RECONCILED TO GOD – Colossians 1:19-23
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on March 4, 2018 under 2018 |
Preached Sunday, March 4, 2018 from Colossians 1:19-23
Theme: God has reconciled us to Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
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. And you, who once were alienated and
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—
if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from
the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:19-23).
* * * * * * * * * *
Let me begin this morning by saying something that would probably not make any sense to anyone else in the world but to redeemed sinners: I love the cross.
I wonder if that would sound like an absurd thing to say to people who do not have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus. Why would anyone who called themselves a Christian ‘love’ the thing on which the Founder of Christianity was brutally executed? Could it be that I just don’t understand how gruesome a thing the cross was? Would it be that I have simply softened the horror of the cross in my mind by giving it sentimental value through jewelry and decorations? Is it that I just don’t really let myself think about what the cross involved?
No. As believers, we know that the cross was a gruesome and horrible thing in and of itself. We think realistically about the suffering of Jesus upon it. The Bible tells us about it. But as redeemed sinners, we love that cross for what God has accomplished for us upon it. On the cross hung the righteous Son of God on our behalf; and God the Father—by the death of His only begotten Son—in love, paid the full debt for our sin and completely removed every barrier that stood in the way of our having peace with Him. And because Jesus rose from the dead three days later, we are also assured that the cross gave way to victory; and that God was satisfied with the debt Jesus paid for our sins. Now, because of it, we are free to have the deepest possible relationship with God the Father and Jesus His Son.
There are many things that were accomplished for us on the cross. But in the passage I read to you a moment ago, the thing that is particularly highlighted is something called ‘reconciliation’. Reconciliation happens when two parties who are at odds with one another are brought together—not just by ignoring the thing that stands between them, but by having that thing completely removed. With that thing taken out of the way, the gap between the two parties can now be crossed over; and a relationship of peace can now be enjoyed between them.
The passage I read to you mentions ‘reconciliation’ twice. It also speaks of how we were once ‘alienated’ from a holy God because of our sin, and of how we were once ‘enemies’ of His ‘in our mind’ by ‘wicked works’. But God took the initiative to bridge the gap between us and ‘reconcile’ us to Himself. In love, He sent His Son to take the debt for our sin on Himself and pay the price for it on the cross. It’s like it says in the words of a wonderful old hymn:
O the love that drew salvation’s plan!
O the grace that bro’t it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary.
And dear brothers and sisters; as we come this morning to the Lord’s table—as we prepare our hearts together to celebrate the communion meal—I believe God would have us take some time to think deeply about the ‘reconciliation’ that He has brought about for us through the cross of His Son.
I believe that, as we do, we will grow to say together, “I love the cross.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Now; the apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians is a fascinating one. And it’s very tempting to get into a lot of the theological and historical details that provide the context of it. But for now, I simply ask that we look at the verses that immediately proceed the ones that I just read to you. It’s in those words that Paul tells us some astonishing things about Jesus. He writes;
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence (Colossians 1:15-18).
What a testimony of Jesus this is! Paul lets us know that the Man who hung upon that cross long ago was God in human flesh—the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists—the preeminent One above all creation. And those words stand as the basis of what Paul then goes on to tell us about this wonderful work of ‘reconciliation’; because in the first few words of our passage this morning, he tell us about …
1. THE AGENT OF RECONCILIATION.
In verse 19, Paul speaks of this glorious Lord Jesus and writes, “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell …”; or, as the English Standard Version has it, “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell …”
Not only is our Lord Jesus the Creator and Sustainer and Preeminent One over all creation; but He is also the one in whom “all the fullness” dwells. And we can understand something of what Paul means by that ‘fullness’ by going on to read what he says in the next chapter. In Colossians 2:1-3, Paul wrote;
For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (2:1-3).
In the Lord Jesus is found all the ‘fullness’ of the riches of wisdom and knowledge. Paul was able to trust that his dear brothers and sisters could be bound together in love through Jesus; because all that can be known about God is found in Him. And if they have Him in union together with one another; then they have together “all the fullness” of the true treasures of wisdom and knowledge—all the assurance of understanding in the mystery of God!
He goes on in verses 9-10 to tell them;
For in Him [that is, in Jesus] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (vv. 9-10.).
All the fullness of the Godhead is found in Jesus. All that can be known of God is known through Him. And if we are in a relationship with Him, then we are made complete.
Not only is all fullness found in Jesus; but indeed, God the Father is pleased to have all things find their fullness in Him—and all to the Father’s glory! As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:27-28;
For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:27-28).
