Tag: preeminence
Jesus Christ the Preeminent One!
Scripture reading for June 21st: Colossians 1, Psalm 123, Proverbs 30
Colossians 1:15-20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”
The Scripture says eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ, Whom He sent. (John 17:3) Paul gives the church a window of insight into the Father and His Son in this paragraph. God the Father is invisible, but Jesus Christ is the visible Image of the Father. He is the Creator and sustainer of all creation, things we see and the great unseen world beyond our finite vision. All creation is made to serve Him and fulfill His will and purposes. Jesus is also Head of the Church, having earned that title by being the Firstborn from the dead. He is preeminent–before all things of highest eminence and eternal worth and worthy of all worship, honor and praise! Every creature receives its life from Him, and humans, made in His image, through repentance are reconciled to the Father through His blood, shed for us on the cross! Hallelujah!
Psalm 123:1-2 “To You I lift up my eyes, O You Who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He has mercy upon us.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to reveal Your image and Name to us. Living in the darkness of sin, we were lost and without hope, foolish and devising evil and selfish. Your mercy though Your Son has set us free and reconciled us with You, our Father! Through Your grace I now give preeminence to Jesus Christ and change my foolish speech to honor and worship of my King!
Proverbs 30:32 “If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.” (Stop it!)
Christ the Preeminent
Scripture reading for June 7th: Colossians 1
Key Scriptures: Colossians 1:15-20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”
Paul explained to the Colossian believers the place held by Christ Jesus in the grand design of creation. Christ is the exact image of the invisible God. Christ is the firstborn of all creation and the creator of all things. He sustains all things and holds them together. Christ is the head of the church, His body, now active in this world. In Christ Jesus all the fullness of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, dwells. In Christ alone is peace with God through His sacrifice of His body on the cross of Calvary. Looking at a summary, Christ Jesus is preeminent in all things and He now resides in us who believe! He hold first place!
Colossians 1:27 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, I give You the place of preeminence in my life in honor and worship of Who You are. Thank You for the blood shed on the cross and for placing me in Your Body, the Church and for sending the Holy Spirit to reside in me. May I declare Your preeminence in word and deed in Your power through my daily living.
Colossians 1:28-29 “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.”
Christ in You, the hope of Glory!
Scripture reading for December 3rd: Colossians 1-4
Jesus Christ is the most important person in the entire universe! He is the firstborn Son of God and over all creation! (Colossians 1:15) He is the head of all authority in heaven and on earth! He existed before everything that was made and is clearly supreme in every way!
Jesus Christ is the head of the church, His body on earth and in heaven. He birthed the church by dying sacrificially on the cross in order to redeem all mankind. He was also the firstborn from the dead by resurrection! (Colossians 1:19-20) He reconciled us to God the Father, making peace through His own blood shed on the cross! He now lives in us by the Holy Spirit who marks us as belonging to the Father. This truth was a mystery hidden in God before Christ was revealed. Now this mystery has been revealed through the Gospel and is available to Jews and Gentiles alike!
“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness–the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 2:26-27)
The greatest treasure is not gold or silver! Having Christ in us brings joy, peace with God, and an unbelievable inheritance! Paul calls this inheritance the “hope of glory”! When he talks about hope here, it is not “I hope that I see this glory”. That is my “blessed hope”! Hope is a firm expectation of coming good! Hope doesn’t disappoint us because we know this glory is coming! It is the glory of the resurrected Christ! It is the glory of a resurrection body for us! When we see Him, we shall be like Him in glory! (1st John 3:2-3) This hope causes us to live a righteous life of obedient faith.
Christmas is coming! The best gift anyone could ever receive is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”! Why not pray about sharing Christ with those you love who do not know Him? Pray like Paul in Colossians 4:3-6 that you may have an open door, proclaim the message clearly, and be wise! God bless your giving!