Our text for this morning as we continue our verse-by-verse exposition of Paul's letter to the church at Colossae.
! Colossians 1.
15-20.
So please join me there in your copy of God's Word.
I'll begin reading in verse 15.
He, being Jesus Christ, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,
for by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
And He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.
For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven,
making peace by the blood of His cross.
This is God's Word to us.
It was written for His glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises
and obey its commands.
Beloved, this is a precious, precious book.
Every bit of it, all 66 books that we contain within the Bible,
what we call the Scriptures,
God's holy writ,
is a great, great gift to us.
Rightly, we should come to it expectant.
We should invest ourselves in it as followers of Jesus Christ
because this entire book gives testimony about Him.
In Luke 24-27, you can read the account of Jesus' appearance
to two of the disciples after His resurrection.
And the record says,
"...and beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning Himself."
The Old Testament, what they had in that day,
was about Jesus Christ.
In John 5-39, Jesus says of the Scriptures,
"...it is they that bear witness about Me."
Of all the Bible's teaching concerning Jesus,
perhaps none is more significant
than the text before us today.
And I'm feeling the weight of that.
This is a precious, precious text.
The reality of who Jesus is demands our obedience.
If we are to say that we are disciples of Jesus Christ,
that we are followers of Jesus.
We're not simply saying that we're following a mere man
who taught good things,
but that we're following God Himself.
It demands our obedience as such.
The reality of who Jesus is
makes sure the promises of God.
Those promises that we should know
and should hold to and so rarely do,
but just the same.
Those promises that are of such great comfort
and motivation for the Christian life
find their yes in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1.20, Paul says,
"...for all the promises of God."
All.
Every single one of the promises of God
find their yes in Jesus Christ.
What an amazing thing.
You may be interested to know
that the vision statement for our church
is based largely on these verses.
It's up here behind me.
Christ Family Church exists to glorify God
by experiencing, proclaiming, and displaying
the supremacy of Jesus Christ
in all things to all peoples.
And you may ask,
is that really the thing the church
is meant to be about?
The supremacy of Jesus Christ?
The question has been asked,
should not the great thing
we should be experiencing,
proclaiming, and displaying
is the love of God?
I would say that is a subservient thing
that we teach to the supremacy
of Jesus Christ.
Why is Jesus Christ supreme?
Because of His great display
of God's redemptive purposes in the world,
which is God's love.
Comes up underneath,
motivates, and carries that along.
These verses are what's going through
our minds and hearts
as we come up with the vision statement
for the church.
Note that the focus
of this cosmic Christological hymn,
which I'll explain in a moment,
is the preeminence,
or we could say supremacy,
of Jesus Christ.
The very focus of the entire thing
is the preeminence of Jesus Christ.
The last couple of weeks,
you've heard me refer to it
as a cosmic Christological hymn.
Scholars debate this,
but likely verses 15-18 at least,
but some would say verses 15-20,
are believed that Paul is citing
a modern hymn to their day,
or some confession.
There's some incredibly interesting
arguments made to this,
although I will not bore you with them,
with my explanation of them,
at least this morning.
They consist primarily of
a sentence structure comparisons.
And I'll stop there
because you're already glazing over.
But likely, at very least,
verses 15-18
were a hymn of that day.
And Paul is therefore citing
these great truths
in order to correct
some of the misunderstanding
that's happening
in the church of Colossae.
We don't know exactly
what the heresy was,
although if you read
some commentators,
they seem to have figured it all out.
But, it would seem
that it has something to do
with whether or not
Jesus Christ was, in fact, God.
And so Paul brings this text
to bear to address
that very, very issue.
Now, either way,
whether or not it's a hymn
or just simply Paul's writing,
it doesn't really matter.
Just the same,
the focus is the preeminence
or supremacy of Jesus Christ.
Notice the last part of verse 18,
that in everything He might be
preeminent, supreme,
first in all things.
Paul states this reality elsewhere.
Philippians 2, 9-11
is a good example of this.
Where he writes,
God has highly exalted Him
and bestowed on Him
the name that is above every name.
So that the name of Jesus,
every knee should bow
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
There is this real thing
that's taking place
that Jesus is in fact
exalted above all things.
Whether we recognize that or not,
He is the Lord of all things.
So these are weighty matters,
weighty truths before us today.
If we rightly understand
who Jesus is,
we must make some type
of response to it.
You can't simply know this
and not have it change
who you are.
