The Question of Supremacy?
Good Morning Friends,
Many scholars believe today’s scripture passage from Colossians was based on a hymn that was sung by the early church. It poses a question I think we all need to answer: Is Christ prominent in our lives, or is He preeminent? Let us face the reality of the situation God does not just want a place in our lives, He requires first place. There is grace but we only seem to access it when we submit to God’s rule. There is pain but it is only mitigated when we stop trying to play God. Are you ready to give an affirmative answer to The Question of Supremacy?
15Scripture: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in* him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in* him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. 21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled* in his fleshly body* through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— 23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
Colossians 1:15-23 (NRSV)
36Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,* this Jesus whom you crucified.
Acts 2:36 (NRSV)
24Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
Matthew 16:24-26 (NRSV)
Message: I imagine that some of you have been converted but perhaps you are still living for yourself and not in recognition of the supremacy of Christ. For some of you, Jesus is prominent in your life, but He is not preeminent. He has a place in your world, but He does not occupy first place. Maybe you have mistakenly thought you could just add a little God to your life without submitting to the supremacy of Jesus. This ultimately does not work. We all have to finally acknowledge what is worth suffering for? Friends, if you want the benefits of something in life, you have to also want the costs. If you want the six-pack abs, you have to want the sweat, the sore muscles, the early mornings at the gym, and the low carb meals. If you want the successful business, you have to also want the late nights, the risky business deals and decisions, and the possibility of failing fifty times to learn what you need to know to succeed. Friends, if you find yourself wanting something month after month, year after year, yet nothing happens and you never come any closer to it, then maybe what you actually want is just an idealization, a fantasy, and a false promise. Maybe you don’t actually want it at all, because you’re not willing to suffer though the work it’s going to take to achieve it. Friends, if you really want Jesus then you have to take up the cross and acknowledge His supremacy. And today’s question bringing us closer to the cross and to an understanding of what this path means not just for Christ, the suffering servant who sweats blood for our coming judgment, but also for us on our journey as we recognize Jesus as the conquering king. Here we learn in the life of Jesus what it means to embrace suffering. Applying this to our own lives we learn that this means we must deny our false selves and let Jesus lead us to our true self in the Kingdom of God as part of the Body of Christ. Lip service and good intentions are not enough. We learn from today’s scripture that we must count the cost of following, cutting off connections that bind us, we must cleave to Christ and contend for His cross…. at the crossroads of humanity we must decide who is sovereign if we hope to complete the course. It’s the pain of regret or the pain of discipline… discipleship… So choose who you will serve. Don’t be embarrassed by Jesus for even a moment. Choose who will be your sovereign. And know that being a follower of Jesus we must each pick up the wood of our own sacrifice and carry it up the hill. Like Isaac and Abraham the father and the son walk on together. We too must pick up the wood. But we are not alone. We must have faith in the Father. We must follow the lead of Jesus.
Pray we realize that if Christ is not supreme in our lives then we are still at war with God. Pray we realize that our job is not to make Christ Lord but to bow to His Lordship.
Pray we believe that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Pray we believe Jesus is the firstborn over all creation. Pray we believe Jesus created all things. Pray we acknowledge Jesus as the head of the church’s body. Pray we believe that Jesus is the first born from the dead to be raised up never to die again. Pray we believe that Jesus has the fullness of God dwelling in him. Pray we believe that Jesus is reconciling all things to him. Pray that the way we conduct our daily lives draws people toward experiencing God through a relationship with Jesus. Pray we draw lost people toward Christ with a sparkle of joy. Pray we be willing to sacrifice to live out our faith. Pray we know what we are willing to suffer so we might understand what we really believe….what we really desire. Pray we have a life worth living in love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 