THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST – TEACHING SERMON

And thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and has made thee an high place in every street.  (Ezekiel 16: 24). 

And Christ is the head of the body, the Church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have pre-eminence. Col. 1: 18.

Looking at these passages, we can see that the word eminent has connection to “high places” or an elevated place and the word pre-eminence seems to mean “an elevated position or rank” or superiority due to merit.”  So, now looking at Colossians 1: 18, we can determine that Paul is telling us Christ is superior in rank or position.

Christ received this pre-eminence by merit.  So let us examine Colossians 1: 18 and see in what ways Christ is pre-eminent.

1. Christ is pre-eminent in His origin (verse 18 “Who is the beginning”)
   1. Jesus Christ before all things – Micah 5: 2; John 1:1, 8: 58, 17: 5, 24, Revelation 22: 13.
   2. Jesus created all things – John 1: 3, Col. 1: 16
   3. Jesus Christ upholds all things – Hebrews 1: 3.
2. Christ is pre-eminent in His position (verse 18 – he is the head of the body, the church.
   1. Jesus Christ has authority over nature (Matt. 8: 27)
   2. Jesus Christ has authority over heavenly powers (I Pet. 3: 22)
   3. Jesus Christ is the King of glory – Psalm 2: 6
   4. Jesus Christ is equal with God (John 10: 38; Phil. 2: 6
   5. Jesus Christ possesses the three unique attributes of God – Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Omniscience, (Immortal – Romans 6: 9
   6. Jesus Christ is the heir to the throne (Isa. 9: 7, Jer. 23: 5)
   7. Jesus Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 1: 2, 5: 23)

 

3. Christ is pre-eminent in His resurrection (verse 18 “the first born from the dead”)
4. Jesus proved that hell could not hold Him (Acts 2: 27, 31; Rev. 1: 18)
5. He proved that the grave could not hold Him (Acts 2: 31)
6. Jesus Christ is the only one ever who raised Himself from the dead (John 2: 19-21, John 10: 17-18)

Jesus is not just King or Lord, He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev. 17: 14).

 

One of the problems that Jesus had with the Jewish religious authorities was Jesus claim that He is the son of God thereby making Himself equal with God  (John 5: 18, 10: 38).  Indeed, one of the serious allegations against Him before the high priest and the Sanhedrin was that he called himself son of God (Matt. 26: 63-65).

 

 

The Jews did not even believe that Jesus was superior to heavenly beings (Angels) old prophets, Abraham and Moses.  Thank God for the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews who took time to explain Jesus’ superiority over heavenly beings, the prophets of old, Abraham, Moses and Aaron.

 

* Jesus superiority over angels (worshipped by Angels) – Hebrews 1: 3 & 4.

* Christ superiority over Moses – Hebrews 3: 3

* Christ superiority over Abraham – Hebrews 7

* Christ priesthood superior to the Aaronic priesthood (Heb. Chapters 7 & 8)

 

The Trinitarian Controversy:  The spread of the gospel to the Gentiles introduced Greeks into the Church.  The educated Greek mind was highly studious and intellectual.  It loved to reflect on difficult problems in theology and philosophy.  So, questions bordering on the human and divine nature of Christ, relationship of God the Father, and God the Son were asked.

In short, how is it to be understood that the Son who in John is called logos (i.e. word) and who became a human being in Jesus the Messiah, is both with God and is God?  How can God at the same time be more than one? (The Old Testament is strongly monotheistic).  How is the Son related to the Father?

If Christ is very God, what is the relationship to God, the creator, the God of Israel?

These were the questions put before the Councils of Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople in 381.  The controversy to which those questions led laid the basis for the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, it is therefore called the Trinitarian controversy.  The church considered various answers to the questions before finding a common mind.  The communique from those Councils is summed up in our Nicene Creed.

 

The Mystery of Christ:  From birth onward, the human and divine nature were united in Him, yet their union was so natural that one never seemed to be something additional or accidental to the other.  He was born and grew up like other children.  He increased in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man (Lk. 2: 52).  He was hungry and angry, he was sociable and sympathetic, he prayed and he was crucified.

At the same time, he repeatedly made claims and performed actions that were appropriate only to God.  No one, he said knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him (Matt. 11: 27).  Before Abraham was he is (John 8: 58) he forgave sins, a prerogative of God alone (Mark 2: 7) he received worship (John 20: 28).  He gave the Holy Spirit to his disciples (John 20: 22).  He is the Christ in whom the Messianic hope is fulfilled (John 4: 25, 26).

 

The Church has seen profound mystery in these two aspects of the life of her Lord, but she has never seen anything unnatural in them.  She believes in Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, and preaches Him to men.  He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among nations, believed in the world, taken up in glory (I Tim. 3: 16)

Conclusion:  Paul wants every Christian, every person to know that Jesus Christ is pre-eminent.  He is pre-eminent over His natural creation, the universe.  He is pre-eminent over His spiritual creation – the church.  God’s settled purpose is “that He Himself will come to have first place in everything”  (Col. 3: 18b).  But does He have first place in your life?  Does He have first place over your thought life?  Does He have first place over your words?  Does He have first place over how you use your time?  Does He have first place over your finances?  Does He have first place over your entertained choices?  Does He have first place in everything in your life?

 

We pray for the grace to surrender to His pre-eminence in all we do.