Christ Is the Visible Image of the Invisible God

In Colossians 1:15 I read, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” (NLT)

Who was the little baby in the manger we celebrate at Christmas? Colossians 1:15 says, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God” (NLT).

You’ve heard the phrase that, if you want something done right, do it yourself. God wanted to do the job of saving me right, so he came to earth himself. He didn’t come as an avatar, an angel, or a prophet. God came as a person. He became the baby and then the man Jesus Christ.

People all around the world celebrate the little baby in the manger because that child is God, come to live with his people. To know what God is like, look at Jesus. But Jesus didn’t come simply to live. He came to die for my sins so that I could spend eternity with Him.

This was needed, because even though God is a God of love, he is also a God of justice. Justice demands wrongs be righted. It demands that the debt of sin be paid for. And, heaven is perfect, but I’m not. Because of that, I need a Savior. God gets imperfect people into heaven through grace.

The Good News of Christmas is that God gave the gift of his Son to pay for everything I have ever done wrong and offer me the grace to enter heaven.

The Bible says, “When [Jesus] served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world’s” (1 John 2:1 The Message).

This gift beats anything I can be given this year. I just need to accept it.

In summary, Christ is the image of God and is the little baby in the manger we celebrate at Christmas. God wanted to do the job of saving me right, so he came to earth himself. He didn’t come as an avatar, an angel, or a prophet. God came as a person. He became the baby and then the man Jesus Christ. People all around the world celebrate the little baby in the manger because that child is God, come to live with his people. To know what God is like, look at Jesus. But Jesus didn’t come simply to live. He came to die for my sins so that I could spend eternity with Him. This was needed, because even though God is a God of love, he is also a God of justice. Justice demands wrongs be righted. It demands that the debt of sin be paid for. And, heaven is perfect, but I’m not. Because of that, I need a Savior. God gets imperfect people into heaven through grace. The Good News of Christmas is that God gave the gift of his Son to pay for everything I have ever done wrong and offer me the grace to enter heaven. This gift beats anything I can be given this year. I just need to accept it.

Often it’s easy for me to get caught up in work and preparations for the season. Today I’m reminded of the importance of the Baby in the Manager that is the reason for Christmas.  God sent his Son Jesus (his visible image) to walk among us and to show us the way to you Father. Then he paid the ultimate price for justice by taking on my penalties for Sin, so that I can be clean for you. Father, thank you for your grace and justice. I ask today for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others.  I pray this through your Son Jesus’ name, amen.