Let us turn to God's Word in
Colossians chapter 1 and reading again at verses 15 to 19 the
passage we were considering I think two weeks ago now on the Lord's
Day morning in Colossians chapter 1 reading from verse 15 to verse
19 Concerning Christ, the Apostle says, who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him
were all things created that are in heaven and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers. All things were created by him
and for him. And He is before all things,
and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body,
the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell." I spoke
on that occasion. Now here we see that the Lord
Jesus Christ is the Head of the old creation, that first creation
of the heavens and the earth, but he is also the head of that
new creation, which is the church. And I want us now to consider
that latter creation that he's spoken of particularly here in verses 18 and 19 Christ and the
Church previously as I say we were more concerned to consider
those previous verses where we read of Christ and his relationship
to the whole of creation and how striking are the words there in verse 15 He is spoken of as
the firstborn of every creature. And then in verse 16, by Him
were all things created that are in heaven and that are in
earth. The end of that verse, all things
were created by Him and for Him. And then in verse 17, by Him
all things consist. Clearly here then the Lord Jesus
Christ He sits before us as the Creator. He is that One who is spoken
of as the Word of God. Remember the language of the
Samis, by the Word of the Lord were the heavens made and all
the host of them by the breath of His mouth. We understand the
psalm is said to speak of the very manner of God's creating. It was by faith. He spoke and
it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. That's how God acts in creation. He simply says let there be light
and there was light. But there in Psalm 33, it's not
just the manner of creation, but it's the persons of the Godhead
also who are to be discerned in the language of David. By
the word of the Lord, isn't that God the Son? By the breath of
His mouth, isn't that God the Holy Spirit? In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God, says John. All things
were created by Him, and without Him was not anything made that
was made. He is the firstborn of every
creature, for By Him were all things created. We remarked last
time on the significance of that little conjunction at the beginning
of verse 16, rendered as 4 here in our authorized version, but
it's a strong word. And it has the force of because
He is the firstborn of every creature, because by Him were
all things created. It isn't saying that He Himself
is a creature, He is the Creator. He is that one by and through
whom God accomplishes all His works. His works of creation,
His works of providence, His works of redemption, are all
in and through Him who is the eternal Son of God. In His works,
we see how God is the one who reveals Himself. In our prayer
we made some reference again to that great truth of the revelation
of God that we see in creation and in providence. All of these
things, of course, as we know, they have a voice. God speaks
by means of the works of His hands, and now the psalmist acknowledges
that. There in Psalm 19, the heavens
declare the glory of God, the firmament showeth his handiwork
day unto day, uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth
knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice
is not heard. It's a general revelation that
God has given. Their line is gone out through
all the earth. Their words are the end of the
world. How God has revealed himself and so that means that all men,
all his creatures are, without any excuse, those who in their
foolishness deny him. Oh, it is the fool who says in
his heart there is no God, why the invisible things of him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, says Paul, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power.
And God has revealed himself. But that revelation is always
in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, as we're told here in
verse 15. He is the image of the invisible
God. God reveals himself, yes, but
we can only think of any revelation of God in terms of Him who is
the eternal Son of God, even in the works of creation. something
of Christ is to be discerned. But ultimately, of course, God
reveals himself in the salvation of the church. This is where the glory of God
is really seen. We have those remarkable words
in the epistle to the Ephesians. There in Ephesians chapter 3
Verse 10 it says, "...for the intent that now unto the principalities
and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church
the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose which
he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." What is Paul saying here? He's speaking of He's speaking
of the heavenly places. He's speaking of principalities
and powers. He's speaking of the realm of
the spirits. He's speaking of the angels.
And the angels, of course, the elect angels are in the very
presence of God. They're about the throne of God.
