29 - Jesus Holds It All Together

In Colossians 1:16-17, Paul uses emphatic, specific language to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things -- literally, "the everything." That includes everything in every locality -- the fullest extent of the heavens, and everything over the full extent of the earth. It also includes everything of every classification -- the things that are open to human view, as well as the things that are not.

Paul goes on to say that Jesus as Creator is the source of all authority. He created all seats of governmental power and authority, the delegated authority they exercise, the boundaries of their authority, and even the right to possess that authority.

Furthermore, Paul says, Jesus Christ is the focus of the creation. Verse 17 literally reads, "He Himself is before all things in time, and all things in Him are comprehended and hang together."

I heard a news report recently that said that scientists really don't know why the atoms, the basic components of which all matter in the universe is made, don't just fly apart. They really don't understand why the most basic components of the material world hang together. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know the answer. He is the reason!

If Jesus were to take His little finger off this creation for one split second, it would disintegrate into chaos. We ourselves would cease to exist. Echoing Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3 tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ upholds all things by the word of His power. That word "upholds" means that He "bears up" the entire creation. Jesus holds it all together.

That's our focus this week as we continue our series, Christ Above All: Studies in Colossians.