Hope City Church Edinburgh
3rd May - Matt Round

      • Colossians 1:13–20NIV2011

  • Open The Eyes Of My Heart
  • He Is Lord (chorus only)
  • Firm Foundation
  • Be Thou My Vision
  • intro me

    steps to the summit

    climbing Ben An “mountain in miniature” in lockdown - on an absolutely boiling day if I remember rightly
    it may be miniature but it’s shocking steep if you’ve been up it! I was well puffed - but it’s a classic mountain, in that the view just gets better and wider and richer the further your climb. Almost around every bend. You had that sort of experience of mountain climbing?
    Well, that’s what we’re going to do today, climb a mountain - so I hope you’re in good shape and you’re able to keep up - and along the way we’ll stop a few times. Because we’re puffed - but also to contemplate the view.
    We’ll be climbing in our minds, and through words - and along the way we’ll get a better, richer, wider view of Jesus. Now if you’re not a Christian here today, first of all, thanks for being with us. But you might not feel that interested in a better view of Jesus. Can I encourage you to try and stick with us - because as we climb, we’re going to see some surprises along the way - and they’re important for you.
    We’re working our way through an ancient letter written by Paul, one of Jesus’ first followers, to a small church in an unimportant town. But Paul writes to this church with an epic view of Jesus. Let’s read together - and _____ / ______ is going to be reading for us today. We’re in Colossians chapter 1 and we’re picking up the story at verse 13. So come with me to page ____ - it’ll really help you to have the passage in front of you - page ____ and that’s Colossians chapter 1, verse 13. Look for the big one, the tiny 13.
    Colossians 1:13–23 NIV
    For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 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. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
    if you’re super-detail oriented with amazing memory and you noticed we read those first two verses, 13 and 14, already, gold star! That was deliberate because v15 is a “run-on” - that is, it continues a thought already started. See, if you dig into the original language, v15 starts with “who” rather than “the Son” - “The Son” is just our translation trying to help us track with Paul but it’s all one long sentence.
    So if you look back to v 13, God has “brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves [that’s who we’re talking about], in whom [there’s the first one] we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, whom [or who - I never know. Some grammar nerd needs to help me out here! but there’s the second one] is the image of the invisible God..
    So this is about God’s Son, Jesus, the one who redeems us - that is, he delivers from captivity or slavery. And that first wonderful truth isn’t enough, so Paul, our writer starts to climb that mountain. And round the first corner we get this new, wider view of Jesus. He is the “image of God.”
    Now what does that mean? It’s not saying he’s like a photo of God, like we might take with our phone - or back in the time when this letter was written, the main place you would find an image was on coins, a picture of a Roman emperor’s head stamped on each coin. It doesn’t mean that sort of flattened representation, or still image.
    First, that wouldn’t make any sense because God is spirit - he’s invisible like it says right here. But second, it would be totally wrong to think of Jesus as a static image or flattened impression of God - that is, less than God, not God.
    So what does Paul mean by “image ” here? He means “manifestation” - that’s a big word - or “presence”. Jesus is God, present with us. That’s a big truth to find on our first step up the mountain, right? But let’s keep climbing!
    Jesus is the “firstborn” over all creation. What does this tell us? Now there’s an ancient heresy, called the Arian heresy, which sees Jesus as a created thing which would mean he could not truly be God. And the first time you run into this phrase here, you might be forgiven for thinking that’s exactly what it means, that Jesus might well have been first to be born, but that means there was a time before him.
    But notice here our translation is trying to help us by telling us Jesus is “firstborn over” creation - not firstborn in creation, or firstborn of creation, but over it. Why choose over? Because the firstborn here isn’t about chronology, about timing, about sequence. It’s not that Jesus was first in a long list of things that were born.
    In that culture, a bit like with our royal family here in Britain, the firstborn had a special role, a special authority or pre-eminence. The firstborn in our royal family is fundamentally different to all the others - because he’ll be king - sorry Harry! And in the ancient culture where Paul is writing, the firstborn is the one who’ll be in charge of the family’s possessions and estate, who will rank first, and make the calls. It’s a title of authority and honour. “Jesus is number 1, right at the top the where he belongs” as Colin Buchanan sings!
    Ok, view #1: Jesus is God, present with us. view #2 Jesus ranks ahead of everything in creation. That’s quite a view - but we’re climbing again.
    Colossians 1:16 “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”
    It’s not just that he ranks ahead of everything in creation - look at how he relates to it: everything was created in him, through him, and for him. Not just earthly things but heavenly things too. Sand and stars. Ants and angels. Everything.
    What does it mean that they are created in him? That’s not inside him, as if he’s a giant bubble and everything happens physically inside of Jesus. It’s actually quite difficult to capture the sense of what the little joining-up word in the original language means here.
