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Colossians 1:15-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Our text for this morning as we continue our verse-by-verse exposition of Paul's letter to the church at Colossae.
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! Colossians 1.
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15-20.
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So please join me there in your copy of God's Word.
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I'll begin reading in verse 15.
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He, being Jesus Christ, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,
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for by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
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whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.
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All things were created through Him and for Him.
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And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
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And He is the head of the body, the church.
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He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.
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For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
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and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things,
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whether on earth or in heaven,
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making peace by the blood of His cross.
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This is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Beloved, this is a precious, precious book.
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Every bit of it, all 66 books that we contain within the Bible,
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what we call the Scriptures,
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God's holy writ,
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is a great, great gift to us.
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Rightly, we should come to it expectant.
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We should invest ourselves in it as followers of Jesus Christ
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because this entire book gives testimony about Him.
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In Luke 24-27, you can read the account of Jesus' appearance
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to two of the disciples after His resurrection.
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And the record says,
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"...and beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
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He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures
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the things concerning Himself."
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The Old Testament, what they had in that day,
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was about Jesus Christ.
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In John 5-39, Jesus says of the Scriptures,
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"...it is they that bear witness about Me."
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Of all the Bible's teaching concerning Jesus,
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perhaps none is more significant
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than the text before us today.
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And I'm feeling the weight of that.
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This is a precious, precious text.
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The reality of who Jesus is demands our obedience.
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If we are to say that we are disciples of Jesus Christ,
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that we are followers of Jesus.
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We're not simply saying that we're following a mere man
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who taught good things,
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but that we're following God Himself.
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It demands our obedience as such.
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The reality of who Jesus is
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makes sure the promises of God.
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Those promises that we should know
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and should hold to and so rarely do,
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but just the same.
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Those promises that are of such great comfort
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and motivation for the Christian life
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find their yes in Jesus.
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2 Corinthians 1.20, Paul says,
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"...for all the promises of God."
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All.
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Every single one of the promises of God
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find their yes in Jesus Christ.
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What an amazing thing.
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You may be interested to know
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that the vision statement for our church
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is based largely on these verses.
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It's up here behind me.
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Christ Family Church exists to glorify God
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by experiencing, proclaiming, and displaying
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the supremacy of Jesus Christ
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in all things to all peoples.
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And you may ask,
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is that really the thing the church
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is meant to be about?
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The supremacy of Jesus Christ?
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The question has been asked,
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should not the great thing
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we should be experiencing,
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proclaiming, and displaying
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is the love of God?
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I would say that is a subservient thing
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that we teach to the supremacy
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of Jesus Christ.
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Why is Jesus Christ supreme?
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Because of His great display
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of God's redemptive purposes in the world,
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which is God's love.
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Comes up underneath,
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motivates, and carries that along.
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These verses are what's going through
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our minds and hearts
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as we come up with the vision statement
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for the church.
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Note that the focus
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of this cosmic Christological hymn,
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which I'll explain in a moment,
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is the preeminence,
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or we could say supremacy,
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of Jesus Christ.
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The very focus of the entire thing
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is the preeminence of Jesus Christ.
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The last couple of weeks,
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you've heard me refer to it
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as a cosmic Christological hymn.
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Scholars debate this,
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but likely verses 15-18 at least,
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but some would say verses 15-20,
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are believed that Paul is citing
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a modern hymn to their day,
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or some confession.
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There's some incredibly interesting
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arguments made to this,
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although I will not bore you with them,
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with my explanation of them,
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at least this morning.
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They consist primarily of
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a sentence structure comparisons.
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And I'll stop there
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because you're already glazing over.
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But likely, at very least,
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verses 15-18
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were a hymn of that day.
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And Paul is therefore citing
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these great truths
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in order to correct
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some of the misunderstanding
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that's happening
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in the church of Colossae.
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We don't know exactly
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what the heresy was,
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although if you read
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some commentators,
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they seem to have figured it all out.
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But, it would seem
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that it has something to do
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with whether or not
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Jesus Christ was, in fact, God.
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And so Paul brings this text
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to bear to address
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that very, very issue.
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Now, either way,
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whether or not it's a hymn
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or just simply Paul's writing,
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it doesn't really matter.
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Just the same,
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the focus is the preeminence
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or supremacy of Jesus Christ.
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Notice the last part of verse 18,
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that in everything He might be
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preeminent, supreme,
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first in all things.
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Paul states this reality elsewhere.
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Philippians 2, 9-11
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is a good example of this.
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Where he writes,
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God has highly exalted Him
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and bestowed on Him
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the name that is above every name.
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So that the name of Jesus,
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every knee should bow
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in heaven and on earth
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and under the earth,
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and every tongue confess
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that Jesus Christ is Lord
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to the glory of God the Father.
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There is this real thing
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that's taking place
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that Jesus is in fact
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exalted above all things.
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Whether we recognize that or not,
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He is the Lord of all things.
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So these are weighty matters,
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weighty truths before us today.
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If we rightly understand
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who Jesus is,
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we must make some type
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of response to it.
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You can't simply know this
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and not have it change
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who you are.
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So how should we consider
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the truths contained
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within this text this morning?
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The Puritan John Owen
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wrote in his book entitled
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The Glory of Christ
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the following.
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Listen carefully
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as I read this to you
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and I quote,
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The revelation made of Christ
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in the blessed gospel
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is far more excellent,
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more glorious,
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more filled with rays
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of divine wisdom and goodness
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that the whole creation
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and the just comprehension of it
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if attainable
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can contain or afford.
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Without this knowledge,
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the mind of man
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priding itself
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in other inventions
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and discoveries
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is wrapped up
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in darkness
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and confusion.
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This therefore deserves
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the severest of our thoughts,
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the best of our meditations,
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and our utmost diligence
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in them.
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For if our future blessedness
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shall consist
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in living where He is
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and beholding His glory,
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what better preparation
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can there be for it
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than a constant previous
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contemplation of that glory
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as revealed in the gospel?
