Text: Colossians 1:14-18
Title: Prominent – or Pre-Eminent?
Jesus Christ
is a very prominent character in secular history. Most historians recognise
that Jesus has had a profound effect on our world, and that He continues to do
so today.
Jesus is
also very prominent in many churches. He is important and influential. Jesus
plays a major role in the church programs, services, ministries and messages.
Most
Christians would agree that Jesus is very important to them – He is a prominent
part of their day-to-day lives. Jesus impacts and influences them in a very
real way.
That sounds
good, doesn’t it? After all, Jesus should be an important part of our lives –
right?
No. There is something very wrong with this
picture.
You see,
Jesus should not be prominent in your life – Jesus must be pre-eminent.
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 pre-eminence.
To be pre-eminent simply means to come first.
It means to be the greatest; to be chief; to surpass
all others; to be above everything and everyone. Jesus does not want to be important to you – He wants to be everything to you. He wants to have first place in your heart. Jesus does
not want some of you, or most of you – He wants all of you.
One man came
to Jesus, and was called to follow Christ. This man said, “Lord, suffer me
first to go and bury my father.” How did Jesus respond? After all, family is
important, right? Jesus rebuked him: “Follow me; and let the dead bury their
dead… go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”
(Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:60). Jesus was not content to have second place in this
man’s heart and life – Jesus wanted to be first
and foremost. Jesus must be pre-eminent.
Friend, how
about you? Is Jesus prominent in
your heart and life – or is Jesus pre-eminent?
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Do you worship Jesus on Sunday –
or do you worship Jesus every day?
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Do you give Jesus 10% of your
possessions – or does He have it all?
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Do you witness when it is
convenient – or are you always ready
to preach the Gospel?
>
Do you make God’s work an
important priority, or is it the
important priority?
>
Do you serve God if you have the
time, or do you make time to serve
God?
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Do you fit His church into your
schedule, or do you build your schedule around
church?
Christian,
it is a sin to give God less than
100%. It is immoral to make Jesus
prominent but not pre-eminent. To put self, things or others before God is to
commit spiritual adultery.
May God help us to make Jesus pre-eminent in
our church, our homes, and our lives!
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 pre-eminence.