Sermon
#1248
Title: The Pre-eminence of Christ in the Trinity
Text: Colossians 1:18
Reading: Psalm 89:1-37
Subject: Christ’s Pre-eminence
Date: Sunday Morning - September 14, 1996[1]
Tape # S-92
Introduction: Colossians
1:18
"And he is the head of the body,
the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence."
I have been preaching to you for the
past several weeks about the pre-eminence of Christ. Today I want to show you The Pre-eminence of Christ in the Trinity.
The Apostle Paul here tells us that it is the will, the pleasure, the
determination, and the delight of the Father’s heart, and of triune God, “that
in all things he (the Lord Jesus
Christ) might have the preeminence." I want to show you from the
Scriptures that...
Proposition: God
has so highly exalted, honored, and magnified his Son that the only way any creature can exalt, honor, and
magnify the triune God is by exalting, honoring, and magnifying the Lord Jesus
Christ.
So determined is the eternal, triune
God to make Christ pre-eminent in all things that God cannot be revealed to or
known by men except as he is revealed and known in Christ. The only way God
makes himself known is through his Son. And the only way God deals with men is
through his Son.
John 3:35 "The
Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand."
We
are Trinitarians. We worship the one true and living God in the trinity, or
tri-unity, of his sacred Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
There are three distinct and separate Persons within the Godhead. Yet these
three divine Persons are one God. The Father is God. The Son is God. And the
Holy Spirit is God. They are three distinct Persons. Yet they are one God.
There is no way to explain, or even adequately illustrate the doctrine of the
Trinity in human terms. It is purely a matter of revelation. We believe it
simply because it is plainly revealed in Holy Scripture.
1 John 5:7 "For there are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and
these three are one."
Not only is the doctrine plainly
stated in the Word of God, it is demonstrated numerous times as well.
·
At the Baptism of Christ
- "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:
and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17).
·
In the Baptismal Name
- "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost" (Matthew 28:19).
·
The Lord’s Instruction
- "If ye love me, keep my commandments. (16) And I will
pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide
with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John
14:15-17).
All true
believers are Trinitarians. Those who deny this doctrine are not Christians,
but deniers of Christianity. Christianity is in its essence belief of and in
the Triune God. Yet, as Tobias Crisp
stated three hundred years ago, “This matter is not to be pried into by human
wit; for this of all the mysteries in Scripture, is the pure object of mere
faith.”
Be sure you
understand what I have said. We are Trinitarians. But God is Spirit (John
4:24). And it is impossible for us to
know, communicate with, or approach the infinite, eternal Spirit who is God but
by a Mediator who is both God and man. And that Mediator by whom and in
whom we know God is the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 1:1-3 "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with
God. (3) All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made."
John 1:14 "And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
We know God,
worship God, and serve God only as we know, worship, and serve the Lord Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ is God. And there
is no other God in this world but what Jesus Christ himself is. Thomas
called the man Christ Jesus “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). And he was right
in doing so. Paul tells us that Jesus Christ is God “manifest in the flesh” (1
Tim. 3:16). He says, “In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”
(Col. 2:9). What on earth does he mean for us to understand by that statement?
I will tell you exactly what he means. In
the God-man Jesus Christ all that God is, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
perpetually and eternal resides.
“You must
know that you are never to separate in your thoughts God from Christ. Always as
you look upon Christ, so look upon God; or as you look upon God, look upon him
no otherwise than as he is in Christ, not as if there were another God besides
what Christ is; for there is no such thing.”
Tobias
Crisp
Jesus
Christ is God our Savior. We know no God but him. We worship no God but him. We
serve no God but him. I want to be sure that you understand the teaching of
Holy Scripture in this regard. So give me your careful attention as I show you five
things from the Scriptures. Some of these things will be a little
repetitious. I am not getting senile. My repetition is deliberate. I want you
to understand the Scriptures.
I. The triune
God reveals himself to sinners only in Christ. “That in all things he
might have the preeminence."
We
have read the Bible without profit to our souls and without any spiritual
understanding, if we do not see that according to this Book everything God says
to, does for, requires of, and gives to sinners is in Christ.
John 1:18 "No man hath
seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Father, he hath declared him."
John 14:6 "Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Matthew 17:5 "While he yet
spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the
cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye
him."
Christ
is the Word of God, the Revelation of God. He is the living Word of whom the
written Word speaks. All that we know of God is Christ. He is the brightness of
the Father’s glory and the express image of his Person. Jesus Christ is God
incarnate, God in human flesh. We know the Father and the Spirit only as we
know the incarnate Son. Christ is the
Word by whom God speaks and makes himself known.
