1.21 blog

This Sunday was the second week in our series “Jesus versus Religion,” in which we’re looking at the difference between gospel Christianity and religion, as well as Jesus Christ’s superiority to all things (including religion).

The sermon came from Colossians 1.15-23, and dealt with joy. In later posts this week, we’ll be looking at the fact that we’re all looking for joy. But we’ll assume that for now. We may seek various ways to find joy, but at the end of the day, we need to look to Jesus.

We saw that he is God. He is the Image of the Invisible God (v. 15), and in him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (v. 19). As God, Jesus is infinite and inexhaustible. And because of this, he is able to fully satisfy our desire for joy. Any other source can be used up and depleted. But God cannot be. He is the surest source for our joy.

Beyond that, we also saw that Jesus has created all things (vv. 16-17). As the Creator, he is superior to them. Which means we should be seeking our joy in him, rather than in other things. Apart from him, we wouldn’t even have them to enjoy. Yet, often these created things become idols to us (anything upon which we place supreme importance). We often do this with our jobs, or our possessions, or our families. Anything that exists has the potential to become an idol. But not only has Jesus created these things, he has also created them for himself (v. 16). This means that everything that exists exists to bring glory to Jesus. Everything should be leading us back to him for worship and joy. We should receive them as his good gifts to us, enjoy them, and acknowledge his superiority to them.

But simply receiving this information is not enough. Idols are quite difficult to unseat (believe me, I’ve tried). And this is why Jesus has also redeemed all things (vv. 18-20). He did this by making peace by his blood on the cross. When he was crucified, Jesus was treated as an idolator. He was treated as though he’d been elevating his family or his job to places of supreme worth (the way that you and I do). And because he has done this, now we can be treated as though we’ve lived lives that are completlely loyal to God (the way that he did). And through the cross, all things are set back in their rightful place. The cross of Jesus is the solution to our improper priorities.

Finally, though, we saw that Jesus does this for real people (vv. 21-23). A lot of times, hearing about the gospel, and about Jesus gets very abstract and impersonal. We can slip into thinking about it as a philosophy or set of principles. But it’s not. Jesus has done this in his body of flesh by his death (v. 22). He is a particular individual, who did a certain thing in history. These aren’t just general principles, they are particular historical events. And Paul addresses the Colossians (and us), showing that this happens to real people.

On our own we are alienated and hostile to God, but now, through what Jesus has done, we are holy, blameless, above reproach, and in his presence. Jesus brings us back to himself, the Fountain of all Joy.

And because of that, our lives are changed. Because of that we learn to worship Jesus and enjoy the gifts he’s given us. We see that in him we have an inexhaustible source of joy. This frees us from having to give ourselves over to idols. We don’t need them, we have Jesus. Now we can simply enjoy and appreciate them. You can like your job, or your family, or sex (with the person to whom you’re married). But even if you lose these things, you will never lose Jesus. And so as a result, you can relax your grip on them because you have been set free.

1. What things compete with Jesus for your joy?
2. What areas of your life show loyalty to Jesus?
3. Do you view Jesus more as a philosophical principle, or as a person?
4. What do you grip too tightly?
5. Are you trying to remove your idols on your own, or are you resting in what Jesus has done?