THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST

COLOSSIANS 1:1

A. "THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PRE-EMINENCE"
  1. From the day Saul was converted and became Paul:
    1. Christ become the center of his thoughts and affections
    2. This is seen in all his fourteen epistles
  2. His letters to the churches are Christ centered:
    1. To the Philippians he writes, "For to me to live is Christ" - Phil. 1:21
    2. To the Galatians he emphasized, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" - Gal. 6:14 B. THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST RESTS ON THREE ETERNAL TRUTHS
  3. His relationship to God the Father:
    1. The Bible declares Him to be the only begotten Son of God - John 1:14, 18; 3:16; I John 4:9
  4. He is the Creator of all things in heaven and on earth; for by Him the Father created all things - John 1:1-3; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:1-3
  5. Thirdly, Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of this fallen world:
    1. Isaiah speaks of Him, "thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel" - Is. 41:14; 54:5
    2. It is He who says, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else" - Is. 45:22
    3. It is He, who stretches out His hands to sin-burdened and heavy laden, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: - Matt. 11:28-30
    4. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" - Acts 4:12
    5. It is He whom God made sin so that we may become righteous - 2 Cor. 5:18-20
    6. He says, "I am the resurrection and life" C. LET US LINGER A LITTLE LONGER WITH THE THEME OF THE PRE-EMINENCE OF JESUS CHRIST
  6. He is pre-eminent in His love:
    1. It was the Divine love of the Son of God that made Him willing to die for us while we were sinners - Rom. 5:8
    2. It was His love for you and me that sought us and redeemed us from sin and its eternal consequences - Gal 3:13
  7. He is pre-eminent in grace:
    1. Paul writes about "the exceeding riches of His grace: - Eph. 2:7
    2. "Where sin abounded, the grace did much more abound" - Rom. 5:15-20
  8. He is pre-eminent patience:
    1. In Romans 15:5 we read about "the God of patience:
    2. When He proclaimed His name before Moses, He said, in part, "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth" - Ex. 34:6
  9. He is pre-eminent in because:
    1. "In Him dwelleth all the fullness of God bodily" - Col. 2:9
    2. He is the Divine essence of Life, Truth, and the way back to God - John 14:6
  10. What more can one say to emphasize the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ our Lord?
    1. Of Him the Father says, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth:
    2. "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" - Phil. 2:11
    3. And again we read, "Let the angels of God worship Him;" - Heb. 1:6
  11. But to know and appreciate the love and adoration of Paul:
    1. We must study the exceeding great love our Lord showed to Paul
    2. Also, how the Lord Jesus used him to reveal His love to other sinners - Gal. 1:15-16


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