·
The First
Word.
·
The Only Word.
·
The Last Word.
Hebrews 1:1-3 "God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, (2) Hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by
himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high."
II. As God is revealed only in
Christ, so too, the only way God works is through his Son. “That in all things he
might have the preeminence."
We know, of course, that Christ is
God’s Salvation. God saves sinners only in Christ, by Christ, upon the merits
of Christ, and for Christ’s sake. I will speak about that in a few minutes.
But, for now, I want you to see that the
triune God never does anything except through the mediation of his Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Everything God ever has done, is doing, or ever shall do is
by Christ and for Christ. In everything Christ is the Mediator. He is the
Medium and Means of the operations of the triune Godhead.
A. The covenant of grace by which
our salvation was accomplished and secured from eternity was made with Christ
our Surety.
Psalms 89:3-4, 19-37 "I have made a
covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, (4) Thy seed will I establish for ever,
and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah...(19) "Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst,
I have laid help upon one that is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen out of the
people. (20) I have found David my
servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: (21) With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall
strengthen him. (22) The enemy shall
not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. (23) And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague
them that hate him. (24) But my
faithfulness and my mercy shall be with
him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. (25) I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in
the rivers. (26) He shall cry unto
me, Thou art my father, my God, and
the rock of my salvation. (27) Also I
will make him my firstborn, higher
than the kings of the earth. (28) My
mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with
him. (29) His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as
the days of heaven. (30) If his
children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; (31) If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; (32) Then will I visit their
transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. (33) Nevertheless my lovingkindness
will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. (34) My covenant will I not break, nor
alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
(35) Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure for ever,
and his throne as the sun before me. (37)
It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah."
Before the world began God made a covenant of redemption, a
solemn compact of mercy and grace, in which he arranged, decreed, and secured
the salvation of his elect. It was a covenant made for us. We are the
beneficiaries of it. But it was a covenant made with Christ our Surety (Heb.
7:25).
2 Samuel 23:5 "Although my
house be not so with God; yet he hath
made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is
all my salvation, and all my desire,
although he make it not to
grow."
2 Timothy 1:9-10 "Who hath saved
us, and called us with an holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and
grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (10) But is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"
B. God created the world and all
things in it by Christ and for Christ.
Genesis 1:1-3 "In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."
John 1:1-3 "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with
God. (3) All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Hebrews 1:1-3 "God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, (2) Hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by
himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high;"
Colossians 1:14-16 "In whom we
have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: (15) Who is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and
for him:"
When Paul says that Christ is “the
firstborn of every creature,” he is simply declaring that Christ is the One from whom creation was born. All things sprang
from him. He is the original cause of all things. To put it in the words of
Christ himself, Jesus Christ is “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev.
3:14).
C. God’s sovereign, providential
rule of the universe is executed by the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Daniel 7:13-14 "I saw in the
night visions, and, behold, one like
the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought him near before him.
(14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall
not pass away, and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed."
John 17:2 "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."
Now
listen carefully. In time,
after our Lord’s obedience to and fulfillment of his Father’s will as a man,
Christ took his place of dominion as a man. There is a Man in glory. A Man sits
today upon the throne of grace. And that Man is Christ, the Man who died for
our sins at Calvary. But this world as
always been under the meditorial rule the Lord Jesus Christ “whose goings
forth have been of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5:2). It is Christ’s meditorial
rule of the world for the salvation of his elect that preserves the world from
destruction by the wrath of God. Thanks be unto God, the God who rules this
universe is the Friend of sinners!
1.
Christ
preserved the world from judgment when Adam sinned in the garden.
2.
Christ
preserves the world from judgment today, though men and women everywhere live
in rebellion to God.
3.
Christ
preserves this world from judgment for the salvation of his elect.
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is
not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:15 Let us "account that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him
hath written unto you;"
III. God deals with men only in
and through the Lord Jesus Christ, his dear Son. “That in all things he
might have the preeminence."
John 10:9 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
John 14:6 "Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Ephesians 2:18 "For through
him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."
Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore he
is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Hebrews 10:19 "Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus,"
Our Savior says, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The fact is, God will not speak to nor will he be spoken to by any man apart
from the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. The whole
of our salvation is in Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 "But of him are
ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption: (31) That,
according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
B. God will not receive any
worship, prayer, praise, sacrifice, or service offered to him by men except
through the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
Everything done for God and offered to God must be done and
offered in the name of Christ, with the conscious realization that we have no
access to or acceptance with the eternal God but by Christ.
