If you read yesterday’s post, you will remember that if Jesus used a last name it probably would have been “bar Joseph,” since his legal father was Joseph. The rest of the family would not have been called Christ, because the name Christ only applies to the Messiah, the Son of God.

Colossians 1:15-19 gives us some insights about what the name Christ means. Yesterday we discussed the first part of verse 15. Today we will begin in the middle of verse 15 and continue through verse 16.

Like God, Jesus also existed before the creation of the earth or the heavens. That might seem strange when we think of Jesus’ birth a little more than 2,000 years ago, but that moment in time was not when Jesus’ life began with God. Jesus left all the glory of heaven behind him at the moment of Mary’s conception so that he could become one of us – to suffer and die in our place so our sins could be forgiven. That thought is mind-boggling when we stop to think about it.

Jesus is God’s one and only Son and is supreme over all of creation because it was through Jesus that God created everything. If you read Genesis 1:26 you will discover that God referred to himself as “us” and “our” as he said “Let us make people in our image.” Jesus was right there at every part of creation.

If you read all of verse 16 you will see that Christ Jesus created everything in heaven and in earth. He created not only the physical things that we can see and touch, but he created the spirit world as well. God created everything through Christ and for Christ.

Therefore, Jesus the Christ is supreme over everything.

Father God, we are in awe of you and your Son, Jesus, the Christ. Help us to more fully grasp who you are, in greater measure day by day, so that we will love you more and will serve you better throughout our lives.