Pastoral Letter 139
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace and peace to you all.
As I write these few lines, my heart goes out to those many who are suffering because of the devastating floods in Western and Southern NSW. It is heartbreaking to see how the floods have ravaged large areas, causing havoc, destruction, loss of lives, livestock and property. We are all urged to pray for those affected and support them in any way we can. Appeals have been made, and one of the appeals is the NSW and ACT Moderator’s, Rev, Simon Hansford’s, Disaster Fund Appeal. Our prayers and financial support are much needed.
By God’s grace we have reached the final weeks of the year 2022 and soon we enter into the four weeks of Advent Season, which will lead us to Christmas and New Year. Next Sunday we will have our much-anticipated St. Andrew’s Day Service and Luncheon with the bag pipes, the Haggis and entertainment. Then we will have our Advent Services, which will include Carols Service on Sunday 11 December, Christmas Eve Service Saturday 24 December on the Lawn, if weather permits and Sunday 25 December our Christmas Service, followed by New Years’ Service on Sunday 1 January 2023.
As we have done in the previous years, once again we will collect food and Christmas gifts for Exodus Foundation. Remembering and giving to the needy is a God pleasing action. So, let us be generous and give the best we can for the glory of God. Please accept our thanks in advance.
If you will not be able to join us at our face-to-face service tomorrow, you can worship with us at home. Please light a candle and follow the attached Order of Service and sing along.
Be safe and well, continue to pray, remembering those who need care, support and love and let me know if any member of the congregation that you know of needs our help and prayers.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for our ministry here at St. Andrew’s, especially as we come closer to the end of the year with special services of Advent and Christmas.
- Pray for the devastating floods in Western and Southern NSW, as people struggle with the great loss.
- Pray for the poor, the sick, the vulnerable, the struggling and the stressed.
- Pray for those who are unwell and struggling with different kinds of medical issues.
- Pray for world peace and ask for God’s blessings.
Please let me know if you or anyone else has prayer points.
Best Regards,
Krikor
MESSAGE
Christ’s Supremacy
Colossians 1:11-23
A theological college in the USA hosted an annual picnic, to which they invited one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education centre. One year, the guest lecturer was a professor, who spoke for two and half hours “proving” that the resurrection of Jesus was false.
The professor quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
After about 30 seconds, an old preacher stood up in the back of the auditorium.
“Professor, I have one question“, he said as all eyes turned toward him. He reached into his lunch bag and pulled out an apple and began eating it. “My question is simple“. “Now, I have never read the books you read, and I can’t recite the Scriptures in the original Greek. I know nothing about Niebuhr and Heidegger“. He finished the apple and asked, “All I want to know is: This apple I ate, was it bitter or sweet?“
The professor paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: “I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven’t tasted your apple“.
The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at the professor and said calmly: “Neither have you tasted my Jesus.”
The letter of Paul to the Colossians is primarily bold in nature. Paul is writing to disprove a particular error that was threatening the life of the church there at Colossi. Scholars call it “The Colossian Heresy“. There is much debate about exactly what the heresy was, and there are a number of theories, but the Apostle Paul, in typical fashion, didn’t spell out the error and rather than dwell on the heresy, Paul explained the reality that would show the false for what it was.
From what Paul wrote, we are able to conclude that the ‘Colossian Heresy’ was a confusion of the following ideas:
1. There was a Judaistic emphasis on law and ritual.
2. There was a Pagan concept of Angel-worship.
3. There was a form of Christianity blended in as well.
This heresy did not deny Christ, but it did dethrone Him — it gave Christ a place, but not the supreme place.
So, bringing confusion to the Christian gospel message they had received. Paul confronted this false representation by a positive setting-fourth of the exalted nature and unmatched glory of Christ! The result is that Colossians is Paul’s full-length portrait of Christ; and what a marvellous letter it is for that very reason. Paul gives his readers a grand view of the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Much of the false teaching taking place in Colossi had to do with the minimizing of Jesus. Many people thought He was important but not essential. They had given Him a place in their lives, without recognizing that He demands first place. Jesus was prominent to them, but certainly not preeminent.
So, Paul disproves three misconceptions in this passage:
• The false teachers taught that God did not create the world because in their view matter was evil and God cannot create evil.
• Believing that matter was evil, they argued that God would not have come to earth as a human in bodily form.
• They did not believe that Christ was the unique Son of God but rather one of many intermediaries between God and people.
As we look to Colossians 1:11-23 this morning, we come to the pinnacle of Christianity. In Jesus, God’s complete and perfect revelation is fully revealed.
In our passage that we are looking in this morning, Paul outlines for us Christ and His relationships in three directions. We have:
1. Christ’s Relationship to God
2. Christ’s Relationship to the creation
3. Christ’s Relationship to the Church
Paul proclaims that Jesus Christ is Supreme (pre-eminent) over all creatures, in all respects!
Let’s look together at these three relationships and we will come to the same glorious conclusion as Paul.
1. Christ’s Relationship to God
He is “the image of the invisible God” (verse 15).
The first point that we must have clear in our minds is this: outside of Christ, God is invisible. He is inconceivable to our sinful eyes and unattainable to our grasping but sinful hearts. This fact becomes very clear when we begin to study the other religions of the world — they are dark and shadowy; God is lost in the mists of ignorance.
