Colossians 1:15-29
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (vs. 15)
People often think of God as only invisible, or as only a spirit. God, however, not only created all things visible and invisible, but He also reveals Himself to us in ways visible and invisible. Jesus Christ is how we actually see God.
If children ask us what God looks like, the first thing we need to tell them is to look at Jesus. Likewise should we answer the adversaries of Christ’s Church who say, “Show us your God!” The first response should be to show them Jesus Christ crucified. Jesus’ crucifixion is the fullest image by which the invisible God shows Himself to mankind, because the crucifixion is a matter of flesh and blood, it is a matter of history, it is a matter of social and political consequences, while at the same time being a matter of the utmost spiritual significance.
The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is a real and visible way that He shows us that we have a God who loves us, to the point of sacrificing Himself for us. He also shows us that there is hope, which grows out of the forgiveness of our sins by His sacrifice. We have hope that our bodies and our souls will be made glorious and perfect in the resurrection, which will not only be a visible reality, but it will be more beautiful than anything we’ve seen in this fallen version of creation!
Let us pray: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
