Who Is Jesus: The Conductor of the Orchestra (Part III)

Sermon Title: Who Is Jesus: The Revealing of Someone Great

Good News Statement: Jesus invites us to know who he is

Preached: Sunday, April 28, 2024 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Colossians 1:15-17 Today’s scripture reading comes from Paul’s letter to the people of Colossae. Paul is hearing word from Ephesus that the Colossians are doing well in their faith but have lost sight of who Jesus is in their life. So, Paul writes a letter describing and defining who Jesus is. Let’s read Colossians Chapter One, verses Fifteen thru Eighteen. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding and meaning to your life.

 

The Supremacy of Christ

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, ¹⁶ for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

Introduction:

At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of eleven major symphony orchestras perceived each other. This is what they concluded:

“The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and unathletic. The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose “loud” as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical.”

Interesting findings, to say the least! You may be asking yourself, “With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music?” The answer is simple: regardless of how those musicians view each other, they set aside their feelings and biases to the leadership of the conductor. Under their guidance, they play beautiful music. (Today in the Word, June 22, 1992)

What the scholars found to be true of the leading orchestras in the nation can be said of the leading teams in each sport, the leading businesses in each field, the leading schools in each district, and believe it or not, the leading churches in every corner of the world. What is the key to success? Is it qualified, intelligent employees? A well thought out plan? A solid financial base? Sound methods? No, these all are important components, though, but the key to success is not to focus on differences or things that cause separation; but to focus on what holds all of us together. As followers of Christ, what holds us together is not just love, grace, and understanding, but it is Christ, the leader and conductor, of the orchestra—the leader of your life and the church.

When we stop to think of the Church, a living, vibrant Body of believers that has survived twenty centuries of persecution and attack by those who have sought to shut it down—what do you think of? Do you think of the church’s architecture? Do you think of the church’s methods and plans? Do you only think of what the church is today instead of thinking of what it could be tomorrow? When we think of the church, I hope and pray that what comes to mind is the church’s King: the Lord and the Savior, who said, “Upon this Rock I will build My Church and the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it.” I hope and pray that when you think of the church you think about a group of talented “musicians” coming together to perform in God’s orchestra.

Today, we will be reminded of the one person who is able to hold all things together when the orchestra plays beautifully and when it misses a few notes. This person is Jesus Christ; and he is the conductor of the church of today and tomorrow; and through him and in him, he holds all things together in the church and in our life.

Body:

As we prepare to embrace another one of the Apostle Paul’s descriptions of who Jesus is to the people of Colossae, let me remind of where we have been.

First, Paul informed us, that “Jesus is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). This means that God’s inner beauty and glory are seen through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who makes the invisible visible, the unseen seen, and strives to “seek out and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus sees what we can’t see; Jesus hears what we can’t hear; Jesus knows what we don’t know; and Jesus calls out who we choose to ignore and not love. Jesus as the image of the invisible God signifies our ability to see what God needs us to see through Jesus Christ.

Second, Paul tells us that “Jesus is the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). This means that Jesus has authority and power. Jesus has authority upon which God had called good. Jesus has power and from this power Jesus protects God’s creation. Jesus rules over creation. Jesus being identified as the firstborn is not about rank: it’s about supremacy, authority, and respect. It’s about us realizing that Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, deserves our attention and our willingness to be open to his teachings and callings upon our life.

Third, Paul enlightened our curiosity of who Jesus is by stating, “[For] in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Simply put, Jesus is the one who all things have been created for: in him all things in heaven and on earth were created; by him all things, invisible and visible, have a purpose; and through him, we have the wonderful opportunity to heal this broken world and to make it a better place. Just like how Jesus is in, through, and for creation, the same principle applies to you: Jesus is in you as you abide in him, Jesus is working through you to share the good news, and Jesus is for you and not against you. Jesus is someone who is and always will be in all things because he knows we need him in all things of our life. From this description of Jesus, Paul wants us to remember that we were created for Christ, that we are to give praise for Jesus, and that Jesus wants to use our lives within this creation. Who Jesus is, is what Jesus does and needs us to do because Jesus is the conductor of the orchestra.