1.
We believe in
his name.
2.
We worship in
his name.
3.
We pray in his
name.
4.
We gather in
his name.
5.
We serve in
his name.
C. All the blessings of grace and
glory are freely bestowed upon sinners by God for Christ’s sake alone.
Ephesians 1:3-14 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of
the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will, (6) To the praise of the
glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (7) In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us
in all wisdom and prudence; (9) Having
made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself: (10) That
in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one
all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (11) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will: (12) That we
should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption
of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
Ephesians 4:32 "And be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you."
D. All the comfort, instruction,
and direction of God the Holy Spirit comes to sinners through the Lord Jesus
Christ.
John 16:13-14 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and
he will show you things to come.
(14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of
mine, and shall show it unto
you."
In accordance with the disposition of the covenant of grace
the Holy Spirit is Christ’s agent in this world, just as he was the Father’s
agent in this world. He does nothing of himself, speaks nothing of himself, and
receives nothing to himself. It is the Spirit’s delight to do Christ’s bidding
in this world, even as it has been the Son’s delight to do his Father’s
bidding. Christ is the Fountain of grace. The Holy Spirit is the channel
through whom all the waters of grace flow to us from the Fountain.
Note: The gifts of the Spirit
are actually the gifts of Christ bestowed upon his church by the Spirit for the
glory of Christ, for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ, and for the
increase and spiritual welfare of the body of Christ. A comparison of Scripture
with Scripture will show this plainly.
1 Corinthians 12:11 "But all these
worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he
will."
Ephesians 4:7-12 "But unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (8) Wherefore he saith, When he
ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (9) (Now that he ascended, what is it
but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He that descended is the same also
that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (11) And he gave some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"
The
Holy Spirit is not in competition with Christ. He has come to glorify Christ.
Everywhere today we hear men saying,
“This is the age of the Holy Spirit.” They talk about the anointing of the
Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, being slain in the Spirit, the gifts of the
Spirit, the filling of the Spirit, the presence of the Spirit, and the works of
the Spirit, and say very little about the Person, work, and glory of Christ. Hear me well. Those who preach the Holy
Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit, those who tell you to seek the
Spirit, those who focus your attention on the Holy Spirit do not have the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks only of Christ. And those who have the Spirit of
Christ speak of Christ. That man who preaches by the Spirit of God preaches
Christ only, Christ alone, and Christ always.
Let
no one misunderstand me. Let us reverence the Holy Spirit, worship the
Spirit, and honor the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. But the only way to
reverence the Spirit is to reverence Christ. The only way to worship the Spirit
is to worship Christ. The only way to honor the Spirit is to honor Christ.
1.
To have the anointing of the Spirit is to have
Christ.
2.
To be baptized in the Spirit is to be
baptized into Christ.
3.
To have the gifts of the Spirit is to have the
covenant blessings of God’s grace in Christ.
4.
To have the filling of the Spirit is to have
Christ in you.
5.
To have the power of the Spirit is to have the
power of Christ.
6.
To have the presence of the Spirit is to have the
presence of Christ.
7.
To have the work of the Spirit is to have Christ
formed in you.
8.
To walk in the Spirit is to walk in
Christ, with Christ, toward Christ, and for Christ by faith in Christ.
This
is not the age of the Spirit. This is the age of the Son. This is the age of
Christ! This is the day of
grace, the gospel day, the day of Christ. It began when the Sun of
Righteousness arose from the grave with healing under his wings!
E. When this world has been
folded up like a vesture, when time shall be no more and all men shall stand
before God at the bar of judgment, even then God will still deal with men only
by his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Judge who will sit upon the great white throne in that
great day will be the God-man, our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 5:21-22 "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he
will. (22) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment unto the Son:"
Acts 17:31 "Because he
hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all
men, in that he hath raised him from
the dead."
Romans 14:10-12 "But why dost
thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we
shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (11) For it is written, As I
live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall
confess to God. (12) So then every
one of us shall give account of himself to God."
2 Corinthians 5:10-11 "For we must
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the
things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (11) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your
consciences."
Let men mock as they will. Try to put it out of your mind if
you dare. But I am here to assure you that one day soon you must meet Jesus
Christ your God face to face in judgment.
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"
Revelation
20:11-12 "And I saw a great white
throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them.
(12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works."
1.
There is a
resurrection day coming.
2.
There is a
reckoning day coming.
3.
There is a
retribution day coming. In that day every man shall receive exactly his due
reward. Every one of us will get exactly what is coming to us according to the
record books of divine justice.