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That by a view of it
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we may gradually transform
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into the same glory.
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His encouragement is that
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we ought to be consistently
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and constantly
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giving a great deal
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of attention in our minds
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to who Jesus is.
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It is my job as a preacher
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not to boil down
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a text for you
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and to give you
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some trite little phrase
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that you can walk away with
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to access at any given moment.
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This is not the job
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of the preacher
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of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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To set this down before you
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and simplify it for you
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in such a way
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that you could print the saying
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on a t-shirt
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or put it on a sticker
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on the back of your car.
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My job as a preacher
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is to draw you up
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into who God is.
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Who Jesus Christ is to us.
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That you might rightly
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come to the Scriptures
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and understand them
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and how it is
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that they affect your lives.
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And this is the task
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before us today.
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That's my job.
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Your job is to listen
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and take notes
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and try to comprehend
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everything I'm about to say
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in the next, I hope, 30 minutes.
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Right?
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But let me kind of help you
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frame up what we're going
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to do together in this text.
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I want to show you
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Christ's preeminence.
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Why He is preeminent.
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Why He should be held as supreme.
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First in all things
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with four points.
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Firstly, Jesus Christ
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is preeminent
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because He is God.
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Verses 15 and 19.
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I'm going to come back to these
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so don't worry about scribbling now.
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Jesus Christ is preeminent
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because He is God.
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Secondly, Jesus Christ
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is preeminent
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because He is the Lord
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of the universe.
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Verses 16 and 17.
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Thirdly, Jesus Christ
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is preeminent
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because He is the head
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of the church.
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Verse 18.
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And lastly, Jesus Christ
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is preeminent
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because of His redemptive work.
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We find that in verse 20.
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So firstly,
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Jesus Christ
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is preeminent
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because
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He is God.
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Verse 15,
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He is the image
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of the invisible
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God.
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This word for Greek
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image
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is icon.
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It's the word we get
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icon from
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in our English language.
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It means image
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or likeness.
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Now the Scriptures
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refer to man
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as the icon of God,
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but we are not
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perfectly so.
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Much like a
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shattered piece of glass
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returns a poor reflection,
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because of sin,
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our image-bearing capacity
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has been damaged.
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There are still
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some qualities
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about mankind
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that are reflective
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of who God is.
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But it has been spoiled.
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It has been altered.
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But Jesus
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is both
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the perfect
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representation
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and
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manifestation
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of God.
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A great parallel text
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is found at the beginning
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of Hebrews 1.
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The first part of
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verse 3
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reads,
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He,
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being Jesus Christ,
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is the radiance
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of the glory of God
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and the exact imprint
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of His nature.
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Christ
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shines forth
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God's attributes
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as the sun
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gives light
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and heat
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to the earth.
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This is what we go to.
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This is what we want
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to see
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and access.
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This is
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God-made
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flesh
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living amongst us.
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The Word of God.
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Lagos.
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A manifestation
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of who He
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is.
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Jesus
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is
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God.
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John 1.1
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in the beginning
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was the Word
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and the Word
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was with God
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and the Word
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was God.
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He is the
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icon,
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the image
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or likeness
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of God.
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Paul proceeds
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to describe Jesus
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as the
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proto...
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I'm going to mess this up.
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I wrote it out
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phonetically
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so that I wouldn't
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and I still did.
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Prototakis.
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The firstborn.
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The firstborn
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of all creation.
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Now,
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while this word
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can certainly mean
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chronologically
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first in a family,
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born first
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in that way,
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it refers primarily
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to position
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or to rank.
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Now,
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from the Arians
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of the early church
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to the Jehovah's
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witnesses of our day,
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those who seek
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to repudiate
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the deity
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of Jesus Christ
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refer to this phrase.
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This is often
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their go-to phrase.
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Don't you see?
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Colossians 1.15
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says that Jesus
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is the firstborn
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of all creation.
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This must mean
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that He was a
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created thing.
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He can't possibly
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be God
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is the argument
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they would make.
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But they fail
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completely
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to both
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understand
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the Word itself
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and what it
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typically means
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and how it is used
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in the Scriptures
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as well as
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its context.
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Look at the rest
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of our passage
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for today.
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They fail to note
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the following
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two verses
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in which Paul
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presents Jesus
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as the Lord
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of the universe.
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Specifically,
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verse 17,
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and He is
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before
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all
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things.
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He made
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all things.
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He was not
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created.
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He is the
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Creator.
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Creator.
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So when Paul
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describes Jesus
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as the firstborn,
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he's simply
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saying He
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is
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preeminent.
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He is
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supreme.
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He holds
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the highest
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position
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possible
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in all
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of
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the universe.
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Not created.
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He is
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the
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Creator.
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In verse 19,
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Paul says,
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for in Him
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all the
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fullness
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of God
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was
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pleased
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to dwell.
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And I love
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that phrasing
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that He
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was
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ample
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to the
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task.
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God
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was
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pleased
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to
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manifest
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Himself
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in
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Jesus
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Christ.
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Jesus
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is
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where
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all
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that
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can
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be
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known
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or
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experienced
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of God
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is to
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be
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found.
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That is
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why Jesus
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was able
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to say
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in John
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14,
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9,
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whoever
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has
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seen
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me
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has
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seen
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the
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Father.
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So
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Jesus
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Christ
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is
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preeminent
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because
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He
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is
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God.
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Secondly,
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Jesus
15:28
Christ
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is
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preeminent
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because
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He
15:30
is
15:30
the
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Lord
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of the
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universe.
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Because
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He
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is
15:35
the
15:35
Lord
15:35
of the
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universe.
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For
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by Him
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all
15:38
things
15:38
were
15:38
created
15:39
in
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heaven
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and
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on
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earth,
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visible
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and
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invisible,
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whether
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thrones
15:42
or
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dominions
15:43
or
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rulers
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or
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authorities,
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all
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things
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were
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created
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through
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Him
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and
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for
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Him.
