“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3 ESV).
There are some who simply view Jesus as a prominent leader, a skilled teacher, or a great man of God. Then there are others who believe that Jesus was someone who showed us the way to live a more fulfilling life. These beliefs, while true in themselves, all fall short in at least one important way. You see, Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus is the one who personally sustains everything that exists within the universe.
The New Testament book of Colossians 1:17 expresses this truth in a more concise manner: “He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). Whether that aspect of the universe comprises the smallest atomic particle or the largest stellar body, Jesus personally “…sustains all that exists through the power of His word” (Voice).
This important Biblical truth should leave a deep impression on our view of Christ…
“Biblical religion is not deism, which says the Lord got everything off to a start and then stood back to watch how it would all fall out. Instead, even after He rested from His work of initial creation, God has continued to act in His creation to preserve it and to direct it to His ends (Gen. 1:1–2:3; Eph. 1:11)…
God’s sustaining work means that the universe has no independent existence but continues to exist only because He has willed it to do so. Were the Lord to cease existing -an impossibility if there ever were one- the universe would cease to exist as well. The reverse, however, is not true. If the universe were to cease existing, God lives on. He alone is self existent. We are not self-existent but rely on Him at every point to hold the world together and give us breath. Consequently, every moment we live is a gift of His sustaining grace.” (1)
So, Jesus was not only responsible for creating all time, space, and matter, He is also responsible for continuously preserving and supporting those things as well. Unlike a wind-up clock that is left to run unsupervised after it is initially set, Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Christ is actively involved in sustaining and upholding everything within the cosmos.
(1) “God Makes It All Happen” Tabletalk magazine, August, 2013 [pg. 60]