Colossians 1:15-19

"Dear Father, We have not seen you. We do not even know what it might mean to see you. But you have shown us Jesus, and because we have seen him, we....."

"Dear Father, We are Christ's church and he is head over us, head over his body. He is the beginning, the first-born of creation and the first-born..."

Who is that little child in that manger who looks so tiny and fragile? Phil Ware begins a four series set of articles for Advent and this first one is called BEFORE and focuses on Jesus being God, pre-existent before the world began.

Sometimes a single, short, straightforward passage from Proverbs gives us two gems to help us live fruitful and long lives! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to celebrate the greatness of Jesus our Lord and learn to live for him from others and help others learn to live for him, as well!

"Dear Child of God, If you were a shepherd in the time when I was born, you would never have expected anyone to be astonished at anything you could..."

"Dear Beloved, Today you will read two powerful passages of praise. The first one is from Paul's letter to the Colossians. The second is from Paul's....."

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

"For by [Jesus] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things..."

"He [Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. "

"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."

Inspirational illustration of Colossians 1:15 -- He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Inspirational illustration of Colossians 1:15 NIV -- He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Inspirational illustration of Colossians 1:16 -- For by him [Jesus] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Inspirational illustration of Colossians 1:17 NIV -- He [Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Inspirational illustration of Colossians 1:18 NIV -- 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.

Surely this can't be done in the test tube or research laboratory? Jesus is much more than his DNA: even this hoax can't begin to explain Jesus as God's Son.

So who is Jesus to you? Phil Ware talks about Paul's big reversal from seeing Jesus as a blasphemer to seeing him as everything.

Despite all the challenges, Mary and Joseph accepted their part in salvation's plan and their faith brought us God's gift of love, his beloved Son, Jesus! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to recognize God's great love in sending Jesus, the joy Jesus' birth brings, and the truth that Jesus is with us and for us in this

What do you do when things fracture between you and someone important to you? Phil Ware talks about what to do when relationships are shattered and how it feels easier to trade in those relationships for new ones, but asks if this is really smartest and if it honors Christ and our walk with God.

"For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by....."

"Through him [Jesus] God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as..."

"For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in..."

Inspirational illustration of Colossians 1:19-20 -- For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace with his blood, shed on the cro

What is most important for us to believe and do as disciples of Jesus, today? Phil Ware begins a series of messages on what is core, or what is at the heart of what we must believe and do to be true disciples of Jesus, today.

If there is a God and he's out there, why doesn't he just get it over with and show himself to us? Why this need for faith? Phil Ware and James Nored share in word and video an idea about how we can truly understand God's greatness, glory, and grace even though we cannot understand everything about him.

A genuine disciple, and especially an apostle, follows the path of Jesus who gave up his life to seek, serve, and save the lost. James Nored in video, and Phil Ware using the Scriptures, remind us of the beauty and the cost to God of saving us and forgiving us, and giving us a new life.

Moses wanted Pharaoh and the Egyptians to see that only Israel's God was truly God. Anything in addition to God was less. James Nored and Phil Ware look at Moses' showdown with Pharaoh to remind us that this was really a showdown to show who was truly God and our need to choose to follow him.

Is there something out there? What would it mean if there were? Scientists are forever searching the skies for alien life, but what does that mean to the Christian? Randy Becton shares his thoughts on extra-terrestrials, aliens, and God.

Why do we have to be the big fish in our small puddle? Phil Ware looks through The Jesus Window and is led to ask a question of all of us: just how big is our aquarium, just how big is our Jesus?

How can such a discovery, no matter how badly dirt-encrusted and stained, not be seen as a genuine treasure? Phil Ware tells us a simple story of a mother's love to remind how our Father sees us as his treasure.

Our message points us to 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Paul's promise that if we are in Christ, we are a new creation! Phil Ware and Demetrius Collins invite us to worship God and celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit as we are transformed to be more like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as we trust in God to give us a new fresh start in life because of Jesus!

Can you really accept that God views you as He does? Phil Ware describes a dream a friend had about Phil's dad -- and he shares how hard it is for him to accept that God feels that way about him, too.

The Father is looking to use you, no matter how unlikely it seems possible! Rubel Shelley reminds us that God does his best work through the most unlikely of people.

Can you think of a more noble vision or a more compelling mission for us, the Lord's people, than to be Jesus' bodily presence to our fractured and fragmented world? James Nored and Phil Ware challenge us through words and video to embrace God's mission for us as the bodily presence of Jesus in the world.

Because we could not be James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that we all needed Jesus' redemptive death on the cross so we could find new life in the grace of God.

How do we ever understand what the cross cost God? Phil Ware continues his series on Mary and her being a window to the heart of God.