Jesus is head of his church (Colossians 1:18)

‘And he is the head of the body, the church.’

This may be the detail in Paul’s description of Jesus that is the least thought about, although much is said about it in ecclesiastical and denominational disputes. No doubt, such disputes are important when error is advocated. But what would be the significance of saying this about Jesus to a Christian group in Colosse in the first century?

One point is that it is a reminder that believers who live in not-so-important places belong to the same church as those who live in what may be regarded as important places.

A second point is that every believer is equal as far as their union with Christ is concerned. Living in Colosse was not a reason for imagining that less divine guidance and less divine power and less divine grace would be available for them in their gospel witness and church growth. They would not be able to have the same number of committees or activities, but they had the same Christ helping them to live the Christian life, to be salt and light in Colosse.

A third detail is that the Christians in Colosse will share with other Christians in the future eternal glory that Christ will give to his church. The Christians in Colosse were included in the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17 concerning those who would yet believe in him. Colosse may not have been much in comparison to nearby Laodicea or faraway Rome, but Christians in all places have a great future because they are part of Christ’s church.

Later on in this letter (2:19, Paul uses the same illustration of the church as a body and says that every part receives its sustenance from Christ the head. He knows whatever spiritual provision is needed at every moment by each person in his church, and he provides it. Living in Colosse may have caused the inhabitants of the town to miss out some things, but there was no reason why the members there of Christ's church should lose out on his blessing apart from a decision by any of them to go after something else instead.

Two New Year services

In an 1829 book of sermons by John Pitcairn, once the Relief minister of Kelso, there are two New Year’s Day sermons. In the first, he preached on time, and in the second, on the first day of the following year, he preached on eternity.

What did he say about time concerning his hearers? Six things. It is the gift of God; it is a very valuable gift because without it sinners cannot enjoy any of God’s other gifts, especially the gospel; although it is very valuable, it is subject to abuse whenever we don’t live for eternity; it is extremely rapid (it never stops for a moment); once it is gone, it is absolutely irrevocable; and it is very short and quite uncertain.

What did he want his listeners to do in response? Reflect, repent and amend. Reflect on how they had employed their time. Repent of and ask forgiveness from God for misusing time. Amend and let past negligence prompt them to diligence. And he closed by saying, ‘May God give you grace to improve time, and make you happy through eternity; and to his name, in Christ, be all the praise. Amen.’

One year later, what did he say about eternity? Five things. There is a period of endless duration, which we call Eternity; in this endless period of duration, there are two states extremely different, in one or other of which all mankind shall be assigned their portions; that time is given to man, in order to prepare for eternity – for avoiding the state of misery, and enjoying the state of bliss; that it is the extremity of folly, and attended with the highest danger, to allow the objects of the present state to engross that time and attention which should be devoted to the interests of eternity; that it is highly proper, is absolutely necessary, at the beginning of a new year to give serious attention to one’s eternal interests.

On looking at those sermons, some thoughts came to mind. Did any who heard the first sermon resolve to use their remaining time to prepare for eternity by trusting in Jesus? Did those who paid no heed to the first sermon pay attention to the second? How many who heard one or both sermons are now with the preacher in heaven? How many of his listeners will be his crown of rejoicing when Jesus returns and rewards him for his faithful labours?

Creating and upholding (Colossians 1:17)

 ‘And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:17).

When we think someone or something is great, we will speak about him or it often, even if we are repeating ourselves. Paul has already told the Colossians about the pre-existence of Jesus. Yet he mentions the claim again in this verse, not because his readers may have missed his earlier emphasis, but because the fact is worth re-telling. Is that not what worship is? Worship is repeating well-known truths about God to God, sometimes in the presence of others and sometimes when we are by ourselves. It is a great privilege, when speaking to God or about God, to repeat what he has said about himself.

 

Paul describes the preexistence of Jesus by using the present tense. Maybe he does so to ensure that we don’t conclude that the greatness of Jesus depends on his activities in the cosmos. After all, an artist is famous because of his paintings; if he had not produced his works of art, he would not be known about. His glory comes after he has produced something commendable. In contrast, Jesus is always full of divine glory. Of course, he has received further glory because of what he did when he became a man and brought about salvation before ascending as the God/man mediator to the highest position. Yet we confess he is the one who is glorious eternally.

