The preeminent Christ

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Colossians 1-2; Psalm 13

TO CHEW ON: "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." Colossians 1:18

Don't our hearts just thrill to read Paul's deep, grand descriptions of Jesus in Colossians? Don't our imaginations get a workout as we try to understand His roles as creator, reconciler, head of the church, and more? I am so thankful for Paul who, early in the church age, not only grasped the theological implications of who Jesus was and did, but wrote these things down.

A sidebar article in my Bible is a compilation of the many ways that Paul describes Jesus as THE BEST in Colossians.

HE IS PREEMINENT:

In universal government
- the visible image of God - Colossians 1:15
- The agent of creation - Colossians 1:16
- The sustainer - Colossians 1:17
- The head of the church - Colossians 1:18

In reconciliation
- Reconciles us through His death - Colossians 1:21-22
- Lives in us as our hope of glory - Colossians 1:27

In wisdom and knowledge
- The source of all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge - Colossians 2:2-3
- Worldly philosophy does not conform to Him - Colossians 2:8

In religious observance
- We are alive in Him - Colossians 2:11-13
- No need for legalism and ritualism - Colossians 2:16-23


In Christian living
- The source of our new life is in Him - Colossians 3:1,3,4
- In Him we die to the power of sin - Colossians 3:3-5

("The Preeminent Christ" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1672.)

What a treasure we have in Jesus! He deserves all our adoration, worship and praise.

 Jesus the Very Thought of Thee




PRAYER: Dear Jesus, the thought that You, in whom are all the grand things above, would come to earth and die for me is amazing and wonderful. I think and praise You for the amazing God and Saviour You are. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 13

The Bible Project VIDEO: Colossians (Read Scripture Series)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daniel's vision of King Jesus

"The Glory of the Lamb" by David van der Plaats (Revelation 5:13)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Daniel 7-9;  Psalm  57

"TO CHEW ON: … behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom one
Which shall not be destroyed." Daniel 7:13,14

Who of us, familiar with the Bible, can read Daniel's description of the king in his vision and not get it? This is Jesus Daniel is seeing—Jesus whose kingdom he is describing.

He is "One like the Son of man" i.e. recognizable as a person. And how many times haven't we seen His coming described a "coming with the clouds of heaven"? Listen to Matthew's recall of Jesus' words:

"'Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven … and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory'" - Matthew 24:30 (see also Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 24:27; Revelation 1:7; 14:14).

Daniel goes on to describe how the Son of Man's dominion, glory, and kingdom encompass all the kingdoms of earth. All peoples, nations, and languages will serve Him. And His kingdom will be indestructible and last forever.

Though Jesus rebuffed any attempts to install Him as an earthly king,  He talked often about His kingdom (e.g. John 3:35-36).

Paul understood His ruler role as well as anyone and explained it to the early church and to us in passages like 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:22 and how about this from Philippians:

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father "- Philippians 2:9-11

I love how the Bible's message reverberates from the Old Testament to the New in such a consistent way. As we see Daniel's picture of Jesus the king, let's allow our hearts to soar in admiration, awe and worship.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I so readily picture You as a wise but meek teacher, striding around Judea and Galilee telling stories and doing miracles. May the image of You as King be planted as firmly in my imagination. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 57

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

The other side of God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 13-15; Psalm 2


TO CHEW ON: I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son
Today I have begotten You
Ask of Me and I will give You
The nations for your inheritance
And the ends of the earth for Your possession." Psalm 2:7,8


The Lord is speaking through David here as he makes these prophetic pronouncements about Messiah (Jesus).

"You are My Son..." brings to mind the several times we see this phrase repeated in the New Testament. We hear it:
- at Jesus' baptism - Matthew 3:17.
- at His transfiguration - Matthew 17:5.
- through the words of Paul - Acts 13:33
- and the writer of Hebrews - Hebrews 1:5

Psalm 2 goes on to describe the ferocity of this Son/King as He possesses the nations. He will break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like pottery—unless they are on His side. For they have another choice. They can choose to fear Him (Psalm 2:11) give Him obeisance (Psalm 2:12) and put their trust in Him (Psalm 2:12).

In our times we rarely portray God in such a stern, judgmental light. We like to emphasize His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. And He is gracious, merciful, and forgiving. But He is also black-and-white-holy, and will eventually come down on the black with a fury that will make us tremble in fear if we haven't trembled in awe and submission first. As the commenter Matthew Henry says it:

"The kingdom of Messiah is founded upon an eternal decree of God the Father. This our Lord often referred to as what He governed Himself by. God hath said unto Him, Thou art My Son, and it becomes each of us to say to Him, Thou art my Lord and my Sovereign."

PRAYER: Dear God, I acknowledge You as King and Sovereign in my affairs today. I long for the blessing of those who put their trust in You. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 2

MORE: "Ride on King Jesus" by Steve Bell



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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

20 things about Jesus in Colossians

Jesus by the sea - Alexandre Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Colossians 2:1-19

TO CHEW ON: "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."  Colossians 2:9


"Colossians clearly portrays Jesus as superior to and preeminent over all things," writes Leslyn Musch in her Truth-In-Action Through Colossians commentary of my Bible. She says: "As you read this letter, look for all the things said about Christ" - Leslyn Musch, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1671.

Let's take up her challenge and look for clues about Jesus in Colossians.