Now; when the Agent of our reconciliation with God is Himself divine, and when all fullness dwells in Him, and when He is the One in whom all things find their fullness, then we can have great confidence in our reconciliation with God through Him! What a complete ‘Reconciler’ our Lord Jesus is!
* * * * * * * * * *
So; the reconciliation that God has accomplished through His Son is great indeed! It is staggeringly vast! And Paul then goes on to speak of …
2. THE FULLNESS OF RECONCILIATION.
In verse 20, Paul tells us that it pleased the Father that all the fullness of God should dwell in Jesus; “and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
I will admit—there is a great mystery in all of this that I cannot grasp. But I believe that I rightly understand this much of it: when Adam sinned in the garden—and when he made ‘reconciliation with God’ necessary—he brought down the whole of creation along with him. God had made Adam to be the superintendent of creation; and Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden brought ruin upon everything that he was supposed to superintend.
But did you know that the reconciliation that Jesus accomplished for us not only impacts the offspring of Adam, but also the creation that Adam was to care for? Paul looked ahead to the day when all that Jesus’ death was to accomplished will be fully realized in experience; and he wrote these words in Romans 8:18-25;
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:18-25.)
We shouldn’t think that this great work of reconciliation from God has only ourselves in view. That would be to view its impact far too narrowly. It is a work of reconciliation so vast that it not only include us as fallen children of Adam, but also—in some sense—all of creation over which Adam had superintendence. All of this created realm longs for what Jesus died on the cross to accomplish for us. This is a very complete work of reconciliation indeed!
* * * * * * * * * *
And then consider what Paul tells us about …
3. THE MEANS OF RECONCILIATION.
He speaks in verse 20 of how this great ‘reconciling’ work of God through Jesus Christ reaches to the fallen children of Adam, and all of the creation over which Adam had charge, by His “having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
‘Peace’; but only through the blood of the cross. It wasn’t that God just chose to forget what had happened because of Adam’s sin, and decided to ‘let bygones be bygones’. If He had done that, He would no longer be a holy God whose holy character demands justice for wrongdoing and that the debt for sin be paid for. No! The debt must be paid before reconciliation could happen and peace between Himself and sinners could be declared. And the debt was paid! God Himself paid it through the life-blood that His sinless Son shed upon the cross!
The apostle Paul wrote about this in Ephesians 2. He wrote about how God’s written law of commandments had made a distinction between the Jewish people and all Gentile people; and also of how the violation of that law on the part of both groups separated them both from Him. And then, Paul wrote;
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:14-18.)
Peace between God and fallen humanity! Peace between Jew and Gentile! And now, all may draw near—reconciled to God! What a great thing has been accomplished through the blood of Jesus’ cross!
* * * * * * * * * *
So far in this passage, Paul has spoken of this great work of reconciliation in vast and generalized terms. But what about our sins. What about our own personal distance from God?
We see now—in verses 21—that he makes this whole matter of ‘reconciliation’ concrete and personal. He begins in verse 21 by saying, “And you …” You can put a bold underscore beneath those two words; because they are meant to be emphasized. Paul is talking to you and me now, brothers and sisters! He would want you and me to think personally about this great peace we enjoy with God—especially on a morning when we come to the Lord’s table—by remembering …
4. THE COST OF RECONCILIATION.
Paul writes in verses 21-22, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death …” Your reconciliation with God and mine was no cheap thing! It was purchased for us at the highest cost that could ever be paid in all the universe. God had to take full humanity to Himself, become one of us, and die in our place!
Now; consider the necessity of this. Other created things could not be offered on the altar to take away our sins and reconcile us to God; because our ancestor Adam brought all of creation down with him in our sin—and that would include anything that you or I might try to offer. And we could not personally pay the debt for ourselves and redeem ourselves because we were the ones who had sinned. No single one of us could pay the debt for the other. Only a human being who was completely untouched by the sin of Adam could pay the debt for our sins and reconcile us to God. And so, as the writer of Hebrews tells us this about Jesus in Hebrews 2:14-15;
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:14-15).
What a great ‘stooping down’ for us this was! God the Son became a member of humanity—untouched by humanity’s sin—through the miraculous conception in the womb of the virgin Mary; untainted by the fallen nature that each of us has inherited from Adam; and all so that He could justly die in fallen humanity’s place and thus reconcile us to His Father!
And more! Consider the love for us that God demonstrated in this! As Paul wrote in Romans 5:6-10;
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:6-10.)