They serve God day and night in his temple. And yet, what
does Paul say? that God's great purpose, God's
eternal purpose, which was purposed in Christ Jesus, is that they
should really witness the glories of God in what God does in the
church. To the intended now unto the
principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known
by the church. Or with what God does in his
new creation, which is far more glorious than that first creation. It is such a wondrous revelation
of God. In His highest work, redemption,
see His glory in a blaze. Nor can angels ever mention ought
that more of God displays, says William Gadsby in the hymn. How true it is. And it is that
revelation that I want us to consider this morning in what
we read here in our text verses 18 and 19 of Colossians chapter
1. He is the head of the body the
church who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that
in all things he might have the preeminence for he pleased the
father that in him should all fullness dwell. all that fullness
that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. What is that fullness that is
being spoken of then here in verse 19? Well, it is not the
fullness of the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. That fullness
of Deity was of necessity in Him. He was never anything less
than eternal. He is the co-equal Son of God. Doesn't Paul go on to say here
in chapter 2 and verse 9, in Him, he's speaking of Christ,
in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He is the image of the invisible
God. He is the Son of the Father in
truth and in love. With regards then to all that
fullness of deity, the fact that he is God, that belongs to him
of right. But what is being spoken of here
in verse 19 is that fullness that is in him as the mediator,
in his relationship to the church. That fullness that is in him
in his mediatorial office. It is a fullness that was appointed
to Him. It's not that it is His by right. It's what was appointed in terms
of the eternal covenant of grace. Look at the language here in
verse 19. It pleased the Father. It pleased the Father that in
Him should all fullness dwell. Now what is that fullness? Well
it is in a sense all the fullness of the church the Lord Jesus
himself says in the course of his ministry all that the father
giveth me shall come to me and he that cometh to me I shall
in no wise cast out he knows that he will see of the travan
of his soul all those that the father has given to him in the
eternal covenant all that fullness of his church not one will be
wanting all will be saved. And when he comes to the end
of his life and he prays in that great prayer, that high priestly
prayer in John 17, what does he say to the Father? As thou
hast given him authority over all flesh, he's speaking of himself.
Thou hast given him authority over all flesh that he should
give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Oh, this is that fullness of
the Church. Not one wanting of those that
He laid down His life for and shed His precious blood for. We read it there, of course,
in the language of Paul at the end of Ephesians chapter 1. That
God has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the
head over all things to the church. which is his body, the fullness
of him that filleth all in all. Here is that fullness you see,
the fullness of his body, the church. But then we not only to think
in terms of the fullness of the church that was appointed to
him in terms of the covenant, there's all that fullness of
Christ laid up in him. Again, think of the language
that John employs in that opening chapter of his Gospel. He says,
of His fullness, he's speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, of
His fullness of all we receive. Of His fullness. And grace for
grace. For the law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. for it pleased the Father
that in him should all fullness, that all the fullness of grace
is found only in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And again William Gadsby makes a simple observation, he says
it means that everything else is empty. Everything else is
empty, everything else is vain vexation of spirit. All that
fullness of grace is to be found only in the Lord Jesus Christ
or with those who really do believe that glorious truth and have
a desire that we might have such a knowledge of Him and be the
recipients of all that fullness of grace that is in Him. Well
let us come then to consider Christ and the Church as we see
him here as that one who is the head of the new creation. First
of all, when we read of his headship, he is the head of the church. That's what Paul says here in
verse 18. He is the head of the body, the
church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence. Now, of course, the reference
here is not to the local church. We're to think in terms of the
universal church. More particularly, we're to think
in terms of the sum total of all the election of Christ, the
church. And we do believe, of course,
that the local church as it is properly organized in accordance
with the teachings of the New Testament the local church is
a microcosm of that great church. But it is that total sum of the
elects the general assembly and church of the firstborn which
are written in heaven that we read of there in Hebrews chapter
12. Church of the firstborn All of
those born again by the Spirit of God. All they are is God's
firstborn. They have all the right of inheritance. All that fullness of grace in
Christ is their lawful possession. They are those who have been
adopted into the very family of God. And it's that church
that is being spoken of there, those who are written in the
book of life of the Lamb from the foundation of the world.
Now as I said last time, we thought to say something with regards
to Christ's relationship to the first creation. That creation
that He made. Verse 16, by Him were all things
created that are in heaven. and that are in earth, visible
and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him. But now we're thinking more particularly
of that relationship that the Lord Jesus Christ has with this
new creation, with the church. That's what he's spoken of in
verse 18. He is the head of the body, the
Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. He is the head of the Church.