So how should we consider
the truths contained
within this text this morning?
The Puritan John Owen
wrote in his book entitled
The Glory of Christ
the following.
Listen carefully
as I read this to you
and I quote,
The revelation made of Christ
in the blessed gospel
is far more excellent,
more glorious,
more filled with rays
of divine wisdom and goodness
that the whole creation
and the just comprehension of it
if attainable
can contain or afford.
Without this knowledge,
the mind of man
priding itself
in other inventions
and discoveries
is wrapped up
in darkness
and confusion.
This therefore deserves
the severest of our thoughts,
the best of our meditations,
and our utmost diligence
in them.
For if our future blessedness
shall consist
in living where He is
and beholding His glory,
what better preparation
can there be for it
than a constant previous
contemplation of that glory
as revealed in the gospel?
That by a view of it
we may gradually transform
into the same glory.
His encouragement is that
we ought to be consistently
and constantly
giving a great deal
of attention in our minds
to who Jesus is.
It is my job as a preacher
not to boil down
a text for you
and to give you
some trite little phrase
that you can walk away with
to access at any given moment.
This is not the job
of the preacher
of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To set this down before you
and simplify it for you
in such a way
that you could print the saying
on a t-shirt
or put it on a sticker
on the back of your car.
My job as a preacher
is to draw you up
into who God is.
Who Jesus Christ is to us.
That you might rightly
come to the Scriptures
and understand them
and how it is
that they affect your lives.
And this is the task
before us today.
That's my job.
Your job is to listen
and take notes
and try to comprehend
everything I'm about to say
in the next, I hope, 30 minutes.
Right?
But let me kind of help you
frame up what we're going
to do together in this text.
I want to show you
Christ's preeminence.
Why He is preeminent.
Why He should be held as supreme.
First in all things
with four points.
Firstly, Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because He is God.
Verses 15 and 19.
I'm going to come back to these
so don't worry about scribbling now.
Jesus Christ is preeminent
because He is God.
Secondly, Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because He is the Lord
of the universe.
Verses 16 and 17.
Thirdly, Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because He is the head
of the church.
Verse 18.
And lastly, Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because of His redemptive work.
We find that in verse 20.
So firstly,
Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because
He is God.
Verse 15,
He is the image
of the invisible
God.
This word for Greek
image
is icon.
It's the word we get
icon from
in our English language.
It means image
or likeness.
Now the Scriptures
refer to man
as the icon of God,
but we are not
perfectly so.
Much like a
shattered piece of glass
returns a poor reflection,
because of sin,
our image-bearing capacity
has been damaged.
There are still
some qualities
about mankind
that are reflective
of who God is.
But it has been spoiled.
It has been altered.
But Jesus
is both
the perfect
representation
and
manifestation
of God.
A great parallel text
is found at the beginning
of Hebrews 1.
The first part of
verse 3
reads,
He,
being Jesus Christ,
is the radiance
of the glory of God
and the exact imprint
of His nature.
Christ
shines forth
God's attributes
as the sun
gives light
and heat
to the earth.
This is what we go to.
This is what we want
to see
and access.
This is
God-made
flesh
living amongst us.
The Word of God.
Lagos.
A manifestation
of who He
is.
Jesus
is
God.
John 1.1
in the beginning
was the Word
and the Word
was with God
and the Word
was God.
He is the
icon,
the image
or likeness
of God.
Paul proceeds
to describe Jesus
as the
proto...
I'm going to mess this up.
I wrote it out
phonetically
so that I wouldn't
and I still did.
Prototakis.
The firstborn.
The firstborn
of all creation.
Now,
while this word
can certainly mean
chronologically
first in a family,
born first
in that way,
it refers primarily
to position
or to rank.
Now,
from the Arians
of the early church
to the Jehovah's
witnesses of our day,
those who seek
to repudiate
the deity
of Jesus Christ
refer to this phrase.
This is often
their go-to phrase.
Don't you see?
Colossians 1.15
says that Jesus
is the firstborn
of all creation.
This must mean
that He was a
created thing.
He can't possibly
be God
is the argument
they would make.
But they fail
completely
to both
understand
the Word itself
and what it
typically means
and how it is used
in the Scriptures
as well as
its context.
Look at the rest
of our passage
for today.
They fail to note
the following
two verses
in which Paul
presents Jesus
as the Lord
of the universe.
Specifically,
verse 17,
and He is
before
all
things.
