Colossians, Pt 2: American Idols

September 15, 2019          NOTES NOT EDITED

American Idols!

Colossians 1:15-23

SIS -- If Jesus is not the number one passion in your life, you are worshipping an idol.

If you follow politics at all, you know that one of the major “talking points” of the Democrat Party has to do with “Global Warming.”  One shrill voice, among many, has declared the world will end in twelve years if we don’t immediately scrap the use of all fossil fuels, and even eliminate the gaseous nature of bovines—in harsher terms, cow farting.  I grew up on the banks of the Ohio River when it was just recovering from being and environmental disaster.  Recklessly polluting the environment benefits no one.  So, while I certainly don’t go as far as the Socialist-leaning Democrats, I’m all for fighting pollution. 

There is a greater pollution problem taking place in American society than dirty water, dirty air, or flagellant cows.  I am not talking about the disgusting filth of human feces on the streets of cities like San Francisco, or Los Angeles.  I am talking about the broken moral sewage lines of America that are spewing sin into our society at a rate that we've never seen before in our country. The list of sins in our country today would cause our grandparents generation to become red-faced with shame and embarrassment.  Sinful acts that were not even to be mentioned generation ago, now get top billing in Hollywood movies and are worn as a badge of independence by many political leaders.  When I was a boy, we did not even use the word, “pregnant,” in society.  Lucy and Dezi Arnez slept in twin beds on T.V.—and they were married!  Now, sins that the Bible refers to as “abominations,” are protected by Federal Law.  I could list the sins now common in society, and even celebrated by many:  abortion, greed, lying, adultery, homosexuality, murder, robbery, and the list goes on and on. Sins like murder have their own lobby—Planned Parenthood; as does homosexuality and the LBGTXYZ community. 

Yet, there is one sin that is not even noticed in society.  This sin is so “bad” that it is #1 on God’s Top Ten List of Sins.  Yet, the greatest sin we experience in our nation today -- including in the church -- is the sin of idolatry.  The sin that heads the list of God's Top Ten is "idolatry."  This sin is the deadliest of all sins.  This sin brought unimaginable suffering on the nation of Israel, and will bring unimaginable suffering on us as well if we participate in it.  Idolatry pollutes the soul like no other sin.  God’s voice thunders in grave warning:

³ Do not have other gods besides Me (Ex. 20:3)

This is commandment “numero uno.”  Combine this with the Second Commandment against making any physical “idols” and you get the sense that the primary commandment of God to man is:  “Worship me exclusively and have no idols.”  You may argue:  but I am not an idol worshipper.  My answer would be this:  If Jesus is not the number one passion in your life, you are, in fact, worshipping idols.

Consider how you spend your time.  Examine how you spend your money.  Consider what activities give you joy and pleasure.  Chances are, if you are like most people, something else is sitting on the throne of your life—whether you realize it or not.

I hope this morning we will all listen carefully to what God has to say and we will resolve to give ourselves to Jesus Christ as the number one priority and absolute passion of our lives.

Last week Paul gave a broad overview of Jesus Christ as the All-Sufficient Savior.  Paul painted a verbal portrait of Jesus outlining seven significant benefits that accrue to our lives because we have surrendered to Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior.

This week Paul focuses upon the Supremacy of Jesus, not from the viewpoint of “what” He has done, and is doing for us, but more from the perspective of “Who” Jesus is as the Supreme Being in All Creation.  Whereas the first chapter is a panoramic view of Jesus, this section, beginning in verse 15 is a magnified view of Jesus.

Think about how a magnifying glass works (and I mean for something other than scorching small insects):  blurry at the edges but crystal clear in the center.  In order to see Jesus more clearly, like the center of a magnifying glass, I want to examine three questions that will magnify Who Jesus is and why we must worship Him only.

First, let us fill our hearts with the satisfying manna of God’s word by reading Colossians 1:15-23, together:

Question 1:  Who Is Jesus? (15-18) 

We just read in v15, “He is the IMAGE of the invisible God.” What follows is perhaps the most comprehensive description of the Person of Jesus Christ in the Bible:

¹⁶ For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and by Him all things  hold together. ¹⁸ He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have

first place in everything.