Paul’s description of Jesus continues in verses seventeen and eighteen. In verse seventeen, Paul adds to his praise of Christ. He explains that Jesus existed prior to all other things. Jesus is eternal, just like God the Father (John 1:1-3). In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and Jesus was there (Genesis 1:1). God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit (Genesis 1:2-3) were all involved in creation. Not only is Jesus—God—responsible for creating all things, he is also the reason all things continue to exist. The Greek construction of this verse can also be translated as “all things continue” or “endure.” Jesus is both creator and sustainer of our world.

In addition to Jesus being creator and sustainer of all things (Colossians 1:17), Paul notes, in verse eighteen, that all believers are under Christ’s authority and leadership (Colossians 1:18). Paul often refers to believers or the church as a body (1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:16; 5:23). The term “head” carries both a functional and symbolic meaning. In either case the “head” is the source of decision-making, authority, and control. Christ is meant to be the source of our faith, and our lives should reflect his commands. Paul adds two additional qualities about Christ in this verse. First, he calls Jesus “the beginning.” This is most likely a reference to His role in creation (Genesis 1—2). In fact, in Hebrew, the book of Genesis is called Bereshith, which is the first word of the text, and literally means “The Beginning.” Second, Paul refers to Jesus as “the firstborn from the dead,” a reference to his resurrection. The Greek wording in this last phrase emphasizes Jesus as supreme in all things as he continues  and endures in all things.

Let’s take a few minutes to break these verses down even further so that we can gain a deeper and profound understanding of who Jesus is in our life and how he operates within our life—as followers of him and as a church orchestrated by his leadership.

Movement One: Jesus Existed Before All Things

Jesus existed before all things. Paul tells us that Jesus is one who existed before all things (Colossians 1:17a), as being the “firstborn over all creation.” And then the third thing Colossians tells us about Jesus as the firstborn over all creation is that Jesus existed before all things. Colossians 1:17 says: “He is before all things…” (Colossians 1:17).  We read the same thing in John 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2). In the beginning before anything had yet been created, Jesus was with God and he was God. Jesus was present during creation. Jesus is present today in creation.

In John 8:58 Jesus told the Jews: “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). This is a remarkable statement because that phrase “I am” was the divine name for God. “I AM” is what God tells Moses at the burning bush to tell the enslaved Israelites in Egypt that God is coming to their rescue. Unlike the Israelites in Egypt, when the Jews heard Jesus say this, they picked up stones to stone him, because in claiming this name for himself, Jesus was claiming to be none other than the eternal God who always is and has always been and always will be. The Jews viewed Jesus as separate and distinct person instead of viewing him as the inseparable image of the invisible God. Colossians 1:17 says: “Jesus is.” In John 8:58 Jesus says, “I am.” Both of these descriptions indicate that Jesus is active and alive in all things: Jesus is never not on the move in your life.

The Nicene Creed, which safeguards the nature of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, puts it this way: that Jesus is “the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds.” God the Father is eternally the Father, and Jesus Christ is eternally the Son. There was never a time when God the Father was not the Father, because there was never a time when Jesus was not the Son. God the Father has always been the Father because Jesus has always been his Son. There was never a time when God was without a Son. Jesus never came into existence. Jesus can neither be created nor destroyed. Just like God the Father has always existed, so Jesus has always existed. He is eternal. Or as Colossians says: “He is before all things.”

Before the orchestra was formed—before the woodwinds, brass, strings, and percussionists came together—Jesus was there standing on the podium with the music before him waiting to create something beautiful. Jesus has always been the conductor of the orchestra in which we belong as we are: differences and similarities, good days and bad days, successes and failures, achievements and sins, joy and sorrows, agreements and disagreements. To say that Jesus is one who is before all things means that we are not waiting on Jesus; instead Jesus is waiting on us so that his orchestra will be complete. My question to you is, “Is there anything holding you back from taking a seat in Jesus’ orchestra and making him wait on you?”

