God created everything through Jesus, and nothing was created except through Jesus. (John 1:3)

Remember John Lennon’s song “Imagine”? Well, for this post you will need to imagine. You own five acres of picturesque waterfront property valued at $2 million. You are going to build a $5 million house overlooking the water but tucked into a heavily wooded area. You’ve informed family and friends of your intention: “We’re going to build a magnificent house on our property!”

QUESTION! Are YOU actually going to build the house? Of course NOT! You’re going to hire a general contractor who in turn will deal with various building trades. So, whereas YOU ARE THE SOURCE (it’s your idea, land, and money) of the house, these talented people are YOUR CONSTRUCTION AGENTS to accomplish your desire. Get the idea? Life abounds with similar illustrations!

Reflecting Genesis 1, the Apostles’ Creed begins with this assertion: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” Yet, there are four passages about Jesus that provide additional information about creation. Check these out!

• In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created. The Word became a human being and lived here with us. (John 1:1-4, 14)

• Recently God spoke to us directly through His Son. Through His Son, God created the world in the beginning. (Hebrews 1:1-4)

• Jesus is the visible likeness of the invisible God. Through Him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things. God created the whole universe through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:14-16)

• For us, there is one God, the Father who is the ultimate source of all things. And there is one Lord—Jesus the Anointed; through Him all things were created. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

Now return to the illustration. Whereas the Father “is the ultimate source of all things,” Jesus, the Word, is the Father’s construction agent. There is absolutely nothing that was not built by Jesus. His fingerprints are on everything (more about this later)! About this E. Stanley Jones wrote: “What do these strange passages mean? They mean that everything is made to work in its inner structure in Christ’s way. If it works in His way, it fulfills the purpose of its creation—it works harmoniously, creatively and happily. It’s very being and the purpose of its being is fulfilled. If it works some other way, it works its own ruin, not by decree from without, but intrinsically; it is ruined by violating the law of its own nature. It is self-destroyed.”