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And
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He
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is
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before
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all
15:49
things
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and
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in
15:50
Him
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all
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things
15:51
hold
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together.
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Jesus
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Christ
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is
15:55
the
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preeminent
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creator
15:57
of
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all
15:58
things.
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This
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includes
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everything.
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This list
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that Paul
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gives to
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us or
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that he's
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accessing
16:03
from some
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hymn
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of the
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day
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just
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includes
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everything.
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It means
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everything.
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Everything
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that ever
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was made
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was made
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by
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Jesus
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Christ.
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Everything
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that we
16:15
can see
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and everything
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that we
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cannot
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see
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were created
16:18
by
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Christ
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for
16:20
Christ.
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Christ.
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This
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is such
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a
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magnificent
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thought
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and it
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should
16:25
capture
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our
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minds.
16:26
I
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know
16:27
that
16:27
so
16:27
many
16:27
of
16:27
us
16:27
process
16:28
information
16:29
differently
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but it's
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amazing
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to me
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to think
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about
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the
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reality
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that
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Jesus
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Christ
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created
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all
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things.
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We
16:37
do
16:37
some
16:38
catechizing
16:38
with
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our
16:39
children
16:39
and I
16:40
love
16:41
right
16:41
now
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Judah's
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getting
16:43
the
16:44
answer
16:44
wrong
16:45
kind
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of
16:46
when I
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say
16:47
to both
16:48
of the
16:48
boys
16:48
who
16:49
made
16:49
you
16:49
and
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Cate
16:50
says
16:50
God
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which
16:51
is
16:51
the
16:52
answer
16:52
that
16:52
we've
16:52
taught
16:52
them
16:53
to
16:53
say
16:53
and
16:54
Judah
16:54
says
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Jesus
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and I
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like
16:56
that
16:56
answer
16:56
it's
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such
16:57
a
16:57
good
16:57
answer
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Judah
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knows
16:59
his
16:59
Colossians
16:59
1
17:00
15
17:00
through
17:00
20
17:01
I
17:01
think
17:02
rather
17:02
well
17:02
both
17:03
are
17:03
certainly
17:03
true
17:04
answers
17:04
to
17:04
the
17:04
question
17:05
I
17:06
like
17:07
the
17:07
three
17:08
year
17:08
old
17:08
mind
17:08
I
17:09
don't
17:09
even
17:09
know
17:09
if
17:09
he
17:09
knows
17:09
what
17:09
he's
17:10
saying
17:10
to
17:10
me
17:10
I
17:11
I'm
17:11
!
17:11
sure
17:11
he
17:19
things
17:20
were
17:20
made
17:20
through
