The birth of Christ reminds us that there is a huge difference between where we are and where we need to be. Not just financially, but spiritually. There is a huge gap between us and God — and only Jesus Christ can bridge it. This Christmas season, Pastor Josh White walks us through Colossians 1 to show us that Jesus is the great reconciler who came to fix what was broken and restore us to God.
Why We Needed Reconciliation
When God created the heavens and the earth, everything was perfect. Genesis 1:31 says, “And God saw that he had made. And behold, it was very good.” There were no mosquitoes, no weeds, no hurricanes, no earthquakes. Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with God.
But sin changed everything. Romans 5:12 tells us, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all have sinned.” The perfection was broken. And every person born after Adam is a sinner — separated from the relationship God created us to have.
Romans 3:23 makes it clear: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We know this is true. We know the thoughts we shouldn’t dwell on. We know the actions we take when no one is watching. We know we are sinners — and sin has a debt that must be paid.
“We like to blame others, right? We do that in politics. We do that in the economy. ‘It’s not my fault. I’m a victim.’ But the Bible’s very clear: you and I are just as guilty because we are sinners.”
What Reconciliation Really Means
Colossians 1:19–20 gives us the heart of the gospel: “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
Reconciliation is not just ignoring sin or pretending nothing happened. True reconciliation involves:
- True acknowledgment — there must be honest recognition of wrongdoing
- Initiation of peace — someone must make the first move to bridge the gap
- Forgiveness that absorbs the cost — the debt must be paid
- Restoration in relationship — the connection is actually healed
- Transformation in behavior — lives are changed
In short, reconciliation turns enemies into family by dealing honestly with sin and bearing the cost to bring us peace.
How Christ Reconciles Us to God
God’s wrath toward our sin must be satisfied. The only way to pay for sins was through the death of a perfect sacrifice. That’s why Jesus became a man. Hebrews 2:14 says, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things… he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest… to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
“The only way to reconcile man to the Father was if a man lived a perfect life, fulfilled the law, and died to pay for the sins of mankind. If Jesus didn’t die for us, then you and I would have no hope. There would be no reconciliation.”
Before Christ, the Israelites practiced repeated blood sacrifices — hundreds of thousands of bulls and goats killed to temporarily cover sin. All of it was temporary until the one true permanent sacrifice was made: Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God.
Isaiah Prophesied It 700 Years Earlier
When Jesus read the Old Testament, the Spirit confirmed to Him that He was the Messiah — the one written about in Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53:4–6 prophesied the Messiah’s suffering centuries before His birth:
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
— Isaiah 53:4–6
700 years before Christ was born, Isaiah wrote these words. The Jews waited that long for the promise to be fulfilled — and today, 2,000 years after it happened, it is clear to us. This was about Jesus the Messiah. He came to reconcile us.
Have You Been Reconciled to God?
Colossians 1:12–14 reminds us of our position in Christ: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
If you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ — if your sins have not been paid for — today can be the day you respond. Romans 10:9–10 makes it clear: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
“God, I know I’m a sinner. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and for raising him from the dead so that I can know that the payment worked and that there is the hope of eternal life.”
This is a free gift. We don’t earn it. We simply receive it by faith.
Remembering Christ’s Sacrifice
For those who have trusted in Christ, we are commanded to remember His sacrifice until He returns. When Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, He said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24).
The bread represents His body — the one true sacrifice for sin. The juice represents His blood — the new covenant purchased for those who believe. As we take communion, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
“Those might be three of my favorite words in the Bible: until He comes. We believe that He is coming back. He already redeemed us. He already reconciled us. But the fulfillment of all the future promises — they’re going to happen someday.”
Until then, we have work to do. We get to share the message of reconciliation with the world around us.
Scripture References
- Colossians 1:15–20 — The Supremacy of Christ and His Reconciliation
- Genesis 1:26–31 — Man Created in God’s Image
- Romans 5:12 — Sin Entered Through One Man
- Romans 3:23 — All Have Sinned
- Romans 5:18 — One Act of Righteousness Leads to Justification
- Romans 8:20 — Creation Subjected to Futility
- Romans 10:9–10 — Confession and Belief for Salvation
- Hebrews 2:14–17 — Christ Shared in Our Humanity
- Isaiah 53:4–6 — The Messiah’s Suffering Prophesied
- Colossians 1:12–14 — Delivered from Darkness
- 1 Corinthians 11:24–25 — The Lord’s Supper
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 — Benediction: The God of Peace