Understanding Jesus: Perception, Reality, and Reconciliation
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound difference between perception and reality, particularly in our understanding of Jesus Christ. We began with relatable anecdotes about family vacations and the chaos that often precedes them, illustrating how our expectations can differ significantly from reality. This theme of perception versus reality was then applied to our spiritual lives, emphasizing how our distorted perceptions can lead us away from the truth of who Jesus is.
We delved into Colossians 1:15-20, where Paul provides a clear and powerful description of Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the one through whom all things were created. This passage, likely an early Christian hymn, underscores the reality of Jesus' divine nature and his preeminence over all things. Understanding who Jesus truly is protects us from heresies and prevents us from creating a scaled-down version of Him that fits our preferences.
We discussed how Jesus is often remade in our image, whether as a militant warrior, a gentle figure who overlooks sin, or a historical character from TV shows. These distorted perceptions can lead to a cold and distant relationship with Him. Instead, we must see Jesus as He truly is: the exact representation of God, the sustainer of all creation, and the head of the church.
Paul's message to the Colossians was clear: Jesus is first in all things. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe, and He holds everything together. This truth has profound implications for our lives, as it means that Jesus must be first in every aspect of our existence. When we understand this, we can live out our faith in a way that reflects the reality of who Jesus is.
Finally, we examined the transformative power of Jesus' reconciliation. Through His death and resurrection, we are moved from a state of alienation and hostility to one of peace and friendship with God. This reconciliation makes us holy, blameless, and above reproach, allowing us to live out our true identity as image-bearers of God.
### Key Takeaways
1. Perception vs. Reality: Our expectations often differ from reality, both in everyday life and in our spiritual understanding. Just as family vacations can be chaotic despite our hopes for relaxation, our perceptions of Jesus can be distorted, leading us away from the truth. Recognizing this helps us seek a clearer, more accurate understanding of who Jesus is. [12:10]
2. Jesus as the Image of God: Jesus is the exact representation of the invisible God. This means that when we look at Jesus, we see God Himself. This truth is crucial because it protects us from heresies and prevents us from creating a version of Jesus that fits our preferences. Understanding Jesus as the image of God deepens our relationship with Him. [20:21]
3. Jesus' Preeminence: Jesus is first in all things. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe, and everything was made by Him, through Him, and for Him. This truth has profound implications for our lives, as it means that Jesus must be first in every aspect of our existence. Recognizing His preeminence helps us live out our faith authentically. [23:32]
4. Reconciliation through Jesus: Through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are reconciled to God. This reconciliation moves us from a state of alienation and hostility to one of peace and friendship with God. It makes us holy, blameless, and above reproach, allowing us to live out our true identity as image-bearers of God. [42:01]
5. Living Out Our New Identity: Understanding who Jesus is and what He has done for us transforms our lives. We are called to build everything on the foundation of the gospel, remaining steadfast and not shifting from the hope it provides. This foundation allows us to live out our faith in a life-changing, gospel-saturated way, reflecting the reality of who Jesus is. [54:38]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[10:24] - Family Vacation Chaos
[11:50] - Perception vs. Reality
[12:10] - Distorted Perceptions
[13:54] - Paul's Message to Colossae
[15:23] - The First Hymn of the Church
[16:10] - The Reality of Jesus
[17:08] - Remaking Jesus
[19:06] - Jesus as the Center
[20:21] - Image of the Invisible God
[23:32] - Jesus' Preeminence
[26:02] - Sustainer of All Things
[30:02] - Head of the Church
[32:23] - Firstborn from the Dead
[34:41] - Jesus' Supremacy
[42:01] - Reconciliation through Jesus
[54:38] - Living Out Our New Identity
[55:45] - Invitation to Respond
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Colossians 1:15-20
### Observation Questions
1. According to Colossians 1:15, how is Jesus described in relation to God? What does this imply about His nature?
2. What does Colossians 1:16 say about Jesus' role in creation? How comprehensive is His involvement?
3. In Colossians 1:20, what is the result of Jesus' work on the cross? How does this affect our relationship with God?
4. The sermon mentioned different distorted perceptions of Jesus. Can you recall some examples given? [17:08]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to understand Jesus as the "image of the invisible God" as stated in Colossians 1:15? How does this protect us from heresies? [20:21]
2. How does recognizing Jesus' preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18) impact the way we live our daily lives? [23:32]
3. What does it mean for Jesus to be the "firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18)? How does this concept relate to the idea of new creation and reconciliation? [32:23]
4. The sermon emphasized the transformative power of Jesus' reconciliation. How does this change our identity and our relationship with God? [42:01]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when your perception of Jesus was different from the reality presented in the Bible. How did this affect your relationship with Him? [12:10]
2. Jesus is described as the sustainer of all creation. In what areas of your life do you need to trust Jesus more as the one who holds everything together? [26:02]
3. The sermon mentioned that we often remake Jesus in our image. What are some ways you might be tempted to do this, and how can you correct these distortions? [17:08]
4. How does understanding Jesus as the head of the church influence your involvement and attitude towards your local church community? [30:02]
5. The concept of reconciliation through Jesus moves us from hostility to peace with God. How can you live out this peace in your daily interactions with others? [42:01]
6. The sermon highlighted the importance of building our lives on the foundation of the gospel. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your life is gospel-centered? [54:38]
7. Think about the idea of Jesus being preeminent in all things. What specific changes can you make in your life to ensure that Jesus is first in every aspect? [35:03]
Devotional
Day 1: Perception vs. Reality
Our expectations often differ from reality, both in everyday life and in our spiritual understanding. Just as family vacations can be chaotic despite our hopes for relaxation, our perceptions of Jesus can be distorted, leading us away from the truth. Recognizing this helps us seek a clearer, more accurate understanding of who Jesus is. [12:10]
> "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a time when your expectations did not match reality. How did this experience shape your understanding of God's plans versus your own?
