Part 3. The Supremacy of Christ Over All Things

Devotional

Day 1: Stones Shining Like Rubies in Christ’s Palace

The darkest confinement cannot dim Christ’s radiant presence. Samuel Rutherford reimagined his prison cell as a jewel-lit throne room because Jesus met him there. When Christ enters our spaces of limitation—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—He transforms them into arenas of worship. His supremacy isn’t limited by walls, exile, or human authority. What we perceive as barriers become testimonies when we fix our eyes on the One who holds all things together. [22:53]

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
(Colossians 1:15–17, ESV)

Reflection: What “prison cell” in your life feels confining? How might Jesus’ presence redefine that space as a place of His glory?

Day 2: The Mapmaker Who Owns Every Continent

Human borders shift, but Christ’s ownership remains absolute. Nations rename lakes and redraw boundaries, yet every inch of creation exists by His command and for His glory. The same hands that shaped galaxies sustain your heartbeat. To live under His supremacy means releasing our grip on what we falsely call “mine”—our plans, possessions, and even our pain. All territories, visible and invisible, bow to His eternal claim. [40:54]

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”
(Psalm 24:1, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you posted a “No Trespassing” sign to Jesus? What would it look like to let Him govern that area today?

Day 3: A Snake in the Helmet or a Savior for a Head

We cannot debate Christ’s authority and thrive any more than a body survives with a venomous head. The church’s unity depends on submitting to His leadership alone—not trends, traditions, or personal preferences. Like a nervous system responding to the brain, every member finds purpose when connected to Him. Disagreements fade when we cling to the non-negotiable: Jesus alone holds the words of life. [51:03]

“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”
(Colossians 1:18, ESV)

Reflection: What current tension in your life or church might resolve if you asked, “What has Christ already declared about this?”

Day 4: From Hostile Minds to Holy Lives

Reconciliation is cosmic surgery: Christ removes the shrapnel of rebellion and sews peace into our souls. We were once God’s enemies—not neutral strangers, but active insurgents. The cross dismantles our hostility, not with a truce, but with a transfusion of holiness. To be “above reproach” isn’t perfectionism; it’s wearing Christ’s righteousness like a royal robe. [54:21]

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.”
(Colossians 1:21–22, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you still feel like God’s enemy? How does the cross’s final “It is finished” redefine that narrative?

Day 5: Ministers of Hope with Muddy Boots

The gospel isn’t a souvenir to display but a seed to scatter. Paul preached hope from chains; Rutherford wrote hope from exile. Our calling isn’t to preserve comfort but to plant Christ’s supremacy in broken soil. Every conversation, crisis, and mundane moment becomes fertile ground when we carry the hope that death couldn’t bury. [58:16]

“If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
(Colossians 1:23, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your orbit needs you to “text hope” today—not with platitudes, but with the concrete promise of Christ’s supremacy?

Sermon Summary

Paul presents Jesus as supreme over all things because Jesus is not merely a teacher, prophet, or religious leader. Christ is “the image of the invisible God,” meaning that He is the perfect manifestation of God, fully God in every way. Paul repeats the point in Colossians: all the fullness of God dwells in Jesus bodily. The deity of Christ is not a side issue or a secondary doctrine. The deity of Christ is essential to historically Christian, biblical faith.

Paul calls Christ “the firstborn of all creation,” not because Jesus was created, but because Jesus is first in rank, prominence, and inheritance. Christ made everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, including every throne, dominion, ruler, and authority. Christ existed before all things, holds all things together, and owns all things because all things were made through Him and for Him. Human beings can rename lakes, redraw maps, and try to rewrite history, but God has made it all, and therefore Jesus owns it all. Christ also owns human life, because no person was created for himself or herself, but for Him.

Paul then moves from creation to the church. Christ is the head of the body, and the church is not a building, a campus, a denomination, or a council. The church is the assembly of redeemed people gathered under the authority of Jesus and filled by the Spirit of God. Christ alone is the rightful head of the church, and His revealed Word must be clearly obeyed wherever it is clear. The church may leave room for disagreement over subjective matters, but the church cannot negotiate what Christ has plainly commanded.

Paul finally brings the argument down to the individual believer. Humanity was once alienated from God, hostile in mind, and doing evil deeds. Christ, through His real body of flesh and His death on the cross, shed His blood to make peace and reconcile enemies to God. The cross brings those who were hostile and far off into harmony with God, presenting them holy, blameless, and above reproach before Him.

Paul calls those who believe to keep on believing, stable and steadfast, without shifting from the hope of the gospel. Christ does not become less central after conversion. Christ remains the hope, the message, and the source of peace for every day of the Christian life.

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Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is fully God in flesh [33:25] Paul leaves no room for reducing Jesus to a wise man or a created being. The fullness of deity dwells bodily in Christ, meaning that God has made Himself known personally and perfectly in Him. Worship belongs to Jesus because worship belongs to God alone. [33:25]
2. Everything belongs to Jesus [40:54] Christ created all things, sustains all things, and inherits all things. Human beings may exercise stewardship, make plans, and claim ownership, but every created thing ultimately belongs to Him. Personal life, family, work, possessions, and future all come under His rightful authority. [40:54]
3. Christ alone heads the church [46:16] The church cannot finally be governed by personalities, preferences, traditions, or institutions. Christ rules His people through His Word, and His clearly revealed will must receive clear obedience. Christian authority has weight only where it faithfully reflects the authority of Jesus. [46:16]
4. The cross makes enemies peaceful [54:37] Alienation from God was not repaired by human effort, moral improvement, or religious activity. Christ took on flesh and bore death so that hostile sinners could be reconciled and presented before God without reproach. Peace with God rests on the blood of the cross, not on personal performance. [54:37]
5. Keep on believing the gospel [56:24] The gospel is not a doorway that believers leave behind after conversion. Paul calls faith to remain stable, steadfast, and immovable in the same hope that first brought peace with God. Christ remains necessary every day because no believer ever graduates from dependence on Him.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:39] - Every Sunday Is Resurrection Sunday
[19:24] - The Supremacy of Christ Over All Things
[19:55] - Samuel Rutherford and Christ’s Palace
[23:42] - Submit Every Area to Christ
[25:23] - Christ Over Creation, Church, and Christian
[30:57] - Jesus Is the Image of God
[34:20] - The Firstborn Over All Creation
[36:35] - Christ Created and Sustains Everything
[41:17] - Why the Deity of Christ Matters
[44:43] - Christ Is Head of the Church
[48:28] - The Firstborn From the Dead
[52:29] - From Hostile Enemies to Reconciled Saints
[56:24] - Keep on Believing the Gospel
[57:48] - Ministers of Hope