He is that one who is the mediator of the New Covenant, that one
by and through whom all the blessings of the Covenant come into the
possession of those that the Father has given to Him. Oh, remember how He stands there
at the very beginning of the Church. He's there at the beginning
of the Old Creation. He's there at the beginning of
the New Creation. He is spoken of in each case here as the Firstborn. And what does God say? The familiar
words of Isaiah 42, Behold My servant whom I uphold, Mine elect. in whom my soul delighteth. I
have put my Spirit upon Him." He is the first of the elect. He stands at the head of all
the election of Christ. All those who are chosen, they
are chosen in the Lord Jesus Christ. We sometimes sing the
hymn of Isaac Watts, number 73, Christ be my first elect, he
said, then chose our souls in Christ our head. And we see that so clearly again
in the portion of scripture that we were reading earlier. There
in Ephesians 1 at verse 3 following, Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath
chosen us in Him, or mark the words, He hath chosen us in Him,
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ, for He has predestinated
us by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure
of His will. It is so evident that Christ
is that one who stands at the head of all the election of grace. He is God's first elect. And so He is that one who is
clearly to be recognized as the heads of the church as we saw
there at the end of the reading God hath put all things under
his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church
which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Who is that one who is the very
beginning then of the of the new creation. That's the position that he occupies
because that is what God himself has ordained and appointed from
all eternity. And see what this means. As he is the head of the church
So we are to recognize his absolute sovereignty in the church. We sang in the metrical version
of the psalm, that great second psalm. And God says, I have set
my King upon my holy hill of Zion. What is God's holy hill
of Zion? Zion in the Old Testament, it's
a type of the church. and God is saying there that
he has set his king, this is the Lord Jesus Christ, he is
set as king in the church. Or we should contend for that
kingship of Christ in the church. And how Christ then is that one
who rules and reigns in the church. And if the local church is a
microcosm of that universal church how the reign of Christ is to
be evident in the local church. And this is why the Puritans
would go on to speak in terms of the regulative principle with
regards to the worship of God. We know how that in the Old Testament
with regards to the worship of God under the Lord of Moses. All that worship was regulated
by the commandments that Moses received when he was 40 days
and 40 nights in the mount, receiving instruction concerning the tabernacle
and all its furnishings and all the service that was to take
place there. Repeatedly it says that he was
told to be careful to make all things according to the pattern
that was showed to him in the mount. And that's repeated when
we come to Hebrews. There in Hebrews chapter 8, the
beginning of that chapter, Paul speaks of certain aspects of
tabernacle furnishings and so forth and he quotes those words
as they must attend to all these things and all must be done according
to the pattern that was shown unto Moses in the mount. But
then remember later in that same epistle in Hebrews chapter 12
the Apostle draws a contrast between Mount Sinai in the Old
Testament and Mount Zion in the New Testament. And in that contrast
he makes it so plain that it is much more solemn to be worshipping
God in terms of that fullness of his revelation that we have
with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so what does he say? You can read the passage, it's
a lengthy passage there in Hebrews chapter 12. And then we come
to this verse 25 he says, "...see that ye refuse not him that speaketh."
For if they escape not who refused him that spake on earth, much
more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh
from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth. But now he hath
promised, saying yet once more, I shake not the earth only, but
also heaven." Oh, you're speaking of the Old Testament, God spoke.
God spoke all the 10 words, all the 10 commandments. how the
mountain quiets. But what is he saying? The God
who now speaks in the New Testament and that worship that is to be
rendered to God in the New Testament is more solemn than anything
in the Old Testament if all of that was to be according to the
pattern showed in the mount. How much more is the worship
and the government and the life of the church to be regulated
and governed by the words of Him who is King in Zion. It is the Lord Jesus Christ,
you see, who is the only Head of the Church. He is the Church's
Sovereign. And that's what we would rightly
contend for as it is revealed to us here in the New Testament
Scriptures. And so as we see in that remarkable
second chapter of Thessalonians we were only reading it recently
at home. I think yesterday morning we were reading in 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and David speaks there prophetically of the great mystery
of godliness or rather the great mystery of iniquity which is
the aping of the mystery of godliness, it's speaking of the papacy,
it's speaking of the man of sin who exalts himself above all
that he's called God and puts himself in the very seat of God.
