Title: Christ Pre-eminent in the Trinity (2)
Text: Colossians
1:18
Subject: Christ’s Pre-eminence in the Trinity
Date: Sunday Morning --
Tape
# W-21a
Introduction:
I want to pick up this morning right where
I left off last Sunday morning. Our subject is Christ Pre-eminent in the
Trinity.
Our text is in Colossians
The Holy Spirit 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, as the God-man, our Mediator) might have the preeminence." I am
endeavoring 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
Last week, we saw from the Scriptures, that
the Triune God has given pre-eminence to the Lord Jesus Christ in revelation
and operation. I showed you; and I hope you see and rejoice to know that… (1) the triune God reveals himself to sinners only in Christ,
and (2) as God is revealed only in Christ, so too, the only way God works is
through his Son, our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, I want to show you that
the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our God-man Mediator, is pre-eminent in the
Holy Trinity, by showing you that the Lord God has given him pre-eminence
restitution and in exaltation. Then I will give a word or two of application,
by which I hope Holy Spirit will graciously seal to
our hearts the fact of Christ’s pre-eminence in the Holy Trinity. So, if you
are taking notes, the points of the message today will be…
·
Restitution
·
Exaltation
·
Application
I.
Restitution -- God
deals with men only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, his dear Son. -- “That in all
things he might have the preeminence."
There is an hour appointed when the Lord
God is going to make a restitution of all things. That is to say, he is going
to bring all things to their appointed end, put all things under the feet of
his Son, and make all things to show forth his everlasting praise, honor and
glory. Everything that is, has been, or shall hereafter be shall honor our God,
and everyone is going to see it. All things in heaven, earth, and hell will
praise him. And everyone in heaven, earth, and hell will know that he is
praised in all things.
Either in grace or in judgment, everyone
will bow to the feet of the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Either in the
everlasting praise of his grace, or in the everlasting honor of his justice,
you and I will honor God. “All that are incensed against him shall be
ashamed.” And “In the Lord shall all the seed of
[Isaiah 45:20-25] "Assemble
yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the
nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and
pray unto a god that cannot save. [21] Tell ye,
and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath
declared this from ancient time? who hath
told it from that time? have not I the
LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a
just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. [22] Look unto
me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there
is none else. [23] I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of
my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That
unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. [24] Surely,
shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to
him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be
ashamed. [25] In the LORD shall all the seed of
[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."
In the light of this fact, I urge
you, I plead with you, for Christ’s sake, for your immortal soul’s sake, to be
reconciled to God. Bow to Christ now.
[Acts 3:19-21] "Repent ye
therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times
of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; [20] And he
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: [21] Whom
the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."
No mortal shall
endure
The terrors of that day,
When heaven and earth,
before God’s throne,
In horror melt away!
Before the last trump
sounds,
And Christ in judgment
comes,
Oh, hear the gospel’s
gracious tones,
And to the Savior come!
O sinner, seek
His grace!
His wrath you cannot bear!
Bow now before the Throne
of Grace,
And find salvation there!
By faith behold the curse
Removed by Jesus’ blood;
And you’ll rejoice when
Jesus comes
To take you home to God!
But the only
way you will ever approach God and find acceptance with him is by faith in
Christ. You
cannot come to God, but by him. And God will not come to you, neither in grace
nor in judgment, but by Christ.
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
Hebrews
Hebrews
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
D.
All the comfort,
instruction, and direction of God the Holy Spirit comes to sinners through the
Lord Jesus Christ.
John
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
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.
·
To have the anointing
of the Spirit is to have Christ.
·
To be baptized
in the Spirit is to be baptized into Christ.
·
To have the gifts
of the Spirit is to have the covenant blessings of God’s grace in Christ.
·
To have the filling
of the Spirit is to have Christ in you.
·
To have the power
of the Spirit is to have the power of Christ.
·
To have the presence
of the Spirit is to have the presence of Christ.
·
To have the work of
the Spirit is to have Christ formed in you.
·
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
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."
·
There is a resurrection day coming.
·
There is a reckoning day coming.
·
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
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."
II.
Exaltation -- 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 forever 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."
·
Christ alone shall be our Reward.
·
Christ alone shall be our Joy.
·
Christ alone shall be our Peace.
·
Christ alone shall be our Love.
·
Christ alone shall be our Vision.
·
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.
III.
Application -- 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
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
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;"
Conclusion: 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
God help us to
lift him up “that in all things he
might have the preeminence!” Amen.
[1] Sermon
#1248 preached at Danville Sunday Morning --
[1]