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Colossians 1:15-23
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” [00:19:24]

Colossians 2:9
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” [00:33:29]

Exodus 4:22
“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,’” [00:34:58]

Observation questions

What phrases in Colossians 1:15-17 show that Jesus is not part of creation but stands over creation as its Creator and Sustainer? [00:36:35]
According to Colossians 1:18-19, what titles and descriptions are given to Jesus in relation to the church?
What three words describe people before reconciliation in Colossians 1:21, and what three words describe believers after Christ reconciles them in verse 22? [00:53:19]
In Colossians 1:23, what does Paul say believers are to continue in, and what does he warn them not to do? [00:56:24]

Interpretation questions

Colossians calls Jesus “the image of the invisible God,” and Colossians 2:9 says the fullness of deity dwells in Him bodily. Why does it matter that Jesus is fully God rather than merely a wise teacher, prophet, or religious leader? [00:43:37]
If “firstborn of all creation” means first in rank, inheritance, and prominence rather than first created, what does this teach about Jesus’ rightful claim over every part of creation? [00:35:28]
Christ is the head of the church, and He rules His people through His Word. How should a church distinguish between clear biblical commands that require obedience and matters where Christians may faithfully disagree? [00:51:03]
Paul says that peace with God comes through “the blood of his cross.” Why can reconciliation with God not rest on a person’s moral improvement, religious activity, or personal effort? [00:54:37]

Application questions

Jesus created all things through Himself and for Himself, including each person’s life. What area of life is easiest to treat as personal property rather than something that belongs to Christ—time, money, relationships, work, plans, or something else? What would submitting that area to Jesus look like this week? [00:41:17]
Jesus is fully God and worthy of worship, not simply admiration. In daily life, what is the difference between admiring Jesus’ teaching and actually worshiping and obeying Him? [00:43:49]
Christ holds all things together. Where does life currently feel unstable, stressful, or out of control? How can the truth that Christ sustains all things shape the way that situation is faced? [00:37:42]
The church is people redeemed by Christ and gathered under His authority. How can each group member help strengthen the body of Christ rather than treating church mainly as a place to attend or consume? [00:45:25]
Christians can disagree about subjective preferences, but they cannot set aside what Christ clearly commands. Is there a biblical command that has been easy to soften, ignore, or explain away because it is costly or inconvenient? What might clear obedience look like? [00:51:11]
Those who trust Christ were once alienated and hostile toward God, yet are now reconciled through His death. How does remembering both the old identity and the new identity—holy, blameless, and above reproach—help shape humility, gratitude, and the way others are treated? [00:53:59]
Believers do not graduate from the gospel but continue stable and steadfast in it. What pressures or distractions are most likely to shift faith away from the hope of the gospel, and what practical rhythm could help keep Christ central this week? [00:57:07]

Sermon Clips

32s

#TheologyThatLeadsToWorship

“And so in this section, verses 15 through 23, Paul breaks out into what looks like spontaneous worship, doxology. Listen, if your theology, what you believe about God, doesn't lead you into greater worship of God, something's wrong with your heart or something's wrong with your theology. What we believe about Jesus should lead us to not only worship him, but submit every area of our life to him if indeed these things are true.”

58s

#JesusIsHeadOfChurch

“What does Paul tell us about the church and Jesus? First of all, Paul tells us that Jesus has authority over all the church. That when it comes to who is the rightful head, who is the rightful leader of the church, it is Jesus. Did you see that in verse 18? And Jesus is the head of the body of the church. That word head simply refers to his authority. What that means is this, no pope is the head of the church. No priest is the head of the church. No denomination. No convention. No council. Jesus is ultimately the head, and therefore, we follow Jesus ultimately. Not a not a man. You don't follow the pastor. You follow Jesus. Now, hopefully, the pastor is following Jesus. But, ultimately, your main authority, our main authority is in Christ and in Christ alone. We listen to him. We submit to him through his word.”

78s

#ChristSupremeOverAll

“And so Paul is writing in broad general categories here about how the supremacy of Christ play plays itself out in every area of our life. He will get more specific later. In his letter to the Colossians, he will write about specific lifestyles. He'll write about specific relationships like marriage and parenthood, work relationships, and more. But it's kinda like Google Earth here. You'll see this flow of thought in verses 15 through 23 where he begins on a very broad level at the cosmic level, the universal, the created order. He starts there in verses 15 through 17 with the creation. But then he gets narrower down this funnel, he goes down to the universal church. And he begins to talk about all of the redeemed all throughout human history there in verses 18 through 19. So Jesus has authority over the creation. He has authority over the church. And then he gets even more narrow, and he talks about you. He talks about the redeemed individual in verses 21 through 23. Jesus has authority over the creation, over the church, and over the Christian. There is no area in life where Jesus isn't Lord, where Jesus isn't supreme.”

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