He made
all things.
He was not
created.
He is the
Creator.
So when Paul
describes Jesus
as the firstborn,
he's simply
saying He
is
preeminent.
He is
supreme.
He holds
the highest
position
possible
in all
of
the universe.
Not created.
He is
the
Creator.
In verse 19,
Paul says,
for in Him
all the
fullness
of God
was
pleased
to dwell.
And I love
that phrasing
that He
was
ample
to the
task.
God
was
pleased
to
manifest
Himself
in
Jesus
Christ.
Jesus
is
where
all
that
can
be
known
or
experienced
of God
is to
be
found.
That is
why Jesus
was able
to say
in John
14,
9,
whoever
has
seen
me
has
seen
the
Father.
So
Jesus
Christ
is
preeminent
because
He
is
God.
Secondly,
Jesus
Christ
is
preeminent
because
He
is
the
Lord
of the
universe.
Because
He
is
the
Lord
of the
universe.
For
by Him
all
things
were
created
in
heaven
and
on
earth,
visible
and
invisible,
whether
thrones
or
dominions
or
rulers
or
authorities,
all
things
were
created
through
Him
and
for
Him.
And
He
is
before
all
things
and
in
Him
all
things
hold
together.
Jesus
Christ
is
the
preeminent
creator
of
all
things.
This
includes
everything.
This list
that Paul
gives to
us or
that he's
accessing
from some
hymn
of the
day
just
includes
everything.
It means
everything.
Everything
that ever
was made
by
Jesus
Christ.
Everything
that we
can see
and everything
that we
cannot
see
were created
by
Christ
for
Christ.
This
is such
a
magnificent
thought
and it
should
capture
our
minds.
I
know
that
so
many
of
us
process
information
differently
but it's
amazing
to me
to think
about
the
reality
that
Jesus
Christ
created
all
things.
We
do
some
catechizing
with
our
children
and I
love
right
now
Judah's
getting
the
answer
wrong
kind
of
when I
say
to both
of the
boys
who
made
you
and
Cate
says
God
which
is
the
answer
that
we've
taught
them
to
say
and
Judah
says
Jesus
and I
like
that
answer
it's
such
a
good
answer
Judah
knows
his
Colossians
1
15
through
20
I
think
rather
well
both
are
certainly
true
answers
to
the
question
I
like
the
three
year
old
mind
I
don't
even
know
if
he
knows
what
he's
saying
to
me
I
I'm
!
sure
he
things
were
made
through
him
and
without
him
was
not
anything
made
that
was
made
the
entire
universe
created
by him
and
for
him
in
2012
a
picture
was
released
that
the
Hubble
Space
Telescope
had
captured
which
I
just
really
encourage
you
to
look
at
this
it's
amazing
which
was
the
farthest
ever
view
into
the
universe
a
photo
that
reveals
thousands
of
galaxies
billions
of
light
years
away
they
honed
in
one
particular
snapshot
of
the
universe
and
there's
thousands
of
galaxies
billions
of
light
years
away
if
you
care
to
look
it
up
it's
called
the
extreme
deep
field
or
XDF
and
it
combines
ten
years
of
images
of
this
portion
of
the
sky
that
the
light
so
faint
that
they
layered
and
layered
and
layered
and
layered
and
layered
these
images
together
to
get
this
very
vivid
picture
of
what
these
galaxies
all of
that
by the
power
of
his
word
he
made
all
of
this
everything
that
you
can
see
and
everything
that
you
cannot
see
Jesus
Christ
made
Jesus
Christ
is
preeminent
as he
was
before
all
things
verse
17
says
and he
is
before
all
things
Jesus
says
to
the
Jews
in
John
8
58
Jesus
said
to
them
truly
I
say
to
you
before
Abraham
was
I
am
Jesus
Christ
is
eternal
in the
past
and
eternal
in
the
future
there
was
never
a
time
in
which
Jesus
Christ
did
not
exist
him
stating
before
Abraham
was
I
am
as a
reference
to
Exodus
3
14
it's
the
first
time
that
God
gives
his
name
to
mankind
it's
when
he
meets
Moses
the
burning
bush
and
he
tells
Moses
to
go
back
to
Pharaoh
and
to
ask
Pharaoh
to
set
free
his
people
right
so
here's
Moses
trembling
in
front
of
certainly
the
creator
of
the
universe
right
in
this
bush
that's
burning
but
not
being
consumed
and
he
simply
wants
to
know
who
should
I
tell
him
sent
me
please
tell
me
something
that
I
can
tell
them
!