In Romans chapter 1 we are told that the creation reveals that there is a Creator. In other words, cause and effect. As we see the wonder of the world around us, it is ridiculous to try and assert that there is no God – there must be a Creator!
The Bible says that such men have become “ their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:21-22).
But, whilst the creation clearly displays that there is a God, man cannot conceive of what kind of God He is; what He is like. The separation from God that sin brought about has cut Him off from our perception, and we have no way of approaching God.
The frustration of the world’s religions is that they know there is a God, but they cannot know anything of Him!
This darkness is only removed in Christ! He alone is the image of the invisible God.
In Christ, the invisible becomes visible! Now we can see what God is like.
Why? Because we have seen the Lord Jesus Christ. “God of very God — light of light eternal“.
Philip said to Jesus: “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus replied: “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. How can you say, ’show us the Father’?“
So, Christ’s relationship to God is that “He is the image of the invisible God“.
2. Christ’s Relationship to the Creation
He is “the firstborn over all creation” (verse 15-17).
Before we look at this relationship, let’s first look at that word “firstborn“.
Jesus is not a created being. He is the second person of the eternal God! The word “firstborn” here speaks of “Priority of existence” and “Supremacy over all”. In the OT the title “firstborn” is given to Israel (Exodus 4:22, Jer. 31:9) – and as such it is clearly used to speak of priority of position. Israel was first in priority amongst the nations when it came to God’s dealing with man.
The word “firstborn” is another way of saying what this whole passage is stressing that Jesus is preeminent. He is first and foremost in importance (and also in time – for He is eternal!).
Coming back to the relationship of Christ to the Creation. Our passage leaves us in no doubt that Jesus is the agent of all creation. The world was created “by Him“. This is confirmed for us by John (John 1:3). Jesus Christ was the Word of God by whom the world was fashioned out of the void.
Now here’s where we come to a vitally important and relevant point! Jesus is the agent of creation, and His creation is in two parts.
In our passage we read “For by Him all things were created …
a. that are in heaven b. that are on earth.”
Jesus brought into being both the earthly creation and the heavenly creation, “both visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities“. What a marvellous thought that is! Do you think that the forces of darkness could ever back Jesus into a corner? No chance — He created them: He knows them completely, and their days are in His hands.
Furthermore, we are told that the purpose of all that was created (including all heavenly principalities and powers) is “for Him“. The entire universe was created to be the Kingdom of Christ, and all its inhabitants were created to be His subjects! The demonic hordes can make all the noise they want to – They will bring glory to Christ. There is nothing they can accomplish that Christ can’t turn around for the glory of His name, for the benefit of His Church, and for the extension of His Kingdom!
Paul’s intention here is to counter the Angel-worship that was being brought into the church by false teachers. No one and nothing is to be allowed to take the place of Christ as preeminent!
We should be careful about teaching that is based on what people have seen or experienced. Experience is no basis for belief or doctrine. Only the word of God is our sure foundation. Even the devil can appear as an angel of light. We don’t interpret Scripture by our experiences, rather we interpret our experiences, in the light of the Word of God.
So, then, we see Christ’s relationship to the Creation – He is the Creator of it all, both earthly and heavenly.
3. Christ’s Relationship to the Church
He is “the Head of the body” (verse 18).
Paul talks in a number of places about Christ being the “Head of the body“, what does he mean? Well, he’s using the illustration of a human body, and so Jesus is all that our head is to us. Firstly, Jesus is in charge, He is Captain and Commander-in-chief. He is the sovereign of the Church. Secondly, He is the guiding principle, guiding light. He is also the source and centre of the Church’s life.
We don’t look to anyone else as our sufficiency. We only look to God. Don’t look to people, don’t look to preachers, they’ll let you down – Jesus never will! He is our source.
Christ is all in all to us, His people! “He is our Prophet, Priest, and King – Who did for us salvation bring.”
Paul concludes that His relationship to God, to Creation, and to the Church, Christ is first and foremost! The Father has set Him in that place – “that in all things He may have the pre-eminence” (the “supremacy“).
And, furthermore, all things exist in order that He may be first!
The only truly contented and successful place in the world is to be in the place where Christ is all-in-all to you!
What about it? Is there anything in our life which is detracting from His pre-eminence? Money, career, family, ministry, doubts, disillusionment’s, fear?
Paul using an architectural image says, “established and firm, not moved…” The town of Colossi was located in a region known for earthquakes, and the word translated “moved” can mean “earthquake stricken.” Just as a house, firmly set on the foundation will not move, so too, if we are truly saved and built on the foundation of Jesus Christ, then we will continue in our faith. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 7:24, 26: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock…but everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”
The Supreme Question of Life
We’ve discovered at least seven characteristics about Christ this morning:
• He is the image of the invisible God (15)
• He is the firstborn over all creation (15)
• He created all things (16)
• He is the head of the body, the church (18)
• He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (18)
• He has the fullness of God dwelling in Him (19)
• He is reconciling all things to Himself (20)
Jesus Christ is exclusionary and must remain so! Because of His supremacy over all things, each of us must face a question this morning.
Is Jesus supreme in your life?
Is He supreme in my life?
As we enter the Advent season and head towards celebrating Christmas, let us be assured that He is the Lord, and all Supremacy is His!
Amen!