Movement Two: Jesus Sustains All Things

As we move forward with verse seventeen, let me remind you of what Paul means when he stated in verses fifteen that Jesus is the “firstborn over all creation.” First, Jesus created all things. Second, Jesus inherits all things. Third, Jesus existed before all things. And then finally fourth, Jesus holds and sustains all things. Back to Colossians 1:17: “He is before all things and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).  And so Jesus is not only the creator of the universe, he is also the sustainer of the universe who holds everything together. Or as Hebrews 1:3 puts it: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus sustains all things and holds all things together. God did not wind things up at creation and then walk away, but He is intimately involved in all of creation. And here in Colossians God’s providential care of the universe is revealed as the sustaining power of Jesus, the firstborn over all creation. The galaxies spin at his command. Every star, every planet, every atom, every molecule at every moment is completely and totally dependent on Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus is for creation as creation is for Jesus. If Christ should cease to sustain, the creation would cease to exist. Every breath you take in this world is dependent on the sustaining power of Jesus Christ. Everything you do, say, and think is dependent on Jesus Christ.

We, as a church, are dependent on Jesus Christ to guide us, nurture us, strengthen us, support us, and lead us to creating and maintaining ministries and messages that exemplify the love of Christ Jesus. We are dependent on Christ because without him we are nothing: “nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate” according to Paul (1 Corinthians 13:1, MSG). But with Christ, we are everything and more: we are disciples that preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, recover sight to the blind, and set at liberty those who are oppressed (Luke 4:18). With Christ we are a church that people say, “I know they are Christians by their love, by their love. I know they are Christians by their love.” We are dependent on Christ because Christ sustains us and holds us together. In a way, we are dependent on Christ because Christ is over all of us.

Christ is supreme over creation in the past, in the present, and in the future. He is supreme over creation in the past because he is the creator of all things. He is supreme over creation in the present because he is the sustainer of all things. And he is supreme over creation in the future because he is the heir of all things. What do we mean when we say Jesus is the firstborn over all creation? Well, Jesus created all things; Jesus inherits all things; Jesus existed before all things; Jesus sustains all things. You would be hard pressed to find a stronger statement of Christ’s supremacy and his divinity. As Jesus sustains all things, he also holds all things together.

The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible replaces the word “sustain” with the world “hold.” The word “hold” reminds me of what the Psalmist shared in Psalm 139:13, “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” And what Paul notes in Colossians 2:2, “I want their hearts to be encouraged and knit in love….” And additionally in Ephesians 4:16, “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.” When I read the word “knit” in scripture I think of the world “hold.” When one knits, material is used to create interconnected loops of yarn; and these loops of yarn, overtime, hold together a creation, an idea, pattern, and a vision. Remember, you were created in the image of God and now Jesus is holding you together because you resemble something this world needs.

I know some of you are probably telling yourself, “Well, I know of a few moments in my life when I felt like I was falling apart, like nothing was holding me together.” I hear you: I’ve been there as well. But in those moments, although I felt like I was falling apart—the loops in my knitted life were becoming unconnected, unthreaded, unraveled—I reminded myself that the one who put me together is collecting all the fallen pieces and waiting to put them back together. Even when we fall apart, Jesus is there to put the pieces back together because he holds us in his hands. Do you remember the old children’s song that says, “He’s got the whole world in his hands; He’s got the whole world in his hands; He’s go the whole world in his hands. He’s go the world in his hands.” Jesus has the world in his hands, and he is holding it together just like he is holding you together right here, right now.

There are moments in our life in which we feel as if the orchestra is capable of performing without the conductor. At first, things go well! The music sounds beautiful, the instruments are in tune, the players are relying on each other. But then, someone comes in late or too early: the players panic, the music speeds up, the instruments go flat or sharp, and the beautiful music becomes unrecognizable…until the conductor stands on the podium and rescues the orchestra. In life, we may feel as if we can do all things without Christ; but sooner or later, we need Christ to get us back on track and to hold us together. We need the conductor.

Movement Three: Jesus is the Head of the Body, the Church

Now we come to our third point: who is Jesus in relation to the church? And here we find that he is the head of the body, which is the church. Look at verse eighteen: “He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything” (Colossians 1:18).

The church is the body of Christ, and Jesus is the head of the body. That means that there is a living relationship between Christ and the church even as there is a living relationship between the head of any body. Paul goes on to define what he means when he says Christ is the head of the church, and he tells us two things in particular: Jesus is the beginning, and he is the firstborn from among the dead.