And how the reformers and the Puritans recognize that. Oh,
it is the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is the only
lawful king in Zion, he is sovereign. but it's not only that he is
that one who is the head when he comes to our worship, but
when we think of our spiritual warfare because those who are
the new creation of God, believers are involved in a great conflict,
the good fight of faith and how the Lord Jesus Christ
is that one who is the captain of the Lord's hosts. And here
we see how extensive the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ is.
There in verse 16, remember, by Him all things were created
that are in heaven and that are in earth, and then He says visible
and invisible and he speaks of thrones and dominions and principalities
and powers. He is speaking of the spiritual
realm, he is speaking not only of elect angels, there are also
fallen angels in the game. At the end of Ephesians there
in chapter 6 doesn't the same apostle remind us of that great
conflict that the believer has? with all the forces of darkness. As he speaks of the necessity
of the spiritual armor, he says, we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places. Wherefore, he says, take unto
you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand
in the evil day. and having done all to stand. All the forces of darkness, the
spiritual conflict that the believer is engaged in against Satan and
sin and this world that lies in the wicked one. But here is
the believer's comfort in the midst of it all that the Lord
Jesus Christ is sovereign even in that realm. Even in that realm,
all things were created by him and for him. Now that doesn't
mean that God is in any sense the author of sin. All perish
the thought, blasphemy it is. But the powers of darkness are
subject to the sovereignty of Christ. In that sense Satan is
no free agent. and so Paul can so confidently
assert that all things all things work together for good to them
that know God to them who are the called according to his purpose
why? because Christ is the head over
all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him
that filleth all in all oh there is such comfort you see in this
glorious truth of the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ as it
is spoken of here in the text he is the head of the body the
church who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that
in all things he might have the preeminence but then Having said
something with regards to Christ as that one who is the head of the church we must also recognize here how
he is spoken of as the beginning of the new creation. The beginning, it says, the firstborn
from the dead All that new creation, if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creation. That's the great wonder, you
see, of what God has accomplished in the great work of regeneration.
Those who by nature were dead in trespasses and sins, born
again by the Spirit of God, partakers of the divine nature, If any
man is in Christ, he's a new creature, a new creation. And
how the hymn writer says in the hymn, finish then thy new creation. Oh God, he's doing a great work
in the souls of his people. And here we see how the Lord
Jesus Christ is that one who is the very beginning of it.
The beginning, it says, the firstborn from the dead. Oh, we're reminded
of the great truth of His resurrection from the dead. He is the firstborn
from the dead. Now, it is true that others died
in Scripture, and yet we read of the great miracle of the dead
being raised again to life. Many ways the most striking example
we have is that concerning Lazarus recorded in the 11th chapter
of John's Gospel and remember how the Lord Jesus speaks and
commands the dead to come forth. Verse 43 of that chapter. When
he had thus spoken he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth.
and he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave
clothes and his face was bound about with a napkin Jesus said
unto them loose him and let him go oh what a wonder it was and
it's in this context of course that the Lord Jesus Christ himself
speaks as the great I am I am the resurrection and the life
you see He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. Believeth thou that? Or do we
believe these truths? He raises Lazarus from the dead,
but that's not the only person that He raises from the dead.
We also read of the widow of Nain's son in Luke's account,
in Luke chapter 7 in chapter 7 verse 11 we see how
he comes to the city Nain and when he came nigh to the gate
of the city behold there was a dead man it says, carried out
the only son of his mother and she was a widow, a widow and
her only son And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on
her and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched her by
her, the coffee. And they that bare him stood
still, and he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he
that was dead sat up and began to speak. And he delivered him
to his mother. And there came a fear on all,
and they glorified God saying that a great prophet is risen
up among us and that God has visited his people. Or there
are those you see who were raised again from the dead. We can go
back into the Old Testament. In 1st Kings 17 the widow of
Zarephath's son. And Elijah the prophet is able
to raise that young man from the dead. There are these incidents,
recordings, and all for our learning that we through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope. But we know concerning
all these individuals that they later died. Or they died, they
were raised again from the dead, but ultimately they would die.