Day 2: Jesus as the Image of God
Jesus is the exact representation of the invisible God. This means that when we look at Jesus, we see God Himself. This truth is crucial because it protects us from heresies and prevents us from creating a version of Jesus that fits our preferences. Understanding Jesus as the image of God deepens our relationship with Him. [20:21]
> "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:3, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus is the exact representation of God challenge your current perceptions of Him? What steps can you take to align your view of Jesus with this truth?
Day 3: Jesus' Preeminence
Jesus is first in all things. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe, and everything was made by Him, through Him, and for Him. This truth has profound implications for our lives, as it means that Jesus must be first in every aspect of our existence. Recognizing His preeminence helps us live out our faith authentically. [23:32]
> "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." (Colossians 1:17-18, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to put Jesus first? What practical changes can you make to ensure His preeminence in those areas?
Day 4: Reconciliation through Jesus
Through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are reconciled to God. This reconciliation moves us from a state of alienation and hostility to one of peace and friendship with God. It makes us holy, blameless, and above reproach, allowing us to live out our true identity as image-bearers of God. [42:01]
> "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." (Colossians 1:21-22, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your journey from alienation to reconciliation with God. How does this transformation impact your daily interactions and relationships?
Day 5: Living Out Our New Identity
Understanding who Jesus is and what He has done for us transforms our lives. We are called to build everything on the foundation of the gospel, remaining steadfast and not shifting from the hope it provides. This foundation allows us to live out our faith in a life-changing, gospel-saturated way, reflecting the reality of who Jesus is. [54:38]
> "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to ensure that your life is built on the foundation of the gospel? How can you remain steadfast in your faith amidst daily challenges?
Quotes
1. "We need to know who Jesus truly is. And we need to know that for two reasons. Number one, it protects us from heresy. It protects us from the people that want to distort who Jesus is. And it also protects us from a scaled-down perception of who Jesus is. Because we make Jesus something that we create, not who he acts. And so when we study this and we dive deep into it, we need to know who he is." [16:31] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Because Jesus is the firstborn because he is first over all things. He made it. He made it. Everything that we see was made by him through him and for him. And that word for is actually really interesting because it means towards him. So if you wanted to rephrase that everything was created by him through him and towards him. Which means in the end it all goes back to him." [24:09] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "He holds it all together it's by the power of Jesus that all things are sustained. Without the sustaining power of Jesus everything falls apart disintegrates goes away. It's funny to me because I read science articles and news things because I just like to know things. Not to the anyway we don't have to talk about that right now but there's been recent research done where scientists are looking into this and they're discovering hey there seems to be like this invisible force that holds things together at like a quantum level." [27:28] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The head of the church is no human being. It's no human physical person here on the planet. The head of the church is Jesus. It's his church. It's his body. It's not ours. Our job as pastors is to kind of be under shepherds. That's the idea that we're under him and so that means that our job is to listen and to follow and to do what he says. And we do that by studying his work by praying by listening and by obeying but at the end of the day Jesus is the head of the church." [31:09] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "He is the firstborn from the dead. Not because he's the first person to ever rise from the dead or be resurrected because we see that in the Old Testament. There were a couple of people who did but he is the first person to die to be resurrected and not die again. He didn't die again. Jesus is alive right now today sitting at the right hand of Jesus. He defeated death and he defeated the grave and he defeated and he shows the world a brand new creation that starts in him and becomes a reality and an actuality in each one of us as we believe in him as we trust in him because he is the resurrected son of God and he is first." [33:12] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "He is first in you and everything about you. That's your family, your marriage, your job, your mission, your ministry, your intellect, your time, your love, your conversations, the things that you eat, the things that you play, the sports that you play or watch, the entertainment that you take in, the art that you like, the music you listen to, the things that you worship. In all of those things Jesus is first. And he has to be because that is his place. He can be in no other place. He is first in all things and in every area of our lives." [35:03] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We need to see the reality of who people are. Just like we need to see a clear picture of who Jesus is, we need to see a clear picture of what it means to be human, right now. And we need to see people for who they are, including us. Because if you were before Christ, when you were not following Jesus, we need to recognize that the state of humanity apart from him is why we live in a place full of sin and self-serving systems." [45:01] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "We need to see who Jesus changes us to be. And we need to see it because we need to know it. So, I need us to look and see. I need us to listen to hear because this is who Jesus makes us when we trust in him. This is the power of the gospel. So, let me read these last couple of verses to you. Verses 22 and 23. He has now, reconciled in his body of flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach." [51:56] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "We can't shift from it. We can't exchange it. We have to keep the reality of Jesus and the hope of the face of it all. Because that's where we find our deepest hope, our deepest freedom, our deepest joy, our deepest love, our deepest peace. That's when we start to live out as the new creation we are meant to be. When we recognize that everything has to be built on the foundation of the gospel." [55:05] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Because you were created not for the sinful life that you may currently be living. But you were created to be a new person. You were created to bear the image of God. Made in his image and living it out. And you were created to make the reality of who God is in this changed life true in your life. But to live that way, to be changed, to have a new creation, to start with Jesus. It starts with actually recognizing who he is and what he's done and believing in his work on the cross." [56:55] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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