Creator, Father, King #321

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

WHEN YOU PICTURE JESUS in your mind, what do you see?

• A baby in a manger?
• A poor carpenter’s son?
• A man filled with compassion toward society’s outcasts?
• A powerful teacher?
• A great worker of miracles?
• A man unjustly condemned to suffer the horrible death of crucifixion?

During his Incarnation, Jesus was all these things. Each of those descriptions shed light on just a small part of his earthly experience. But he’s so much more.

Today’s verse gives us a fascinating window into the full scope of Jesus’ true nature, helping us form a proper perspective of Christ.

What’s It Mean?

From its first verse, the Bible is clear: God created the universe. But today’s verse is critically important because it ascribes to Jesus the exact same divinity, authority, and ruling power as God the Father. In other words, it boldly declares Jesus is the Lord over all creation.

Yes, Jesus is the crucified and risen Savior. But he is also the eternal Lord of heaven and earth—the divine Agent through whom the Father created and upholds the whole universe!

The apostle Paul elaborates on this in Colossians 1:15-19:

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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything, he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (ESV).

Don’t underestimate Jesus. Worship and adore him for who he really is: the Lord of all creation!

Now What?

To get a glimpse of Jesus’ full post-resurrection glory, read the following passages: Matthew 17:1-8; Acts 9:3; 26:13; and Revelation 1:12-16.

Did You Know?

The title “firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15, ESV) does not mean Jesus was God’s firstborn child physically. That would be heretical and inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. Paul was using metaphor—alluding to ancient inheritance privileges that a monarch would bestow on his son—to show the honor that God the Father gives to the Son. But when every tongue confesses that “Jesus Christ is Lord,” Jesus will ensure that all worship ultimately gets directed “to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).