My original plan for this morning was to preach Matthew chapter 6 and verse 1.
! That's not a typo on your bulletin.
!
It felt really just really horrible.
I'm improving now and I'm certainly glad to be with you.
I wasn't actually sure I was going to be here.
That's why Mr. Jeff led this morning.
I gave up talking about Calvin because I just wasn't sure if I was going to get to be here.
As a small addition, I know that some of you hearing the name John Calvin in church,
the hairs on the back of your neck might have bristled.
A little bit.
Sadly, in a lot of circles, John Calvin gets a bad rap.
Some would say, because of his theology, that he would have been anti-mission.
But in fact, the school that he led in Geneva became known as Calvin's School of Death
because young men who came to train there were so compelled by the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
they went home to the places that they were from.
And most of them were martyred within a year.
There's a great deal of missionary zeal that came out of Calvin's work and teaching amongst those men.
So I didn't think I was going to get to be here.
I wasn't sure.
Very glad to be with you.
But I didn't really believe myself nearly prepared enough to begin Matthew chapter 6.
So today I've dusted off some old notes, made some revisions to them,
because I want to give you a clear picture of why Christ Family Church exists.
And I'll have you know that I had no idea that Jordan was going to lead us in that song
before selecting this text for this morning.
My prayer for this morning is that our time will be informative for you if you are new to our fellowship.
It is our great desire to connect you to Christ and to his church.
And if you are not new to our fellowship, that you will be reminded why the church gathers and why the church goes.
Now the vision statement for Christ Family Church is as follows.
I hope it's become familiar to you.
Christ Family Church exists to glorify God by experiencing, proclaiming,
and displaying the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things to all peoples.
Now, when we talk about vision statement, we're simply saying this is the purpose for which our church,
and I would contend that all churches exist.
I don't mean by this that I fell asleep one night and woke up with this statement in my mind.
I don't think this is a unique thing to our fellowship,
but it's a way to speak about why it is that we are called together as a people for God's praise.
And it is based largely from Colossians chapter 1, verses 15 through 20,
which we're going to read together now.
Before I read the text, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us.
It was written for His glory and our good.
And as such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
In Colossians chapter 1, beginning in verse 15.
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.
Now, every part of God's word gives testimony about Jesus Christ.
In Luke chapter 24 and verse 27, we can read the account of Jesus' appearance to two of the disciples after His resurrection,
where Luke records for us,
and beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
He, Jesus, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
In John chapter 5, verse 39, Jesus says of the Scriptures,
It is they that bear witness about Me.
But of all the Bible's teaching concerning Jesus,
perhaps none is more significant than the text before us today.
You see, beloved, the reality of who Jesus is demands our affections and our obedience.
Because if we say that we are disciples of Jesus Christ,
we are not saying that we are following a mere man,
but God Himself.
And we have a great confidence in claiming Christ as our teacher,
because the reality of who Jesus is makes sure the promises of God.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 20,
For all the promises of God find their yes in Jesus Christ.
That is why it is through Him that we utter our amen to God for His glory.
It is important to know that verses 15 through 18 of this morning's text
are thought to be a cosmic, Christological hymn.
Many scholars believe that Paul is citing a modern hymn of his day
or a modern confession of his day.
There are many interesting arguments to this point,
but I will not bore you with my explanation of them.
They consist primarily of sentence structure comparison.
But the case is made that what he is doing is citing something that was common in their day.
Even more important to know is the focus of this cosmic, Christological hymn.
And that focus is the preeminence, or we could say, the supremacy of Jesus Christ.
Last half of verse 18.
That in everything He might be preeminent.
Which means to be supreme or to be first in all things.
Above all else.
That's what it means to be preeminent.
Paul also states this reality in Philippians chapter 2 verses 9 through 11 where he wrote,
God has highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.
So that at 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.
So according to Paul, Christ is first in all things.
He is preeminent or supreme.
But how should we consider the truths contained within this text concerning the preeminence of Christ?
You may already be going, okay, great.
Of what importance is that to me today?
The Puritan John Owen wrote in his book entitled,
The Glory of Christ the Following.
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 be gradually transformed
into the same glory.
The Christian eternity will be filled with the wonderment of Christ.
So we should seek to know him now,
that he might be exalted in our minds and in our lives.
