Vers. 15-29.-0hrist all in all. The truth taught in our text is that Christ is all and in all, the one absolute Mediator between God and man, the only Heconciler of heaven and earth. We notice- · I. THE DIVINE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST. This includes : 1. His supremacy in ,·elation to God. He is his Image, Likeness, Representation. Heathen idolatries utter the lon"- ing of the soul for him. To the prayer," Show us the Father," Christ answers," He th~t hath sren me bath seen the Father." 2. His supremacy in relation to nature. He is "the Firstborn." To all creation he stands as Heir. We notice: (1) His creative agency. Christ is the Wisdom of God; Christ is the Word of God; Christ is the Arm of God. (2) His sustaining energy. He binds all things together. (3) His consummating glory. llc is the End of creation, the Alpha. and the Omega.. As the bow of Ulysses could only be bent by its master, so creation only fully responds to the touch of Christ. 3. His supremacy in rel,ation to the Church. He is the Head. This implies sovereignty and sympath1·-vital union. We say that" the blood of the martyrs is .the seed of the Church." In an infinitely higher sense the blood of Christ is the seed of the Church. 4. HiB supremacy in relation to the Resurrection. He is "the Firstborn fron1 the dead." 'l'he risen Christ is the life of the Church. II. 'l.'HE EXPLANATION OF THIS DIVINE PRE-EMINENCE rs THE DIVINE PLENITUDE. Christ is as supreme as the apostle bas been describing because he is so full of God. He is the Ple'l"omr1. This, as Archdeacon Farrar shows, is the key-note of the Epistle. When we say this, we mean that_inJesus is found "the~totality of Divine attributes al)d powers." For in him there is: 1. Fulness of might. He is manifested in his miracles and in his own resurrection as the Lord of nature. Its forces are subject to him. 2. Fuluess of wisdom. He claims, and as far as can be these claims are verified, to reveal God and to know what is in man. He did not misinterpret the Divine nor misunder- stand the human. 3. Fulness of love. God is love. But could there be an amplitude of love beyond that which is manifested in Jesus Christ? Where is the love of God and where the God of love, if not in Jesus? III. THE WOEK OF CHRIBT IN BIB PRE-EMINENCE AND PLENITUDE rs TBE WORK 01.1' RECONCILUTIO~. Our Lord is thus set forth as in his supremacy and fulness the !Treat Reconciler. This is God's purpose; nay, God's passion. But all words are faint in describin"' anv emotion in the infinite heart. The clr.ar teaching here is, not that God loves b;causc Christ died, but that Christ died because God loves. Reconciliation is the Father's desire, the Father's work. Much is left in necessary mystery, but Paul's words here answer for us two great questions. 1. What is God reconciling to himself through Christ? We must not be afraid of the assertion-" all things." By that I read all things (1) in this world's activities and institutions; (2) in human hearts aud mindi!. The whole universe of being is to find its lapsed harmony in Jesus Christ; to be set again in its riuht relation to the righteous Father. 2. How is God reconciling ali things to hirnselr"'through Jesus Christ? Such a work involves even Divine effort; such a work is worth accomplishing at e. tremendous cost, Hence "the blood of the cross," i.e. life poured out in a sacrifice ~f utmost pain and darkest shame. 'Jhc highest can ln,ly serve through suffering; the mightiest can only save bv sacrifice. Three CII, I, 1-20.] THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 63
prncticnl quostions. (1) Ilas Ghrist pre-eminence in all thin7s with us J Do all our Bhcavcs mako obeisance to his in the great fieM of lifo and love? (2) Is Christ the Plenit_ude. of all thi71g~ to us1 Kepler felt, in st1Jdying the laws of natt1re, tlrnt he was thmkmg ~ver ag~m tb,o thoughts of God. Is it BO with us in duty, thought, nncl _lovo? Is O~nst all m all? (8) H_us (Jhrist reconciled us to God 1 Arc we (a) forgiven; (b) resigned; and (c), most d1ffic11lt of all, ceaselessly obedient to God?- U. R. '1'.