The Supremacy Of Christ: Confidence In The Gospel

 

Series Summary

Paul's letter to the Colossians is a brief letter, only 95 verses long, but very significant in impact. Perhaps the most central theme of this short letter is the supremacy of Christ. Paul describes why Christ is sufficient, and what dangers lie in placing our trust in anyone or anything else. In Colossians, Paul emphasizes the supremacy of Christ in several ways: Jesus is our Creator and our sustainer. Jesus brings redemption and reconciliation. He holds all authority, and is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. And Jesus offers us freedom. For the Colossians, who lived in a culture dependent upon the power of Rome, Paul's letter showed them how to trust Christ against the flow of their culture. For believers today, Colossians does much the same thing. We can hold fast to Jesus, in spite of the pushback our culture gives. We can stand strong, leaning on his strength, and not our own. And we can grow in our faith and maturity, standing firm on the authority of Christ in our lives. In our world filled with diverse beliefs and philosophies, Christ's supremacy provides believers with a clear foundation for faith. It ensures that we remain anchored in the unchanging truth of Christ's lordship over everything. This provides hope and assurance, knowing that the one who created and sustains the universe is also the one who redeems and reconciles us to God. This assurance is vital in times of doubt and uncertainty. As the church, Colossians gives us a solid basis for unity. Christ's headship over the church reminds us that we are part of something much larger than just ourselves, and that we must work together to present Jesus to the world, and to prevent the influences of the enemy from taking root in our lives, helping us to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him" (Colossians 1:10).

Sermon Summary

Colossians 1:1-14 provides both an introduction of Paul and Timothy to the Colossian believers, and also an introduction to the content and themes of his letter to them. Paul did not plant this church, nor has he ever been there. But his heart is clear as he writes to them, encouraging them to look to Christ and the sufficiency of what he accomplished for us on the cross. The Colossian believers were confused; they were discouraged, and they were in danger of walking away from their newfound faith. Paul's letter to them describes why this is not a good idea, and why they should stand firm. Our culture, while 2000 years away from the time this letter was written, looks very similar to the Roman culture of Paul's era. And we face the same situations, where we are confused, and we get discouraged, and both of those seem to feed off of one another, just making things worse and worse. That's when we need to read Colossians, and be reminded that the message of the gospel is powerful, and it provides the confidence we need. And because of that, we can stand firm too.