Maybe I am getting old (!) but some of the old songs seem to be rising in me again. A song written in 1963 and based on the vision of Christ and the throne of heaven in Revelation 4 are these words:
Thou Art Worthy, Thou Art Worthy
Thou Art Worthy, Oh Lord
To Receive Glory, Glory And Honour
Glory And Honour And Power
For Thou Hast Created
Hast All Things Created
Thou Hast Created All Things
And For Thy Pleasures
They Are Created
Thou Art Worthy, Oh Lord
I love this song. And it speaks so well into our verse today:
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. Colossians 1 v 16
The apostle counters any thought that Jesus is an angel or a created being. He is making his case strongly and encouraging the Colossians to know Christ as God.
In Him all things were created.
God created all things through Him.
All things were created for Him.
All things!
Now the Apostle could have allowed himself to drift off into the vastness of the universe, the beauty of the created world, mountain tops, the wonders of the oceans, Christ created them all, they were created through Him and for Him.
But he doesn’t.
He speaks of four things: thrones, powers, rulers or authorities. When the Colossians read these 4 things they are thinking “surely not”. Paul says “Yes even those four, all things, not just the good and beautiful things but even the evil and wicked things have been created through him and for him.” In fact very soon in his letter he will write, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (2:15).
They were not created evil but they became so. These evil supernatural powers which Paul mentions to the Ephesians which Christians wrestle with are out to destroy all that Christ has created. Christ has defeated them and disarmed them by the work of the cross but they are still there trying to hurt as many as they can. However, they are controlled because they are created through him and for him. The cross overcame them and made them servants, they are still created through and for Christ.
So what is the Apostle saying?
- Jesus Christ is not a created being. He is God.
- Angels are not to be worshipped. Worship the One who created them.
- Everything is about Jesus Christ.
- The enemy does not have free reign to do whatever he wants to you.
- Even your worst day, the worst attack from your enemy on your life serve Christ’s higher purposes and for His glory in your life.
- We were not created for our own plans and pleasures but for His. Life is not Christ living in our story but US living in His story.
- We don’t have rights to this life. We cannot demand that we live a long life on earth and become rich in every way. The majority of the world struggle in this life. Life was never meant to be fair. It is for Christ and He will bring us all home to a new heaven and new earth. This earth isn’t the ultimate. We are passing through.
For Thou Hast Created
Hast All Things Created
Thou Hast Created All Things
And For Thy Pleasures
They Are Created
Thou Art Worthy, Oh Lord
Missions Paul 