It’s All About Jesus

It’s not easy to stay focused on the things of God in a world where the latest news demands our attention and every issue feels so pressing. Whether it’s global conflicts, health crises, economic forecasts, or the latest research. The 24-hour news cycle with its sensationalist headlines and fear-mongering can make the concerns of this world seem more real than the things of God. That’s why it’s more important than ever to sit in this passage of scripture; to let these verses settle our souls and remind us who Jesus truly is.

Jesus is the Fullness of God in Human History (1.15)

When Paul calls Jesus the 'firstborn over all creation', he’s saying a couple of things. Firstly, Jesus was a complete human being who somehow expressed the fullness of God (1.19).

This is a crazy idea because what he's saying is that being human didn’t limit Jesus’ divinity in any way. So to be human is to be so much more than just a physical being. The incarnation confirms the incredible value and dignity of being human. We need to be reminded of this every day – I live in a material world, yet I am so much more, I have an eternal essence that this world can never satisfy.

Jesus is the Lord of all Existence (1.14-17)

But Jesus is so much more than just one human from history - Paul reminds us that there is no other human being who has ever existed that is equal to him. Jesus exists before and beyond Creation. Every power and authority that tries to flex in this world is insignificant and weak compared to Him. If Jesus is who he claimed to be, then this humble carpenter from Palestine is everything – literally the one who orchestrates every moment of human history.

The unseen reality of Jesus is more real than anything we might hear about in the news, more real than the stresses and pressures of life. Again, we need to be reminded of this every day.

Jesus is the Church’s One Foundation (1.18-20)

Of course, to be a Jesus follower is to belong to a Kingdom that is not of this world. Paul views believers as citizens of a greater reality than this world can comprehend, and again it all rests on who Jesus is.

When Jesus rose from the dead he created a new community, the universal and eternal Church. In Jesus, every believer is offered a reconciled relationship with God. Without Jesus, there is no way to be in relationship with God. Our whole identity rests on what Jesus completed on the cross.

So my life isn’t about how good I am at doing all the things I do – it’s about what Jesus has already done. How important is it to remember that each and every day?

Nothing Else Matters… (1.21-24)

Paul finishes this section by reminding us why he devoted his life to travelling the world and telling people about Jesus. Because nothing else matters.

If the Gospel of Jesus is true, then the only thing that matters is taking hold of who Jesus is and letting it reframe our whole lives – shaping every thought, every decision, every value, every priority. The greatest danger we face is to lose sight of who Jesus is. In a world of constant distraction that’s important to remember.

RESPOND

Why don’t you find some time in the next day or so to really meditate on who Jesus is. You could write out a confession of what you believe about who Jesus is – it’s valuable to put it in your own words. And then it would be good to speak it out, let it be your confession of faith.