    My biggest dictionary has 12 different main ways you can understand it and pages and pages on all the options. I read a bunch of clever people on this and I think the best understanding is that Jesus is the cause for creation, the one behind it. So in lots of other translations you get “by him” (ESV, NASB, KJV). But it’s not just in -or by- him, it’s through him - he is the means for it, the agent, the one actually doing the creating.
    So how come there is something rather than nothing? Where did it come from? This is the Bible’s answer: Jesus. But if you’re not a Christian, I wonder how you answer that question? Say you believe in the big bang. Well how, and why, did all the mass in the universe suddenly appear in one moment in one place? How did the nothing that was there before produce everything that was there after? Stuff doesn’t just appear by itself - that’s not scientific - so where did it come from? What’s behind it? What’s the cause? It’s a big question, a hard question to answer or even think about. The bible gives Christians an answer: it’s Jesus! That’s how come there’s something rather than nothing.
    But it’s not just in -or by- him and through him - it’s for him too. That’s particularly important for us to think about. The bible is telling us something there about the purpose in creation. It tells us Jesus isn’t just the cause, the means by which there is something rather than nothing - but he is also the reason there is something rather than nothing.
    Again, we’ve got some big answers here to some very big questions: Why am I here? What is this all for? What is the point of life - what is the meaning of life? Douglas Adams writes some of the funniest books I know - If you’ve never read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy you really really must! In the book he has the supercomputer Deep Thought calculating the answer to this question [“what is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?”] - and after 7.5 million years, it finally comes back with an answer which everyone is anxiously waiting to hear… 42.
    Well, it’s not 42, but again, if you’re not a Christian here, how do you answer that question? What’s life all about? What’s the point? What’s the point of anything when you’re going to die? What’s the point of anything when the only possible scientific future for the universe in the end is “entropy heat death” where nothing can happen anywhere anymore. Does “enjoy yourself and be nice” really cut it? Is that really enough of a reason to live?
    Well the bible tells us all creation has a goal, something it’s meant for, a purpose - and that is Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re here for, what you’re meant to do, what your life is about, this is the Bible’s answer. All creation, in the end, is about Jesus, it’s for him.
    What does that mean practically? Well, if you know your Westminster Shorter Catechism, that’s exactly where it starts: question 1 asks “what is the chief end of man?” (what is life about? what are we here for?) and the answer is “man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever”
    What you were made for, and where you will thrive and flourish as you find it truly fits you, is to bring glory to God and to enjoy Him - His goodness, His love, His justice, His grace, His creation! If you wake up one morning and you’re asking yourself “what’s the point?” well this is the point! So take a look outside your bedroom window and start enjoying that creation.
    Ok, view #1: Jesus is God, present with us. view #2 Jesus ranks ahead of everything in creation. view #3 Jesus is the creator and creation’s purpose. Again, that’s quite a view - are you puffed yet? - well buckle up! We’re climbing again.
    Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
    He’s before all things - he’s the beginning of everything - and he holds it all together. This has been something I’ve really marvelled at as I’ve been preparing these last few weeks.
    I actually find it pretty easy to believe in a creator, Jesus the creator like we’ve been reading and thinking about so far. Because I think this creation is so amazing it’s just too hard to believe it’s all a big accident.
    I mean, have you ever considered what an acorn does: it’s a tiny machine that takes mud, water and sun, and bit by bit makes all the parts of an oak tree out of it. Can you imagine that? Could we ever possibly make a machine so wonderful? How do you turn mud into bark? Ok, how do you turn mud into bark here, wood there, leaf over here, and acorn up there? How do you move it around inside the tree? And that’s just one tiny example. Creation is absolutely amazing! These biological machines are amazing!
    But I often end up thinking and living like this wonderful creation, all these amazing bio machines, are a bit like a mechanical clock, one you wind up. And once you’ve done the winding up, the preparation, it will just tick away by itself. So once you’ve created the wonder that is an acorn, the tree will just grow by itself.
    But here’s the huge truth the Bible has for us: it is Jesus that holds it all together, sustains it, keeps it going. If Jesus were to flash out of existence, all creation goes with him because he is the one sustaining it. The sun doesn’t just rise all by itself whether Jesus is present and acting or not. The acorn doesn’t just grow all by itself no matter what.
    The wonder that is creation is actively held together by Jesus. And if he lets go for even one moment it all falls apart. That’s what this phrase is telling us. In him -or by him- same word we had back in v16 all things hold together. If you know your atomic model, think of Jesus holding all those positively charged protons together in a ball. And if he takes his hand off it for even one tiny moment - boom - it’s all gone. That is quite awesome, right? This is who we worship! This is why we worship! Wow!
    Ok, view #1: Jesus is God, present with us. view #2 Jesus ranks ahead of everything in creation. view #3 Jesus is the creator and creation’s purpose. view #4 Jesus is holding this creation together. What a view - surely we’re at the summit? But no, prepare yourself for one last push - we’re climbing again!

