In the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the apostle presents Jesus as supreme over everything and everyone; he is the all-sufficient Christ, that is, God’s “anointed one,” sent to be the savior of the world. This opening section of Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae contains some of the highest, most sublime language ever written!

    The reason for this emphasis on Christ is seen in verses 9-12: “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”

    Notice in the balance of the chapter, three powerful portraits of Christ painted by the apostle.

    1. Christ as Savior: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). If we’ve been delivered (or rescued) from spiritual darkness, we are now in the light of God and his word.

    Further, in Christ we enjoy “...redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” The idea of redemption is that of buying back. A common example today is the practice of paying a price to redeem something that has been pawned. Through the grace of God, the souls of the saved have been paid for by the blood of Jesus.

    2. Christ as Creator: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16-17).

    He created all things, even though he isn’t mentioned by name in the original creation story. All things exist for him — i.e., they exist for his use and glory.

    3. Christ as the head of the body, the church: “He is head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Colossians 1:18).

No authority exists over the universal church except him – no synods, councils, no one. His prominence exists in the fact of his resurrection – not in time, but in importance.

    The importance of these portraits of Christ is so that (borrowing from the language of Colossians 1:18 in the NASV), “He himself will come to have first place in everything.”

    The question for everyone is, who occupies first place in our lives? Someone or something will. Christ’s supremacy covers as wide a scope as is conceivable — and beyond. As his followers, we must acknowledge that he should hold first place in our marriages and families; first place in our professions; first place in our evangelism efforts; first place in the use of our time;  and first place in our conversation.

    May the Lord help us strive to give Christ first place in everything.