The Preeminence of Christ

Christ is central, supreme and pre-eminent, in all things. His birth splits time into before and afterwards. He is the preeminent person in history.

Our Lord should be first, foremost and supreme in our lives. Verse 18 - that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Preeminence means being FIRST.

He has …a name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9). He has the highest place. We want to make much of Jesus.

He holds the highest authority. He is Lord of all.

Is THE WILL OF GOD preeminent in your decision making processes? (10) That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Do we care about what is worthy of our Saviour? Do we care about pleasing God?

Enthrone Him - in your heart’s throne room. That He will truly reign over us in every decision of life; in every step we take.

Will you be… (11) Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Do we know spiritual power with God? His empowerment? His enablement?

(12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: How is our thankfulness level?

(13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
He is due our highest praise.

Christ is preeminent as…
DEITY
V. 15 Who is the image of the invisible God. An exact manifestation. The perfect representation of God. He is the image of God in His exact revelation of Him.

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him… he that hath seen me hath seen the Father… God in all the fullness resides in Him, Colossians 1:19. Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Christ is preeminent as…
CREATOR AND SUSTAINER
V. 16 For by him were all things created…
…by him, and for him
V. 17 …and by him all things consist.

He is THE CREATOR of ALL THINGS.
We were created to:
• Serve Him
• Love Him
• Fellowship with Him

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Our creator has made a cosmos out of chaos. As Paul said in Acts 17:28 …in him we live and move and have our being.

He is the sustaining power of His own creation. He holds it all together.
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Our Lord, who upholds all things, also upholds His own people down here, in every trial.

He is preeminent, as…
HEAD
(V. 18) And he is the head of the body, the church…
His church is a living organism.

Through His church our Lord rules, guides, and directs. We can be thankful that we are members of the most noble institution of the best and greatest men and women of history – of all time – and we are made joint heirs with them, in this great privilege to be the church of the living God.

He is due THE PREEMINENCE – the first, the highest place. To be esteemed and honoured, as the first in rank.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Christ is preeminent in our life – so we place our FIRST PRIORITY on Christ and His kingdom.

Christ is preeminent, as…
SAVIOUR
V. 20 tells of His saving …through the blood of his cross.

Christ is preeminent as the one and only Saviour. We have been rescued! He has saved us. From the danger of hellfire, and he has brought us nigh to Him, into His safekeeping. As saved people, we are “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10).

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. He has purchased our freedom, and ransomed us.

He has lifted us out of the pit. He has set our feet on a rock.

He occupies the very throne of God. Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Christ rules in our hearts, by faith. How we need His Lordship over our lives! Is Christ preeminent in your heart? In your home? In your decisions of life? May Christ be first and foremost.