“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:16-17
In the above passage, the Apostle Paul wants us to know Jesus as the Creator. Three points here – Originator, Sustainer, One who is the Definer – Look at verse 16 – read – made by Him – there He is the originator - “and for Him” – There He is the definer. Read verse 17 – There He is Sustainer.
Originator, Definer, Sustainer
Originator – Paul is dissatisfied to say Jesus is the originator of all. He must elaborate – things in heaven and earth. Here’s why. Gnostics were happy to think of God as making everything in heaven because heaven was good and clean but earth was bad. And they wanted to release God from having any contact with stuff. Paul says No. Jesus is the creator of Heaven and Earth. Gnostics loved invisible, but not the concrete and visible. He says No, He has created invisible and visible. Then thrones and powers and rulers and authorities.
Gnostics looked at Jesus as a lesser emanation of God like an angel or throne. What he is saying is this. Everything you think Jesus is just made by, God, He is actually the One who made everything! He is not the object of creation. He is the Originator, the Definer, and Sustainer of it all.
Now let’s put it all together. When he says sustainer as holding it and then definer, meaning its purpose – How do we apply this?
Illustration/Application: I have a watch. It is a good watch – it was a gift to me but it’s only good if I use it for the purpose in which it was defined. If I try to use this as a golf tee – it won’t work very well. Two things will happen. My golf game will suffer and the watch will be destroyed. Do you know why many of us as Christians are in such agony? We live for ourselves – instead of the purpose for which we were designed. Do you know why all of us are in agony in some way, shape or form? You were designed for a purpose and the purpose was not you. And when you live for yourself, the irony is that life gets worse. No matter how successful, exuberantly thrilling for a moment of hype, I promise you it will get worse. You were originated, you were sustained, and you are purposed for one being, the living God. Your body, health, time, Mount Everest, the Serengeti, the Arctic, a paramedic, hormones, Helium, t-cells – all for Him. Now He gives you an incredible command – not just a privilege – an incredible command in 1 Timothy 6:17. The living God gives us richly all things to enjoy. You are not just allowed to enjoy material stuff, you are commanded to, but in this way. You’re commanded to enjoy life like a child invited to another child’s birthday party. All of the gifts that are given to him, you get to play with. But they aren’t yours. They are his – you touch all things for the One for whom all has been made. It changes everything. You go from being a golf tee to being what you were designed to be.
He is supreme!
pcraig
No comments:
Post a Comment