Jesus Is THE Way

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 1:15-20 NIV:

[15] "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

OK, so there is enough to think about in these verses to fill a library. A couple of things that catch my eye and mind:

1. All things were created through Jesus
2. All things were created for Jesus
3. Jesus is the firstborn of creation
4. Jesus is the firstborn from among the dead
5. In Jesus, all things hold together
6. All the fullness of God dwells in Jesus
7. God the Father reconciles all things to Himself, through Jesus

Any one of these short statements could generate hours of thinking. The last one really grabs me, for reconciliation means restoring to favor those that have been separated because of disagreement, or wounding. This is referring directly back to the Garden of Eden, and man's separation of himself from God. However, this includes everything else as well, it wasn't just man that was separated from God, but all things.

In short, these verses describe the reason why we believe there is only one way to heaven, one way to salvation, one way to the Father and it is through Jesus. He is the only way, the only one through whom we can be reconciled. Jesus said it well in John 14:6, saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Amen!