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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 10th December 2006 AMTHIS BABY WILL RISE FROM THE DEAD AND BE HEAD OF THE CHURCH!Pastor Linton Smith
When a baby is born people tend to gather around and marvel at the little one, How perfect, how beautiful, so like mum, no, dad.. and quietly wonder what he or she will grow up to be. Today I invite you to imagine you are standing by a cattle stall, marvelling at the Baby Jesus. For two weeks now we have been asking the question posed by an old song, Who is he in yonder stall At whose feet the shepherds fall? We have been looking at Colossians 1:15-20 for the answer. Today we change the question little. What will He grow up to be and to do? With that question in mind we look at Colossians 1:18.. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. On the last two Sundays we have seen that this baby had a hand in creating everything that was created.. the entire universe.. and has held it all together right up to the present moment. Now we learn..
Paul writes: Colossians 1:18.. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. The New Living Translation reads.. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything. The Contemporary English Version reads.. He is the very beginning, the first to be raised from death, so that he would be above all others. He will be the first to rise from the dead.. will be first in everything. But were not others raised from the dead – people like Lazarus? Yes, but they were raised only to die again. Jesus was raised to live for ever! 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul writes.. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The people of that time were familiar with the idea of firstfruits. The first grain reaped.. the first wine made.. the first oil extracted.. and the first wool shorn.. was set aside for God. Then the full harvest was brought in. Jesus was raised as the firstfruits.. the full harvest will follow.. those who have believed in Him.. and have died.. will also be raised when He comes again. But Jesus is the firstfruits! He is the first to rise from the dead never to die again! Seven weeks after Jesus was raised from the dead Peter told a very large crowd in Jerusalem about Jesus.. how He has been crucified.. and said.. Acts 2:24,32,33.. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. He was raised an exalted. Now.. He is at the right hand of God the Father. He will be the first to be raised from the dead.. never to die again.. and..
Paul: Colossians 1:18.. And he is the head of the body, the church.. Paul writes about this in greater detail in Ephesians.. Ephesians 1:22,23.. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. The Contemporary English Version reads.. The church is Christ's body and is filled with Christ who completely fills everything. The New International Reader’s Version reads.. The church is Christ's body. It is filled by Christ. He fills everything in every way. What a mind-boggling statement.. think of it.. you are looking at this Baby in the cattle stall.. and you hear this.. He will rise from the dead and be exalted. God the Father will place all things under His feet. He will be the head of the Church. The church will be His body. The church will be filled with Christ who completely fills everything! Just seven weeks after Jesus was raised.. Peter had this to say to the crowd in Jerusalem.. Acts 2:33.. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. He has been exalted to the right hand of God the Father and has sent the Holy Spirit on His disciples gathered in Jerusalem. That day, the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit took up residence in these people. The church was born. The church is made up of people who believe in Jesus. The church is pictured as His body. He is the Head. The church is filled with His Spirit, with Him who completely fills everything. We marvel at the Baby in the cattle stall.. we hear that He will be the first to rise from the dead.. He will be Head of the Church.. and..
Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians to people who had got off track.. had turned away from Jesus.. to focus on special days.. and the worship of angels.. Paul says of anyone like this.. Colossians 2:19.. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. He has lost connection with the Head, with Jesus from whom the body grows. The life of Jesus flows in the Body. Break connection with the Head.. and the life ceases to flow! The body becomes a useless thing. Paul says something similar in Ephesians.. Ephesians 4:15,16.. Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. From Him.. from Jesus.. from the Head.. the whole body grows. He is the source of its life! It is His life that causes it to grow! F. F. Bruce writes [NICNT Commentary]: “Christ and his people are viewed together as a living entity: Christ is the head, supplying life and exercising control and direction; his people are his body, individually his limbs and organs, under his control, obeying his direction, performing his work. And the life which animates the whole is his risen life, which he shares with his people” [Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians p68]. Let’s change the picture a little. In Ephesians Paul also says.. Ephesians 2:19-22.. You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Here the picture is not a body but a building. The building is made up of people – believers - and new believers are being built into it. It becomes a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. The Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, lives in the church. Let’s change the picture again. This time a vine and branches. Jesus says. John 15:5,8.. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Jesus is the vine. Believers like you and me are the branches. As we maintain connection with Him His life flows in us and we bear fruit, the fruit of Christ-like character and actions. Three pictures each pointing to the same truth – the Risen Jesus lives in His Church. And more than that.. lives through His Church.. F. F. Bruce again: In speaking of the church as the body of Christ, one thinks of it as vitalized by his abiding presence with it and his risen life in it; one thinks of it as energized by his power; one may even.. think of it as the instrument through which he carries on his work on earth [p70]. What a privilege is ours! What potential! The challenge for you and me is this: stay in connection with Jesus! Make time to sit quietly in His presence. Read the Bible. Study it. Make time to learn, to be taught. Take care to stay on track. This Baby will be the first to rise from the dead.. will be Head of the Church.. will live in and through His church.. and..
A little while ago we spoke of Jesus being the first to rise from the dead.. the firstfruits of believers who sleep.. Now we look more closely at this.. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. There it is. Jesus will come.. a second time.. in glory. And then.. at that time.. when He comes.. His people will be made alive. They will be given new and glorious resurrection bodies. In Ephesians 5 Paul pictures the church as the bride of Jesus.. Ephesians 5:25-27.. Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Do you like weddings? The bride is always at her most beautiful as she walks down the aisle to be presented to her husband to be. The day will come.. when the church.. all true believers in Jesus.. will be presented to Him as His bride.. and they will be radiant.. without stain.. or wrinkle.. or any blemish.. but holy and blameless. A glorious hope! Jesus fills His church with hope!In Colossians 3:1-4 Paul writes.. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. We will appear with Him in glory! So now.. let’s set our hearts on things above! Who is this Baby in the cattle stall? What will He grow up to be and to do? He will be the first to rise from the dead. He will be the head of the Church. He will live in and through the Church. He will fill the Church with hope! Do you believe in Jesus? No? Believe today. You do believe? Then thank Jesus for the privilege of being part of His body. Stay connected. What privilege and potential! He lives in us and through us. What purpose! He works in the world through us! And what hope! He was raised. We will be raised also. When He appears we will appear with Him in glory.
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