Revelation 21:27 "And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written
in the Lamb's book of life."
Revelation 22:10-12 "And he saith
unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at
hand. (11) He that is unjust, let him
be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that
is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still. (12) And,
behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with
me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
IV. Throughout the endless ages
of eternity, according to the wise and holy decree of the triune God, the Lord
Jesus Christ will have the pre-eminence in all things.
This is God’s purpose. And it shall be done. “That in all things he might have the
preeminence."
A. When all creation is at last
made his footstool, when all creatures at last bow to Jesus Christ, as they
shall, God will be glorified in the pre-eminence of his dear Son.
Ephesians 1:10 "That in the
dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him."
Philippians 2:9-11 "Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father."
Colossians 1:20 "And, having
made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in
heaven."
1 Corinthians 15:25-28 "For he must
reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy that shall
be destroyed is death. (27) For he hath put all things under
his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things
under him. (28) And when all things
shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."
When the God-man has at last fulfilled his last engagement as
the Surety of the covenant, he will present the entire universe to his Father,
and in all things in all the universe God will be glorified. God will be all in
all as the enthroned Christ reigns for ever and ever in the splendor of his
righteousness and glory with all his elect glorified with him as the reward of
his labor!
What the sun is to our solar system,
Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, is to heaven and eternity. He is the Center
of heaven, the Light of heaven, the life of heaven, the Strength of heaven, and
the Joy of heaven. Withdraw the sun from our solar system and everything would
be darkness, destruction, and death. And if you could withdraw Christ from
heaven, heaven itself would be hell; for it would be darkness, destruction, and
death forever without God!
B. In heaven’s glory Christ is
and ever shall be pre-eminent because for all eternity “Christ is all!”
Revelation 4:10-11 "The four and
twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that
liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to
receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for
thy pleasure they are and were created."
Revelation 5:9-13 "And they sung
a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals
thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall
reign on the earth. (11) And I
beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the
beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands;
(12) Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and
blessing. (13) And every creature
which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in
the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and
glory, and power, be unto him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."
1.
Christ alone
shall be our Reward.
2.
Christ alone
shall be our Joy.
3.
Christ alone
shall be our Peace.
4.
Christ alone
shall be our Love.
5.
Christ alone
shall be our Vision.
6.
Christ alone
shall receive our Praise.
This is the ultimate end for which God
said in the beginning, “Let there be light.” So “that in all things he (the Lord Jesus Christ) might
have the preeminence."
Now I am calling men and women to
honor God. I am calling you to honor God. You will either honor God or you will
perish forever in hell under the wrath of God. So let me conclude this message
by showing you one last thing.
V. The only way you and I can
honor the infinite, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, holy Lord God is to honor
his Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 5:23-24 "That all men should
honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son
honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
Let me show you five ways in which you
and I can honor the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. When I acknowledge my sin and
my need of Christ as my Savior, I honor Christ.
Psalms 51:1-5 " Have mercy
upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude
of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin. (3) For I acknowledge my
transgressions: and my sin is ever
before me. (4) Against thee, thee
only, have I sinned, and done this evil
in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me."
1 John 1:7-10 "But if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. (10) If we say that
we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
B. When I trust Christ as my
Representative and Substitute, I honor Christ.
John 3:36 "He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
C. When I bow to Christ as my
rightful, sovereign Lord and surrender myself to his rule, I honor Christ.
Matthew 10:36-39 "And a man's foes shall
be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me. (38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is
not worthy of me. (39) He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it."
D. When I confess Christ before
men in the waters of baptism, at the Lord’s Table, and by personal witness, I
honor Christ.
Matthew 10:32-33 "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him
will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. (33) But
whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which
is in heaven."
E. When I preach Christ, I honor
Christ.
Matthew 10:27 "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops."
1 Corinthians 1:21-23 "For after that
in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (22) For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after
wisdom: (23) But we preach Christ
crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness;"
Application:
As it is the purpose, will, and
pleasure of the triune God “that in all things
the Lord Jesus Christ might have the preeminence," so let it be our
purpose, will, and pleasure.
1.
Let us each
devote ourselves to his pre-eminence.
2.
Let us devote
ourselves as a church to his pre-eminence.
3.
May God bring
you this day by his grace into harmony with himself, granting you that life and
faith in Christ which he alone can give, which will cause you to bow to him and
give him honor and pre-eminence as your Lord and Savior.
4.
In all things,
let us lift up, exalt, and magnify Christ.
John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
God help us to lift him up “that in
all things he might have the
preeminence!” Amen.