The Preeminence of Christ
This week as I attended the Alabama Baptist Pastor’s Conference, I was truly encouraged by the wonderful messages of many preachers. The theme was the Preeminence of Christ. It was so refreshing to walk through scriptures as we were reminded that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is all surpassing to everything and everyone. Christ be magnified!
What is more important than Christ? It is a question we don’t like to ask because the conviction can become overwhelming. When we truly get honest and ask that question, we find ourselves looking inward and seeing where Christ truly ranks in our own personal life. Today’s Christian has started using a daily poll when it comes to where we truly rank our Lord. On Sunday, we run him up to number one in the polls but by Thursday or Friday, we have often left Christ out of our personal top ten. If He is preeminent then why is He not permanent at the top of our rankings?
“ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18. There is so much to unpack in that one simple verse but it encapsulates the essence of who Jesus is in the big picture. He is the head of the church. We often forget who really is in charge of the church. We often forget why we are even here as a church. It is because of Christ and Christ alone. Forgive us Father for spending way too much time on the things that do not matter and not enough time in magnifying our Lord Jesus! We also see that Jesus has been at the top from the very beginning. He didn’t come along as an after-thought, He is God the creator Himself! He also is the risen Savior, the proof of being God’s son, the only One who could defeat death is the One who gives life. What Jesus did, no man has ever or will ever be able to do. Because of the resurrection, because He is God’s son, because He is the head of the Church, should he not have preeminence in our own personal life?
Pastor Dowand Malone stated, “we are servants and not celebrities…. A Christ-centered planter knows that the spotlight belongs on the Savior and not the servant.” The preeminence of Christ is greater than any pastor, missionary or teacher. It is not about us it’s all about Him. Dare I say, “He must increase but I must decrease.” John 3:30. We do not serve for the applause, but we serve to give the applause to the only One who deserves it. As we approach Thanksgiving Day may we pause and ask ourselves, who deserves to be number one in our life? Who deserves the applause?
Richard Blackaby said this week, “The Spirit of God is not our servant that we direct to work on our behalf.” When I give God instructions then I am saying Christ is not preeminent. The quote by Blackaby in his sermon brought audible groans amongst the group of 500 plus pastors and staff. It was an audible groan that cried out, Lord forgive us! The conviction in my own heart was heavy as well as those around me. Could it be the first step in a renewal of a spirit, a renewal of even a church, is for Christ to be magnified above all else! Maybe if we just focused on Christ alone, how different would we be as a Church? In Christ alone!
What is more important than Christ? It is a question we don’t like to ask because the conviction can become overwhelming. When we truly get honest and ask that question, we find ourselves looking inward and seeing where Christ truly ranks in our own personal life. Today’s Christian has started using a daily poll when it comes to where we truly rank our Lord. On Sunday, we run him up to number one in the polls but by Thursday or Friday, we have often left Christ out of our personal top ten. If He is preeminent then why is He not permanent at the top of our rankings?
“ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18. There is so much to unpack in that one simple verse but it encapsulates the essence of who Jesus is in the big picture. He is the head of the church. We often forget who really is in charge of the church. We often forget why we are even here as a church. It is because of Christ and Christ alone. Forgive us Father for spending way too much time on the things that do not matter and not enough time in magnifying our Lord Jesus! We also see that Jesus has been at the top from the very beginning. He didn’t come along as an after-thought, He is God the creator Himself! He also is the risen Savior, the proof of being God’s son, the only One who could defeat death is the One who gives life. What Jesus did, no man has ever or will ever be able to do. Because of the resurrection, because He is God’s son, because He is the head of the Church, should he not have preeminence in our own personal life?
Pastor Dowand Malone stated, “we are servants and not celebrities…. A Christ-centered planter knows that the spotlight belongs on the Savior and not the servant.” The preeminence of Christ is greater than any pastor, missionary or teacher. It is not about us it’s all about Him. Dare I say, “He must increase but I must decrease.” John 3:30. We do not serve for the applause, but we serve to give the applause to the only One who deserves it. As we approach Thanksgiving Day may we pause and ask ourselves, who deserves to be number one in our life? Who deserves the applause?
Richard Blackaby said this week, “The Spirit of God is not our servant that we direct to work on our behalf.” When I give God instructions then I am saying Christ is not preeminent. The quote by Blackaby in his sermon brought audible groans amongst the group of 500 plus pastors and staff. It was an audible groan that cried out, Lord forgive us! The conviction in my own heart was heavy as well as those around me. Could it be the first step in a renewal of a spirit, a renewal of even a church, is for Christ to be magnified above all else! Maybe if we just focused on Christ alone, how different would we be as a Church? In Christ alone!
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