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The Preeminence of Christ
Scripture Passage:
Colossians 1:9-18 Attached audio files:
Introduction: Here we have the Apostle Paul addressing the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse (verse 2). He gives thanks to God for their faith (verse 4), hope (verse 5) and love (verse 4). As Paul is charging them to walk worthy of the Lord (verse 10), he mentions the Father (verse 12) and seemingly loses track of what he was talking about. Then in verse 13 Paul mentions Jesus Christ and just loses himself bragging on Jesus. It is during this time of exaltation that we find that Jesus is to have preeminence in “all things” (verse 18). But what does that mean?
The word "preeminence" is only found three times in your Bible, but we also have four occurrences of the root word eminent . Let’s take a look at these scriptures and see if we can build a definition.
Eminent
- Ezekiel 16:24That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.
See All... That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. - Ezekiel 16:31In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;
See All... In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; - Ezekiel 16:39And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.
See All... And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: - Ezekiel 17:22Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
See All... Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent :
Preeminence
- Ecclesiastes 3:19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
See All... For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. - Colossians 1:18And 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.
See All... 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 . - 3 John 1:9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
See All... I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
From looking at these passages we can see that the word eminent has a connection to “high places” or an elevated place and the word preeminence seems to mean “an elevated position or rank” or “superiority due to merit”. So now looking at Colossians 1:18And 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.
See All... we can determine that Paul is telling us that Christ is superior in rank or position. This preeminence has nothing to do with you for Christ received this preeminence by merit. So let’s look at Colossians 1:18And 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.
See All... and see in what ways Christ is preeminent.
- CHRIST IS PREEMINENT IS HIS ORIGIN (verse 18 – “who is the beginning”)
- Jesus Christ is before all things (Micah 5:2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
See All...; John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
See All...; 8:58
See All...; 17:5
See All..., 24; Revelation 22:13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
See All...) - Jesus Christ created all things (John 1:3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
See All...; Ephesians 3:6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
See All...; Colossians 1:16For 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:
See All...; Revelation 3:14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
See All...) - Jesus Christ upholdeth all things (Psalm 75:3The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.
See All...; Colossians 1:16For 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:
See All...; Hebrews 1:3Who 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:
See All...) - CHRIST IS PREEMINENT IN HIS POSITION (verse 18 – “he is the head of the body, the church”)
- Jesus Christ has authority over nature (Matthew 8:27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
See All...) - Jesus Christ has authority over heavenly powers (1 Peter 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
See All...) - Jesus Christ is the King of Glory (Psalm 2:6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
See All...) - Jesus Christ is equal with God (John 5:18Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
See All...; John 10:30I and my Father are one.
See All...; Philippians 2:6Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
See All...) - Jesus Christ is heir to the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
See All...; Jeremiah 23:5Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
See All...) - Jesus Christ is the head of the Church (Ephesians 1:2Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
See All...; 5:23
See All...) - CHRIST IS PREEMINENT IN HIS RESURRECTION (verse 18 – “the firstborn from the dead”)
- Jesus Christ proved that Hell couldn’t hold Him (Acts 2:27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
See All...,31; Revelation 1:18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
See All...) - Jesus Christ proved that the grave couldn’t hold Him (Acts 2:31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
See All...) - Jesus Christ is the only one ever who raised Himself from the dead (John 2:19-21 [19] Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
[20] Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
[21] But he spake of the temple of his body.
See All...; John 10:17-18 [17] Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. [18] No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
See All...) - Jesus Christ is the only one who will never die again (Romans 6:9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
See All...)
Proverbs 27:8
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.