Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages...

Colossians
{1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

**
Christ, our Lord and Savior, the head of the body. We all know that without a head a person dies. You can lose so much but there are a few vital things you can't lose and still live. You can lose a finger, a hand, an arm, a toe, a foot, a leg, and you can lose a few internal organs as well and still live. Without the head the body is dead, and vice versa, without a body the head is dead.

Christ is the head of the body which is His Church, His people. Christ had no reason to take on the flesh of man, to consign himself to being crucified, he had no reason to die for save He did so for us. Without having a people on earth, without having those who would truly believe and have faith in Him, there was no reason for him to exist in human form. He did what he did for us, out of love.

We as children of God need Christ first and foremost as the head of the body if we're to live.

{1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The firstborn from the dead.

People who believe you did and go straight to heaven or to hell as it were, how do they reconcile this statement truly? Christ is the firstborn from the dead. Christ alone lived after the weight of all the sin in existence was placed upon him and he prevailed by faith in His Father to save Him, even when He was totally shut off from the contact He had with His Father. Sin separates us from God and dying not only physically, but dying from taking on sin and separating Himself from God made Christ Jesus the firstborn from the dead. He died sinless for us, willing to take on our sins and die for us. He overcame sin and yet allowed our sins to be placed upon Him. He lost all life and was cut off in death, for three days he lay in the grave, for three days He didn't live again. There was no instantaneous separation that sent Him flying off to heaven. Death isn't like that, not for Jesus the firstborn from the dead, nor for any of us.


{1:19} For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell

**
It pleased God, Jesus' Father that Christ should have all the fulness of humanity, that He should take on human form, that He should live by faith in Him and that He should die sinless to save the sinners. This was God's will.


{1:20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

**
All things in heaven and on earth, all things the human, the angelic, all things would be reconciled to Christ. When sin began it was with an angel, one-third of the angels rebelled and followed Lucifer united against God. It seems only right that Christ would be able to reconcile even angels. Doesn't the Bible say we shall judge angels?

1 Corinthians {6:3} Know ye not that we shall judge angels?

Yes, Christ died for us, Christ died and paved the way for true, everlasting peace to exist. Christ reconciled ALL things to Himself.


{1:21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

**
Wicked works separate us from God. People don't seem to understand that fully. Sin separates us from God and a way to be reconciled with God had to be made and that way was and is Christ.


{1:22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
{1:23} If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister

**
Through Christ's sacrifice we alone can be presented blameless and unreprovable- it's something we need to live daily! Live daily renewing the precious promises we have been given by Jesus for salvation.

What is said here? If ye continue... IF ye continue... IF, meaning we have a choice to make and the choice has to be made constantly as we continue in the faith.

If ye continue in the faith.

Grounded and settled.

Be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.

Faith, hope, truth, gospel.

We cannot be moved from this hope of Christ crucified and risen.

It's when the hope is taken from us that we are left in darkness, hopeless.

Everyone has access to the hope found in Christ, everyone.


{1:24} Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
{1:25} Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
{1:26} Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints
{1:27} To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
{1:28} Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus
{1:29} Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

**
Amazing isn't it? The dedication, the importance placed up all things Christ.

The mystery that was hidden now revealed.

The promise for thousands of years hoped for, finally obtained. The wonder that is salvation through Jesus Christ, son of God. Christ in us is our hope of glory.

Preach to others, warn others, teach others these things are so necessary because the mystery is uncovered and a secret no longer. Redemption is through the blood of the Lamb, our Savior Jesus Christ died for us to obtain salvation in Him, through Him we are to be reconciled with God our Heavenly Father.

We seek the truth of life, we seek hope, we strive to find something to make life all meaningful and not a pointless existence. We realize that no matter what achievements we make that they mean nothing without Christ, without being reconciled any victory we claim is hollow, empty, and meaningless. Christ is our hope, our everlasting hope! May we all cling to the hope found only in Jesus.

Amen.