Remember that Paul is addressing a grievous doctrinal error that had crept into the church at Colosse.  It is the seedling of a theological aberration that would soon grow and be known as “Gnosticism.”  Gnosticism says that humans are divine souls trapped in the ordinary physical (or material) world. They believed the material world was corrupt and evil and could not possibly be connected to, or created by a perfect God.  So, they had a declining staircase of gods, or demiurges, each descending from God until finally, after enough demiurges had distanced themselves from Almighty God, an imperfect spirit or demiurge created the world. This imperfect spirit is thought to be the same as the God of Abraham.  Some Gnostic groups saw Jesus as sent by the Supreme Being, to bring gnosis to the Earth.  The secret rituals, hidden knowledge, and strange practices of the Gnostics are being carried on by groups such as the Mormons, J.W’s, and Freemasons.  The idea of Jesus as a “god” (small “g”) and not Almighty God, is seen in various cults—in fact all cults—Jesus is “a” god, but not Almighty God.

For the Colossians, Jesus was “important,” but not “most important.”  Shockingly—and listen carefully as I say this—the idea Jesus is “less” than Almighty God, the Supreme Being of All Creation, the Alpha and Omega, or King of Kings is also seen in many “Christian” churches.  In many churches, Jesus is given “lip service” but little else.  His Bride, the Church, is one activity among many activities, but nothing special. Like the Colossians, many modern churches have not kicked Jesus out altogether, but have just made Him a “part” of what the church is about.  For many Christians, Jesus is just one more item on the buffet of life.  John, the Revelator, calls this attitude in the church, “lukewarmness,” something that actually makes God want to “vomit!” (Rev. 3:16).

In verse 15, the word translated “image” has come into the English language as the word, “icon.”  We see “icons” every day on our computers, other electronic devices, and even street signs.  For example, if we see a sign with the picture of a car over squiggly lines, we know it means, “slippery when wet.”  If we see a funnel shaped figure with three curved lines coming out from it—a small line, medium line, and larger curved line—we know it means “volume control.”  We use “icons” all the time.  They are pictures of other realities.  One scholar describes the word icon in this way: The term eikōn, “image, picture, reflection,” [means] “to be like.” In classical Greek eikōn could refer to “pictures” or “statues” or “idols.” The Greeks believed that an image—of whatever kind—possessed part of the reality which it represented. If the image, picture, or statue was that of a deity they contended that a deity was present and worked through that representation (Colin Brown, CBL Greek-English Dictionary).

In regard to Jesus, He is even more than a mere image, picture or reflection of God.  He is the “Exact representation of Yahweh, or God Almighty, Himself!”  Paul tells the Colossians in 1:19, that “all the fulness of God dwells in [Jesus].  Paul explains this representation further in chapter 2, verse 9.  The NASB gives a clear translation.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.

What Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is trying to get the Colossians to see is that Jesus Christ is Almighty God.  He is not just “like” God, but He IS God—not “a” God, but “The” God, that is, absolute full Deity.  There is a Greek word for “God-like, or possessing Godly qualities.”  Paul uses this word in regard to creation (Rom. 1:20).  Here the word refers to the “Godhead—Jesus as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.”

The Colossians were being led astray by false teachers who were teaching that Jesus was “a” God, but not Almighty God.  As such, the Colossians needed to seek the practice of secret rituals, pursue secret knowledge, and other false ideas in order to be truly saved.  Paul says, “this is false.”  Jesus is not “a” God, but “The Almighty God and All-Sufficient Savior.”  Jesus very clearly said to the Jewish leaders,

Jn. 8:24:  “I told you that you will die in your sins, if you do not believe I Am the one I claim to be,” that is, Almighty God.  A few verses later John records, “They [the Jewish leaders] took up stones to stone Him” (v59), the penalty for blasphemy.

Who is Jesus?  He is NOT the Brother of Lucifer as Mormons teach.  He is NOT “a” god as Jehovah’s Witnesses teach.  He is NOT a mighty prophet as Muslim’s teach.  Jesus IS Almighty God. 

Another question that comes up as we read through this passage seeking understanding is:

Question 2:  Why Does This Matter? (19-20)

Paul continues his grand presentation of the Person of Jesus Christ by describing the “purpose” for Christ’s ministry: 

¹⁹ For God was pleased to have  all His fullness  dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood  of His cross—whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Remember a minute ago I quoted Jesus as saying, “I told you that you will die in your sins, if you do not believe I Am the one I claim to be” (Jn. 8:24).