There would be that separation of body and soul, But how different
it is with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is truly the firstborn from
the dead. When Paul speaks of his priesthood,
after the order of Melchizedek in Hebrews chapter 7, he says
he is made after the power of an endless life. It's after the
power of an endless life. he is raised from the dead, he
ascends on high he never sees death again he has vanquished
it or death where is thy sting? or grave where is thy victory?
the sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law but
thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ for he is that one you see who now lives in the
power of an endless life is in heaven. He reigns. And there he is sovereign, the
great head of the church. And Paul says, now is Christ
risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that
slept. Why his very resurrection as
the first fruits is the guarantee that there will be at the end
of time a general resurrection. And all are to be raised again
from the dead. But then, when we think of Christ
as the beginning of the new creation, we're not only to think in terms
of that general resurrection at the end of time. Is there
not also a spiritual resurrection that comes into the souls of
those who are of the election of grace? He says, does the Lord
Jesus say, dead men shall live? together with my dead body shall
they arise." Why? That new life that comes into
the soul at regeneration is the life of Christ. It's that eternal
life that he gives. Because I live, he says, ye shall
live also. Oh, it's the same life that was
there when he was raised that is put forth by God in the soul
of the sinner when that sinner is born again and comes to faith
in Christ. It's the exceeding greatness
of His power to us, would you believe? According to the working
of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised
Him from the dead. We read the words there in Ephesians
1. The same power that was in Christ's resurrection is that
that is demonstrated in the soul of those who are dead in trespasses
and sins. And what is the purpose of all
of this? It is that in all things he might have the preeminence
for he pleased the Father that in him should all fall as well.
Oh, the Lord Jesus is that one who has the preeminence in the first creation, in the
new creation. How does he have it here in the
new creation? Well, we see it in God's eternal
decree. He has the pre-eminence there.
He is the first of all the elect. Behold My servant whom I uphold,
God says, Mine elect. He stands at the head of all
the elect. And all of them are chosen in
Him. He has the pre-eminence from all eternity. Oh, He has
the pre-eminence when He comes to accomplish that great salvation. and he has a preeminence when
that salvation is applied. When the Spirit comes, how does
he come? He comes as the Spirit of Christ. Though he is equal
to the Son and equal to the Father, he is God, the Holy Spirit, and
there's no inferiority between the persons in the Godhead, and
yet the Spirit willingly comes, and Christ says he shall not
speak of himself, He shall take of mine and shall show it unto
you." Oh, He has the preeminence in the application of that great
work of redemption. The Spirit is the one who comes
to reveal Him. Oh, do we know that gracious
work of the Spirit coming to us as the Spirit of Christ, taking
of the things of Christ, making them known to us, making them
real to us, making them so precious to us. Oh, he has the preeminence
in this life. Now, when the Spirit teaches,
we're brought to acknowledge who He is. Oh, I think you of
Christ is the test. To try both your state and your
scheme, you cannot be right in the rest unless you think rightly
of Him, says good John Newton. Always Christ revealed to us
as that One who must have the preeminence. are we those who have been brought
to recognize that He is God? Or again the hymn writer Joseph
Hart this time says that Christ is God. I can avouch, and for
His people cares, for I have prayed to Him as such, and He
has heard my prayer. Or he hears the prayer of that
one who comes and simply says to Him, Lord save me. He proves
His death. in the salvation of His people.
And of course He is to have the preeminence at the end in that
great day of judgment. He will have the preeminence.
It's every man in his own order. Every man in his own order. Christ
the firstfruits, afterward. They that are Christ at His coming. He is the one who is to sit as
the judge He says in the course of his own preaching in John
5, the Father judges no man but hath committed all judgment unto
the Son. And hath given him authority
to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. He will sit,
he will make that final separation between the sheep and the goats. He will demonstrate again his
headship Oh, are we those friends who in this day of grace desire
only to submit to Him and to bow before Him and to acknowledge
His authority and that we might be those who would live our lives
in obedience to all His holy precepts. We want to live to
Him, we want to live to His glory. We recognize that he is that
one who is not only the head of that great body, the church,
the universal church, the head of the local church, but he is
the head of every believer. But we see that one then who
is our Lord and our Savior. And we desire only to submit
to his authority. He is the head of the body, the
church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence. For he pleased
the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell. For the Lord
be pleased then to bless his word to us. Amen.