Sermon Central
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The Incomparable Christ Series
Contributed by David Welch on Jul 10, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: Message 4 in our exposition of Colossians exploring Paul's presentation of the incomparable Christ.
Chico Alliance Church
“The Incomparable Christ”
Review
Paul began his letter to this group of believers by letting them see a bit of his heart.
He tells them about how he has prayed for them.
In this section we learn of Paul’s prayer habits.
I. Paul exhibits proper, effective prayer 1:3-12
A. Paul offers Thanksgiving to the Father
B. Paul offers petitions to the Father
1. The deliberate Petition
“Be “manned” by a real, experiential knowledge of God’s will.
2. The Desired Product – a God honoring, worthy Walk
a. Please God in ALL respects
b. Bear fruit in EVERY good work
c. Increase in the knowledge of God
3. The Power – his glorious might
4. The Ultimate purpose
a. Attain unto ALL steadfastness (remain under)
b. Attain unto ALL long-suffering(anger)
5. The Motivation or attitude – thanksgiving for God’s work
Introduction
Paul bases his joyous thanksgiving on the fact that the Father qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
That qualification for inheritance came with high cost.
II. Paul exalts the Father’s great transfer work through Christ 1:13-23
A. The Father gloriously rescued us out of the kingdom of the tyrannical prince of darkness.
B. The Father lovingly transferred us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son Jesus.
C. The Benefits
1. Through this same Jesus we were ransomed by the payment of a price.
2. Through this same Jesus we were forgiven all our transgressions against the kingdom of light.
Now that we are citizens of a new kingdom, there are some things that we should know.
Who is this king?
What does he expect?
What are the kingdom rules?
The rest of Paul’s letter to the Colossians touches on all of these issues.
D. The King
Who is this king?
Can He answer Paul’s request?
What can we expect from this king?
1. He is the image of the invisible God
All through history man has tried to somehow depict god by some visible image.
It is difficult to visualize the invisible.
Yet God has expressly forbidden his people to make any graven image of the invisible God.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
The reason is that whatever man would design would fall pathetically and erroneously short of the original.
The greater reason is that God had in mind a perfect representation so that man could graphically realize and relate to Him.
1 IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ”
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Joh 14
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.2 Cor 4
1. In the NT the original is present in the image, which gives it visible manifestation.