First of all, he is the beginning of the church. The word “head” refers to both source and authority. As the beginning of the church Jesus is both the founder and ruler of the church. Jesus affirmed this to Peter in the gospel of Matthew. We read in Matthew 16:19, Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” In Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:16-18). Jesus founded the church on the solid rock of Peter’s confession of him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. As the head of the body, Jesus is the beginning of the church: he is the brains and operation and wisdom of the church; and the church is invited to think and act like Jesus in all that it does and says. As the Pastor, I am called to shepherd the church, but it’s Jesus who leads the church.

Second, as the head of the body, Jesus is also the firstborn from among the dead. Back to Colossians 1:18: “He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.” The first thing we should grasp from this verse is the still amazing fact that after all these years that Jesus is alive. He rose from the dead. We serve a risen Savior who is alive forever! Christ’s resurrection is the basis of our life and faith because we are resurrected people: we not only believe in the resurrection, but we count on the resurrection happening in our life. There is no church or faith without Christ’s resurrection. That is the gospel. That is the good news we proclaim. Jesus is alive!

However, the good news gets even better than that! Jesus not only rose from the dead; he is the “firstborn” from among the dead. And that means that we will be raised from the dead, too! Paul told us in Colossians 1:15 that Christ is the firstborn over all creation. Now verse eighteen tells us that he is the firstborn from among the dead. Once again, this does not necessarily mean that he is the first to be raised from the dead. Rather, just as in verse fifteen, it means supremacy—that Christ’s resurrection is the basis for all other resurrections. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we will be raised also.

We find this same teaching expressed in a slightly different way in 1 Corinthians 15 where Christ is described as the first fruits rather than the firstborn: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits 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 first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). At harvest time the first fruits were an indication of what was yet to come. As the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, the resurrected Jesus was an indication that we, too, would be raised from the dead. The firstborn from among the dead carries a similar meaning to the first fruits because Jesus is the head of the body, and because Jesus rose from the dead, we who are part of the body of Christ will be raised from the dead, too. The church will be raised again, it will experience a revival!

Then Colossians 1:18 ends with a summary of this whole section: “…so that he might come to have first place in everything.” Christ’s resurrection from the dead completes the picture. He is the firstborn over all creation, and he is the firstborn from among the dead. He is supreme over the old creation, and he is supreme over the new creation. Christ is supreme over all things and should be first in everything, even in our life.

Christ as the head to the church is also the head of the orchestra. He is the conductor of your life. He is the conductor of what you do. He is the conductor of what you say, of where you go, and of how you decide to live your life. He is the conductor by which holds everything together in your life. He is the conductor of our church, helping us grow and perform acts of ministry that leads others to Christ and helps us find ways to care for the needs and interests of those in our pews and community. Christ as the head of the orchestra is the one who turns notes on a page into a story and a reason to live and place him first in our life.

Conclusion:

As you continue to think about who Jesus is in your life and what he does in your life, I invite you to keep Colossians 1:17-18 in your back pocket. “[Jesus] himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.” Jesus existed before all things which means there was never a time when Jesus did not exist in creation or in your life. Jesus holds all things together because he knows that when we fall apart we are going to need help being knitted and put back together. And Jesus is the head of the body, the church, so that we may be guided to do his works on earth as they are in heaven.

Now, thinking back to the orchestra. Jesus is the conductor of the orchestra in which we belong. Jesus is the conductor of our life: he leads us to evangelize, to share the good news; he makes us aware that he is in our life; he impresses upon us the need to find ways to build up his body, the church; he leads us out into a world that needs to know him more; and he brings us together as one people, as one orchestra capable of producing beautiful and heavenly music. Jesus is the conductor of your life, and that is never going to change.

So, who is Jesus? Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, the one who is in, through, and for creation, the head of the church, is in all things, and is the one holds all things together. Jesus is the conductor of our life, and without him we are nothing. It’s time to let Jesus lead the orchestra, because this world needs to hear his music.

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, we seek to know you more; we seek to see and hear you more; and we seek to know who you are in our life so that we can continue to grow our faith and walk in your footsteps as we strive to feel your presence in all things. In your holy and mighty name, we pray. Amen.

 

Benediction:

Who is Jesus to you? How will you allow Jesus to be the conductor of your life? Take a few minutes this week to contemplate these questions and let Jesus guide you to an answer. May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go forth seeking Jesus in your life. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.