If you are wrong about “Who” Jesus is, or you are deficient in the devotion that such knowledge requires, you are in jeopardy of spending eternity in hell.  That’s why it matters that your life reflect a complete knowledge (epignosko, 1:9) of Who Jesus is, and the proper devotion such knowledge requires.  Mormons, for example, can be exemplary citizens, religiously devoted, and just plain good people, but if they are wrong about “Who” Jesus is—and they are—they will spend eternity in hell.  This goes for any other cult or religion that does not recognize Jesus Christ as “The Almighty God and All-sufficient Savior.”

The purpose for Jesus Christ being born of a virgin, living a sinless life, dying a horrible, substitutionary death on the cross, and then rising from the dead was so that we—you and I, God’s enemies—could be “reconciled” to God, which means that we could have “peace” with God.  The word, “reconciled” means “to restore to a former condition; or set things right.”  This is a very special word that occurs only three times in the entire Bible, twice in this chapter (20, 22).  It is a “double-compound” word (two prepositions added to a root word).  By double-compounding the root word for “restore, or reconcile” the effect is like adding a “nitrous booster” to a sports car—for those that are into hot rods.  It makes the word more dramatic, more explosive.  It could be translated, “to restore the relationship between God and man to something even greater than Adam and Eve had in the garden.”  In fact, this reconciliation through the blood of Jesus is so powerful and utterly transforming that it goes beyond simply restoring man to God, but the work of Jesus will ultimately restore the entire creation, now “groaning in sin” as Paul says (Rom. 8:22), to a place of eternal, sublime bliss.  In fact, this reconciliation not only touches man and earth, but also the “heavenly realms” (v20).  Literally, God and man, and all of creation will be “bound together with God,” which is what “making peace with God” means. 

This “cosmic reconciliation” between God and His creation happens in only one way:  through “the blood of His—Jesus—cross!” (v20). Remember, the heretics and false teachers were teaching the Colossians that the blood of Jesus was insufficient and other special religious practices and secret codes were necessary.  But, the Holy Spirit directs Paul to correct this eternal error and show that the only way to be saved is to trust in the “blood shed by God, the Son, on the cross!”  Nothing else can “make peace with God.”  We are wise to heed the words of the old hymn:  “What can wash away my sin//Nothing but the blood of Jesus//What can make me whole again//Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

The Bible makes the same declaration of the exclusivity and efficacy of the work of Jesus on the cross when it says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name [than Jesus] under heaven, given to men by which we must be saved”  (Acts 4:12).

So, why is it important to know Who Jesus is?  Because our eternal fate rests in His hands and His hands alone.  That naturally leads an inquiring soul to ask:

Question 3:  How Can I Know Jesus, and Know for Sure I am Saved?

Verses 21-23:  ²¹ Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. ²² But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless,  and blameless before Him — ²³ if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith  and are not shifted away from the hope  of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.

Underline or circle the word, “gospel.”  Now, underline or circle the words “become a servant of it.”  When it comes to your salvation, I have some bad news and I have some good news.  The bad news is every person is born “alienated and hostile” to God.  It’s called in theology, “the doctrine of original sin.”  No one escapes the penalty of a sinful nature inherited from Adam.  As soon as we come of age (that age is debated) “we think evil thoughts and practice evil actions” (v21).   This is inescapable.  All sin (Rom. 3:23) and all will die—be eternally separated from God in hell (Rom. 6:23) because of sin. There’s no human knowledge nor human acts that can change the sinful path of a person’s soul.  That’s the “bad news.”  But, here’s the “good news”:  anyone “make peace with God” ²³ if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.

Hell is the bad news that makes the “gospel” such good news!  The word gospel simply means, “good news.”  Faith is like a lifeline tossed to a person who has fallen overboard and is drowning.  One end of that lifeline is tied to Jesus; the other end is thrown out to us.  All we need is to wrap ourselves in the lifeline of faith in Jesus Christ and Jesus will do the rest.  We just have to “receive the gift that is offered.”  That is faith.  It is our faith in Jesus that gives us hope.  But, that hope will fade if we “neglect so great a salvation” (Heb. 2:3).  Verse 23 says, “we must remain in that faith.”  Verse 23 gives us two ways we “remain in that faith.”  One, we do not let ourselves become “shifted away” by false teachers and false doctrine.  Two, we “become servants of [the gospel].”  Believers who are not serving are like a once, hot coal that rolls away from the fire.  It becomes a cold, dead lump of charcoal.