17:20
him
17:21
and
17:21
without
17:21
him
17:22
was
17:22
not
17:22
anything
17:23
made
17:24
that
17:24
was
17:25
made
17:26
the
17:26
entire
17:27
universe
17:27
created
17:28
by him
17:28
and
17:29
for
17:29
him
17:30
in
17:31
2012
17:31
a
17:33
picture
17:33
was
17:33
released
17:33
that
17:34
the
17:34
Hubble
17:34
Space
17:34
Telescope
17:34
had
17:35
captured
17:35
which
17:36
I
17:36
just
17:36
really
17:36
encourage
17:36
you
17:37
to
17:37
look
17:37
at
17:37
this
17:37
it's
17:37
amazing
17:38
which
17:38
was
17:38
the
17:39
farthest
17:39
ever
17:39
view
17:40
into
17:40
the
17:40
universe
17:41
a
17:42
photo
17:42
that
17:42
reveals
17:43
thousands
17:43
of
17:44
galaxies
17:44
billions
17:45
of
17:45
light
17:46
years
17:46
away
17:46
they
17:47
honed
17:47
in
17:47
one
17:48
particular
17:48
snapshot
17:50
of
17:50
the
17:50
universe
17:51
and
17:51
there's
17:51
thousands
17:52
of
17:52
galaxies
17:52
billions
17:53
of
17:54
light
17:54
years
17:54
away
17:55
if
17:55
you
17:55
care
17:55
to
17:56
look
17:56
it
17:56
up
17:56
it's
17:56
called
17:56
the
17:57
extreme
17:57
deep
17:57
field
17:58
or
17:58
XDF
17:59
and
17:59
it
18:00
combines
18:00
ten
18:00
years
18:01
of
18:01
images
18:01
of
18:01
this
18:01
portion
18:02
of
18:02
the
18:02
sky
18:02
that
18:02
the
18:03
light
18:03
so
18:03
faint
18:04
that
18:04
they
18:04
layered
18:05
and
18:05
layered
18:05
and
18:05
layered
18:06
and
18:06
layered
18:06
and
18:06
layered
18:06
these
18:06
images
18:07
together
18:07
to
18:08
get
18:08
this
18:08
very
18:08
vivid
18:09
picture
18:10
of
18:10
what
18:10
these
18:11
galaxies
18:17
all of
18:18
that
18:18
by the
18:19
power
18:19
of
18:19
his
18:19
word
18:20
he
18:20
made
18:21
all
18:21
of
18:21
this
18:21
everything
18:22
that
18:22
you
18:22
can
18:23
see
18:23
and
18:23
everything
18:23
that
18:24
you
18:24
cannot
18:24
see
18:24
Jesus
18:25
Christ
18:25
made
18:26
Jesus
18:28
Christ
18:28
is
18:28
preeminent
18:29
as he
18:30
was
18:30
before
18:31
all
18:31
things
18:32
verse
18:32
17
18:32
says
18:33
and he
18:33
is
18:33
before
18:34
all
18:34
things
18:35
Jesus
18:36
says
18:36
to
18:37
the
18:37
Jews
18:37
in
18:37
John
18:37
8
18:38
58
18:38
Jesus
18:39
said
18:40
to
18:40
them
18:40
truly
18:40
truly
18:40
I
18:41
say
18:41
to
18:41
you
18:41
before
18:42
Abraham
18:43
was
18:43
I
18:45
am
18:45
Jesus
18:46
Christ
18:47
is
18:47
eternal
18:48
eternal
18:49
in the
18:49
past
18:50
and
18:50
eternal
18:50
in
18:51
the
18:51
future
18:52
there
18:52
was
18:52
never
18:53
a
18:53
time
18:53
in
18:54
which
18:54
Jesus
18:54
Christ
18:55
did
18:55
not
18:56
exist
18:57
him
18:58
stating
18:59
before
19:00
Abraham
19:00
was
19:01
I
19:02
am
19:02
as a
19:02
reference
19:02
to
19:03
Exodus
19:03
3
19:03
14
19:04
it's
19:04
the
19:04
first
19:04
time
19:05
that
19:05
God
19:05
gives
19:06
his
19:06
name
19:06
to
19:07
mankind
19:08
it's
19:08
when
19:09
he
19:09
meets
19:09
Moses
19:10
the
19:10
burning
19:11
bush
19:11
and
19:11
he
19:11
tells
19:11
Moses
19:12
to
19:12
go
19:12
back
19:13
to
19:13
Pharaoh
19:13
and
19:14
to
19:14
ask
19:14
Pharaoh
19:15
to
19:15
set
19:15
free
19:15
his
19:16
people
19:16
right
19:17
so
19:17
here's
19:18
Moses
19:18
trembling
19:19
in
19:19
front
19:19
of
19:20
certainly
19:20
the
19:21
creator
19:21
of
19:21
the
19:22
universe
19:22
right
19:23
in
19:23
this
19:23
bush
19:23
that's
19:24
burning
19:24
but
19:24
not
19:24
being
19:25
consumed
19:25
and
19:26
he
19:26
simply
19:26
wants
19:27
to
19:27
know
19:27
who
19:27
should
19:27
I
19:27
tell
19:28
him
19:28
sent
19:28
me
19:28
please
19:29
tell
19:29
me
19:29
something
19:30
that
19:30
I
19:30
can
19:30
tell
19:30
them
19:31
!
19:32
because
19:32
this
19:32
whole
19:32
burning
19:32
bush
19:33
thing
19:33
is
19:33
not
19:33
going
19:33
to
19:33
make
19:33
a lot
19:33
of
19:34
sense
19:34
to
19:34
them
19:34
verse
19:36
14
19:36
God
19:36
said
19:37
to
19:37
Moses
19:37
I
19:38
am
19:39
who
19:40
I
19:40
am
19:41
and
19:41
he
19:41
said
19:42
say
19:42
this
19:42
to
19:42
the
19:42
people
19:42
of
19:43
Israel
19:43
I
19:44
am
19:44
has
19:45
sent
19:45
me
19:45
to
19:46
you
19:46
you
19:47
have
19:47
ever
19:47
heard
19:47
the
19:47
Hebrew
19:48
name
19:49
for
19:49
God
19:49
Yahweh
19:50
that's
19:51
what
19:51
this
19:51
is
19:51
this
19:52
self
19:52
existent
19:53
phrase
19:54
right
19:55
you've
19:55
heard
19:55
me
19:55
say
19:55
many
19:55
times
19:56
before
19:56
!
19:57
everything
19:57
plugs
19:58
into
19:58
God
19:59
he
19:59
plugs
19:59
into
19:59
nothing
20:00
right
20:00
he's
20:01
self
20:01
existent
20:01
self
20:02
generating
20:03
he
20:03
has
20:03
always
20:04
existed
20:05
and
20:06
this
20:06
makes
20:07
Christ
20:08
preeminent
20:09
first
20:10
before
20:10
all
20:10
things
20:11
Jesus
20:12
Christ
20:12
is
20:12
preeminent
20:13
as
20:14
the
20:14
sustainer
20:15
of
20:16
all
20:16
things
20:17
further
20:17
in
20:17
verse
20:17
17
20:18
and
20:18
in
20:19
him
20:19
all
20:20
things
20:21
hold
20:22
together
20:23
have
20:24
ever thought
20:25
about
20:25
what
20:26
keeps
20:27
you
20:27
in
20:27
your
20:27
shape
20:28
what
20:30
causes
20:31
the
20:31
atoms
20:32
that
20:32
make
20:32
up
20:32
your
20:32
body
20:33
to
20:33
bond
20:33
in
20:34
the
20:34
way
20:34
that
20:35
they
20:35
bond
20:35
science
20:36
gives
20:36
some
20:37
explanation
20:37
to
20:38
this
20:38
but
20:38
certainly
20:39
not
20:39
an
20:39
adequate
20:39
one
20:40
what
20:41
holds
20:41
Nathan
20:42
in
20:42
the
20:42
shape
20:43
of
20:44
Nathan
20:44
Jesus
20:45
Christ
20:46
we
20:46
talk
20:46
a lot
20:47
about
20:47
the
20:47
shape
20:47
I'm
20:48
in
20:48
I'd
20:49
like
20:49
to
20:49
be
20:49
in
20:49
a
20:49
different
20:50
shape
20:50
sometimes
20:51
right
20:52
Hebrews
20:53
1
20:53
3
20:53
again
20:54
says
20:54
that
20:55
Jesus
20:55
Christ
20:55
upholds
20:56
the
20:57
universe
20:57
by
20:58
the
20:58
word
20:59
of
20:59
his
21:00
power
21:00
he
21:01
simply
21:01
speaks
21:02
and
21:03
things
21:03
happen
21:04
he
21:04
says
21:05
to
21:05
a
21:05
planet
21:05
go
21:06
in
21:06
this
21:07
orbit
21:07
and
21:08
because
21:08
he
21:08
is
21:08
the
21:08
lord
21:09
of
21:09
the
21:09
universe
21:09
that
21:10
happens
21:10
until
21:11
he
21:11
says
21:11
something
21:12
else
21:13
swayed
21:15
by
21:15
the
21:15
very
21:15
power
21:16
of
21:16
his
21:17
word
21:17
!
