Dr. Michael Trammell
In Colossians 1, the Apostle Paul writes to the Church of Colossae about how Jesus is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, … For by Him all things were created, … that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-18 NKJV).
On the Person through whom we pray to the Father, it’s important for us to get this right for our children, our young. It seems in this day and time, we hear a lot more about felt needs and about how to have a happy life in three easy steps to personal fulfillment. But that doesn’t answer some of the core questions that our people have to deal with. They need to know what the Bible says about who Jesus is!
First of all, we’re told Jesus is the exact likeness of the invisible God (v. 15), … the image of the invisible God. That word “image” in the original language speaks of an exact reproduction. It speaks of an exact likeness. It’s not a facsimile. It’s not something that bears a little bit of resemblance but rather it is an exact representation of the invisible God.
And so, this is significant for us. You cannot know God apart from knowing Jesus. There are not many ways to heaven. There’s only one. There are not many saviors. There is only one. There are not many lords. There is only one. And His name is Jesus.
In addition to being the exact likeness of the invisible God, Paul tells us that Jesus is also the firstborn of all of creation (v. 15). These words describe him in the sense of His importance not only in this sense of time. I tell my people at church, there has never been a time when Jesus Christ was not God.
Jesus Christ was chosen before the foundations of the world to lay down his life as a sacrifice for sin. He is the firstborn in terms of his priority and in terms of his significance. His virgin birth was planned in the mind of God before the world even began.
We’re told that He came forth from everlasting: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given…” (Isaiah 9:6). The child is born but the son is given. He came out of eternity. And He took upon Himself our humanity. He is the firstborn of all creation.
But this text also says that Jesus is the creator of all things (v. 16). I never cease to be amazed at the theological gymnastics and the philosophical gymnastics that people have to go through to explain a godless creation and explain how this magnificent universe could come into being apart from God. In our schools, sadly, our young people are being taught that there is no miraculous hand of God in the origins of the universe.
But, all things, we’re told in verse 16, were created by him… all things that are in heaven and that are on Earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. He is the creator of all things.
All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him (Col. 2:9)—not some, not a little bit, but all! Dr. Adrian Rogers, who ordained me to the gospel ministry, was fond of saying Jesus was as much God as though He were not man at all and as much man as though He were not God at all. He was uniquely the God-man. Dear people, we need to tell our folks who Jesus is.
People come in church on Sunday not to get a warm fuzzy from a preacher reading, but they come to hear the preached Word of God. They come to hear a message about Jesus and how their lives can be changed. And they are depending on us to tell them who Jesus is!
Listen to this entire message from Dr. Michael Trammell’s Nov. 13 presidential address to the messengers of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, as well as other annual meeting messages, online at bcmd.org/resource/annual17resources.