    a surprise at the top

    But there’s a surprise in store for us as we take those last steps up to the very top of the mountain: what do we find there? Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church”
    Well, we’ve seen some pretty impressive views on the way up. And finally we’re here at the summit. And the big reveal, the big wow we finally see? Jesus is the head, the boss, of the church.
    Now I like Hope City a lot - I really do! Good thing since I was part of starting it - but let’s be honest: compared to being the one holding all of creation together, I’d have to say being our boss is pretty unimpressive.
    How many people in the surrounding mile do you think even know we exist? That iddy-biddy sign outside. A bit of a parking scramble on Sunday. But really - my postie is a regular at Greggs down below - had no idea at all we were here. And the truth is a great deal of Jesus’ church around the world looks very small, weak and unimpressive indeed.
    So why, this far up the mountain, climbing breathless as we get towards the summit, does the final vista of Jesus’ greatness that opens up before us have anything to do with the church?
    Imagine someone introducing King Charles, and working through all his cool titles:
    Sovereign of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (oooh!)
    Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Crown (cool!)
    Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, Lord of the Isles (nice!)
    King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (yeeees!)
    … and then finishing up with “patron of The Printing Charity”. It’s true. But what an anti-climax. And let’s be honest, after all this wonder of Jesus and creation, the church really does feel like a bit of an anti-climax.
    But that’s the big point. It’s not. Let me explain.

    creation is broken

    big idea: we are the new creation, the re-creation breaking in
    This creation we get to enjoy is wonderful - awesome in the true sense of the word - but this creation is also broken in a fundamental way - and there’s nothing in it which escapes. Decay, disease, death. Hatred, pride, greed.
    I think most people would agree our world is broken - but why? and what can be done about it?
    Some would say the problem is nurture: it’s a result of the society we live in. It’s the fruit of inequality, oppression, ignorance and greed. And we can one day overcome that with education or politics or technology.
    Others would say the problem is nature: just a few “bad apples” - a few fundamentally evil people. And we could fix it if we could just deal with them and get them out of the way. Out of office. Out of the company. Off of the streets. Out of the country.
    And perhaps the truth is there are more than a few people feeling it can’t be fixed, that nothing will work, and we should just make the best of our broken world and accept there is no way out.
    The bible answers this question of “why?” with an uncomfortable claim: “all have sinned” we humans refuse to humbly submit to our good creator. All of us. We’ve all got the seed of a “bad apple” within us, and we all follow our first parents in turning away from God. And this rift between us and God breaks the whole of creation.
    But thankfully the bible also answers the question of “what can be done?” It’s extreme - as wide and deep and total as the problem. The only way out is for creation to be fundamentally changed, renewed. And who could do that? Only the one by whom, through whom and for whom it was originally created.
    Jesus is the beginning of this new creation breaking in - see that coming next, at the back of Colossians 1:18 “he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead.” See, Jesus didn’t just rise back to the same quality of life he had before his death only to die again - like all those he resurrected during his earthly life would. He rose from death into new life.
    He is the firstborn - first in sequence, but also first in rank, the head of those born again - the new creation. That’s why Christians talk about being “born again” if you’ve heard that phrase. Because what happens when you put your faith and trust in Jesus and come to follow him is as fundamental as what happened when you were born in the first place. A whole new life has started - a new kind of life.

