Acts 4:8-12
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
This scripture gives a clarity as to the role and pre-eminence of Jesus.
Peter made it clear to the Sanhedrin that they were not the ones who healed this man but Jesus.
They made it clear that it is only Jesus and Jesus alone who can save.
Jesus is the saviour of the world.
A quote that has really blessed me in these last few days say.
I am not…. Smart enough, rich enough, attractive enough, strong/tall/thin enough.
Good enough, successful enough, talented enough, assertive enough, successful enough, likeable enough.
The author goes on to say this...
Although the fear of not being enough has crippling effects on individuals, those damaging consequences cannot begin to match the devastation that occurs when Christians begin to believe the lie that Jesus Christ is not enough.
When Paul wrote to the Colossians Church, he was addressing this issue with the Church. They did not deny the existence of Jesus but they had demoted Jesus from pre-eminence and had paid attention to the numerous false teachings that were going round.
The 21st Century Church has also unwittingly demoted Jesus in their services, Songs, and preaching and given pre-eminence to everything else but Jesus.
For many Christians today Jesus is not enough, it is so subtle that we have missed, many men of God have taken the place of Jesus, you find some Christians are quick to refer you to their favourite man of God or their Church or their Church pastor.
Paul now writes to the Colossians Church
Colossians 1:15-23
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 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 may have the pre-eminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
He tells the Church that Jesus:
- HE IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Two things to take in here.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
God said to Moses in Exodus 33:20 “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
Jesus tells His disciples
In John 14:8-10
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.…
Jesus was a representation of the external form of God, Moses could not see the face of God and no human could see God and live. So, God veiled in Himself in human flesh, with the full intensity of God’s glory hidden within the veil of Jesus human form. Can you imagine if Jesus had removed the veil of His flesh to reveal to us His full glory, we all would have been consumed.
In John 17:5 Jesus said this
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
The next thing you see in that same verse says the firstborn over all creation.
The does not mean that Jesus was the first created being, because Jesus was before all things but this privilege Jesus has received as an obedient son.
- BY HIM ALL THINGS ARE CREATED
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
There is not a single thing on this planet that was not created through Him.
John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Jesus is the only living Word, the Word that spoke the planet into existence, it is that Word through whom the whole universe was formed the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. Scripture says and the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us.
Hebrews 1:2
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
- HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 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 may have the pre-eminence.
Jesus says in Matthew 16:18
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Jesus is the head of the Church. The church has only one head and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church has no human head but a divine head.
He forgives sins
He heals
He reconciles and loves the Church and died for her.
He is the Shepherd of the sheep.
Every other person should defer to Him and Him alone.
He alone should take pre-eminence
In Him all things consist
- IN HIM ALL THE FULLNESS DWELLS.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
There are many today who do not believe that Jesus is God. There those who believe that Jesus never died on the Cross that there was a substitute, there are those who believe that Christ is one of many spirits.
But Paul was making it clear to the Church at Colosse that Jesus Christ was the complete embodiment of God.
Colossians 2:9-10
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- THE RECONCILER
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight
Jesus is the reconciler; He is the one who has reconciled us to God. We were aliens on our way to hell, we had all messed up, sinned against God.
Isaiah 53:10-11
Yet it pleased the Lord to [q]bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labour of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
John 3:17
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Jesus restored peace between us and God by bearing my sin and yours on the cross to bring salvation and reconcile us back to God.
The penalty of our sin was death
When we grasp this truth, we will realise that when we come to Jesus we should continue in the faith. If we continue to grasp the truth of who Jesus is, we will not be hoodwinked or duped by false prophets and teachers who draw attention to themselves.
Instead of killing ourselves over what to buy this Christmas let us remember that when we come to Christ, we are expected to be rooted in Him.
Be true ambassadors of Christ.
It is all about Jesus
