Colossians 1:15-29

"so that in everything He might have the supremacy" Colossians 1:18b

Jesus Christ is supreme in all things.  Jesus is supreme in His revelation of God to us.  Jesus Christ is God Himself.  Colossians 1:15 says,"He is the image of the invisible God."  God is invisible; but Christ, the eternal Son of God, also became man.  Jesus Christ, as God and man reveals God to us.

Jesus Christ, who is God Himself, is also supreme in all creation.  Colossians 1:16-17 says, " For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him, and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."  Everything was created by Jesus Christ and was made for His glory.  The Lord Jesus Christ also continues to sustain all of His creation by His mighty power and control!

Jesus Christ is also supreme in the church.  He is the head of the church.  He is also the beginning and foundation of the church.  By His death and resurrection Colossians 1:18b says He is "the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy."  It was Jesus Christ who saved us from eternal death in hell by His atoning sacrifice on the cross.  He made us to be at peace with God and no longer separated from God by our sins.  Colossians 1:20b says that Jesus Christ did this "through His blood, shed on the cross." Once we were enemies of God.  But now, according to Colossians 1:22b, because of Christ's death we are "holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation."  We now have a righteous and holy standing before God because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross!  When God looks at us He sees Christ's righteousness and not our sins!

Our righteousness standing in Christ, however, must also be increasingly shown in practical holiness in our lives.  We need to increasingly grow in our faith and in our love and obedience to the Lord.  We must increasingly grow in our desire to reflect Jesus in our lives.  We must increasingly grow in our desire to rid our lives of sinful attitudes and actions.  Colossians 1:23 reminds us that we must also persevere in our faith and continue in our faith "firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel."

Christ must become supreme in every area of our lives.  Our lives must be built on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Nothing in our lives should come before the Lord.  In order for this to happen we must spend time each day in prayer and Bible reading.  We also must be submissive to the Lord's working in our lives even in difficult times.

There is no greater joy than having Christ in the center of our lives and living our lives totally devoted to Him.  Nothing on this earth can compare to the joy of belonging to the Lord!  Colossians 1:27 tells us that to us, His children, He has chosen to reveal His "glorious riches" which is Christ living in us, "the hope of glory."  Our salvation in Christ, His presence and protections in our lives, and an eternal future with the Lord are all ours in Christ!  In thankfulness let us truly make Him Lord over over area of our lives!  Jesus Christ already has supremacy and glory in all things.  May our lives reflect His glory!