“O the love that drew salvation’s plan!”
* * * * * * * * * *
And then, we should personalize …
5. THE RESULT OF RECONCILIATION.
Paul goes on in verse 22 to tell us that Jesus reconciled us to the Father through the body of His flesh through death, “to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”
I delight to personalize those words; because before I placed my faith in Jesus, I was horribly conscious of my sin. I was completely alienated from God. I had no relationship with Him. I went so far as to declare myself an atheist—even though I knew good and well that He was there all along. I knew it so thoroughly, in fact, that I was afraid of Him. I was His enemy because of the wicked rebellion of my thoughts in and inner beliefs. And I felt dirty inside all of the time because of it. And after I heard the message of what He did on the cross, and after I finally let down my defenses against Him and accepted that Jesus died on the cross for me, and after I embraced the offer to be reconciled to Him, I—for the first time—felt clean inside. I began to grow into the reality of what Jesus died on the cross to do for me; that is, to present me to His Father “holy” and “blameless” and “above reproach in His sight”.
Now; that was many years ago; and I have been growing in the experiential reality of it every day. But from God’s standpoint, it is all done and completed in Jesus my Savior. I now stand before God the Father and before His Son Jesus as “holy” and “blameless” and “above reproach”. Paul put it this way in Romans 8:1-4;
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4.)
What a joy it is to be right with God! What a blessing to be fully reconciled to Him! What a fulfilling thing it is to be made right with Him because of what Jesus did for me!
* * * * * * * * * *
Now; God Himself has done all this through His Son Jesus. But I must freely and consciously receive what He did for me by grace; and I must keep my hope constantly fixed upon the cross. This is where Paul tells us …
6. THE CONDITION OF RECONCILIATION.
I say this carefully. It’s not that we do anything to ever make ourselves worthy of being reconciled to God. It’s not that we ‘earn’ His favor by keeping our faith in the cross. But the fact is that, unless we are ‘in Christ’ by faith, we are not reconciled to God. And so; Paul says in verse 23 that Jesus’ sacrifice for us makes us holy, and blameless, and above reproach in the Father’s sight, “if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard …”
Many scholars believe that when Paul wrote this letter, he was dealing with the fact that false teachers were trying to draw the Colossian believers away from a simple faith in Jesus through man-made philosophies and false visions. Paul wanted to make sure that these believers weren’t taken away from the simplicity of faith in the sufficiency of the cross to reconcile us to God and completely save us. In Romans 10:9-13, he puts it this way;
(T)hat if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13).
That—if I may put it this way—is the only ‘condition’ that us poor and needy sinners must meet to be reconciled to God. We must remain in Christ—grounded and steadfast in the faith—and not let ourselves be moved away from it by the false teaching, or the phony religions and rituals, or the vain philosophies that the enemy of our souls throws at us. If we are not in Christ by faith, we must repent and believe! And if we ever wander or falter or fail in our faith, we must come back quick! Stay in Christ; for He alone is the Reconciler.
* * * * * * * * * * *
What a great gift this reconciliation with God is! What a gift worth protecting! And what a message worth proclaiming! And that’s where we find—finally, in verse 23—that Paul mentions …
7. THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.
He speaks of “the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister” (v. 23). You could tell that he considered it a great privilege!
Did you know that God made it a part of His plan that, in order for people to be reconciled to Him, the message of that reconciliation needs to be brought to them by other people who have experienced it? In Romans 10:14-15, Paul wrote about those who call upon the Lord and are saved, and said;
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15.)
Now; God certainly could have given the job to angels. I’m sure they could proclaim it loud! But instead, He gave the job of proclaiming this ‘reconciliation’ to those who have actually experienced it. As Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21;
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).
* * * * * * * * * *
And so, I gladly declare this morning that I love the cross! Don’t you? It was where the Lord Jesus Christ made the sacrifice for us by which we have been reconciled to God!
If you have never placed your trust in Him, I am very glad to extend the invitation to you to be reconciled to God. He has done all that is necessary for you to have peace with Him. He has removed every barrier by the sacrifice that Jesus has paid for us on the cross. All you have to do is receive it and come to Him. And if you do, you will be made “holy” and “blameless” and “above reproach in His sight”. God made ‘Him who knew no sin’ to be sin for us, that we might become ‘the righteousness of God in Him’.
And if you have placed your trust in Him, I invite that you thank Him and celebrate the peace He has brought about for us as we come to the Lord’s table this morning.
EA
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