because
this
whole
burning
bush
thing
is
not
going
to
make
a lot
of
sense
to
them
verse
14
God
said
to
Moses
I
am
who
I
am
and
he
said
say
this
to
the
people
of
Israel
I
am
has
sent
me
to
you
have
ever
heard
the
Hebrew
name
for
God
Yahweh
that's
what
this
is
this
self
existent
phrase
right
you've
heard
me
say
many
times
before
!
everything
plugs
into
God
he
plugs
into
nothing
right
he's
self
existent
self
generating
he
has
always
existed
and
this
makes
Christ
preeminent
first
before
all
things
Jesus
Christ
is
preeminent
as
the
sustainer
of
all
things
further
in
verse
17
and
in
him
all
things
hold
together
have
ever thought
about
what
keeps
you
in
your
shape
what
causes
the
atoms
that
make
up
your
body
to
bond
in
the
way
that
they
bond
science
gives
some
explanation
to
this
but
certainly
not
an
adequate
one
what
holds
Nathan
in
the
shape
of
Nathan
Jesus
Christ
we
talk
a lot
about
the
shape
I'm
in
I'd
like
to
be
in
a
different
shape
sometimes
right
Hebrews
1
3
again
says
that
Jesus
Christ
upholds
the
universe
by
the
word
of
his
power
he
simply
speaks
and
things
happen
he
says
to
a
planet
go
in
this
orbit
and
because
he
is
the
lord
of
the
universe
that
happens
until
he
says
something
else
swayed
by
the
very
power
of
his
word
!
only
is
the
universe
created
by
him
and
set
into
motion
by
him
but
it
is
sustained
by
him
if
he
were
to
cease
to
exist
or
decide
to
quit
in
his
sustaining
work
all
things
would
cease
to
exist
everything
in the
universe
is
made
of
atoms
Do you
remember
this?
Protons?
Electrons?
!
Neutrons?
We
learned
some
things
about
this
in our
science
class
scientists
have
labored
absolutely
driven
hard
over the
past
century
to
explain
away
the
existence
of
God
for
many
they've
done
an
adequate
task
of
that
but
they
have
failed
to
explain
how
it
is
that
the
atom
remains
in
its
state
they
do
not
know
they
do
not
understand
why
and
how
a
single
atom
exists
the
way
that
it
does
that
the
orbits
happen
that
the
spacing
is
just
as
it
should
be
they
cannot
explain
it
in
fact
they
have
a
phrase
for
this
let me see if I can find it real quick
the strong
nuclear force
it's a mystery
the strong
nuclear
force
Carl K. Darrow
a physicist
cited a book entitled
The Atom Speaks
in reference to what
scientists are calling
this strong
nuclear force
he says
and I quote
do you grasp
what this implies
it implies
that all
the nuclei
have no
right to be
alive
at all
indeed
they should
never have
been created
and if
created
they should
have blown
up
instantly
yet here
they all
are
some inflexible
inhibition
is holding
them relentlessly
together
the nature
of the
inhibition
is also
a secret
one
thus far
reserved
by nature
herself
science
can't answer
this question
but the bible
has
the strong
nuclear force
is jesus christ
and the word
of his power
so i'll start
calling him that
the strong
nuclear force
that is jesus
he holds it
all
together
so he's preeminent
because he is god
and he is preeminent
because he is the lord
of the universe
thirdly jesus christ
is preeminent
because he is
the head
of the church
verse 18
you see how paul's
logic is kind of
working down
hierarchy
working down
jesus christ
is preeminent
because he is
the head
of the church
and he is the head
of the body
verse 18
the church
he's the beginning
the firstborn
from the dead
and then the
axiomatic statement
that in everything
he might be
preeminent
he is
the head
of the body
there are many
metaphors in the new
testament used to
describe the church
it's called a family
a kingdom
a vineyard
a flock
a building
and a bride
but none is more
helpful in our
understanding of its
form and function
than that of a body
made of many parts
with jesus christ
as the head
all of us
with our varying
gifting
meant to work
together
all underneath
the lordship
of jesus
christ
this metaphor
helps us to see
the church
as a living
organism
inseparably tied
together with
life and mission
by the living
christ
he controls
every part of
it
he coordinates
together the
diversity
of gifting
and ministry
he does not
merely
just save
the church
but he is
the head
of the church
the great promise
of matthew 28
and lo
i am with you
even to the end
of the age
this is not
our church
this is
christ's
church
and we serve
him
as such
paul states
that he is the
beginning
the originator
of the church
the greek word
used there for
beginning
has a two-fold
sense of
both source
and primacy
right
that it came
