THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST
Col. 1:13-23
Text: vs. 18 Christ takes first place.
Book of Acts - The disciplespreached Christ as Savior and Lord.
Paul - “You are complete in Him.” Col.2:10 (King James)
Three areas in which Christ takes first place.
I. THE GREAT CREATOR 1:16-17
Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning God created…”
Christ IS the creative agent, the member of Godhead responsible for creation.
John 1:1-3 and Heb. 1:1-3
The marvelous creation:
Countless stars and galaxies like our Milky Way
Sun - over 1 million earths fit into it.
Earth and moon fit into it without touching the side.
Perfect distance from earth for life
Great variety of animal & plant life
Man intricate body requires specialists for each part.
Christ recognized by His creation:
Wind and sea obeyed Him
Water turned to wine
Fig tree dried up
Bread & fish multiplied
At the Cross - earth quaked, rocks rent and sun hid its face
Saddest words in the Bible: “He came to His own and His own received hIm not."
Christ the great creator - “So that in everything He might have the preeminence.”
II. THE ONLY SAVIOR
He provided redemption and reconciliation.
A. Redemption - 1:13-14 to buy back, purchase
From the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son.
1 Peter 1:18-19
B. Reconciliation - 1:19-22
We were enemies, alienated from God; now are forgiven, friends of God.
How? Through Christ’s blood.
Christ the only Savior - “so that in all things, He might have the preminence”
III. THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH 1:18
Acts 20:28
Matt. 16:18
As Head He controls, directs, governs, and empowers.
The church is not autonomus but Christonomus.
I Cor. 12 - The church is one body with many parts.
There is unity in diversity so we care for each other.
Christ is Creator, Savior, and Head of the Church: “so that in all things…”
Does He have first place in your life?
NONE BUT CHRIST
O Christ, in Thee my soul has found
And found in Thee alone
The peace, the joy I sought so long,
The bliss till now unknown.
Now none but Christ can satisfy;
None other name for me.
There’s love and life and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.
The Four shouts of God
Death & Resurrection - 2 pillars of our faith
Christ spoke seven times from the Cross
His last cries were “It is finished” “Into your hands…”
Then God shouted back - Psalm 18:13
God’s voice was heard in four miraculous events.
Matt. 27:45-54
1. Darkness 27:45
God's first shout
In Mark 15:25 we learn that Christ was crucified at 9 AM
Three hours of mocking and terrible pain
Christ spoke - “Father, forgive them…” Luke 23:34
To Mary: Dear woman, here is your son.” John 19:26
To John: “Here is your mother.” John 19:27
To the thief: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Mark 23:43
At 12 noon sudden darkness came over the land.
They rejected the Light, so God gave them darkness.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matt. 27:46
“I am thirsty” John 19:28
“It is finished.” John 19:30
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46
In Egypt 9th plague was darkness -for 3 days - Exodus 10:21-23
Then the firstborn son in every Egyptian family died.
At Calvary 3 hours of darkness, then God’s firstborn son died.
3 PM - As Christ’s light goes out, the suns light dawns.
What was God shouting?The one you crucified is the Light of the world
John 1:4-5, 3:18-20, 8:12, 9:5
HYMN - THE WHOLE WORLD WAS LOST…
2. The Torn Curtain 27:50-51
God’s second shout
It hung between the Holy Place in the temple and the Holy of Holies.
Exodus 26:31-34 The curtain meant separation.
Torn from top to bottom meant that God did the tearing.
It must have made a lot of noise.
Josephus - curtain was 60 feet high, 4 inches thick, and very heavy.
Was it torn for God to get out, or for Christ to get in? Neither.
To open the way for us - Heb. 10:19-22
The veil of His flesh had to be rent for the temple curtain to tear.
God was shouting: The one you crucified is the only way to Me.
John 14:6 “I am the way…no one comes to the Father but by me”
JIMMIE DEYOUNG AND ACTS 6:7 - He states that many priests were saved after seeing the torn curtain, and the open way to God.
HYMN - “I’ve found a way through the blood past the veil…”
3. The Earthquake and Rocks Split Matt. 25:51
God’s third shout
Earthquake a sign of God’s anger; like a dog shaking a rat.
Main purpose was to split the rocks; Gk. Huge boulders
What was God shouting with this miracle?
The one you crucified is the Rock that you have rent I Cor. 10:3
HYMN: ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME
ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND
The Jewish foundation was shaken; a new structure, the church, would be built in its place.
1 Peter 2:4-8
4. The Opened Tombs and Risen Saints Matt. 27:52
God’s fourth shout
Who are these holy people? Saints
O.T. saints buried in the Jerusalem cemetery? King David?
Or New Testament saints who died before the Cross?
Did Joseph appear to Mary? Not buried in Jerusalem?
Simeon? Ana? Others?
What was the significance of this?
A foretaste of resurrection, without resurrected bodies
Three days later, they appeared to great excitement among believers.
How long did they appear? Probably a short time .
What happened to them? Went back to tombs.
What was God shouting with this miracle?
The one you crucified is the resurrection and the life.
Peter in Acts 3:15 “You killed the author of life.”
John 11:25 Christ states: “I am the resurrection and the life…”
Paul confirms this in 1 Cor. 10:20-22.
But Christ had to die to give us life.
HYMN: I SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR
HYMN: BECAUSE HE LIVES I CAN FACE TOMORROW
The centurion: “Truly this was the Son of God”
God shouted: The one you rejected and crucified is the light of the world, the only way into my presence, the solid rock foundation for life and the church, and the resurrection and the life.