Colossians 1:13-20

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And 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. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Based on the survey, it showed that 78 percent of Americans expect to go to heaven when they die. However, many of them hardly ever pray, read the Bible, or attend church. They admit that they live to please themselves instead of God. I wonder why these people would want to go to heaven.

In an article title, "Are We Ready for Heaven?"  points out that only 34 percent of the American people who call themselves Christians attend church at least once a week.

Why only few percentage Christian think that they can go to heaven is because they don’t accept Jesus Christ is, neither don’t know who he is. Paul begins the letter to the Colossians church by reminding them the guiltiness that they have shown. False teachers arose and brought Colossians into the spiritual bondage.

Jesus is rescuer! (v.13)

There are some people who believe that human being is basically good. Or, many people think that even though others are sinner and bad, “I am good!, I am perfect!!, I am the best!!!, I know most, so that other should listen!!” Let’s look at the word “Rescue”. It means “to come in and take out by force” We are all guilty and sinner, even though we don’t think about the really bad behaviors, you can sin with thought and the biggest sin that we have done is “Ignoring God”. we were hostage of the darkness.

Because of our sin, we were dominated by the darkness and tied so that we could not move, basically we were dead! we were eternally separated from God. we were spiritually already dead because of sin and we had to die in order to pay the price for the sin which is by DEATH.  Therefore, someone is needed in order to come in and drag us out of the darkness.

When we are out of the darkness, we are not changed, we are transformed and become “New”. 

Jesus is God!(v.15)

Look at verse 15. “He is the image of the invisible God,”. Image means “figures, likeness”. Jesus is the revealer of God. No one has seen God. God came to earth and became human being with human flesh. Jesus himself said “he who has seen me has seen the father” (jn 14-7-9), Jesus is the image of God (2 cor 4:4), in the face of Jesus Christ is the knowledge of the glory of God (2 Cor 4:6)

Jesus is not like God. He is not close to God. He is not almost God. Jesus is God. Jesus fully expresses the perfection of God.

He is “the firstborn over all creation”. This does not mean that He was the first thing created. This is metaphor expression that saying “Jesus is the one who takes the first place”. This means that Jesus was here when it all happened. He is the Creator of all things. Not only He created all things, but also he sustains all thing 17b.

Jesus Christ is the One who created the universe and allowed Himself to die so that He could be our redeemer. Jesus is the One who had victory over sin and death so that I could have eternal life. Don’t forget who Jesus is. Don’t take Jesus for granted. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords; and when we see Him we will automatically fall to our knees and worship before Him. 

Jesus is the reconciler!(v.19)

in verse 19, God was pleased, God was satisfied by the death of son of god. God has dilemma. He is perfect, holy and just. He must punish all sin. but God loves us so much. How does God get away from this dilemma?  you may ask “Why don’t we just be good enough? No, we can’t be good enough. Why don’t we go to church enough? Why don’t we don whatever enough? None of that could ever take away our sins beside the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus humbled Himself and became sin for us on the cross so that we could stand righteous before God. Jesus became our substitute. So that we have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” ( v.14)

He reconciled the broken relationship we had, and we are free and being in peace through the blood of His cross. Reconciliation and making peace are used synonymously to describe the mighty work which Christ achieved in history through his death on the cross as a sacrifice. The peace which Christ has brought may be ‘freely accepted”

Jesus did not come to make us look better = we are sinner, but be looked as better sinner (like dressing up). We don’t have to be better dressed up sinners. Jesus rescued us, He himself is God, and fulfilled the perfect plan of redemption. All these things came possible because Jesus himself became our substitute and took our sin. If you don’t know who Jesus Christ is today, why don’t you ask him to be your Rescuer, God, and reconciler.