By, Through, and For Him!
Bible Reading: Colossians 1:15-17
Colossians 1:15-16, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
This was the text for my first sermon at Lewis and Clark Bible Church a little over 42 years ago. Since their pastor had resigned, I was called to fill the pulpit in the very church where the first member of my family had been saved. The departing pastor was packing up his belongings from the parsonage when we arrived. The few in attendance seemed fewer still, spread out as they were in that massive sanctuary. I was nervous and preached my forty-minute sermon in about half that time. So much has changed in the four decades since that day and that sermon. The church in America has changed, and sadly, not for the better. The same goes for our society. The world itself is even now experiencing unprecedented challenges. There’s never been so much uncertainty in my lifetime as there is now in our country. But some things don’t change, and preeminently amongst those things is the preeminence of the Lord Jesus Christ—all things have been created by, through, and for Him! It all exists because of Him and exists unto His glory!
All things were created by Him! Did you know that about the Lord Jesus? Do you realize that the same Savior who delivered Himself up for you is the One who put the stars into place? It is as Hebrews 1:2 explains, “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, through whom also he created the world.”
All things were created through Him! Look around. See those rivers and trees and plants and flowers. And what of those animals of all different kinds? What of those stars and the sun and the moon? And the land and the sea? Where did it all come from? What power and wisdom worked to bring that all into being? John 1:3 states the matter plainly, both in the positive and negative, “All things were made through him, and without him not any thing made was made”
All things were created for Him! There are those that think that the fate of man and creation lies in the hands of men. Praise God that it is not so! The One who created it all is the One who “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3). It all belongs to Him and there will come a day when He will receive His due, for “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10).
By God’s gracious provision, we once built a house on a piece of property we owned in Astoria. It was a dream house strategically placed just beside a pond in a setting of tall trees. Though I wasn’t the general contractor on paper, I was in reality, for I planned and supervised the construction from start to finish. It would be fair to say that the house was built by me—for Laura and I did all the planning and hired the architect who drew up the plans. It would also be fair to say that it was built through me—for it was our funds that paid for the materials and labor. And much of the work I did with my own hands. And without question one could say that it was built for me (for us), for when it was finished, we occupied it and it was everywhere known to be the Conklin’s house.
Just like that, this universe was created by, through, and for Jesus Christ. It all belongs to Him, including you (Psalm 100:3; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 15:5). He is even now the “ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation 1:5). The Lord Jesus is coming again! All things will be brought into subjection to Him “and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). What a glorious day that will be!
ALLELUIA! SING TO JESUS!
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
his the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph,
his the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus, out of ev’ry nation
has redeemed us by his blood.”
Alleluia! Bread of heaven,
here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia! here the sinful
flee to you from day to day.
Intercessor, friend of sinners,
earth’s Redeemer, hear our plea
where the songs of all the sinless
sweep across the crystal sea.
Alleluia! Not as orphans
are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! he is near us;
faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received him
when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget his promise:
“I am with you evermore”?
LookingtoJesus 