    we are the new creation

    And that’s what brings us back to our summit - remember we’re on the mountaintop - and surprise! there’s the church at the top?
    Well the church is not just us unimpressive people in this old office building. Church, we are the new creation breaking in - and although we don’t look like much yet, and you might not feel much different, we are going to be! We’re going to be something greater than everything that has ever been through the whole long story of the earth. Creation 2.0.
    And who’s our boss? our head? This preeminent one we’ve been gazing at as we climb the mountain. This God present with us. This creator and sustainer of all. This exalted one, firstborn in the new creation.
    And yet here at the top, we can finally see something more, something new: he is also the one who reconciled us to God - reconciled us, making peace through his blood. Colossians 1:19–20
    What does it tell us that this great Jesus has to make peace? It tells us it wasn’t there before! The very next verse tells us the same thing: Col 1:21 we were alienated from God, enemies because of our evil behaviour. We were at war with God? Have you ever felt that? That God is against you? Or you are against him?
    Well just imagine for a minute you were. We’ve climbed this big mountain together, seeing the greatness of Jesus. Now imagine Jesus - this God present with us, this creator and sustainer of everything, this exalted firstborn of the new creation - this Jesus is your enemy.
    How do you think this war is going to go? It’s not going to be a close thing, the battle extending for years, unclear who has the upper hand, is it? If we set ourselves against God, against this Jesus, there is no hope of victory. There is only certain defeat - and that’s exactly what the bible tells us: “the wages of sin is death”. That what it means to be an enemy of God: death.
    But rather than crush us like an ant, or just take his hands off the universe for a moment, and let it all fall apart, instead he makes peace for us, peace through his blood. That’s what’s happening at the cross: the God we made our enemy, dies in our place. Col 1:22
    But don’t miss the warning, the limit, the condition that follows right on in Col 1:23: “if you continue in your faith” if you take hold of the hope held out in the gospel. This peace is not universal. This peace is conditional. And this peace is offered to you - even today. Will you make peace with this mighty Jesus? Will you take hold of the good news that through his death you can be reconciled?
    Do it now. Do it today. Talk to Jesus. Call out to him “Jesus, save me” - and Jesus will. Then tell someone you did and join the family. Tell me if you don’t know who else to tell.
    This guy Moule writes all creation “serves His will, to contribute to His glory.… Their whole being, willingly or unwillingly, moves … to Him; whether, as His blissful servants, they shall be as it were His throne; or as His stricken enemies, ‘His footstool’” (Moule) no other options. No DMZ. No middle ground. You are either his enemy or his friend.
    ...
    One last thing for you to marvel at - Jesus made “peace through his blood shed on the cross.”
    Think about this: As the ruler over all creation, heaven and earth, he could have summoned thousands of mighty angels to his aid in a moment and put a stop to the whole thing. Jesus tells us exactly that in Matthew’s gospel.
    Or he could have just let go. Stop holding that cross together. Stop holding those nails together. Stop holding our world together.
    But instead he holds together the nail that pierces his hand. He holds the world together and his angels at bay as his own blood is shed on the cross. To make a way for you and I to find peace and be reconciled to God.
    Jesus! What a saviour.
    Q&A Notes
    Hebrews 10:1 “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”
    “realities” here == eikwn (“image”)

      • Colossians 1:13-15NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:16-17NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:18-19NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:20-21NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:22NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:23NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:13–15NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:13–15NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:13–15NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:15–16NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:15–16NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:15–16NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:15–16NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:17NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:17NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:18NIV2011

      • Romans 3:23NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:18NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:18NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:19–20NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:22NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:22–23NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:19–20NIV2011

  • Sing To Jesus
Hope City Church Edinburgh
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