21:19
only
21:19
is
21:19
the
21:19
universe
21:19
created
21:20
by
21:20
him
21:20
and
21:20
set
21:21
into
21:21
motion
21:22
by
21:22
him
21:22
but
21:23
it
21:23
is
21:23
sustained
21:24
by
21:25
him
21:25
if
21:26
he
21:26
were
21:26
to
21:26
cease
21:27
to
21:27
exist
21:27
or
21:27
decide
21:28
to
21:28
quit
21:28
in
21:29
his
21:29
sustaining
21:29
work
21:30
all
21:30
things
21:31
would
21:31
cease
21:32
to
21:32
exist
21:33
everything
21:34
in the
21:35
universe
21:35
is
21:36
made
21:36
of
21:36
atoms
21:37
Do you
21:37
remember
21:37
this?
21:38
Protons?
21:38
Electrons?
21:39
!
21:39
Neutrons?
21:40
We
21:40
learned
21:41
some
21:41
things
21:41
about
21:42
this
21:42
in our
21:42
science
21:43
class
21:43
scientists
21:45
have
21:45
labored
21:46
absolutely
21:48
driven
21:48
hard
21:49
over the
21:49
past
21:49
century
21:50
to
21:50
explain
21:51
away
21:51
the
21:52
existence
21:52
of
21:53
God
21:53
for
21:54
many
21:55
they've
21:55
done
21:55
an
21:55
adequate
21:55
task
21:56
of
21:56
that
21:56
but
21:57
they
21:57
have
21:57
failed
21:58
to
21:58
explain
21:58
how
21:59
it
21:59
is
21:59
that
22:00
the
22:00
atom
22:01
remains
22:02
in
22:02
its
22:03
state
22:03
they
22:04
do
22:04
not
22:05
know
22:05
they
22:05
do
22:06
not
22:06
understand
22:07
why
22:08
and
22:08
how
22:08
a
22:08
single
22:09
atom
22:09
exists
22:10
the
22:10
way
22:11
that
22:11
it
22:11
does
22:11
that
22:12
the
22:12
orbits
22:12
happen
22:13
that
22:13
the
22:13
spacing
22:14
is
22:14
just
22:14
as
22:15
it
22:15
should
22:15
be
22:15
they
22:15
cannot
22:16
explain
22:17
it
22:17
in
22:19
fact
22:20
they
22:20
have
22:20
a
22:20
phrase
22:21
for
22:21
this
22:21
let me see if I can find it real quick
22:22
the strong
22:24
nuclear force
22:25
it's a mystery
22:27
the strong
22:28
nuclear
22:29
force
22:30
Carl K. Darrow
22:31
a physicist
22:32
cited a book entitled
22:33
The Atom Speaks
22:34
in reference to what
22:36
scientists are calling
22:37
this strong
22:38
nuclear force
22:39
he says
22:39
and I quote
22:40
do you grasp
22:41
what this implies
22:42
it implies
22:44
that all
22:45
the nuclei
22:45
have no
22:46
right to be
22:47
alive
22:47
at all
22:48
indeed
22:49
they should
22:49
never have
22:50
been created
22:50
and if
22:51
created
22:51
they should
22:52
have blown
22:52
up
22:52
instantly
22:53
yet here
22:54
they all
22:54
are
22:54
some inflexible
22:56
inhibition
22:57
is holding
22:57
them relentlessly
22:58
together
22:59
the nature
23:00
of the
23:01
inhibition
23:01
is also
23:02
a secret
23:02
one
23:03
thus far
23:04
reserved
23:04
by nature
23:05
herself
23:06
science
23:08
can't answer
23:08
this question
23:09
but the bible
23:10
has
23:11
the strong
23:12
nuclear force
23:13
is jesus christ
23:15
and the word
23:16
of his power
23:17
so i'll start
23:18
calling him that
23:19
the strong
23:19
nuclear force
23:20
that is jesus
23:23
he holds it
23:23
all
23:24
together
23:25
so he's preeminent
23:28
because he is god
23:28
and he is preeminent
23:30
because he is the lord
23:31
of the universe
23:33
thirdly jesus christ
23:35
is preeminent
23:36
because he is
23:37
the head
23:38
of the church
23:39
verse 18
23:40
you see how paul's
23:43
logic is kind of
23:44
working down
23:45
hierarchy
23:46
working down
23:48
jesus christ
23:48
is preeminent
23:49
because he is
23:49
the head
23:50
of the church
23:51
and he is the head
23:52
of the body
23:52
verse 18
23:53
the church
23:53
he's the beginning
23:54
the firstborn
23:55
from the dead
23:56
and then the
23:57
axiomatic statement
23:59
that in everything
24:00
he might be
24:01
preeminent
24:02
he is
24:03
the head
24:04
of the body
24:05
there are many
24:06
metaphors in the new
24:07
testament used to
24:08
describe the church
24:09
it's called a family
24:10
a kingdom
24:12
a vineyard
24:12
a flock
24:13
a building
24:15
and a bride
24:16
but none is more
24:18
helpful in our
24:18
understanding of its
24:19
form and function
24:20
than that of a body
24:22
made of many parts
24:24
with jesus christ
24:25
as the head
24:26
all of us
24:27
with our varying
24:28
gifting
24:29
meant to work
24:30
together
24:31
all underneath
24:32
the lordship
24:33
of jesus
24:34
christ
24:35
this metaphor
24:37
helps us to see
24:38
the church
24:38
as a living
24:39
organism
24:39
inseparably tied
24:41
together with
24:42
life and mission
24:44
by the living
24:44
christ
24:45
he controls
24:46
every part of
24:47
it
24:47
he coordinates
24:48
together the
24:48
diversity
24:49
of gifting
24:50
and ministry
24:52
he does not
24:53
merely
24:54
just save
24:55
the church
24:55
but he is
24:56
the head
24:57
of the church
24:58
the great promise
24:59
of matthew 28
25:00
and lo
25:01
i am with you
25:02
even to the end
25:03
of the age
25:04
this is not
25:06
our church
25:07
this is
25:08
