The letter to the Colossians was written to a church Paul didn’t plant—but one he deeply loved. Epaphras, their pastor, had likely come to faith under Paul’s ministry and returned home to plant this church. By all accounts, things were going well. And yet, the culture was quietly pressing in.
Not a full rejection of Jesus. Just a tweak here. An addition there. A softer edge. A more manageable version.
Sound familiar?
Colossians is only 95 verses long, but it carries a massive theme: the supremacy of Christ. Paul writes because the church was in danger of shrinking Jesus, turning the eternal Son of God into a caricature shaped by cultural preferences. Rome allowed you to pick any god you liked, customize it, blend beliefs, and keep the parts you found useful. Paul says, not with Jesus.
This isn’t just an ancient problem. This is where we live.
We hear it all the time:
“The way I see God…”
“I don’t think a loving God would care about…”
“I prefer to think of God as…”
But Scripture interrupts us with a better question: Who is Jesus according to Scripture?
In Colossians 1:15–20, Paul pulls back the curtain. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. You don’t have to wonder what God is like—look at Jesus. He is not a junior god or a moral teacher elevated over time. He is fully God. All things were created by Him, through Him, and for Him. He holds all things together. And through His blood shed on the cross, He reconciles sinners to God.
This Jesus cannot be managed. He cannot be reduced to a comforting idea or summoned when convenient. He is before all things, and Paul says the purpose of it all is this: that He might have first place in everything.
That’s where it gets personal.
Most of us don’t want a God like that. We want a god slightly bigger, slightly wiser, slightly more moral than ourselves—but still controllable. But the Jesus of Scripture won’t fit in that box. And thank God He doesn’t. A small god may be comforting, but he’s no help when suffering comes.
The real Jesus is merciful—He forgives sinners and calls them to new life. He is compassionate—He weeps with those who grieve. He is powerful—He calms storms and raises the dead. And He is Savior—He made you, and when you rebelled, He paid for you with His own life.
That means your worth isn’t something you achieve. It’s something Christ has already declared.
So what do we do with a Jesus like this? We put Him first.
First in our purpose—living for His glory, not our own.
First in how we treat people—with mercy, patience, and love.
First in our pain—trusting Him even when suffering doesn’t make sense.
First in our praise—worshiping like He really is who He says He is.
What you think about Jesus will shape everything about your life. A diminished Christ produces shallow worship and fragile faith. But a big, exalted, crucified-and-risen Savior changes everything.
Jesus is not small. He is supreme.
And He is worthy of first place—in all things.
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teachings, visit us online at fcfamily.org and be sure to subscribe to receive these weekly encouragements in your inbox.