from him
and that he
continues to
remain in
charge of
that things
the church
emanates
from out
from him
as a result
of him being
the source
in ephesians
1 4 paul
states that
god chose
us in christ
before the
foundation
of the world
that jesus christ
is not some
plan b
right it pains
me when people
talk about god's
original intention
and how we
got the better
of him
our power
over him
and now he's
he's brought
in the second
string
well jesus
i thought for
all eternity
you were just
going to get
to sit on a
throne
but guess
what i've
got to send
you to earth
to redeem
my people
right
the church
the way in
which god
is displaying
himself to
the world
was always
his original
intent
now let that
bake your
noodle
i would encourage
you not
to do so
to not
play too much
with the tension
between god's
sovereign purposes
in the world
and the way in
which we choose
and act and are
held responsible
for the things
that we do
but ephesians
1 4 says
that we were
chose as the
church in christ
before the
foundation of the
world before
anything was
ever created
that was created
we were chosen
in him
mind-blowing
amazing
truth
he is the
beginning
the originator
of the church
he is the
firstborn
from the
dead
here again
we see that
word that i
butchered earlier
so i'm not
going to pronounce
it again
but firstborn
of all those
who have ever
been raised
from the dead
he is of
the highest
rank
this is what
he's saying
those of us
who have come
to life
in christ
worship christ
because he
is
preeminent
so he's
preeminent
because he's
god
he's preeminent
because he is
the lord
of the universe
he is preeminent
because he is
the head
of the church
and fourthly
jesus christ
is preeminent
because of his
redemptive
work
verse 20 says
and through him
to reconcile
to himself
all things
whether on earth
or in heaven
making peace
by the blood
of his cross
this phrase
reconcile
to himself
demands our
attention
should draw
us in
to consider
this idea
of
reconciliation
there are
many ways
in which
our salvation
is explained
in the scripture
ways that we
are meant
to understand
to really
get what
jesus christ
has done
on our
behalf
the bible
says that
we are
justified
in christ
that prior
to christ
we stood
before god
guilty
and condemned
but instead
having placed
saving faith
in christ
we're declared
righteous
we are
redeemed
we're described
as god's
redeemed
ones
in the scriptures
that we
before christ
stood before
god as a
slave
but we've been
granted freedom
in him
the scriptures
say that we are
forgiven
we once stood
before god
as a debtor
but the debt
has been paid
and forgotten
the bible
describes us
as adopted
we once stood
before god
as strangers
but we have
now been made
sons with all
the rights
that come with
that
but perhaps
the richest
of these
explanations
is that
of reconciliation
reconciliation
if we have
placed saving
faith in christ
we have been
reconciled
to god
we once
stood before
god
as his
enemies
and that
should cause
us rightly
understanding
who god
is
lord of
the universe
with the
holy standard
to tremble
before him
to fear him
that we would
be enemies
of the creator
is the thing
to be greatly
greatly feared
that's the
bad news
that the scripture
teaches to us
but the good news
teaches us
that if we place
our saving faith
in christ
we have been
made god's
friends
it's incredible
the greek word
for reconcile
means to
change in
relationship
we were once
one thing
now we are
another thing
we've moved
in position
all together
right
we've changed
in type
we are completely
different
once enemies
now
friends
in romans
5 10
paul says
for if we
while we were
enemies
we were
reconciled to
god by the
death of his
son much
more
now that we
are reconciled
shall we
be saved
by his
life
jesus christ
became the
enemy of god
on our
behalf
he received
the punishment
that was due
us
on our
behalf
god
turned his
back on him
and poured
out wrath
upon him
that was due
his enemies
that we might
be called
his friends
we've been
reconciled to
god if we
have believed
in christ
he has
paul goes on
to say
done this to
reconcile all
things
whether on
earth
or in
heaven
so the
scope of
his
reconciliation
doesn't rest
just with
man although
i would argue
primarily
with
mankind
in genesis
1-3
we see
that after
the world
was created
by and
for christ
that it
was very
good
and then
sin entered
the scene
and began
to destroy
and rip
apart
and and
alter
that world
