Title: A Verse by Verse Study of Colossians.
Lesson 9 – The Preeminence Of Jesus Christ.  (Part One)   

Text: Col. 1:13 – 20  

1. Introduction.
   1. Paul had just spent several scriptures explaining and reminding these Colossian believers and this Colossian Church about God’s glorious gift to them, SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING!!

a. Knowledge plus Wisdom = Spiritual Understanding.

2.  No one knows God, understands God, or understands Jesus Christ without at least some spiritual understanding and you cannot have spiritual understanding without having Jesus Christ.
3. The whole goal of Paul here is that he reinstalls (so to speak) the preeminence of Jesus Christ in these folk’s hearts. The same thing preacher’s today desire to do.
4. We will break this part down into 4 sections, with all of them showing the preeminence of Jesus Christ.

a.       Jesus Christ is Saviour. V.V. 13 – 15 

b.      Jesus Christ is the creator. V.V. 16 - 17

c.       Jesus Christ is head of the Church. V. 18

d.      Jesus Christ is the Beloved of the Father. V.V. 19 – 20

e.       All four points is to prove the preeminence of Jesus Christ over all creation.

5. Gnosticism as well with Arminianism and other sections of religion outside of true believers and true worshipers of Jesus Christ have attempted to remove the preeminence of Jesus Christ for a man-based religion and Paul’s goal is to reinstall His preeminence in their hearts.
6. Jesus Christ is Lord of all, let’s crown Him as that.

2. Jesus Christ is the Saviour.
   1. Paul said in Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  This one single verse ends all other speculation. By speculation I mean all opinions based on incomplete information which is exactly what Gnosticism as well as Arminianism is.
   2. Let’s look at V.V. 13 – 14 with four saving acts of Jesus Christ.

a.       V. 13a “Who (God) hath delivered us from the power of darkness,”

b.      The word delivered means “to rescue one from danger” The danger was the power of darkness, Satan is the power of darkness and “He” delivered or rescued us from Satan’s power.

c.       We could not on our own, nor could any other rescue us from Satan which is eternal damnation. It took Him, Jesus Christ.

d.      Man-based salvation cannot rescue anyone from Satan’s power.

3. V. 13b “and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

a.       The word “translated” deportation as though transfusing one from one country to another.

b.      The God has translated or deported us from the kingdom of darkness to His kingdom of light of His dear Son Jesus Christ.

c.       The preeminence is God has delivered us by His dear Son Jesus Christ. It was His grace, election, mercy, and His dear Son’s Blood and no one comes any other way.   

4. V. 14a “In whom we have redemption through his blood,”

a.       The “in whom” is His dear Son Jesus Christ.

b.      The word “redemption” means to pay a ransom in full to release a prisoner.

c.       This does not mean Jesus paid a ransom to Satan for our release but rather a ransom to God for our release by satisfying God’s Holy law. Satan could not release us because we were damned by God for the violation of His law, therefore He is the only one that could release us, but only after the debt had been paid for each and every one of our sins.  

d.      Jesus paid that price on Calvary for each individual sinner elected of God The Father.  

5. V. 14b “the forgiveness of sins:”

a.       The word “forgiveness” means to pardon a debt. Not to cancel but to pardon.

b.      Jesus Christ not only deported us to another kingdom but also enabled the Father to give us a pardon of every sin we have in our entire lives.

c.       This is all an act of grace on God’s part we deserve nothing. Notice in V.V. 13 – 14 it is all the work of God through Jesus Christ.

d.      The preeminence of Jesus Christ in salvation is this, no other person could redeem us, forgive us, transfer out of Satan’s kingdom and into God’s kingdom and do it by grace except Jesus Christ.

e.       It is all possible “through his blood” V.14 again that is preeminence.