Colossians 1:15-23 Alistair Chalmers
A few years ago, Sabine and I were watching a Christmas movie and one of the songs stood out to us, here are some of the lyrics:
“You can keep your peace on earth, you can keep your holy birth, keep your frankincense and myrrh, Christmas cheer, what’s that worth. I want something I can use, designer clothes or groovy shoes, I want diamonds, big and rough, all I want is Christmas stuff”
People are happy to keep Jesus in the Christmas story if he stays in the manger, and doesn’t cause too much disruption. But if we truly understand who Jesus is then our focus won’t be on the stuff under the tree this year, but it will be the gifts that we can give him; praise, honour and glory.
So, what do our verses tell us about Jesus?
The image of the invisible God (v15). Jesus is God in the flesh, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. The bible gives us so many descriptions of God that are wonderful and packed with awe inspiring truth. All of that is bound up in Jesus.
The firstborn (v15). Jesus didn’t begin to exist all those years ago in Bethlehem. He has always existed in perfect harmony and in perfect relationship with God the Father and God the Spirit. There has never been a time where Jesus didn’t exist. And v18 says that Jesus is the firstborn from the dead, meaning that he is the first to have been raised from the dead, never to die again!
The creator and sustainer of all things (v16-17). Look at the snow falling (maybe! hopefully!), look at the night sky, look at the faces of family and friends, look at yourself and the groundbreaking truth is that Jesu sis the now through whole all of that was created and it is through him that all of that is held together.
Why would such an important person, why would God the Son, be born into a poor family, in a tiny town to a people who will ultimately reject him?
V20 tells us why “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.”
The great news of Christmas is not the latest gift under the tree, the nice meal or time with family. The great news of Christmas is that Jesus lived the perfect life that we never could, he died the death that we deserve making is possible for us to come before God as our father. That’s the best gift that has ever existed!
