Sunday Recap 10-14-12

Morning: The sermon, "The Supremacy of Christ," focused on Colossians 1:15-23. Paul had prayed for the church to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, so that they would be fruitful in pleasing God. Paul transitions from his prayer for the believers in Colossae, to speaking about Jesus with these words, "For he [the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin." Paul's transition makes it clear that it is impossible to have knowledge of God's will apart from a knowledge of God's Son. In this passage, Paul demonstrates the supremacy of Christ over all things.

1. Jesus has supremacy in relationship to the Father. Paul is only saying what Jesus and others have said. Responding to a request to reveal the Father, Jesus said, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been with you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?' Don't you believe I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work" (John 14:9-10). Hebrews states, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being," (1:3a). Commentator, Richard R. Melick said, "Paul was stressing that God was present wherever Jesus was. He was the personal manifestation of God."

2. Jesus has supremacy over creation.

a. He is the "Firstborn"-refers to rank.

b. He created all things- in heaven and on earth; visible and invisible (thrones, powers, rulers, or authorities); all things were created by him and for him.

c. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

3. Jesus has supremacy over the church. He is head.

4. Jesus has supremacy over death. "Beginning and Firstborn" is about the resurrection.

5. Jesus has supremacy in pleasing God. God was pleased to have "all his fullness dwell in him"

6. Jesus has supremacy in reconciliation.

a. Through him, God reconciles the world to himself.

b. He made peace through his blood (shed on a cross)

c. He ends our alienation.

d. He presents us holy, without blemish, and without accusation.

What do we do?

1. Yield to his supremacy. Stop fighting him, start trusting him.

2. Worship him.

3. Cling to him in Faith.

4. Tell others about him.

Evening: The message, "Somebody is Praying for You," focused on Hebrews 7:23-25. In this passage, the author of Hebrews reminds us of three important truths: Jesus has an eternal priesthood, He is able to completely save those who come to him, and he is lives forever interceding for his people.