all of
that goodness
was marred
by man's
sin
i am
suffering
from pollen
this month
i don't know
if you can
join me
in that
right
and every
time
somebody
says
like
why are
we all
sneezing
so much
rather than
the answer
being pollen
my answer
lately has
been sin
it's sin
that's causing
this to
happen to
me
and all
of that
will one
day be
restored
will be
reconciled
the reconciliation
of mankind
is just one
aspect of
christ's
restorative
work
there's much
debate to be
had about how
the end of
things will
come to
pass but we
do know
that they
will come
to pass
that heaven
and earth
will fade
away and be
made
new
what a
wonderful
blessing
that is
that someday
we will
live with
christ
forever
in a new
heaven
and a new
earth
there will
be work
to do
there will
be no
pollen
and we
will worship
him
for eternity
in that way
and he did
this by making
peace
by the blood
of his cross
this is the
means by
which
this reconciliation
happens
the shedding
of blood
for the
remission
of our
sins
Jesus
christ
became the
enemy of
god
and god
justly punished
him for
being such
so that we
might be
reconciled
this is the
wonderful
promise and
truth
of the
gospel
so jesus
christ is
preeminent
because he's
god
because he's
the lord of
the universe
because he's
the head of
the church
and because
of his
redemptive
work
for all
these reasons
jesus christ
is of highest
ranking
and should be
worshipped
as such
those who have
been reconciled
by his death
on the cross
rightly should
experience
proclaim
and display
his supremacy
it demands
of us
a response
beloved
this is not a
burdensome task
because he is
preeminent
not merely a
man but god
himself
that we
worship
we can cast
all of our
anxieties
and fears
our doubts
our troubles
our depression
on him
there is no
situation that
escapes his
attention
or his
power
there is no
circumstance
that surprises
him or evades
providential
control
he is our
confidence
in life
and death
he is the
reason we
can boldly
share the
good news
of his
kingdom
he is the
reason that
we can bring
our lives
into conformity
with his
the reality
of who jesus
is demands
our obedience
the reality
of who jesus
is makes
sure the
promises
of god
and so in
the words of
john owen
we should set
ourselves to
a constant
previous
contemplation
of who
jesus
is
i am
thankful
for a
church
that holds
as precious
the word
of god
this is
evidenced
in a
number
of ways
but yet
we fail
in so
many ways
to value
it the
way that
we ought
to
to hide
it away
into our
hearts
to let
it be
our
constant
meditation
and the
evidencing
of this
is the
way in
which
we deal
with
troubles
so many
troubles
and they
will come
our way
and they'll
continue to
come our
way
the way
that you
respond
to those
troubles
gives
evidence
of what
you believe
to be
true
about god
right
we have
all responded
in faith
to the
gospel
i hope
i'm
making
some broad
assumption
of everybody
in the
room
but how
readily
we turn
our gaze
away from
the gospel
right
the redemptive
work
of jesus
christ
the reality
that he
is the
head
of the
church
that he
is the
lord
of the
universe
that he
himself
is
god
we begin
to look
for the
dumbest
solutions
to our
problems
in all
cases
when i
deal with
people who
are going
through tough
times in
their life
and they
don't know
how to
access the
truth of
god
now now
hear me
we need
one another
like i
need to be
reminded
of the
truth of
the gospel
right
sometime
my sin
so blinds
me
right
to how
good god
has been
to me
in christ
that i
need people
to tell
me that
this is a
thing we
ought to be
doing to
one another
preaching the
gospel to
one another
but so
often
someone is
just oh
there's a
problem that's
going on in
their life
and you
simply say
how much
have you been
reading your
scripture
and the
answer is
little
to
none
little
to
none
because
in
this
is this
picture
of who
jesus
christ
is
right
again
draws
our
minds
and hearts
up
into
who
he
is
who
we
worship
who
we
belong
to
these
little
trifling
problems
that we
deal
with
in
our
life
fade
away
they're
no
longer
burdensome
because
we
recognize
that we
worship
the
god
of
the
universe
holds
all
things
in
his
sway
nothing
escapes
his
attention
works
all
things
for
good
this
is the
god
that
we
worship
so
in
closing
let me
remind
you of
the
words
of
John
Owen
this
therefore
deserves
the
severest
of
our
thoughts
the
best
of
our
meditations
and
our
utmost
diligence
in
them
please
join
me
in
prayer