“The Church’s Stewardship”
Colossians 1:13-29
Sermon Series: “Thrive”
Introduction: When we think about the concept of stewardship, we usually think about it in relation to individual Christians. I have never preached on, or to the best of my recollection, heard a sermon on the church’s stewardship. However, the Bible is very clear that the church of Jesus Christ is a steward of the gospel (good news) of Jesus. Remember that a steward is someone who manages the affairs of another. What does this mean for us?
1. We have been entrusted with the message of the good news and are accountable for what we do with it (v. 24-29). How do we fulfill the responsibility that God has given us?
A. Suffering (v. 24). Jesus’ suffering on the cross is sufficient to provide forgiveness for everyone in the world, but it will not actually bring forgiveness to the world without Christians suffering to get the good news to people. After all, the gospel is only good news if people hear it in time.
B. Proclaim Jesus (v. 29).
C. Labor to the point of exhaustion in His strength (v. 29).
2. The message of the good news is the person and work of Jesus Christ (v. 13-23).
A. Jesus Christ is God. Verse 15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” “Firstborn” is a word that means that He existed before creation (and is therefore uncreated) and rules over creation.
B. Jesus Christ is God who created all things (v. 15-17).
Everything is created through Jesus, and He is the One who sustains the creation. Also, all things are created “for Him.” This means that He is the purpose for creation and the reason for our existence. Life is about Him.
C. Jesus Christ is God the Creator who became a part of His creation. Jesus left heaven and came to earth as part of His creation. He added humanity to His deity and became fully God and fully man at the same time. He is the exact, physical, and visible, manifestation, representation, and revelation of God. “All the fullness” of God dwells in Him according to verse 19. When we see Jesus, we see God! Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” A literal translation of that says, “For everything that is God is permanently housed in Jesus Christ in bodily form.”
D. Jesus Christ is God the Creator who became a part of His creation in order to die for His sinful creation (v. 19-20). Verses 19 and 20 say, “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
What an incredible truth! The God who made us became one of us in a sense. The creation rebelled against the Creator and the Creator loved us enough to come into His creation and humble Himself to the point of death on the cross! He died for the rebels so that they can know their Creator. That is grace! According to these verses, Jesus:
-Transfers us from the kingdom of darkness to God’s kingdom. -Redeems us.
-Forgives us of our sins.
-Reconciles us to God.
E. Jesus Christ is God the Creator who died for His creation but also rose again and is now the Head of the Church (v. 18).
Conclusion: What is our response to this wonderful news? If you don’t know Jesus, you can be forgiven of your sins and know Him personally through trusting Him. Those of us who do know Him have a God-given responsibility to share the message with others.
