“The King Who Holds All Things Together”

(Colossians 1:11–20)

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Grace, peace & mercy are yours in our Triune God; Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

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2. Opening – Standing Between the Seasons

Today, on the Last Sunday of the Church year/ Day of Fulfilment, we’re standing in a strange and beautiful place… right between the seasons.

Behind us lies that long green stretch of the church year where we’ve walked with Jesus through parables and healings, through ordinary weeks and extraordinary stories.
Ahead of us waits Advent—with its candles, its longing, its promises, its aching hope for the One who is coming.

And here we are, on the threshold between “already” and “not yet.”
This is the moment when the church pauses and says:
Take a breath. Look back at everything God has done. And then look forward to everything God has promised still to complete.

This isn’t just an ending.
It’s the point where the whole story comes into focus.
A day meant to lift our eyes—not to our calendars, not to our circumstances, but to Christ Himself:
the One who began all things, sustains all things, and will bring all things to their fulfilment.

But before Paul paints that big picture of Christ, he starts somewhere very real. Very human. Very much like us.

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3. The Colossian Problem… and Ours

The Christians in Colossae were living in a world full of spiritual noise.
Plenty of teachers were saying, “Yes, Jesus is good… but you need something more for fullness. Let me show you the next level. Let me show you the powers and spiritual beings and steps you need to climb to really connect with God.”

It was subtle.
Nothing outrageous.
Just: “Jesus is fine, but He isn’t quite enough.”

And honestly… I think we know that temptation.

We don’t tend to chase after angel-ladders, but maybe happiness ladders or work ladders, maybe we do look for fullness in all sorts of other ways.
We think,
“If I can just be more productive…
If I can just get this part of my life under control…
If I can just fix myself a bit more…
If I can find the right spiritual practice… the right leader… the right philosophy…”

We’re surrounded by voices saying (especially on social media)
“You’re almost enough. You’re nearly there. You just need a little extra something.”

And underneath all of that searching is often a simple, anxious question:
What if the world is out of control?
What if I am not enough?
What if the darkness wins?

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Paul understands that concern.
He doesn’t ignore it.
He names it.

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4. The Darkness Is Real

“The power of darkness,” he calls it.

Jeremiah names it too—corrupt leaders who scatter instead of gather.
Zechariah, in today’s Song, speaks of people sitting “in darkness and the shadow of death.”

The Bible doesn’t pretend the darkness isn’t real.
It simply insists that the darkness doesn’t rule and it is not king.

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5. The Great Rescue: From Darkness to Light

Paul reminds the Colossians—reminds us—that we haven’t just been given a few good ideas.
We’ve been rescued.

“God has rescued us from the power of darkness
and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.” (Col 1:13)

That’s Exodus language.
It’s liberation language.
It’s not: “Here’s a map—find your way.”
It’s “God came into the dark to get us.
God carried us out.
God placed us somewhere new.”

And the Benedictus says the same thing:
“He has come to His people and set them free… guiding our feet into the way of peace.”

And because we’ve been rescued, we are empowered to live differently.
Not without struggles.
Not without questions.
But with a deep, steady joy that comes from knowing the One who holds us is stronger than anything that threatens us.

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6. The Cosmic Christ

And then Paul sings—early Christians think this passage was a hymn:
“He is the image of the invisible God…
the firstborn of all creation…
in Him all things were created—
thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities…
in Him all things hold together.”

This isn’t a sentimental Jesus.
This isn’t “Jesus the spiritual accessory.”
This is the Creator Himself.

This is the Christ who stands at the beginning of creation itself.
The One through whom every star was lit, every ocean carved, every living thing given breath.

Which means:
Every power you fear…
every system that seems too big…
every unseen spiritual reality…
every political kingdom…
every threat in your newsfeed…
every part of your life that feels like it’s falling apart—
all that becomes a part of Him, and everything can hold together only because He holds it.

Not one of them is ultimate.
Not one of them is king.
Christ is.

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7. The Cross as Throne

And just when you expect Paul to talk about the amazing triumph and victory of this awesome cosmic Christ —
he does something most unexpected:

“Through Him, God reconciled all things…
making peace through the blood of His cross.”

The King’s throne… is a cross.

The moment He looks weakest is the moment He undoes every power of darkness.
The moment He looks defeated is the moment He conquers sin, death, and the devil.
The moment He looks most human is the moment He reveals the fullness of God.

No other king rules like this.
No other king heals like this.
No other king gives His life to save the people who rejected Him.

This… is the King you belong to…
And that sort of King changes us.

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8. Living in His Kingdom

So what does it look like to live in the kingdom of such a King?

First: We live unafraid.
Christ holds us, and Christ holds the world.
We don’t pretend life isn’t hard;
we simply trust that nothing that life throws at us can throw off
the One who holds everything together.

• Reflect: What fear can I hand to Christ today?
  Think about a worry this week—maybe a work deadline, a health concern, or a strained relationship. Imagine placing it in Christ’s hands, letting Him carry it, just as He carries the world.
  
  

Second: We stop chasing extra fullness.
We don’t need to go looking for “more” spiritual credit.
In Christ, we already have everything:
forgiveness, identity, purpose, belonging.

• Reflect: Where am I trying to earn what Christ has already freely given?
  Have you ever felt the pressure to “do more” for God—more devotions, more acts of service, more effort? Remember, Christ has already given you what matters. Rest in that gift instead of striving for something you’ve already been given.
  
  

Third: We join Christ’s work of peace.
He has reconciled the world through His blood.
Now we walk as people of reconciliation—
in our homes, our workplaces, our church.
We don’t create the peace, but we carry it.

• Reflect: How can I bring a little bit of His peace into my world this week?
  What does that look like? Maybe it’s listening patiently to a family member, forgiving a friend, speaking gently to a coworker, or serving quietly in the community. These small acts carry His kingdom forward.
  

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9. Fulfilment Sunday: Looking Forward

Today is Fulfilment Sunday:
the day we say Christ is King,
and the day we remind each other Christ will come again.

But we remind ourselves that Christ will come again,
Not as a stranger.
Not as a judge you must appease.
But as the One who already rescued you, forgave you, created you, redeemed you, and holds you.

and you can find him right here in the good gifts he brings today.

The King who started all things will finish all things.
And the One who holds the universe together is holding you today.

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10. Closing

So as we step toward Advent,
toward the waiting, the watching, the hoping—
Know that we can
    Live Unafraid
    Rest in his gift
    Carry his peace
And we can hold onto this truth that:

He is before all things.
In Him all things hold together.
And He is our King.

Amen.

Ans the peace of God
which passes all understanding
will keep our hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus. Amen