Colossians 1:15-23

v15-16: Our Saviour is the God-man, one who is fully God and truly human.  He is not a creature but the Creator who "made all things out of nothing - the highest angel in heaven as well as people on earth."  All things were "made by his power" and "they were made according to his pleasure and for his praise."

v17: Christ the Word of God "not only had existence before he was born from the Virgin, he had existence before all time."  Not only did He create all things in the beginning, "the whole creation is kept together, caused to consist in its proper order and arrangement, and preserved from disbanding and falling into confusion" by His powerful word.

v18-19: Not only was Christ the first to rise from the dead never to die again, "He is the head of the resurrection and has given us an example of our resurrection from the dead and evidence that we will rise." All our hope and joy is found in Him.

v20-22: Redemption consists both of forgiveness of sin and reconciliation to God.  Christ has obtained "peace as well as pardon for sinners." It is now possible even for "the greatest enemies of God, those who have stood farthest away and defied him" to be reconciled, and if they are not, responsibility lies with them.

v23: The gospel is to be preached to all creation, to every nation, "because the Gospel excludes no one who does not exclude themselves."