Jesus Matters • Colossians 1:15-22
By Sydney Charlton
For centuries, people have asked, “What is truth?” John 18:38 notes that even Pontius Pilate asked this thought-provoking question. In our previous lesson, we established that the truth matters, that is, the absolute truth outlined by God’s Word.
The mere opinion of a person cannot be regarded as the absolute truth like Scripture. The authority of Scripture is critical to the foundation of every Christian’s life. Many people might acknowledge that truth resides in God, but different religions and philosophies have skewed what exactly that means. To understand truth fully and rightly, we must look to God as He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. The truth found in Jesus matters because Jesus matters.
Jesus is God, and no one has done what Jesus has done. The doctrine of incarnation teaches us what the song of Scripture has stated since the beginning: God the Son took on human nature in the person of Jesus Christ. Fully God, and fully human, living in a broken world, ravaged by the sinfulness of mankind.
Jesus came to us to make reconciliation possible. God created mankind with a relationship with us in mind. Jesus came to redeem what sin severed. He took the punishment of our sin on the cross, dying a death He did not deserve, and He rose from the grave three days after He was buried. No other god has done this, because no other god can!
God’s Word is the truth that matters, and we find in Christ the ultimate expression of God’s Word to us.
Colossians 1:15-17
Jesus is the Creator of all things. Think about that truth for a minute. There is not one thing that exists apart from His knowing and His detailed involvement in allowing it to come to be. The intricacies of how the moon directly affects the ocean’s tide, or the way that even tiny bones in the human skeletal system reflect the intentional nature of Christ, should cause awe of Him to swell in our hearts.
Jesus, the very One appointed to be the heir of all things, who made the universe, cares deeply about us. Every detail that surrounds us in nature exists because of Him, and yet He deems us to be the “very good” creation (Hebrews 1:1-2; Genesis 1:31)
Colossians 1:18-20
Though our perspective is often skewed by the fallen nature of the world, as believers, we know that Jesus is the Ruler over all things. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that takes place that is a surprise to Jesus. He is aware of the seemingly impossible situation that you are walking through, and He has a plan to be glorified in it as long as we remain surrendered to Him (Romans 8:28). Jesus inclines His ears to hear our prayers for those who are far from Him, and His redemption plan to bring them into His family is unfolding (Psalm 116:2).
Though this world is full of trouble, we are encouraged knowing that Jesus is with us, and His rule and reign are everlasting (John 16:33).
Colossians 1:21-22
Jesus is the Reconciler of all things, and He rules supremely, orchestrating reconciliation to occur. This marvelous mystery is part of the indescribable grace that has been afforded to Christ-followers.
We were dead in sin, and through Christ, we are presented holy and blameless before God (Ephesians 2). Jesus is the only King worthy of all praise, because He is the only One ever to bear the weight and full measure of sin’s consequences. Then He did what He promised: He rose from the dead so that we could fully live!
Jesus matters. He is the reason we can live free from the bondage of sin, and He is the reason we can boldly approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Oh, what a Savior!
Charlton is the OneHope Missions Assistant at Crossgates Baptist Church, Brandon.
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