You could say that we need to rightly understand the supremacy of Jesus Christ
so that we would experience,
proclaim,
and display his excellencies in all things to all peoples.
What we think about Jesus Christ
is going to influence everything else that we do.
Let me then encourage a constant previous contemplation.
And to help you do so,
let us consider the text together in the following structure.
So number one, this is the outline for our text,
and I'll go back through it with great care.
Number one, Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is God.
We see this in verses 15 and verse 19.
Secondly, Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is the Lord of the universe.
Verses 16 and 17.
Third, Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is the head of the church.
Verse 18.
And fourth,
Jesus Christ is preeminent because of his redemptive work.
Verse 20.
So firstly,
Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is God.
Verse 15,
Paul writes,
He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
Paul says that by looking at Jesus,
we see an image of God.
The Greek word here is icon.
Image or likeness.
We're familiar with this term in our day.
Something that represents something else.
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,
so it is with us.
Jesus, however,
is both the perfect representation and the perfect manifestation of God.
The man without sin.
Created in God's likeness.
Hebrews chapter 1,
the first half of verse 3 tells us
that Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God
and the exact imprint,
or the Greek word we get facsimile from,
the exact facsimile of his nature.
Christ shines forth God's attributes
as the sun gives light and heat to the earth.
Jesus is himself God.
John chapter 1 and verse 1,
in the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
So as we behold Jesus Christ,
we behold God the Father.
Paul proceeds to describe Jesus as the firstborn.
And the Greek word here can mean simply firstborn.
It can have a chronological in the family meaning to it.
But it is most commonly used to refer to someone's position or their rank.
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 in Colossians chapter 1.
But they fail completely to note its context.
They fail to note the following two verses
in which Paul represents Jesus as the Lord of the universe,
specifically verse 17,
and he is before all things.
He was not created.
Jesus himself is the creator.
And verse 19,
for in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell.
So Jesus Christ is preeminent
before all things created,
and in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell.
Jesus is where all that could be known
or experienced of God is to be found.
This is why Jesus was able to say
in John chapter 14 and verse 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.
Verses 16 and 17
speak to this.
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 supreme
as the creator
of all things.
That is everything
that we can see
and everything
that we cannot see.
They were all created
by Christ
and for Christ.
By him
and in service
to him.
This is an absolutely
magnificent thought
which should capture
our minds.
John confirms this
in John 1,
verse 3.
Speaking of Christ,
all things were made
through him
and without him
was not anything
made
that was made.
The entire universe
was created
by him
and for him.
In 2012,
a picture was released
that the Hubble Space Telescope
had captured
which was the farthest
ever view
into the universe.
A photo that reveals
thousands of galaxies,
billions of light years
away.
The picture,
which is called
Extreme Deep Field
or XDF
if you're googling it,
combines
ten years
of Hubble telescope
views
of one patch
of sky.
It is
absolutely
astounding.
It is
incredible
to look at
and to behold
and to imagine
the vastness
of the universe.
I really encourage you
to look it up
and have your affections
turned
to the one
who created
the universe.
Psalmist writes
in Psalm 19,
1,
the heavens
declare the glory
of God
and the skies
above
proclaim
his handiwork.
We can now
see that
with technology
louder
than ever
before.
There is a
greater
proclamation
of Jesus'
supremacy
as we look up
to the universe
that he
created.
It was created
by him
and it was
created
for him.
Jesus Christ
is preeminent
as he was
before all
things.
The beginning
of verse 17.
Jesus says
to the Jews
in John 8,
verse 58,
Truly,
truly,
I say to you
before Abraham
was,
I am.
And he's there
referencing Exodus
chapter 3,
verse 14,
where God
said to Moses,
I am
who I am.
Jesus had
no beginning
and he has
no end.
He has
no origin,
but he is
the originator
of all
things.
So he is
preeminent
as he was
before all
things.
And he is
preeminent
as the
sustainer
of all
things.
Not only
creator,
but also
the sustainer
of all
things.
The last
part of
verse 17,
Paul writes,
and in
him all
things
hold
together.
The writer
of Hebrews
says in
chapter 1,
verse 3,
he upholds
the universe
by the
word of
his power.
Not only
were all
things created
by him
and set
into motion
by him,
but all
things are
also
sustained
by him.
Everything
stays in
its sway
by the
mighty
word
of Jesus
Christ.
