There was a clip doing the rounds in the past couple of weeks of the French Open Tennis tournament, and the cameraman was panning through the crowds, and there happened to be in attendance – a certain Antione Dupont – the French Rugby Captain, sitting there, looking cool, watching, and the commentator said (a south African guy) he said, ah there is the great French Captain Antoine Dupont, he is the Second best rugby player in the world, after Peter Steph Du Toit. And so the debates flared up – and he copped a lot of flak for voicing his opinion. 

Rugby fans like to argue over who the greatest is? And that’s just the current greatest – never-mind the greatest of ALL time? Jonah Lomu? Richie Mccaw? Bryan Habana? Naas Botha?  We can fight later. And it’s from the these types of sporting debates that this term GOAT – greatest of all time, that I’ve sneakily borrowed for the morning.

Church we are in our second week in the book of Colossians – and, seemingly there’s something similar happening here…

The Church is Colossae is under pressure to deny that Christ is the Supreme Ruler – under pressure maybe to introduce other figure, other Gods, other authorities, other powers. But He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lord, is he not? Is that in dispute? Is there anyone greater? In terms of character, of nature, of authority, of revealed supernatural power, of achievement and accolades and fame? Not even close. He is the true GOAT.  

The Apostle Paul writes, from prison, to a church he seemingly hasn’t even visited and he pens those words? Holy Spirit inspired, surely. You can hear his passion, his care for these people – his desire for them, to be bearing fruit, to be strong, to be growing, sharing, to be walking in the light of the King.– there is SO MUCH in these verses for us. 

Lawrence enjoyed taunting me last week – like how are you gonna handle this explosive package. And it’s impossible to really do it justice, not because I’m not a better preacher than Lawrence, I mean I’m a MUCH better speaker, but it’s just so full of fire – of burning truth. For those who are maybe visiting, that was a joke,  

But these words do spring into life, they call for response, and action. They demand it. 

We might be tempted into preferring the more generally acceptable parts of the bible – some lovely Psalms, some wise words of advice from the Proverbs, some feelgood exhortations from the Gospels. 

But this book (most popular book in the world) is dangerous. It is not tolerant. It does not back down. It is not afraid. And it’s Author will not his authority shared, He demands his rightful place – on the throne – to borrow a phrase from today's text - 

SO THAT IN EVERYTHING HE MIGHT HAVE THE SUPREMACY. He alone is worthy. He alone is deserving. He alone has earned that right in our lives and in all creation. 

People find that hard to believe. People find it hard to swallow. Oh I can’t believe in a God so jealous for his own authority. And what you might find hard to believe doesn’t change the truth. 

This word is a sword. It divides families. It divides communities, it causes debates and fights and arguments. We live in a world that tolerates many views, many peoples, all world views are just as valid as the next? All truth (with a little T) is of value and can be accepted. 

Cape Town – 2025 – Colosssae, in Turkey, two thousands years ago – things haven’t changed. There are strange strange teachings floating around – questioning the deity of Christ? Did he really say he was God? Is he really the only way to Heaven? Can’t I just believe all things – combine the bits like of my old faith, or my family heritage, mix and match to produce this chocolate sundae of a blended worldview, pleasing to all – it’s love, right, God is love, right, why can’t we all just be cool and chill and tolerant.

Nope – because what you think is tolerance and keeping peace and being open-minded is only achieving one thing, to diminish the person and work of Christ – who demands pre-eminance – he demands first place. 

That’s what seemingly compels Paul's to right these flaming words to people he hasn’t even met – the next 9 verses are a clear -direct – placing of this Christ that they worship – in first place. 

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 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.

This is list of attributes and achievement – it kind of reads like a CV. 

I in fact had to review some engineering CVs again this past month – for a trainee graduate position – so these poor kids are in the middle of their tech diplomas – they have zero experience, zero accomplishments, zero qualifications, and they have to put together a CV to try and get a job.

Piles and piles of these poor things land on my desk – and I start reading 

Oh I was the 

Class Captain in Grade 6

Play social Badminton

My hobbies, reading and walking my dogs 

To relax I like to Watch TV

Just meaningless stuff – like who cares- how is this going to set you apart and place you at the top of the pile

But listen to this CV. 

