2. We ended last week’s message looking at the most common “side” of how we come to think of Jesus Christ: He is our Savior, who died on a cross to ransom and rescue us from our sins.

3. Colossians 1: 15-23

4. The false teachers, in Colossae, known as Gnostics, spread the beliefs that Jesus couldn’t be fully human (since all earthly things were considered by them to be sinful) and he wasn’t fully divine (since he was sent by God the Father).

5. In this section, Paul first addresses the issue of Jesus’ divinity and identity as being God. He does that by exploring His role as our Creator in 4 specific ways.

6. Point #1 Jesus existed before Creation (Colossians 1:15) Jesus is “firstborn” over Creation in terms of rank and power, just as Solomon was David’s “firstborn” son and ruled as king.

7. Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word…” John 14:9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

8. Point #2 Jesus created all things (Colossians 1:16a) Genesis 1:26 says, “Let us make mankind in our image.” Who’s the “us?” The Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

9. Point #3 All created things exist for Jesus (Colossians 1:16b) Everything exists in Christ, for Christ, and through Christ.

10. For centuries, Greek philosophers had taught that everything needed a primary cause, an instrumental cause, and a final cause. The primary cause is the plan, the instrumental cause is the power, and the final cause is the purpose. In explaining Jesus Christ’s role in Creation this way; Paul reveals Him as the primary, instrumental, and final cause for our existence… no others are needed!

11. Point #4 Jesus holds all of creation together (Colossians 1:17) “In Him all things hold together…” Jesus is the anchor of the universe; and our personal world, as well.

12. Paul goes on to speak about the central role that Jesus has in being the Head of the Church, and that we are His body. Head = Source & Leader We share in his sacrificial death, and rejoice in His miraculous and life-giving resurrection!

15. When we say that Jesus is preeminent or supreme in our lives; we mean that He has “veto power” over our plans, our goals, our dreams, and our desires. As King, He is first.

16. Colossians 1:19-20 19 “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

17. We’ve established that Jesus is… Our Savior, Creator, the Head of the Church, and the Beloved Son of God. But in your life, is Jesus… Missing? Present? Prominent? Preeminent?