1. He has a kingdom. Paul refers to "the Kingdom of the Son of His (the Father's) love" - Colossians 1:13.
2. We are redeemed (bought back) through His blood - Colossians 1:14.
3. We have forgiveness of sins through His blood - Colossians 1:14. 
4. He is the image of the invisible God - Colossians 1:15.
5. He is the firstborn over all creation - Colossians 1:15.
6. He created everything in heaven and earth - Colossians 1:16.
7. He is before all things - Colossians 1:17.
8. In Him all things consist - Colossians 1:17.
9. He is the head of the body—the church - Colossians 1:18.
10. He is called the "firstborn from the dead" giving Him the preeminence - Colossians 1:18.
11. All the fullness dwells in Him - Colossians 1:19.
12. He reconciles all things in heaven and earth to Himself - Colossians 1:20.
13. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily - Colossians 2:9.
14. He is the head of all principalities and powers - Colossians 2:10.
15. He makes believers alive together with Him - Colossians 2:13.
16. He disarmed and triumphed over principalities and powers - Colossians 2:15.
17. He is now sitting at the right hand of God - Colossians 3:1.
18. He will one day appear on earth again - Colossians 3:4.
19. He will reward those who fear Him and serve Him in obedience - Colossians 3:23,24.
20. He is a mystery - Colossians 4:3.

There is much to ponder and wrap one's head around here!  Musch says, "Let faith rise in you as you see the unsurpassed greatness of who Jesus is and all that He has accomplished on our behalf" - source as above.

Let's take that challenge into our day!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, these many aspects of You boggle my mind. Please illumine my mind and heart to begin to understand Your greatness, Your loveliness, and Your preeminence. Amen.

MORE: Fairest Lord Jesus - sung by Ross Parsley

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Jesus exalted--what that means to us

Exalted Jesus - church in Montaicino, Italy (Image: pixabay.com)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 1:15-23

TO CHEW ON: "He [God] raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." Ephesians 1:20,21

In describing how highly Jesus was exalted, Paul didn't leave any area uncovered.

Jesus' exaltation:

• Seated Him at God's right hand in heaven.

• Placed Him not just above but "far above all principality and power and might and dominion."

My Bible's notes explain that the above four (principality, power, might, and dominion) "…are consistently used for ruling authorities in both the visible and invisible realms. See Ephesians 3:10. The NT reveals an invisible hierarchy of evil powers who deceive and manipulate human behavior thereby advancing satanic strategies" - Jack W. Hayford, study notes on Ephesians, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1646.

• Exalted Him far above every name that is named.

Name (onoma) means name or term by which a person is called and all that the name implies of rank, authority, reputation, and representative.

• His exalted state applies in every generation, and beyond this life i.e. it never changes ("… not only in this age but also in that which is to come" - Ephesians 1:21).

• He is the head of the church, currently His body on earth - Ephesians 1:22,23.

In context, this grand statement of Jesus' position is part of Paul's prayer for his readers. He prays that they will understand these truths and the power available to them as a result (Ephesians 1:18,19).

This is a prayer that needs to be answered in each new generation. We in the 21st century need to grasp and claim the extent and benefits of Christ's work and current exalted state for our generation as much as Paul's readers did for theirs.

Do we understand that there are no new governments or military powers, including the demonic entities behind them, that supersede Jesus' power? His power is far above that of ISIS, or any repressive regimes, or our own more benign democracies that have taken a satanically inspired direction in legalizing death (abortion and euthanasia), celebrating sexual deviance, encouraging drug use, etc.

What do we do in the meantime, while it looks like those principalities, powers, and dominions are winning? At least two things:

1. Put on God's armor so we can stand against the spiritual forces behind these developments - Ephesians 6:10-13.

2. By faith encourage ourselves and each other with the facts - Ephesians 1:21,22.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, though Paul's statement of Your exaltation may sometimes seem like wishful thinking, please answer the earlier part of Paul's prayer in me by giving the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and opening the eyes of my understanding about You. Amen.
 
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A Jesus sighting

(Click on photo to enlarge)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 7:54-8:1a

TO CHEW ON: "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!'" Acts 7:55-56.

Who would imagine that a wise, compassionate young man whose job it was to oversee the distribution of food to widows would become a martyr. Yet that was Stephen's fate. Today's reading is the story of his surprising death. It happens because of the gospel presentation he makes to the Jewish leaders (Acts 7:1-53). It is so stirring his listeners are "cut to the heart." But instead of letting conviction lead them to believe in Jesus, they resist any notion that He may have been who Stephen says He was.

If there was a shadow of doubt in Stephen's heart, it disappears as a result of what he sees next: "the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."

Jesus had risen from the dead not long before the events of this story. For several weeks after His resurrection had had made random appearances to His disciples. Then one day "He was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9). Stephen's sighting of Jesus was evidence to the onlookers then — and us today — that Jesus lives on in heaven.

(Stephen sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Normally He is "sitting at the right hand of God." Why standing? A footnote in my Bible explains "Jesus who sits at the right hand of the Father [Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3,13; 10:12] is standing here to witness against Stephen's accusers and to receive him into the heavenly kingdom - New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1503.)

I love how these after-Christmas Bible readings focus us on the sequel to the incarnation. Yesterday we saw the possibility of new life because Jesus came. Today we catch a glimpse of His exaltation, which was:

• foretold by the prophets (Isaiah 52:13; Daniel 7:14).

• predicted by Jesus Himself (Luke 22:69).

• understood by the Apostles (Acts 5:31; 1 Peter 3:22).

• and someday will be evident to the world:

"Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has 
freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
    And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

(Philippians 2:9-11 - Amplified).

Jesus is so much more than a cute baby in a manger. Has the truth of this sunk in? Do we live "all things have become new" lives that are worshipful, yet hopeful and optimistic because He is exalted? I ask myself, is He exalted in me?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I worship You as the high and lifted-up One. May I acknowledge Your majesty and glory in my living today. Amen

MORE: "Hallelujah" by Ben Cantelon



(By the way, Ben Cantelon is our pastor's  son. When we started attending CLA 10+ years ago, he was just one of the band boys.)