The Supremacy Of Christ

THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST

In the scriptures we see that Jesus is superior over the prophets, over the angels, he’s superior to Moses and Aaron, he’s the perfect eternal High Priest, he’s Lord over nature and demons.

Eph 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, Eph 1:19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, Eph 1:20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, Eph 1:21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Heb 1:4 NIV) So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

At this hour Jesus is seated at Gods right hand far above all rule and authority power and dominion, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms Jesus is far superior to all of them.

Jesus is far above every title (all presidents, all prime ministers, ambassadors, senators), every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come Jesus reigns supreme.

(Col 1:18 NIV) And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Some synonyms that help us to appreciate His Majesty are the following:

Preeminance, reign, domination, dominance, incomparibility, ascendancy, superiority.

His Preeminance far superior to all others.

He’s the reigning King.

His domination of Satan; total.

He’s incapable of being compared to.

He ascended into heaven dominant and in power.

He’s superiority; unmatched.

Jesus reigns supreme over all things including death. He’s God and throughout the O.T. we see examples of His power.

PT 1: HE MAKES DEAD THINGS ALIVE

2 Kings 4. The backdrop of the story that we will read is the account of a Shunnamite woman that’s been helping Elisha.

She lives in Shunem, little village to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa (Jos 19:18), where the Philistines encamped when they came against Saul. The name “Shunem” means their change; their sleep. It was distant of about twenty miles from Mt. Carmel where Elisha was staying. It was also a time of war, Meesha king of Moab had rebelled against Israel because of the tax they had to pay.

So in the midst of war (the kings of Judah, Israel and Edom have joined forces to fight against the Moabites) and even human sacrifice (the king of Moab offers his son as a sacrifice), the incredible slaughtering of life, destruction of towns there is this wonderful account of God raising the dead.

2 Ki 4:8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 2 Ki 4:9 She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 2 Ki 4:10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us." 2 Ki 4:11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 2 Ki 4:12 He said to his servant Gehazi, "Call the Shunammite." So he called her, and she stood before him.

2 Ki 4:13 Elisha said to him, "Tell her, ’You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’" She replied, "I have a home among my own people."

2 Ki 4:14 "What can be done for her?" Elisha asked. Gehazi said, "Well, she has no son and her husband is old." 2 Ki 4:15 Then Elisha said, "Call her." So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 2 Ki 4:16 "About this time next year," Elisha said, "you will hold a son in your arms." "No, my lord," she objected. "Don’t mislead your servant, O man of God!" 2 Ki 4:17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. 2 Ki 4:18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. 2 Ki 4:19 "My head! My head!" he said to his father. His father told a servant, "Carry him to his mother." 2 Ki 4:20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 2 Ki 4:21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out. 2 Ki 4:22 She called her husband and said, "Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return." 2 Ki 4:23 "Why go to him today?" he asked. "It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath." "It’s all right," she said.