Everything
in the
universe,
as far as
we know,
at least,
is made
of atoms,
protons,
electrons,
neutrons,
protons and
neutrons
packed into
a nucleus,
electrons
whirling
about the
outer edge.
I've told
you everything
I now know
about atoms.
Scientists
have labored
over the
past century
to explain
away the
existence
of God,
but they
have failed
to explain
how it is
that the
atom remains
in its
orbital
state.
Carl K.
Darrow,
a physicist,
is cited
in a book
entitled
The Atom
Speaks
in reference
to what
scientists
are calling
the strong
nuclear
force.
He writes,
do you
grasp what
this implies?
It implies
that all
the nuclei
have no
right to
be alive
at all.
Instead,
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
hasn't
answered
this question
of what
the strong
nuclear
force
is.
Here this
physicist
says,
it's
impossible.
It's
impossible
that the
world
exists
that is
bound
together
in this
way.
It's
nature
that holds
the secret
and we're
working to
figure it
out.
Science
has yet
to answer
this
question,
but the
Bible
has.
Paul,
under the
inspiration
of the
Spirit,
tells us
exactly how
this happens.
He tells
us that
the
strong
nuclear
force
is
Jesus
Christ
and the
word
of his
power.
This is
incredible.
The very
thing
holding us
all together
right now
and flying
off into
pieces
all over
the place
is the
mighty
power
of Jesus
Christ's
word.
Jesus has
said,
be this
way,
orbit in
this
fashion,
bond in
these
pairs,
and it
will not
cease
happening
in that
way
until he
says,
stop.
It's
astounding.
So,
number one,
Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because he
is God.
Number two,
Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because he
is the
Lord of
the universe.
He made
it and it
exists for
him and
his praise.
Third,
Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because he
is the
head of
the church.
And we
see this
in verse
18.
Paul writes,
and he
is the
head of
the body,
the church.
He is
the beginning,
the first
born from
the dead,
that in
everything he
might be
preeminent.
So,
he is the
head of
the body.
There are
many metaphors
in the New
Testament
used to
describe the
church.
It is
called a
family,
a kingdom,
a vineyard,
a flock,
a building,
and a
bride.
But none
is more
helpful,
an understanding
of its
form and
function than
that of a
body made
of many
parts with
Jesus Christ
as the
head.
This metaphor
helps us to
see the
church as
a living
organism,
inseparably
tied together
with life and
mission by
the living
Christ.
This thing
does not
exist apart
from Jesus
as its
head.
He gives
it its
life and
he gives
it its
mission.
He controls
every part
of it.
He coordinates
together the
diversity of
gifting and
ministry for
the sake of
his name.
Jesus does
not merely
save the
church, but
he is the
head of the
church also,
giving it
life and
giving it
direction.
He's the
head of the
body.
He is the
beginning.
Jesus is the
originator of
the church.
He is the
beginning.
The Greek
word here has
a two-fold
sense of
both source
and primacy.
In Ephesians
1, verse 4,
Paul states
that God
chose us in
him before
the foundation
of the
world.
He is its
source and
without him
it does not
exist.
Paul goes on
to say that
he is the
firstborn from
the dead.
And here we
see that same
Greek word for
firstborn that
speaks of
order,
order of
progression.
And what he's
saying here is
not that,
because there
were certainly
those who were
raised before
Jesus,
Lazarus as an
example.
But what Paul
is saying is of
all those who
have ever been
raised or will
ever be raised
from the dead,
he is of the
highest rank.
He is the
most important,
right, as the
source and the
head of the
church.
He is
preeminent.
So he's
preeminent
because he is
God, because he
is the Lord of
the universe,
because he is
the head of
the church.
Fourth and
lastly, Jesus
Christ is
preeminent
because of
his redemptive
work.
Verse 20,
Paul says,
and through
him to
reconcile to
himself all
things, whether
on earth or
in heaven,
making peace
by the blood
of his cross.
There are
many ways in
which our
salvation is
explained in
the scripture,
and they are
all wonderful
in their own
right.
We are
justified.
We once
stood before
God guilty
and condemned,
but in
Jesus Christ
we are
declared
righteous.
Not just
innocent, but
we're given
perfection in
Christ.
We are
referred to
as forgiven.
We once
stood before
God as
great debtors,
but the debt
has been paid
by Jesus
Christ and
now forgotten.
Our sins
have been
cast as far
as the east
is to the
west.
