Isaiah 9:6-7  (NIV)

⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  ⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

The second Sunday of Advent: we are looking at who Jesus was and is to the church in Colossae.

Colossians 1:9-17 (NIV)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  ¹⁰ And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  ¹⁶ For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

This is the Sunday of Peace, and what I want us to think about is Jesus as the King.

The definition of a Christian is someone who as transferred this allegiance into the Kingdom of God’s Son.  Jesus is named as the Creator of all thrones and authorities, which means He is the King of kings, Lord of lords.

The first paragraph in Colossians is about the personal Kingship of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.  The second paragraph is about the cosmic Kingship of Jesus.

Jesus is both our personal King and the King of the universe.

Jesus being the cosmic King, we live in Jesus’ Kingdom cosmically (verses 16-17).  Jesus is before all things…which is directly in opposition to eastern religions which see God as coming from the world.

In contrast, God tells us in His Book (the Bible) He existed before the world, apart from the world is not dependent in any way on the world.  He is transcendent over the world.  He is before all things.  And then, by Him all things were created and so therefore, in Him all things hold together.

This points to a Christian understanding of the universe has both physical and moral structure.

Because of Jesus the physical and moral structure of the universe are held together because of Jesus.

Paul says the reason Christians aren’t confused, at least about this, is that we believe God exists and in Him all things hold together.

Today, modern secular people believe only what they can see.  They want the feeling of Christmas, but without Jesus.

There are some things that are good and somethings that are wrong, but that cannot be all there is in the world is what is visible.  It must be that there is something beyond what can be seen by humans.

As Christians we know in Christ all things hold together.

Some scientists talk about science being the study of how God put the universe together.  They get to explore how God did it all, and how Jesus holds it all together so we can do science.

Mary spoke for us all when she said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, for he has done great things for me.”  Luke 1:46

Jesus exists, and in Him all things hold together, and is that same way, look at your own life.  He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Is your life also under His authority, His Lordship?

The degree we allow Jesus’ authority in our life; reflects the degree our lives will be held together or will fall apart.

What makes our lives fall apart is not what happens in our lives, but instead how we react to what happens.

Our reaction is dependent on how much we are under the authority and Lordship of Jesus.

Paul is communicating to the Colossians that Jesus holds the universe together and because of His Lordship can hold you together.

Paul in Colossae is sharing to them and us there is a process, a process of understanding of what the will of the King is, with more and more understanding over time.  This is the depriving and maturity of our faith.

The more times we spend with God, the more mature we become, which allow us to be a blessing to others through our gained wisdom and our experience with God in our lives.

As we live under the authority of Jesus in His Kingdom He will reveal more of His will to us.  And this is the process of growth in endurance, in patience, and what powers our lives.

Paul says Jesus has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light.

John the Baptist says, “I want you to know how to relate to the One who is going to come.” 

Matthew 3:11-12  “I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Paul says it is that Jesus, through His life and sacrificial death has qualified us and made us worthy.

2 Corinthians 5:21  God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

We have become qualified because we come under the authority of the Kingdom.

When we are attentive to Him in prayers, operating with His direction, Christ holds our lives together no matter what happens will be a blessing.

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us is born a Savior, a child is born, a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.

There is peace that comes when we submit our lives to the King.  God bless you.  Prepare your hearts for the Christ child.