Position, Power, and Primacy
Week 1 Day 5
Colossians 1:15-18
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, 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 He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, 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 He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
King. Emperor. Sovereign. These titles convey power, dominion, and the right to rule. Human history is filled with the struggle to gain and keep such authority. Yet Paul declares that Jesus is the only true Preeminent One–and his supremacy is not seized but inherent because of his deity. Paul bases his claims of Jesus’s “first place” status on Christ’s position, power, and primacy.
His Position – Jesus as the Firstborn (v. 15)
As the positional “firstborn” in all of creation, Jesus is the rightful ruler of the earth! He is called “firstborn” not as one who was, himself, created, but as the heir to and owner of all things. Further emphasizing that he is not like other created beings, Paul writes that “Jesus is the image of the invisible God…” He is not just like God, but he is God. He is the visible and tangible Word made flesh who came to dwell with his people.
His Power – Jesus as Creator and Sustainer (vv. 16-17)
That same Word made flesh was the very “Word” spoken at creation by which all things were made. The one by whom, through whom, and for whom all things were created is the same one whose power sustains all things. It is Jesus who holds the universe together–down to the very atoms and molecules of our bodies. John MacArthur writes, “[Jesus] quite literally holds all things together. He is the power behind every consistency in the universe. He is gravity and centrifugal and centripetal force. He is the One who keeps all the entities in space in their motion. He is the energy of the universe.”
His Primacy – Jesus as the Head of the Church (v. 18)
Jesus’s place as leader of God’s people, the Church, is right! Like the head on your physical body, Christ is the controlling, enabling, and energizing force driving his body onward and outward. Paul also boldly proclaims that Christ is “the firstborn from the dead.” Jesus not only holds the highest position in the Church but also precedes his people in resurrection. His victory over death secures the hope of eternal life for all who are in him.
His Position – Jesus as the Firstborn (v. 15)
As the positional “firstborn” in all of creation, Jesus is the rightful ruler of the earth! He is called “firstborn” not as one who was, himself, created, but as the heir to and owner of all things. Further emphasizing that he is not like other created beings, Paul writes that “Jesus is the image of the invisible God…” He is not just like God, but he is God. He is the visible and tangible Word made flesh who came to dwell with his people.
His Power – Jesus as Creator and Sustainer (vv. 16-17)
That same Word made flesh was the very “Word” spoken at creation by which all things were made. The one by whom, through whom, and for whom all things were created is the same one whose power sustains all things. It is Jesus who holds the universe together–down to the very atoms and molecules of our bodies. John MacArthur writes, “[Jesus] quite literally holds all things together. He is the power behind every consistency in the universe. He is gravity and centrifugal and centripetal force. He is the One who keeps all the entities in space in their motion. He is the energy of the universe.”
His Primacy – Jesus as the Head of the Church (v. 18)
Jesus’s place as leader of God’s people, the Church, is right! Like the head on your physical body, Christ is the controlling, enabling, and energizing force driving his body onward and outward. Paul also boldly proclaims that Christ is “the firstborn from the dead.” Jesus not only holds the highest position in the Church but also precedes his people in resurrection. His victory over death secures the hope of eternal life for all who are in him.
Reflection and Prayer
What areas of your life do you struggle to surrender to Christ’s authority?
How does his position, power, and primacy give you confidence to trust him completely?
Father God, thank you for revealing yourself through Jesus, the image of the invisible God. Through him, all things were created, and in him, all things hold together. Help me to trust in his power, submit to his authority, and live in the hope of his resurrection. May Christ be first in my heart and my life reflect his rule. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
How does his position, power, and primacy give you confidence to trust him completely?
Father God, thank you for revealing yourself through Jesus, the image of the invisible God. Through him, all things were created, and in him, all things hold together. Help me to trust in his power, submit to his authority, and live in the hope of his resurrection. May Christ be first in my heart and my life reflect his rule. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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