christ's
25:09
church
25:10
and we serve
25:11
him
25:11
as such
25:13
paul states
25:15
that he is the
25:15
beginning
25:17
the originator
25:18
of the church
25:20
the greek word
25:22
used there for
25:23
beginning
25:23
has a two-fold
25:24
sense of
25:25
both source
25:26
and primacy
25:27
right
25:28
that it came
25:28
from him
25:29
and that he
25:30
continues to
25:31
remain in
25:32
charge of
25:33
that things
25:33
the church
25:34
emanates
25:35
from out
25:36
from him
25:37
as a result
25:38
of him being
25:38
the source
25:39
in ephesians
25:41
1 4 paul
25:41
states that
25:42
god chose
25:43
us in christ
25:44
before the
25:45
foundation
25:46
of the world
25:48
that jesus christ
25:49
is not some
25:50
plan b
25:51
right it pains
25:53
me when people
25:53
talk about god's
25:54
original intention
25:56
and how we
25:57
got the better
25:58
of him
25:58
our power
25:59
over him
26:00
and now he's
26:00
he's brought
26:01
in the second
26:01
string
26:02
well jesus
26:03
i thought for
26:04
all eternity
26:05
you were just
26:05
going to get
26:05
to sit on a
26:06
throne
26:06
but guess
26:07
what i've
26:08
got to send
26:08
you to earth
26:09
to redeem
26:09
my people
26:10
right
26:10
the church
26:12
the way in
26:12
which god
26:13
is displaying
26:14
himself to
26:14
the world
26:15
was always
26:15
his original
26:17
intent
26:18
now let that
26:20
bake your
26:20
noodle
26:20
i would encourage
26:21
you not
26:22
to do so
26:23
to not
26:24
play too much
26:25
with the tension
26:26
between god's
26:26
sovereign purposes
26:27
in the world
26:28
and the way in
26:29
which we choose
26:30
and act and are
26:30
held responsible
26:31
for the things
26:32
that we do
26:32
but ephesians
26:33
1 4 says
26:34
that we were
26:35
chose as the
26:36
church in christ
26:37
before the
26:38
foundation of the
26:39
world before
26:39
anything was
26:40
ever created
26:41
that was created
26:42
we were chosen
26:43
in him
26:43
mind-blowing
26:44
amazing
26:45
amazing
26:46
truth
26:47
he is the
26:47
beginning
26:48
the originator
26:49
of the church
26:50
he is the
26:51
firstborn
26:53
from the
26:54
dead
26:54
here again
26:55
we see that
26:56
word that i
26:56
butchered earlier
26:57
so i'm not
26:57
going to pronounce
26:58
it again
26:58
but firstborn
27:00
of all those
27:02
who have ever
27:03
been raised
27:04
from the dead
27:04
he is of
27:05
the highest
27:06
rank
27:07
this is what
27:07
he's saying
27:08
those of us
27:08
who have come
27:09
to life
27:10
in christ
27:11
worship christ
27:12
because he
27:13
is
27:13
preeminent
27:14
so he's
27:16
preeminent
27:16
because he's
27:17
god
27:17
he's preeminent
27:17
because he is
27:18
the lord
27:18
of the universe
27:20
he is preeminent
27:21
because he is
27:22
the head
27:22
of the church
27:24
and fourthly
27:25
jesus christ
27:27
is preeminent
27:28
because of his
27:29
redemptive
27:30
work
27:31
verse 20 says
27:32
and through him
27:33
to reconcile
27:35
to himself
27:35
all things
27:36
whether on earth
27:37
or in heaven
27:38
making peace
27:39
by the blood
27:40
of his cross
27:41
this phrase
27:44
reconcile
27:45
to himself
27:46
demands our
27:48
attention
27:48
should draw
27:49
us in
27:49
to consider
27:50
this idea
27:51
of
27:52
reconciliation
27:53
there are
27:54
many ways
27:55
in which
27:55
our salvation
27:56
is explained
27:57
in the scripture
27:58
ways that we
28:00
are meant
28:00
to understand
28:01
to really
28:02
get what
28:03
jesus christ
28:03
has done
28:04
on our
28:05
behalf
28:05
the bible
28:06
says that
28:07
we are
28:07
justified
28:08
in christ
28:09
that prior
28:11
to christ
28:11
we stood
28:12
before god
28:12
guilty
28:13
and condemned
28:14
but instead
28:16
having placed
28:17
saving faith
28:17
in christ
28:18
we're declared
28:18
righteous
28:20
we are
28:21
redeemed
28:22
we're described
28:23
as god's
28:23
redeemed
28:24
ones
28:24
in the scriptures
28:25
that we
28:26
before christ
28:27
stood before
28:28
god as a
28:29
slave
28:30
but we've been
28:30
granted freedom
28:31
in him
28:32
the scriptures
28:34
say that we are
28:35
forgiven
28:35
we once stood
28:37
before god
28:38
as a debtor
28:39
but the debt
28:40
has been paid
28:41
and forgotten
28:42
the bible
28:44
describes us
28:45
as adopted
28:46
we once stood
28:47
before god
28:48
as strangers
28:49
but we have
28:50
now been made
28:51
sons with all
28:52
the rights
28:53
that come with
28:54
that
28:54
but perhaps
28:56
the richest
28:56
of these
28:57
explanations
28:57
is that
28:58
of reconciliation
28:59
reconciliation
29:01
if we have
29:03
placed saving
29:03
faith in christ
29:04
we have been
29:05
reconciled
29:06
to god
29:07
we once
29:08
stood before
29:09
god
29:10
as his
29:11
enemies
29:11
and that
29:14
should cause
29:14
us rightly
29:15
understanding
