course
as
we
step
back
and
we
think
with
a
little
bit
more
broad
we
see
that
God
has
always
been
at
work
and
God
is
graciously
restraining
evil
and
as
many
new
diseases
as
have
sprung
up
so
others
have
abated
and
gone
away
as
many
evils
have
been
perpetrated
others
have
been
stopped
we
have
seen
God's
gracious
hand
in
history
but
the
centerpiece
of
that
has
been
what
he
is
doing
in
the
church
and
this
is
why
Jesus
Christ
is
the
centerpiece
of
it
because
the
fullness
of
God
came
in
human
form
and
offered
himself
up
to
redeem
fallen
humanity
the
fullness
of
God
for
the
fullness
of
our
sin
so
that
he
might
redeem
us
so
that
then
through
this
church
and
through
his
resurrection
from
the
dead
he
might
now
bring
us
into
this
new
hope
and
this
new
place
where
this
fallen
world
doesn't
have
the
last
word
where
what
is
wrong
isn't
going
to
continue
to
be
more
wrong
forever
but
because
Christ
came
and
lived
and
died
and
rose
again
we
know
that
that's
not
the
end
of
the
story
look
friends
Christ
is
or
God
is
not
sitting
up
in
heaven
bemoaning
the
world
wondering
oh
I
don't
know
maybe
I
can
try
to
fix
this
it's
a
little
hard
he's
not
looking
at
the
trials
in
your
life
and
saying
oh
I
don't
know
that's
really
hard
I
don't
know
how
to
give
him
a
job
I
know
you're
lonely
sorry
I
can't
do
anything
about
that
God
is
not
sitting
up
impotent
hoping
for
us
to
fix
it
but
he
has
acted
clearly
and
decisively
and
powerfully
in
the
person
of
Christ
the
creator
dying
for
his
creation
the
righteous
one
dying
for
the
unrighteous
the
image
of
God
dying
for
those
created
in
the
image
of
God
by
pouring
out
his
life
and
death
he
frees
us
from
death
by
rising
from
the
dead
he
breaks
the
power
of sin
and
death
by
rising
from
the
dead
he
makes
us
as we
see
at the
end
of
this
passage
holy
and
blameless
as we
saw
last
week
in
verses
12
through
14
qualifying
us
to
join
in
the
inheritance
of
the
saints
in
light
being
freed
from
the
kingdom
of
darkness
friends
it
is
this
good
news
of
the
gospel
that
it
is
the
center
piece
of
what
God
is
doing
and
how
we
can
endure
when
it
feels
like
things
are
falling
apart
and
how
we
can
endure
when
it
feels
like
it's
all
going
wrong
we
look
at
the
cross
and
we
look
at
the
empty
tomb
and
we
look
at
the
person
of
Jesus
Christ
and
we
know
that
the
greatness
of
what
he
has
done
outweighs
what
we
see
and
what
we
fear
this
is
why
in
verses
21
through
23
he
says
and
you
who
were
once
alienated
and
hostile
in
mind
doing
evil
deeds
he
is
now
reconciled
in
his
body
of
flesh
by
his
death
in
order
to
present
you
holy
and
blameless
and
above
reproach
before
him
if
indeed
you
continue
in
the
faith
stable
and
steadfast
not
shifting
from
the
hope
of
the
gospel
that
you
have
heard
friends
this
is
the
gospel
what
Paul
is
saying
is
do
not
be
afraid
of
what
is
out
there
that
seems
so
hard
because
you
know
what
God
has
done
in
your
life
for
you
for
those
of
you
who
have
placed
your
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
you
know
what
he's
done
he's
died
on the
cross
for
your
sin
and if
God
could
reconcile
you
and all
the
ugliness
of your
heart
and all
the rebellion
of your
life
and all
the evil
that still
rises up
in your
body
if he
can reconcile
you
and make
you
and make
you
don't
you
think
you
can
trust
him
for
the
world
don't
you
think
you
can
trust
him
for
the
shape
of
your
life
don't
you
think
that
if
he
can
rescue
you
he
can
rescue
the
world
if
he
can
turn
you
from
evil
deeds
don't
you
think
he
can
transform
this
ugly
world
and reconcile
it to
himself
for
his
glory
now look
friends
I know
one of the
questions we
wrestle with
is why
hasn't
he
why
hasn't
he
yet
why
is
he
waiting
when
the
pain
continues
and
the
evil
seems
unabating
that's
a whole
other
sermon
but
I will
say
this
he's
doing
it
because
in
the
meantime
he's
saving
more
of
us
and
in
his
patience
he's
longing
for
his
redemption
to
include
more
and
more
women
and
men
and
he's
building
a
church
that
trusts
not
in
themselves
but
trusts
in
this
redeeming
reconciling
power
of
Jesus
Christ
that
he
would
be
exalted
that
he
would
be
lifted
up
that
his
redeeming
plan
and
work
would
be
so
honored
in
our
midst
that
we
would
trust
him
with
all
of
the
rest
that's
where
I
land
on
it
I
don't
know
why
all
the
time
but
I
look
at
the
cross
and
I
say
I
can
trust
you
God
I
can
trust
you
today
and
I'm
not
going
to
move
I'm
not
going
to
go
somewhere
else
looking
for
something
else
that
I
need
to
add
and
so
he
says
to
the
Colossians
and
he
says
to
us
continue
steadfast
this
gospel
is
at
work
it
is
growing
you
heard
it
from
me
it
changed
your
life
it
is
now
being
proclaimed
to
the
ends
of
the
earth
in
increasing
fashion
in
more
and
more
people
are
hearing
about
this
Christ
and
as
we
proclaim
Christ
as
we
live
out
that
calling
we
see
God
at
work
and
so
we
are
steadfast
in
hope
let's
pray
Lord
we
thank
you
this
morning
for
your
word
Lord
we
thank
you
how
it
has
revealed
to
us
the
greatness
of
Christ
how
you
have
acted
in
this
fallen
and
broken
world
to
redeem
it
Lord
how
you
have
reminded
us
that
you
have
held
this
world
together
from
the
very
beginning
Lord
how
it
was
made
for
you
for
your
glory
Lord
I
pray
this
morning
that
we
be
encouraged
to
be
steadfast
and
unmoved
stable
in our
faith
and
trust
that
Jesus
really
is
enough
to
be
not
only
our
savior
but
the
savior
of
the
whole
world
we
pray
this
in
Jesus
name
amen