Stu mentioned Chat GPT last week – I chat GPTed this one – just wrote in – Colosossians 1:15 to 20 in the style of CV – and this is what it spat out – pretty good stuff.

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Jesus Christ

Title: Image of the Invisible God | Firstborn Over All Creation | Head of the Church | Reconciler of All Things

Contact details – seated at Gods right Hand

Profile Summary

The visible image of the invisible God. Preeminent in all creation. Creator, sustainer, and reconciler of the universe. Fully divine, with the fullness of God dwelling within. Central figure in the restoration of all things to God through peace made by the cross.

Key Qualifications

  • Exact Image of God
  • Firstborn Over All Creation
  • Creator
  • Pre-existent
  • Sustainer

Work Experience

Head of the Body, the Church
Eternal Role

  • Lead and nurture the global body of believers.
  • Serve as the source, foundation, and authority of the Church (v.18).

Firstborn from Among the Dead

  • Demonstrated victory over death.
  • Became the first to rise, ensuring new life for all who follow (v.18).

Agent of Reconciliation

  • Reconciled all things—on earth and in heaven—through blood shed on the cross.
  • Established peace between God and creation (v.20).

Core Competencies

  • Divine Leadership
  • Cosmic Creation & Sustenance
  • Resurrection Power
  • Church Governance
  • Reconciliation & Peace-building

Goals

To be supreme in all things (v.18), revealing the fullness of God (v.19), and to bring peace and unity to all creation through reconciliation (v.20).

I promise this is the only part of this message that touched chat GPT…

But what a CV! This guy should have the job hey – and that’s kind of what Paul is saying. Can you really compare whatever else is on offer  - to Jesus? No!

From the first word – the SoN – SON, he reminds them that Jesus is the SON OF GOD do not forget, do not be swayed. All of the fullness of God rests in him  - he is not a lesser God, he is not a birthed like a Human SON or created entity – he coexists, if somehow fully God. 

He is not new a newer version of an older God. Remember how many times when we recently as a church went through the book of John – how many times we stopped and noted, that Jesus was clearly referring to Himself as God. 

He is the image of the Invisible God. For all those people who ask, well, why doesn’t God just show himself to us!

Well, in a very real sense, he did. The Word – became flesh and dwelt among us. He came to us, on a rescue mission. We could never get to Him. God is invisible, yet his character, his nature, his attributes can be known. Can be recorded and verified. 

I saw a clip on TV the other day (another TV clip, I know, I should read a book instead) and this panel of celebrities were asked that usual question of which person in history would you most like to meet, or have dinner with or whatever… and it got to this comedian, and he said, Jesus Christ, and they all chuckled cause they thought he was doing a bit, and then turned back in seriousness and said, you guys all know that he existed right, that it really happened. And in a flash the room changed and quietened, as they all pretty much like we have to, faced up to the fact that 2000 years ago, there was a man walking through the Middle East – claiming to be One with the Father. The image of God – showing more than what he looks like, but how he acts, feels, loves, judges, serves. 

He is the firstborn over all Creation  - what on earth does that mean? Does that just mean he was the first thing ever created? The next verse – he was before all things – might lead you to conclusion – but no, that’s not correct – He is not a created being. Firstborn in context doesn’t literally mean, the child who was born first. In fact, the firstborn was often not the oldest child.

First Born is a RANK – It’s a title of leadership and inheritance -  - it signifies priority. 

Sovereignty – rule

He pre-exists creation

So you can go and find Jesus already there in creation, present as the spirit hovers above the water – you find a type, a forecasting of him through old testament prophecy and sacrifice

You find him in the Psalms – the Lord is my Shepherd!

You find him in the many years of searching and waiting for of the kings and judges – you even find him in the hundred of years of silence – because it is him they are all waiting for!

I hope you find him in the gospels, he’ s hard to miss. Oh and by the way – you note the first thing said about him in the gospel of John is how he existed at the beginning of time., And you find him even at the end of the story of earth in revelations, with eyes like fire and hair like white wool, feet of bronze, He is there at every time – because he is the greatest of all time – the greatest – OVER EVERY time.

