Just six verses in the New Testament tell us almost all we need to know about Jesus. That’s a mouthful, but it’s true. Pause what you are doing and read Colossians 1:15-20. This great “Christological statement” about Jesus is brimming with pictures of Jesus.
Paul says that Jesus is:
- The IMAGE of God
- The FIRSTBORN of creation
- The CREATOR
- The OWNER or POSSESSOR of all creation
- BEFORE ALL things
- The SUSTAINER of all things
- The HEAD of the church
- The BEGINNING
- The FIRSTBORN from the dead
- The PREEMINENT one
- The RECONCILER
- The PEACEMAKER
We follow Jesus because he alone can satisfy every need of every person. What is your need? Are you struggling with fear or anxiety? Jesus is the answer. Maybe financial troubles are mounting. Jesus can help. Is a relationship imploding? Turn to Jesus.
Larger than any of these is the problem of sin. Satan is a lying, brutal enemy. His arrogance even led him to attack Jesus (Matthew 4) in the Wilderness and later at Calvary. His deception is boundless. His hatred of all things good is beyond understanding. Satan is the root of every problem we face. Only Jesus can defeat him.
[bctt tweet=”I’m only half-joking when I tell people that I have the best interpretation of Revelation: Jesus wins!” username=”Preachers_Study”]
I’m only half-joking when I tell people that I have the best interpretation of Revelation: Jesus wins! Despite all that Satan has thrown at Jesus, our Lord bests him. Notice from our list that Jesus is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18). This is the body that Satan has raged against for centuries but has been unable to destroy. Why? Because Jesus declared that the gates of hades would have no power over it (Matthew 16:18). Hades is death or the power of death. It is the supposed reign of Satan, but Jesus overcame death and is victorious over it (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Likewise, he is the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18). He wasn’t the first to rise from the dead but is the greatest. Death could not hold my Lord! Because of this, it cannot hold me either (1 Corinthians 15:19-28).
The last two on the list speak to me loudly. He reconciles me to God and thus makes peace between me and God against whom I have horribly rebelled (Romans 5:1-10). [bctt tweet=””Jesus reconciles me to God and thus makes peace between me and God against whom I have horribly rebelled…”” username=”Preachers_Study”]
In six verses, Paul highlights everything Jesus does for us. There is no greater friend.
“What a friend we have in Jesus…”
— Bryant Evans