29:15
who god
29:16
is
29:16
lord of
29:18
the universe
29:19
with the
29:19
holy standard
29:20
to tremble
29:21
before him
29:22
to fear him
29:23
that we would
29:24
be enemies
29:25
of the creator
29:26
is the thing
29:28
to be greatly
29:29
greatly feared
29:30
that's the
29:32
bad news
29:33
that the scripture
29:34
teaches to us
29:35
but the good news
29:36
teaches us
29:36
that if we place
29:37
our saving faith
29:37
in christ
29:38
we have been
29:40
made god's
29:41
friends
29:42
it's incredible
29:44
the greek word
29:46
for reconcile
29:46
means to
29:48
change in
29:49
relationship
29:49
we were once
29:51
one thing
29:52
now we are
29:53
another thing
29:55
we've moved
29:56
in position
29:57
all together
29:58
right
29:59
we've changed
30:00
in type
30:01
we are completely
30:03
different
30:04
once enemies
30:05
now
30:06
friends
30:07
in romans
30:09
5 10
30:09
paul says
30:10
for if we
30:11
while we were
30:11
enemies
30:12
we were
30:13
reconciled to
30:13
god by the
30:14
death of his
30:15
son much
30:15
more
30:16
now that we
30:17
are reconciled
30:17
shall we
30:18
be saved
30:19
by his
30:19
life
30:20
jesus christ
30:23
became the
30:24
enemy of god
30:25
on our
30:26
behalf
30:27
he received
30:28
the punishment
30:29
that was due
30:29
us
30:30
on our
30:31
behalf
30:31
god
30:32
turned his
30:33
back on him
30:34
and poured
30:34
out wrath
30:35
upon him
30:36
that was due
30:36
his enemies
30:38
that we might
30:39
be called
30:39
his friends
30:41
we've been
30:41
reconciled to
30:42
god if we
30:43
have believed
30:44
in christ
30:45
he has
30:47
paul goes on
30:48
to say
30:48
done this to
30:50
reconcile all
30:51
things
30:52
whether on
30:53
earth
30:53
or in
30:54
heaven
30:54
so the
30:55
scope of
30:56
his
30:56
reconciliation
30:56
doesn't rest
30:58
just with
30:59
man although
30:59
i would argue
31:00
primarily
31:01
with
31:02
mankind
31:03
in genesis
31:05
1-3
31:05
we see
31:06
that after
31:06
the world
31:06
was created
31:07
by and
31:07
for christ
31:08
that it
31:09
was very
31:10
good
31:10
and then
31:12
sin entered
31:12
the scene
31:13
and began
31:13
to destroy
31:14
and rip
31:14
apart
31:15
and and
31:16
alter
31:16
that world
31:18
all of
31:19
that goodness
31:19
was marred
31:20
by man's
31:21
sin
31:22
i am
31:24
suffering
31:25
from pollen
31:25
this month
31:26
i don't know
31:26
if you can
31:26
join me
31:27
in that
31:28
right
31:28
and every
31:29
time
31:29
somebody
31:30
says
31:30
like
31:30
why are
31:31
we all
31:31
sneezing
31:32
so much
31:32
rather than
31:32
the answer
31:33
being pollen
31:33
my answer
31:34
lately has
31:34
been sin
31:35
it's sin
31:36
that's causing
31:37
this to
31:38
happen to
31:38
me
31:39
and all
31:40
of that
31:41
will one
31:42
day be
31:42
restored
31:43
will be
31:44
reconciled
31:45
the reconciliation
31:46
of mankind
31:47
is just one
31:48
aspect of
31:49
christ's
31:50
restorative
31:51
work
31:52
there's much
31:53
debate to be
31:53
had about how
31:54
the end of
31:55
things will
31:55
come to
31:56
pass but we
31:56
do know
31:57
that they
31:57
will come
31:57
to pass
31:58
that heaven
31:59
and earth
31:59
will fade
32:00
away and be
32:01
made
32:01
new
32:02
what a
32:03
wonderful
32:04
blessing
32:04
that is
32:05
that someday
32:06
we will
32:07
live with
32:08
christ
32:09
forever
32:10
in a new
32:10
heaven
32:11
and a new
32:12
earth
32:12
there will
32:13
be work
32:14
to do
32:14
there will
32:15
be no
32:15
pollen
32:16
and we
32:18
will worship
32:18
him
32:19
for eternity
32:20
in that way
32:22
and he did
32:23
this by making
32:23
peace
32:24
by the blood
32:26
of his cross
32:27
this is the
32:28
means by
32:29
which
32:29
this reconciliation
32:30
happens
32:32
the shedding
32:32
of blood
32:33
for the
32:33
remission
32:34
of our
32:35
sins
32:36
Jesus
32:37
christ
32:37
became the
32:38
enemy of
32:38
god
32:38
and god
32:39
justly punished
32:40
him for
32:41
being such
32:41
so that we
32:42
might be
32:43
reconciled
32:44
this is the
32:45
wonderful
32:46
promise and
32:47
truth
32:47
of the
32:48
gospel
32:49
so jesus
32:51
christ is
32:51
preeminent
32:52
because he's
32:53
god
32:53
because he's
32:54
the lord of
32:55
the universe
32:55
because he's
32:56
the head of
32:56
the church
32:57
and because
32:57
of his
32:58
redemptive
32:59
work
33:00
for all
33:00
these reasons
33:01
jesus christ
33:02
is of highest
33:03
ranking
33:04
and should be
33:05
worshipped
33:05
as such
33:07
those who have
33:08
been reconciled
33:09
by his death
33:10
on the cross
33:11
rightly should
33:12
experience
33:13
proclaim
33:14
and display
33:16
his supremacy
33:17
it demands
33:18
of us
33:18
a response
33:20
beloved
33:20
this is not a
33:22
burdensome task
33:22
because he is
33:25
preeminent
33:26
not merely a
33:27
