The Greatness And Supremacy Of Christ

The Greatness and Supremacy of Christ

Study Text: Colossians 1:15 - 20

Introduction:

The best way to combat erroneous beliefs and false teachings about Christ is not argument or by defending Him, but by revealing and confessing the truth about His Person, His Purpose and His Power. The error and falsehood cannot last when the truth is revealed.

In these portions of the Scriptures, certain truths about Christ are being unfolded.

1. His pre-existence before all things: He is before all things, that is, He had an eternal being before anything that now is created.

2. His pre-eminence over all things: He is above all things.

3. His preservation of all things by His almighty power: By Him all things do consist. All creatures owe their continuance and preservation to Him.

We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:

1. The Pre-existence of Christ before All Things

2. The Pre-eminence of Christ above All Things

3. The Preservation by Christ of All Things

1. The Pre-existence of Christ before All Things:

Jesus Christ had a being before any of the creatures were made:

1. That he had a being long before He was born of the Virgin. John 8: 48

2. That He had a being at the time of the creation. John 1: 1

Therefore Christ had a being when the world and all creatures were made, both the visible and invisible.

3. That Christ was before the world was, from all eternity: Micah 5: 2

4. That Christ was God subsisting in the divine nature. Philippians 2: 6, John 17: 5.

Christ was from all eternity the glorious God. This glory of His Godhead, by His humiliation was not diminished and lessened, but obscured and hidden.

If Christ were before all things, let us prefer Him above all things. This consideration is of great use to draw off our hearts from all created things, and to lessen our respects to worldly vanities, that they may be more earnestly fixed on what is eternal and glorious.

He that was before the world was, will be when the world shall be no more.

To Him should we look, after Him should we seek: He is the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. It is for an everlasting blessedness, for the enjoyment of an eternal God, that our souls were made. He that was from the beginning, and will be when all things shall have an end, it is He that should take up our minds and thoughts.

2. The Pre-eminence of Christ above All Things:

Jesus Christ is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. Hebrews 1:3

In Christ the invisible God became visible. Jesus is our opportunity to see God. God was one of us, a human, who walked on the earth. Through Jesus we see God. If you want to know God, learn about Jesus.

Jesus is the image of God. Nothing else. No one else. Only Jesus appropriately reflects the character and nature of God.

1. Christ is supreme over all other kings of the earth.

He is supreme over all creation. Christ outranks all things in creation.

2. Christ is supreme over all creation because He created all things. There is nothing created that Christ was not involved with in creating. Things in heaven and things on earth were created by Christ. Things visible and things invisible were created by Christ.

3. Christ is greater than angels and all spiritual beings. Angels are created by Christ. Christ is superior to all these things in every way because He created all things.

4. Not only have all things been created through Christ, but all things were created for Christ. Jesus is the goal of all creation. Everything exists to display Christ’s glory and ultimately He will be glorified in His creation. Creation is to praise and honor Christ.

5. Christ is eternal. He has no beginning because He was before everything. Not only is Christ eternal, but He holds all creation together. He sustains the creation.

Christ did not create the world and leave. He did not start things off and walk away. Christ is very much involved with the creation.

6. Jesus Christ is head of the body, the church. This includes people that are followers of Christ and all the followers of Jesus who have ever lived.

Jesus is in charge of our lives. He guides and governs His followers. We are not in charge. We are not the head. Christ is the head. Christ is in charge. We are incomplete without Jesus. We cannot exist without Jesus. We must stop thinking that we are the head and stop acting like we are in charge. We follow directions. We serve the head. The body does what the head says.