We are
described as
adopted.
We once
stood before
God as
strangers,
but in
Jesus Christ
we are
made children
of the
Most High.
We're
called
His own
and made
part of
His family
with all
of the
rights and
rewards that
come with
that.
All those
things are
wonderful,
beautiful
pictures of
our salvation,
but
reconciliation
is one
of my
favorites of
these
explanations.
Reconciliation.
We once
stood before
God as
His enemies,
angrily
shaking our
fist at
Him and
His ways,
wanting to
rule the
world for
ourselves,
thinking we
even know
how to do
such a
thing.
But in
Jesus Christ
we are
made God's
friend.
The Greek
word for
reconcile
means to
change in
relationship.
So we
receive
in salvation
this idea
of reconciliation,
a change of
status.
We go from
enemies to
friends.
It's a state
of being.
It's who
we are.
And this is
not conditioned
on what
we do,
but it's
who we
are because
God has
done it.
Jesus has
reconciled us
to God.
And so now
those who
have been
reconciled,
because we
have new
identities,
we live
different.
But it's
that identity
that changes
the way we
live and
not the
other way
around.
Beloved,
we are not
different in
degree.
Every other
religion in
the world
is teaching
this.
Different in
degree.
A striving
for,
a hoping to
be better
than,
that we
would be
accepted.
We are
different in
type.
That's a
wonderful,
wonderful
reality.
Paul wrote
in Romans
chapter 5
verse 10,
And Paul
says that
Jesus is
reconciling
all things,
whether on
earth or
in heaven.
In Genesis
chapter 1
verse 3,
we see that
after the
world was
created by
and for
Christ,
that it
was very
good.
All of
this goodness
was marred
by man's
sin.
My wife
weeded our
yard quite a
bit yesterday.
That's a
result of
the corruption
of creation.
That's part
of sinfulness.
Things don't
grow where
they're supposed
to grow
any longer.
My not
feeling well
at the end
of this
week was
part of
this
cursedness
that exists
in the
world.
But all
of that
will one
day be
restored.
The
reconciliation
of mankind,
although
primary,
most
importantly,
is just
one aspect
of Christ's
restorative
work.
And so we're
going to live
one day as
those who have
been reconciled
to God
in Christ
in a world
that will be
reconciled to
God,
that will be
set straight
all together.
what a
thing to
think about
and look
forward
to.
And Paul
tells us
that Jesus
did this
by making
peace by
the blood
of his
cross.
Jesus'
death on
the cross
was the
means by
which our
reconciliation
is made
possible.
The wrath
of God
poured out
on Christ
in that
place.
On the
cross,
Jesus Christ
became the
enemy of
God,
and God
justly
punished
him as
such so
that we
might be
reconciled
to God.
Jesus Christ
is preeminent
because he
is God,
because he
is the
Lord of
the universe,
because he
is the
head of
the church,
and because
of his
redemptive
work.
So what
does all
this have
to do
with the
existence
of Christ's
family
church?
Well,
for all
of the
aforementioned
reasons,
Jesus Christ
is of
highest
ranking
and should
be worshipped
as such,
and this
is why
the church
gathers,
and this
is why
the church
goes.
Whether
or not
you are
part of
this church
or ever
will be,
you exist
to glorify
God by
experiencing,
proclaiming,
and displaying
the supremacy
of Jesus
Christ in
all things
to all
peoples.
those who
have been
reconciled by
his death
on the
cross
rightly
should
experience,
proclaim,
and display
his supremacy
in all
things to
all peoples.
And this
is not
a burdensome
task because
Jesus Christ
is preeminent.
We can
cast all of
our anxieties
and fears,
our doubts,
our troubles,
our depressions
on him.
because he
is preeminent
there is no
situation that
escapes his
attention or
his power.
Because he
is preeminent
there is no
circumstance that
surprises him
or evades
his providential
control.
Because he
is preeminent
he is our
confidence in
life and
death.
And because he
is preeminent
he is the
reason we can
boldly share
the good news
of his
kingdom.
The reality
of who
Jesus is
demands our
affections and
our obedience.
The reality
of who Jesus
is makes
sure the
promises of
God to
us.
So,
let us be a
people who
set ourselves
to a constant
previous
contemplation of
who Jesus
is as we
await our
future
blessedness.
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.
Let's pray
together.