The Supremacy Of Christ Is Declared In The Gospel Message

The Supremacy of Christ is Declared in

The Gospel Message

Colossians 1:1-14

September 2, 2001

Intro:

A. [Nobel Nominee Says All Religions Are Equal, Citation: S.A. Mawhorr, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) (1-5-00), p.1]

At a January 4, 2000 interfaith dialogue in the Chicago suburbs, Nobel Peace Prize nominee M. Cherif Bassiouni, a law professor at DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, said all religions lead to God using different paths. "The judgment is not by the choice we make, but by how we pursue the path of the choice we make," he said.

"Different religions and cultures are equal in the eyes of God and should be seen as equal in the eyes of man," he said.

1. Was the professor right?

2. Should all paths to God be seen as equal?

3. Is there really more than one path to God?

B. Today we begin a new series of sermons.

1. Last week we finished the series called, "Ten Marks of a Prevailing Church."

2. Today we start a new series on the Supremacy of Christ.

3. Our last mark of a prevailing church was "Uncommon Prayer" and the text we used was Colossians 1:3-14.

4. Today the first sermon in our new series is called, "The Supremacy of Christ is Declared in the Gospel Message" and our text will be Colossians 1:1-14.

5. I give you my word that I am not preaching the same sermon as last week—I did not take the week off.

6. Last week we looked at the text from the perspective of prayer.

7. This week we will look at it to see why the gospel message makes Christ Superior and why not all paths are equal.

8. Today I want to give you seven reasons why the gospel message makes Jesus Christ Superior over all others; first…

I. The Gospel is centered in a person—Jesus Christ

Colossians 1:4, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints--

A. Paul spoke of the Colossians’ faith in Jesus Christ.

B. The Gospel is centered in the person of Jesus Christ.

1. The Gospel is not centered in doctrines of churches.

2. The Gospel is not centered in teachings of men.

3. The Gospel is not centered in opinions of men.

4. The Gospel is not centered in rules and regulations.

5. The Gospel is not centered in do’s and don’ts.

6. The Gospel is not centered in a church.

7. The Gospel is not centered in church attendance.

8. The Gospel is not centered in Bible study.

9. The Gospel is not centered in religious traditions.

C. You see the problem is that so many people make Christ prominent in their lives, but not preeminent.

1. So many people make Christ important in their life, but they don’t make Him supreme.

2. So many people talk about the importance of Christ in their life, but He is not the most important thing in their life.

3. Even many churches make Christ prominent, but not preeminent.

4. Far too many have a religion, but they don’t have Christ!

5. We can do all the Bible study in the world, but if Christ isn’t LORD of our lives, He’s not preeminent.

6. We can go to church all we want to, but if we don’t have a daily relationship with Christ, He’s not supreme in our life.

D. Because what is unique about the Gospel message is that a relationship with Christ is what’s most important.

1. No other relationship teaches that.

2. Buddhists stress the teachings of Buddha, but not a relationship with Buddha.

3. Islam stress the teachings of Muhammad, but not a relationship with Muhammad.

4. No one stresses a relationship with the Master except the Christian Gospel.

5. Why not? BECAUSE THEY’RE DEAD!!!

6. You can’t have a relationship with a dead man!!!

7. The Gospel stresses the importance of getting to know and becoming more like Christ!

8. Christ Himself is what makes Christianity unique!

E. Because the gospel is centered in Christ it makes Christ supreme! Also…

II. The Gospel is rooted in the Word of Truth—the Bible

Colossians 1:5, the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel

A. The Gospel is rooted in the Word of Truth.

1. What other book do you know that has stood the test of time like the Bible?

2. What other book do you know that has withstood the scrutiny of Science like the Bible?

3. What other book do you know that has been tried by so many millions of people and proven to be exactly what they needed in every area of their life?