 

Because of who he is, the Son of God can do remarkable things. One of them is that he constantly keeps everything in existence in himself. We can remind ourselves of this truth when we look out on a clear night to the star-filled sky or marvel at the beauty of a morning sunrise. But we also see this truth when we look in the mirror. Our minds and hearts, our capabilities and affections, are upheld by him moment by moment. Perhaps the next time we are in a crowded airport, we can reflect for a few minutes on how much depends on the Son of God holding all things together – arriving and leaving planes, all kinds of people going through different experiences, the long or short journeys that people make, and much more. All depends on him. Without him, nothing would exist. Without him, there would be no all things.

 

It is possible to deduce from his preserving of all things that he has plans for the current cosmos. Otherwise, he would have removed it and brought its existence to an end. We know that the creation will undergo deliverance from bondage at the public manifestation of the sons of God. We could say that the Saviour is keeping in existence his inheritance, and ours, as he holds all things in their places. So his upholding is not only for his glory, but it is also an expression of his desire to have a place where he will be with his people forever.

Where to see God's love (Alexander Somerville)

Some time ago, our astronomers were desirous of making researches into the nature and the structure of the sun; and, for their purpose, they despatched many competent parties to different regions of the globe, in order to take observations of the great luminary, and scrupulously to record the results. Strange to say, the critical opportunity selected by them for gaining insight into the structure of the orb of light was that afforded during the few moments of total eclipse. The brief season of entire obscuration of the sun was found better than any other for attaining their object. 

So it is with the Divine love. Would we know the qualities and intensity of that love, we must conduct our enquiries at the place, and at the time when the Father's face was hid from the Son of His love; when, in the deep gloom of Calvary, the Son of God was made a propitiation for our sins, and that cry rang through the darkness, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' It is in the Cross, where our great substitute died for the guilty, where, to use the emphatic language of scripture, Christ 'was made a curse for us,' that we acquire our best acquaintance with the 'great love' of God (Alexander Somerville). 

Thinking about Colossians 1:16 - Jesus the Creator of all

‘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’ (Colossians 1:16).

Paul uses three prepositions to describe the role of the Son of God in the divine work of creation. All things were created by him, through him, and for him. The prepositions indicate divine power, divine role and divine purpose. ‘By’ reveals he had the ability to create all things out of nothing; ‘through’ shows that he was the agent through whom the Father created the universe; and ‘for’ tells us that he was the appointed heir of all things. As the Matthew Henry Commentary observes, Jesus ‘is the end, as well as the cause of all things.’

Although Paul refers to the original creation work at the beginning, as described in Genesis 1, the only creatures he highlights are not mentioned in Genesis 1, the four heavenly orders or levels of authority. Does he mention the four because there was speculation in Colosse about angelic orders? Usually, those heavenly beings are described as angels, with one archangel over them called Michael. Whatever levels of authority there are, they are all creatures, created by the Son of God and infinitely below him.

It is possible to read the verse as saying that Jesus is above all authority whether visible (human rulers) or invisible (the four levels of angels are then mentioned to say what Paul has in mind by ‘invisible’). Moreover, he has authority over sinful rulers, whether human or angelic. Not that they serve him willingly or intentionally, yet he can overrule them constantly. All of them combined have no authority in comparison to who he is.

To say that all things were made for the Son of God is also a reminder of the Day of Judgement. All creatures, whether human or angelic, who did not fulfil the main reason for their existence, which was to live for his glory, will be judged by him at the Great Day and will be sentenced by him to a lost eternity.

Discovering that all things were made primarily by, through and for the Son of God gives a new insight into what we see or know to be around us. Why is Everest so high, why are the seas so deep, why the ranges of hours of daylight, why so many kinds of creatures, why anything? Because it pleased him who possessed the power, who acted as the Father’s agent, and who knew the divine purpose, to make them all.

The verse also challenges Christians as to who or what they are living for. Some in Colosse seemed to have shown a greater interest in speculative angelic positions than in living for Christ. Who or what are we living for?

Exhortation by John Love

Exhortation given at close of an address delivered in April 1794 in connection with the Society in Scotland for Propagating Religious Knowledge in the Highlands and Islands.