What does it mean to “know Jesus, and know Him in such a way as to be sure you have eternal life.”  The answer:  simply trust Him, and Him alone.  Love the Son more than anything or anyone on earth.  That’s how you have “real knowledge” (1:9, epignosko). 

If you are not trusting in the Son of God, and serving Him passionately and dutifully, you are serving an idol, and that idol will not bring you salvation.  Salvation comes only from loving the Son.

Not long ago, I read the story of a wealthy man who had only one son.  He and his son loved art.  They collected it and displayed it throughout their mansion.  They had every master from Raphael to Picasso.  They proudly displayed the works of the troubled genious, Vincent Van Gogh.  The father and son would often sit together and admire the great works of art.  When the Viet Nam War broke out, the son enlisted and soon was in the war-ravaged jungles.  He was a courageous and honorable young man.  In one fierce battle he rescued many of his wounded buddies, but he himself was killed.  Of course, the father grieved deeply for his only son.  About a month after his son died, there was a knock at the door of his mansion.  The man answered the door and before him stood a young man with a large package in his hands.  “Sir, you do not know me, but I am a soldier for whom your son gave his life.  He saved many lives the day he was killed.  I was the last of the wounded he was carrying out that day when a bullet struck him in the heart, killing him instantly.  He often talked about how much he loved you and how you both had a love for art.”  The young man then extended his arms with the package.  “I know this isn’t much.  I’m not a very good artist and you have millions of dollars of great paintings, but I think your son would want you to have this.”  The man opened the package.  It was a portrait of his son, painted by the man his son died rescuing.  The man took a long, pensive look at the painting.  He was struck with awe at how the young artist beautifully captured the personality of his son—especially, his son’s eyes.  The father began to cry.  He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the portrait.  “Oh, no sir.  I could never repay the gift that your son gave to me.”  The father and young soldier visited for awhile and then the young man left.  The father hung the portrait over the mantle in the main living room.  He always took visitors to see this picture before he would show them any of his other great artworks.  A few months after receiving the painting, the father got ill and died.  His wife had died years before and his only heir had been killed in Viet Nam.  His estate held and auction.  Influential people came from miles around to bid on the many masterpieces in the man’s collection of art.  When the auction began, the first painting up was the one of his son.  “We’ll start the bidding with this picture of the son.  Who will bid for this picture?”  The room was silent for a moment but then broke out into loud cries of protest.  “Show us the masterpieces. Skip this one.  Show us the famous paintings.”  The auctioneer continued, “Who will bid for this picture of the son? Who will start the bidding at $100?”  A voice from the back protested loudly again, “Get on with the good stuff.  We don’t want to see this portrait.  We came for the Rembrandts, the Van Gogh’s and the Picasso.  Get on with the real bids.” The auctioneer persisted, “The son, the son, who will bid on the son?”  Finally, a voice from the back said, “I’ll give $10 for the painting of the son.”  The man was the family gardener, a faithful worker over the years, but quite poor.  Ten dollars was all he had.  “We have ten,” the auctioneer cried, “Who’ll give twenty?”  Another voice yelled, “Give it to him for ten and get on with the bids for the masters.”  The auctioneer slammed down his gavel, “Sold! For $10.”  The crowd cheered in anticipation of the “real auction.”  The auctioneer laid down his gavel and said, “That concludes the auction.”  The crowd erupted in protest.  “I’m sorry,” the auctioneer explained. “The will had a secret stipulation.  Only the portrait of the son was to be auctioned.  Whoever bought the portrait of the son, would gain the whole estate.”

Who is Jesus?  Why does it matter?  How can we know Him?  Jesus is God, the Son.  When we take the Son as our Lord and Savior, we inherit everything the Father possesses.  We take Jesus, the Son of God, as our Lord and Savior when, “by faith,”  we put our trust in Him alone and we become “servants of His gospel” by reaching out to lost souls.

Either Jesus is everything in our lives, or He is nothing.  There’s no other option. Either we are serving Jesus Christ because He is Almighty God, or we are wasting our lives worshipping empty idols.

Today, make your choice.  Who will take the Son?