man but god
33:28
himself
33:29
that we
33:30
worship
33:31
we can cast
33:32
all of our
33:33
anxieties
33:33
and fears
33:35
our doubts
33:36
our troubles
33:37
our depression
33:38
on him
33:40
there is no
33:41
situation that
33:41
escapes his
33:42
attention
33:42
or his
33:43
power
33:44
there is no
33:45
circumstance
33:45
that surprises
33:46
him or evades
33:48
providential
33:49
control
33:49
he is our
33:51
confidence
33:51
in life
33:52
and death
33:53
he is the
33:55
reason we
33:55
can boldly
33:56
share the
33:57
good news
33:57
of his
33:58
kingdom
33:58
he is the
33:59
reason that
34:00
we can bring
34:00
our lives
34:01
into conformity
34:02
with his
34:03
the reality
34:05
of who jesus
34:05
is demands
34:06
our obedience
34:07
the reality
34:09
of who jesus
34:09
is makes
34:10
sure the
34:11
promises
34:12
of god
34:13
and so in
34:15
the words of
34:15
john owen
34:15
we should set
34:16
ourselves to
34:17
a constant
34:17
previous
34:19
contemplation
34:20
of who
34:21
jesus
34:22
is
34:23
i am
34:25
thankful
34:25
for a
34:26
church
34:27
that holds
34:28
as precious
34:29
the word
34:30
of god
34:31
this is
34:31
evidenced
34:31
in a
34:32
number
34:32
of ways
34:33
but yet
34:33
we fail
34:35
in so
34:36
many ways
34:36
to value
34:37
it the
34:38
way that
34:38
we ought
34:39
to
34:39
to hide
34:40
it away
34:40
into our
34:41
hearts
34:41
to let
34:41
it be
34:42
our
34:42
constant
34:43
meditation
34:44
and the
34:45
evidencing
34:45
of this
34:46
is the
34:46
way in
34:47
which
34:47
we deal
34:48
with
34:48
troubles
34:48
so many
34:50
troubles
34:50
and they
34:51
will come
34:51
our way
34:52
and they'll
34:52
continue to
34:52
come our
34:53
way
34:53
the way
34:54
that you
34:54
respond
34:55
to those
34:56
troubles
34:56
gives
34:57
evidence
34:58
of what
34:59
you believe
34:59
to be
35:00
true
35:00
about god
35:01
right
35:02
we have
35:03
all responded
35:04
in faith
35:04
to the
35:05
gospel
35:05
i hope
35:06
i'm
35:06
making
35:07
some broad
35:07
assumption
35:08
of everybody
35:08
in the
35:09
room
35:09
but how
35:10
readily
35:10
we turn
35:11
our gaze
35:12
away from
35:13
the gospel
35:15
right
35:16
the redemptive
35:16
work
35:17
of jesus
35:17
christ
35:18
the reality
35:18
that he
35:19
is the
35:19
head
35:19
of the
35:19
church
35:20
that he
35:20
is the
35:21
lord
35:21
of the
35:21
universe
35:21
that he
35:22
himself
35:22
is
35:23
god
35:24
we begin
35:25
to look
35:25
for the
35:26
dumbest
35:26
solutions
35:27
to our
35:28
problems
35:29
in all
35:31
cases
35:32
when i
35:33
deal with
35:33
people who
35:34
are going
35:34
through tough
35:35
times in
35:36
their life
35:36
and they
35:36
don't know
35:37
how to
35:38
access the
35:38
truth of
35:39
god
35:39
now now
35:40
hear me
35:40
we need
35:41
one another
35:41
like i
35:42
need to be
35:42
reminded
35:42
of the
35:43
truth of
35:43
the gospel
35:44
right
35:45
sometime
35:45
my sin
35:46
so blinds
35:47
me
35:47
right
35:47
to how
35:48
good god
35:48
has been
35:49
to me
35:49
in christ
35:50
that i
35:50
need people
35:51
to tell
35:51
me that
35:52
this is a
35:53
thing we
35:53
ought to be
35:53
doing to
35:54
one another
35:54
preaching the
35:55
gospel to
35:56
one another
35:57
but so
35:58
often
35:59
someone is
36:00
just oh
36:01
there's a
36:01
problem that's
36:02
going on in
36:03
their life
36:03
and you
36:04
simply say
36:04
how much
36:05
have you been
36:05
reading your
36:06
scripture
36:06
and the
36:07
answer is
36:08
little
36:08
to
36:09
none
36:10
little
36:11
to
36:12
none
36:12
because
36:13
in
36:14
this
36:14
is this
36:15
picture
36:16
of who
36:16
jesus
36:17
christ
36:17
is
36:18
right
36:19
again
36:19
draws
36:20
our
36:20
minds
36:20
and hearts
36:21
up
36:21
into
36:22
who
36:22
he
36:22
is
36:23
who
36:23
we
36:24
worship
36:24
who
36:25
we
36:25
belong
36:26
to
36:26
these
36:28
little
36:28
trifling
36:29
problems
36:29
that we
36:29
deal
36:30
with
36:30
in
36:30
our
36:30
life
36:30
fade
36:31
away
36:32
they're
36:32
no
36:32
longer
36:33
burdensome
36:34
because
36:34
we
36:34
recognize
36:35
that we
36:36
worship
36:36
the
36:37
god
36:37
of
36:38
the
36:38
universe
36:39
holds
36:40
all
36:41
things
36:41
in
36:41
his
36:42
sway
36:42
nothing
36:43
escapes
36:43
his
36:44
attention
36:44
works
36:46
all
36:47
things
36:47
for
36:48
good
36:49
this
36:51
is the
36:52
god
36:52
that
36:53
we
36:54
worship
36:54
so
36:56
in
36:56
closing
36:56
let me
36:58
remind
36:58
you of
36:59
the
36:59
words
36:59
of
37:00
John
37:00
Owen
37:00
this
37:02
therefore
37:02
deserves
37:03
the
37:04
severest
37:04
of
37:04
our
37:04
thoughts
37:05
the
37:06
best
37:06
of
37:07
our
37:07
meditations
37:07
and
37:08
our
37:09
utmost
37:09
diligence
37:10
in
37:11
them
37:11
please
37:12
join
37:12
me
37:13
in
37:13
prayer