‘One thing remains. Let all the sincere lovers of Jesus Christ unite in giving Him glory: Immanuel, God in our nature! Wonderful Saviour! Thee we adore, One with the Father and the Spirit in the Divine Essence, and in the counsel of salvation; Thee we acknowledge the Purchaser, the Bestower of every spiritual blessing; to Thee we ascribe the honour, and commit the success, of every disposition and endeavour to do good; to Thee we humbly devote our spirits and our bodies; to the unclouded sight of Thy glory we aspire; in the bosom of Thy immediate Presence may we dwell for ever; and partake, with Thy redeemed multitudes, in all the burning raptures of Thine immortal love. Amen and Amen.’

Joy in the Holy Ghost

William MacEwen (The author pastored a church in Dundee in the eighteenth century).

This excellent fruit of the Spirit may be viewed either as that habitual cheerfulness of temper, which the sincere Christian, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, studies to maintain upon all occasions; or it may be considered as importing in it those ravishing sallies of pleasure and delight which an apostle styles joy unspeakable and full of glory; which are only indulged in some happy moments and on special occasions. Let us begin with the first.

It is true, his heart is contrite; and rivers of waters have been known to run down his eyes; in so much that superficial spectators may take him for a man of sorrows, a gloomy, melancholy creature. But could they look into his heart, they would find it full of the oil of gladness; even when his eyes are full of the tears of sorrow. The smile of God from without, of conscience from within, cannot fail to inspire him with such cheering tranquility as could not possibly result merely from the most excellent temperature of body or the most easy circumstances of this world. He thankfully receives the gifts of providence; tastes in them that the Lord is good; but chiefly he rejoices in the word of the truth of the gospel; and that his name is written in heaven; that God is his Father, Christ his Saviour, and heaven his inheritance. Be it so, that sometimes, through the agency of wicked and melancholy spirits without, and the too great prevalence of unbelief within, he gives too much way to a desponding frame; he very well knows that it is neither acceptable to God, glorifying to Christ, pleasing to the Spirit, honouring to the gospel, edifying to his neighbour, or beneficial to his own soul.

Ask you the cordials that cheer his drooping spirits? He meditates on God and rejoices under the shadow of his wings. He reads his Bible and finds it to the joy of his heart. He mortifies every known sin. He pours out unto God the sorrows of his heart. His countenance is no more sad. For God is favourable unto him and he will see his face with joy. Such is the habitual serenity of mind he studies to maintain. Such are the means by which it is promoted.

But in some blessed periods of his life, some happy days which the Lord has made, his joy, like a river swelled by impetuous rains, bursts all its banks and carries all before it; at once the joys, at once the sorrows of the world. When he obtains the most comfortable intimations of the divine favour, of his interest in the Redeemer, and of his title to the heavenly inheritance: O then how his heart exults! How his countenance looks cheerful! How the voice of melody is heard in his tabernacle! Now every object is fit to fill his mind with highest rapture. Every perfection of the divine nature; every purpose of his will; every sentence of his word; every operation of his hand; every privilege of his covenant, whether in hand or hope, is a well of salvation, out of which he draws water with joy. The birds mend their notes, the sun his beams, the outgoings of the morning and evening are made more joyful. All sorrow is turned into joy before him. Every desert rejoices. Every wilderness blossoms as the rose. Every mountain of discouragement skips like a calf: Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. Every cloud is stamped with a rainbow. Death loses his dart; the grave lays aside her gloom; and hell her chosen terrors.

Great is the joy of the bridegroom when he is put in possession of his fair one; of the mother when her pangs are over and a man child is born into the world; of the husbandman when the labours of the year are finished and his barns filled with plenty; of the soldier when a happy victory puts an end to the fatigues of a tedious campaign. But what is the joy of the bridegroom? What is the joy of the child-bearing woman? What is the joy of the harvest? And what is the joy of them that find great spoil? What are any, what are all these joys, to the joy of him that rejoices in the Lord and is glad in the God of his salvation? For who can tell what is included in the epithet of it given by a blessed apostle – ‘unspeakable and full of glory?’ If such O Lord, are the first fruits, what must be the harvest of that light which is sown for the righteous, and gladness which is sown for the upright in heart? If in this vale of tears, thy favourite ones so greatly rejoice: who can conceive what is prepared for them in that state when they shall come into thy beatific presence where there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore?