Heroic

We live in a world that seeks out heroic efforts and the heroes among us. We look to historical heroes, medical heroes, military heroes, political heroes, sports heroes, family heroes and every day heroes.

We make so many movies depicting superheroes at work saving the world from catastrophe – all the while fighting back the flaws that rattle around within them. Because even superhero have flaws.

In the book of Colossians, the Apostle Paul is writing to the early church that was battling with some faulty teaching (from gnostics) that were taking shots at who Jesus was – challenging people to DO more, Know more and Behave with more self-deprivation in order to somehow manufacture their salvation, discover secret knowledge and gain more spiritual enlightenment and a more secure standing. They were calling people toward heroic efforts to attain spiritual security.

But toward the end of chapter one – Paul begins to paint this amazing picture of Jesus in all of His majesty, authority and FLAWLESS PERFECTION…and he doesn’t want this church then, nor THE church now to ever forget the masterpiece of ALL Jesus is!

Jesus is the ultimate, flawless, perfect HERO. And with our faith in Him, we have all we need.

Because Paul understood this truth:

HOW you see Jesus will determine what you do with Jesus…

Paul knew that – so he’s wanting people to see Jesus in all His completeness and greatness and thus he writes one of the most complete, inspiring, impactful descriptions of Christ in all of Scripture…it’s an early church hymn.

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.

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation…

Colossians 1:15-22

Paul is saying: God has revealed himself in Jesus completely – in all authority and with nothing left out.

Jesus is way more than merely a good teacher, good person, nice humanitarian or miracle worker. “He is God in a bod!” If you want to know what God is really like: look at Jesus. (see John 14:6-11). He was before all things and in him all things hold together. He has ultimate authority. He is the ultimate Hero of all history.

I love what Dallas Willard says about Jesus:

At the literally mundane level, Jesus knew how to transform the molecular structure of water to make it wine.  That knowledge allowed him to take a few pieces of bread and some little fish and feed thousands of people.  He knew how to transform the tissues of the human body from sickness to health and from death to life.  He knew how to suspend gravity, interrupt weather patterns, and eliminate unfruitful trees without a saw or an ax. He only needed a word.  Surely he must be amused at what Nobel prizes are awarded for today.

In the ethical domain he brought an understanding of life that has influenced world thought more than any other.

All these things show Jesus’ practical mastery of every phase of reality: physical, moral, and spiritual.  He is Master because he is Maestro.   (The Genius of Jesus)

Because of Jesus’ claims and practice of his supremacy and ultimate authority. We are not allowed to only wade in the shallow end of the pool when it comes to Jesus; we can’t just wade in the shallow side of having an opinion about him – we are challenged and called into the deep end of making a decision about Jesus.

He is either who he says he is or he isn’t. We each must decide.

He doesn’t give us permission to only have an opinion about him: (who do people say I am?) He challenges us to make a decision:  (who do YOU say I am?) *see Mark 8

Paul is laying out the claim that Jesus is the hero of ALL history and centerpiece of our faith. With Him, we have all we need. Without Him, we have nothing.

According to Colossians 1:15-22,  Jesus Christ is the Savior, the Creator, the Head of the Church, and the Beloved of the Father. He is the eternal God … and in our lives He deserves to have the preeminence and #1 priority in our lives.

“Either God (Jesus) is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all.”  -AW Tozer

I’m not sure of your ‘opinion’ about Jesus. I bet you have one.

But friend, I do wonder if you’ve ever come to a place of wrestling with moving from an opinion about Him – to making a decision about Him? It’s my hope that one day, you will choose to see him for He really is.

Heroic Savior.

*if you want to watch the sermon on this, click here