The Reigning King (Advent)

The King Who Holds Everything Together
There's something profound about pausing in the middle of our busy lives to remember who God really is. During Advent, we slow down to reflect on God's promises—those already fulfilled and those still to come. We look back at the moment when Jesus entered human history, and we look forward to when He will return. But what about right now? What about this tension-filled space we inhabit between His first coming and His second?

The answer lies in understanding the magnificent truth that Jesus has all authority, He is with us until the end of the age, and He reigns—past, present, and forever.

The Image of the Invisible God
Consider the opening words of an ancient hymn found in Colossians: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." This isn't just poetic language—it's a declaration that changes everything.

When we think of an image, we might picture a photograph on social media. It gives us a glimpse of someone, but it's not the complete picture. We can't fully know a person just by seeing their image. But Jesus is different. He isn't merely a representation of God; He is the exact image of God. What was invisible has become visible. The very nature and character of God are perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ.

As Scripture tells us elsewhere, "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." Jesus is "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature."

Supreme Over All Creation
When we read that Jesus is "the firstborn of all creation," we might stumble. Does this mean He was created? Absolutely not. Throughout history, some have misunderstood this phrase, but "firstborn" here speaks of superiority and preeminence in rank, not chronological order.
Think of King David, who was called the firstborn even though he had seven older brothers. Or Israel, whom God called His firstborn son. The title signifies supremacy, not sequence.
Jesus is supreme over creation because He made it. "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."

Every single thing that exists came into being through Jesus. There isn't a place in this universe—not one single location—that doesn't belong to Him because He made it all. The visible and invisible realms, the physical and spiritual dimensions, every authority and power—all were created by Him.

But here's the stunning truth that should fill us with wonder: all things were created not just through Him but for Him. He is both the agent and the ultimate purpose of creation. Everything exists for His glory.

The Beginning of New Creation
If Jesus is supreme over the first creation, He is equally supreme over a new creation. The fact that a new creation is needed tells us something went terribly wrong with the first one. Our world lies in darkness because of sin. The original creation is not as it was intended.
But where humanity failed, God never did. From the beginning, He had a plan for a new and better creation—one that would also see Jesus reigning supreme.

Jesus is called "the beginning, the firstborn from the dead." Just as He was supreme over the first creation, He is supreme over this new creation brought about through redemption. He is the first to rise from the dead, signifying His preeminence and the ushering in of God's kingdom.

The resurrection of Jesus wasn't just about one man coming back to life. It was the inauguration of a new creation, the beginning of God's restoration project for the entire cosmos.

God in Bodily Form
Here's where the mystery deepens: "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." Not partial deity, not a demigod, but all the fullness of God dwelling in bodily form in Jesus Christ. God was delighted to dwell fully in Him.

The temple in Jerusalem was where God's presence dwelt, where people went to encounter Him. But now we have something far better—not a temple made with hands, but Jesus Himself, the true temple. The one whose hands made everything became the dwelling place of God's complete presence.

The Reconciler of All Things
Because of sin, there is division, brokenness, and a continuous cycle of death in our world. But Jesus came to bring reconciliation. And here's what's striking: typically, the guilty party seeks forgiveness from the offended party. But God didn't wait for us to seek Him. He initiated the restoration Himself.

Even more stunning—He not only initiated reconciliation, but He also paid the price for it. Jesus willingly died, taking on the punishment we deserved, to restore the world we broke so that we might live a life of peace we don't deserve.

How did He do this? By "making peace by the blood of his cross." Through His sacrificial death, peace can now be established between God and humanity. He is the Prince of Peace, and His government and peace will have no end.

Yet we still live in a world influenced by sin. We exist in the tension of the "already and not yet"—peace has been established, but it's not yet fully realized.

Holding Everything Together
So how do we live in this tension? The answer is found in one of the most remarkable statements in Scripture: "In him all things hold together."

Think about what this means. Without Jesus, electrons wouldn't continue to circle around nuclei. Gravity would cease to work. Planets wouldn't stay in their orbits. Every atom, every particle too small to see even with a microscope—He holds them all together.

We worry about the struggles in our lives, but we're putting our faith in a God who's not only holding our personal situations together but holding the entire universe together. Everything we've never seen—the depths of space, the ocean's darkest trenches—all of it exists because He sustains it.

This work of creation took six days according to Genesis, but through Christ, God is still actively working every moment to hold it all together. "He upholds the universe by the word of his power."

Our Response
Understanding who Jesus is should transform how we live. First, we glorify God as our Creator. He made everything about us—our eyes, skin, hair, voice, personality, intellect. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Our lives don't belong to us; they belong to Him. We exist through Him and for Him.

Second, we praise God as our Redeemer. The Creator entered His creation, lived a perfect life, and died a cruel death He didn't deserve—all to reconcile us to God. This should be a continual reminder on our hearts. For those who haven't yet trusted in Christ, understand that there's nothing you can do to earn reconciliation. Jesus has done the work. In Him alone we have redemption through His blood.

Finally, we trust God as our Sustainer. The troubles of this world are real and many, but they're small compared to the One who holds everything together. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him. We're called to spread this gospel of peace to a broken world, knowing we do so by His authority and power alone.

The King who created everything, who redeemed everything, and who holds everything together—He reigns, and He is worthy of our complete trust and worship.