Who Jesus really is

Ponder on Colossians 1:15-23

This is one of Paul’s most profound pieces of writing. We can’t read it without being moved by the majesty of the person he’s describing, for me at least, it draws me into heartfelt worship. Paul just piles one significant phrase upon another.

Jesus is the image of the invisible – he reveals God is ways that makes him knowable. He is before all things (‘before’ in the sense of having a greater priority) so there is nobody of greater significance than him. He is the firstborn from the dead – the only one who has not merely cheated death but actually defeated it with all its terror.

He is the fullness of God. Paul uses a word here from mathematics. When we have a column of figures to add up, we usually write the total at the bottom (so actually we’re adding down!) Greek arithmetic was the other way up. When they added up a column of figures, the sum-total was put at the top and it had a special name – the ‘fullness’. That’s the word Paul is using here to describe Jesus. In him is the sum-total of all God is, the complete human embodiment of the love, compassion and power of our heavenly Father.

So whenever we want to know what our heavenly father is like, we need look no further that Jesus himself. When we want to know how to live, we have only to copy Jesus.

Prayer

Praise God that we actually see what He’s like in the person of Jesus.

Admit: Is there anything I need to confess to him today?

Come: Bring your requests to him now – especially pray for …

Thank: What particular things can you thank him for today?