Introduction …

  • The dreaded word is doctrine …
    • As dry as dust …boring
    • Confusing and difficult
    • Divisive…. Causing splits
    • Theoretical … not practical.
      • It teaches us to be so heavenly minded we are of no earthly use.  
    • Is that a true or fair assessment 
    • Those that study doctrine find it stimulating
    • Enlightening not confusing
    • In most cases easy not difficult
    • Not theoretical …Intensely practical…
      • Importantly our doctrine determines our lifestyle on earth and our destiny in eternity.
    • In our minds it is …
    • Wrong on all counts …
  • Listen …
    • You believe that when you die you will go to heaven …
      • On what grounds do you say that? 
    • Many people say that because God is love there is no place called hell …
      • Is that true … 
    • God has promised if I give him R1 he will give me R100 …
      • Many church leaders claim gifts of healing , prophecy and apostleship …
    • On what grounds do people make such claims …
    • There is no such thing as practical application without sound doctrine …
    • Supposedly on the promises of God… Doctrinal grounds.
  • False doctrine …
    • Paul as he hands the baton on to Timothy has a lot to say about the need for sound doctrine … 1 Timothy 6:3-4
    • In the day and age in which we live we are warned that there will be a massive increase in false doctrine ... 1 Timothy 4:1
    • The General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church  in S.A. stated that in order to maintain unity in the church the following beliefs are accepted …
  • God is not the creator of all things … evolution is accepted..
  • Satan only exists if you think he does
  • You do not have to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus
  • Each person can be saved by belief in their own god
  • The bible is not inspired by God it is simply man's view of God
  • Marriage is not exclusively between a man and a woman.
  • Each person can decide for themselves what gender they claim for themselves.
  • They say their reason for permitting these changes is they do not know for sure what the bible teaches.
  •  At Medway we do not agree with these things at all …
    • And so we again take God's inspired and infallible word and teach the doctrine of Christ this morning …
  • Last week we pointed out that Jesus Christ is the exact image of God …
    • All the fullness of God is in Jesus
    • Jesus is the invisible God made visible
    • He is the self existent deity …
    • God the one and only who is at the right hand of God … John 1:18
    • As prophesied by Isaiah… God with us…  
  • Today we take the next step in the theology of Christ …
    • And show that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

Reading … Colossians 1:15-17

  • He is the image of God the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, things in heaven, and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were made by him and for him.  He is before all things and all things are held together by him.

Firstborn …over Universe and all creation.

  • The first question we need to ask is what is the meaning of firstborn …
    • And it speaks to position, rank, authority, status. 
    • It is not chronological …
      • It does not mean the oldest child born to a parent couple. 
    • Given a name above every other name… Lord.. Philippians 2
    • So the issue here is that of rank, status and authority …
    • The Greek word used here is PROTOTOKOS
    • Jesus was appointed by God the heir of all things… Hebrews 1:2
  • Notice the language …
    • The context speaks of authority and rank …not time
    • For by him all things were created … and for him …
    • He created all things… 16 
      • Therefore they are his
      • And he uses them for his purposes
    • He holds all things together… 17
      • Their existence is dependent on him
      • Kingdoms and kings come and go as he pleases
    • And they were created for his purposes …16
      • His purposes are specific, not random. 
      • He is creating a people for himself. 
    • Where is his authority applicable …
      • In other words his authority is universal …
      • In heaven, on earth, Visible and invisible … Unseen world…
    • Over which authorities does he rule …
      • He is Lord of lords.
      • All rulers, authorities, powers, thrones. 
    • The world's greatest kings and kingdoms came and went exactly as Daniel prophesied. 
      • They all served his purposes. 
      • Babylon, Medo-Persian empire, Grecian and Roman empires  and above all the history of the Jewish people. 
      • The greatest of kings … Cyrus the great, Alexander the great, Julius and Augustus Caesar, Titus who destroyed Herold the great's temple.
    • It is all there in the history books proving the truth that God in Christ Jesus is before all things … 17
    • Firstborn over …not before …
    • The reason for this position …
    • His authority rests on 3 important things …
    • Proof of this fact is found in the fulfillment of prophecies found in Daniel where world history covering thousands of years is laid out.
  • Jesus is the firstborn over all creation … 
    • His authority is over all the world. 
  • It matters not if you agree … the truth is he is our creator…
    • He is Lord of lords … the supreme authority.

Head of the church …

  • He is the head of the church, he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead so that in everything he might have the supremacy…18
    • Again the context is authority, rank, position.
  • Head of the church …
    • The picture is that of a body in its entirety … the church 
      • The preeminent part is the head which is the command center …
      • Then all the different parts with their individual functions.
      • All working in harmony to achieve its purposes. 
    • Head means the preeminent one …
  • It is true to say that Jesus is chronologically the first one to receive his glorious resurrection body and that we will follow suit…
    • When he appears we don’t know what we will be like but we will be like him… 1 John 3:2
    • Scripture teaches that the church will be changed and take on immortality
    • Receive glorious bodies like that of Jesus … Philippians 3:21 , 1 Corinthians 15:49-54 
    • John says…
    • So he is firstborn in the sense that he already has that special body and we will follow.
  • But he is the head of the body … the firstborn …
    • That is rank, authority, supremacy 
    • Appointed heir of all things …Hebrews 1:2
    • That he might have the supremacy.
  • Firstborn from the dead …
    • He himself caused resurrections …
      • It is not chronological. 
    • In Israel being the son born first resulted in status …
      • You were the heir apparent… but not always …
      • Esau sold his firstborn birthright to Jacob for some stew … Genesis 25:33
    • God calls the nation of Israel his firstborn son … Exodus 4:22
      • They were the most high God's possession… status
    • Solomon was clearly David's preeminent son …
      • But Amnon was the one born first.
    • He did not have to earn the right to be firstborn 
      • He was firstborn because of who he was.
    • He is the beginning and firstborn …
      • His resurrection is the starting point for the church…
      • He is the source of new life 
    • So he is preeminent …
      • In himself … the image of God
      • In creation …the creator and upholder
      • In death and resurrection … the beginning, source and forerunner… the head 
    • Clearly Jesus was not the first person to be raised from the dead …
    • The preeminent thought in scripture on firstborn is rank and status. 
    • The fact that it was Jesus who rose from the dead is what made it so important.

Application …

  • I finish where I started …
  • He is all.
    • The firstborn preeminent one, the supreme authority. 
    • God with us… The pre-existent one…
    • The one who created all things and for whom all was created …
  • So you say to me …
    • That is just boring theology.
    • That sounds well and good …SO WHAT. 
  • What makes you think you are going to heaven when you die …
    • Where do you get that from … 
      • You are basing your eternal future on this false doctrine
      • Not of works … Ephesians 2:9
    • Basically as good a guy as any …some good stuff done
  • What does sound doctrine say …Romans 10:9
    • The doctrine of who Jesus is is critical for salvation.
      • Get that wrong and everything falls apart. 
      • Who do you say I am …
    • Jesus is Lord …
      • He is MY Lord
        • And he dictates my life according to his truth.  
      • And when we confess that truth it means we espouse it …
    • If you confess Jesus Christ is Lord …
  • What did Paul say to the Colossians …
    • Continue to live in him …rooted, built up, strengthened …2:6
    • Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord …
    • There is no application without doctrine
  • Why do I believe that I am heaven bound … 
    • To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault  … Jude:24