Room to spare at the table — draw up a seat!
John Povey
January 01, 2026
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Colossians 1: 15-23 (NIVUK)
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
In the Colossian Church the members came from two groups of people. There were the Christians from the Jewish community. They were used to thinking of God as invisible; any image made by human hands was forbidden. And there were the Christians from the Greek community. They were used to statues and images in their temples to depict divinities. Two groups of people from different religious backgrounds brought together to the one table by a shared understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, “the image of the invisible God.”
In Jesus, we have the perfect picture of the person and character of God. If we as Christians want to know what our God is like, we must get to know Jesus.
This passage is perhaps best understood as a poem or the lyrics of a song, expressing the amazing reality of the supremacy of this invisible God made known in Jesus. He is supreme over all of creation. He is supreme over the new creation, which is the Church. He is supreme in reconciling the fallen and broken creation to himself. His table is universal, bigger than we could imagine!
The much loved 23rd Psalm has a verse which tells of what our Lord can do. “My table thou hast furnished, in presence of my foes.” Former foes can sit down together and talk at the table. What better way to begin a new year than with such an abundance of hope in Jesus Christ! He has the ability to bring people together as they discover who he is, Creator, Saviour, Lord.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus, the perfect image of the invisible God. Thank You that He is the Creator and Sustainer of everything, the Head of the Church, the one in whom all Your fullness dwells. Help me never to cease to be amazed at who he is and what he has done for me. Help me to reflect his love, reaching out with his truth to others. Amen.
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