Not only is he there – he is identified as being active – as the Creator – all things were created through Him and For Him In him all things hold together – listen to Hebrews 1

Hebrews 1
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word

Jesus at the centre of it all – at the centre of history, at the centre of heaven and earth – giving the only true meaning, grounding, direction Hope in our lives. Sustaining all things. Without him we are nothing, we are dead. In him we are truly ALIVE

Paul uses this term firstborn again – firstborn from among the dead – the ruler and heir from among the dead? What do you mean – was he the first person to be brought back to life – nope couple of other candidates in scripture.

But he is the only one through which – we can be brought back to life – the only way to us being born again, and as Jesus told Nicodemus - we must be born again

Why him, why not something else? Why not share out the responsibilities – you like some other faiths – have a god of this, and a God of that, and different God responsible.

So that in all things – all things – just stop for a moment and skim through those words

Over all creation  - in him all things all things have been created – before all things in him all things hold together – so that in everything he might have the supremacy – all his fullness dwells in him to reconcile to himself – all things – things on earth, things in heaven – all. 

So you see what is happening here – at the same time – one God – One Supreme ruler, set apart from all created things, before and above and reigning over  - over everything. 

ALL – not just those who like him, Not just those who bear his name - not just that precious few who saw him face to face at that time. Not even just all those who believe and trust him and lift him up?

All things subject to the one thing – not a thing – rephrase – all of creation subject to the ONE CREATOR. 

If you remember two words from today – may it be this – supremacy and sufficiency. 

He is better than,  the King of all Kings, he is enough  - to sustain, to reconcile, to redeem and restore – all things. 

How did he do it!? How was that possible? By becoming, NOTHING.

How did he give us life – by giving up his life. How did he conquer our sin – by becoming sin - 

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God

The GOAT becomes the Lamb. The Supreme, the Sufficient, becomes the sacrifice. Oh what a saviour. 

The last part of the passage changes focus, changes gear – this is now Pauls usual style of personal writing – he is addressing directly the believers in the church. He references himself by name (always helps you to figure out who wrote the book when he mentions his own name, by the way).

He makes a beautiful encouragement to the church – and he bases it on time, as we experience it – past present future

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[g] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Look where you used to be – Once you – Now look where you are – look at your amazing position – look how far you’ve come young church. Think about that – even little old Medway is older that the Church at Colossae was

So keep on going – keep on continuing in the faith – holding fast to the hope you already have – now. The Gospel that we share – that same Gospel – I heard, you heard, that same Gospel I have come to serve – you must continue serving. These are not appeals to Pauls authority – it’s not do what I say just because – it’s we are connected in this body – we are fellow Servants. 

His next few verses  - to be looked at next week, please come along – describe what it means to be a servant, to Labor for the Cross. 

To close

You read through those verses, they really strike you differently, don’t they. They did, me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it – my guess was, hey, maybe the Holy Spirit just kicks Paul into gear and inspires some truly next level prose. Because – in a strange way, it doesn’t sounds like Paul usually sounds….

So imagine my pleasant surprise – when there in the footnotes I read of my study bible, that I’m not alone in this observation. Some scholars believe that this portion is a reproduction of a hymn, or a creed or poem that would have been well known at the time. That’s pretty cool. 

Some you guys like the old hymns – well here’s maybe – really OLD one. And it sings, it really does. I thought that was interesting.

SO my those few verses be the song on your hearts as we head off this morning. 

That place Christ as the Supreme ruler of all things. So that long after we’ve taken off our Sunday best – and gotten back to that horrible secular thing called – normal life – that that song would whisper in our ears, reminds us – even there - in that stressful workplace – even there, in that unbelieving family maybe – wherever you are – that Christ is Lord, that ALL THINGS – EVERY CREATED THING is subject to Him and under his authority. 

Lets pray - Oh father give us hearts to sing your truth this morning. To lift up Jesus in his rightful place as Lord of all. All our days, all our past, our presents and our futures. 

We marvel in His creation, but we are all subject to living lives that Honour our creator.

Help us to continue in you help us to see you and proclaim you in all things. Give us the drive and courage to speak your light into every situation and relationship we encounter this week. 

To be true bearers of the hope held out by this Gospel we love 

In Jesus supreme and sufficient name – the Greatest of ALL TIME – AMEN.