That Ol’ Hymn | So What? #2

On Sunday we looked at Colossians 1:15-23. Unfortunately, the computer crashed before we were able to save the audio file. You’re stuck with just some notes this week.

Colossians 1:15-20 is likely an ancient hymn—a densely packed treasure-trove of theological brilliance. One of the most common words in the hymn is “all”. You read it 8 times in just a few verses. Paul’s intent on convincing the believers in Colossae that Jesus is enough. His authority and power extends to all.

In the first half of the hymn (Colossians 1:15-17), Paul talks about the role Jesus had in the first creation:

• He’s the image of God. Humans were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), but we are ensnared by sin. Jesus is the perfect image of the invisible God (John 1:18). If you want to know what God’s like, just look at Jesus.
• He’s the firstborn. This doesn’t mean that he was the first thing God created (as the next verses will show us). Jesus was there from the beginning, but is called “Firstborn” because he’s the perfect expression of Israel (Exodus 4:22), the Davidic Messiah (Psalm 89:27), and the Wisdom of God (Proverbs 8:22).
• All things were created through Jesus. Jesus had a hand in launching everything we perceive.
• Jesus holds all things together. He didn’t create this world only to step back and watch how everything would pan out. He is actively involved. (Just like my Suzuki Wagon that was built in 1998, but has been regularly maintained.)

In the second half of the hymn (Colossians 1:18-20), Jesus is presented as the main player in God’s new creation:

• Jesus is the head of the body. In this later letter from a more mature Paul, he’s shifted the body metaphor from a way to describe how Christians relate to each other into a vehicle to explain who leads this body. This means that we are called to be Jesus and to continue doing what Jesus did (WDJD?) while he was walking the globe. Here’s a great throwback to my childhood to illustrate the concept of body and headship:

• Jesus is the Firstborn from the dead. Like a child peeking his head around the corner on Christmas morning to see the treasures that await in the other room, the head of the church (Jesus) has stuck his head through death and out the other side into resurrection life. This empowers and energizes the rest of his body.
• He’s the Reconciler of all things. Jesus death did more than just reconcile humans to God. Paul wrote about all things whether in heaven or on earth. Jesus’ death accomplished nothing less than the reunion of God with his entire creation!

Once the poem ends, Paul took a few moments to apply it to the Colossians’ situation (Colossians 1:21-23). We were once hostile to God, but Jesus’ death brought us together with him, provided we continue in the faith.

So let’s leave with two things:

1. Many more reasons to praise Jesus.
2. A desire to remain and continue strong in the faith.