Exposition
Every human who ever lived shares the following vital concerns: his purpose for life on earth and his eternal destiny. All depends completely on a personal relationship to the subject of this chapter, the Lord Jesus Christ. The key question of the universe is, what think ye of Christ?Mat. 22:42 - To the artist, He is “altogether lovely”(Song of Solomon 5:16).To the architect, He is the “Chief Cornerstone”(1Peter 2:6).To the hungry man, He is the “Bread of Life”(John. 6:35).To the bankrupt beggar, He is the “Hidden Treasure”(Matthew 13:44).To the builder, He is the “Sure Foundation” (Isaiah 28:16).To the carpenter, He is the “Door”(John. 10:7).To the sick, He is the “Great Physician” (Jeremiah 8:28).To the lost, He is the “Savior” and the “New and Living Way” (Heb. 10:20).
To the Christian, because of Christ’s preexistent deity and glory, He has become the Preeminent Lord of all.To God the Father, all the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwells in Him. (Colossians 1:19; 2:9).
Christ is preeminent because of His unique person. His deity and sinless, impeccable, human nature makes Him unique. Even His enemies were forced to reluctantly admit, “have nothing to do with that just Man” - “I find no fault in Him”(Mat. 27:19; Luke 23:4). Judas, the betrayer, as he went out to hang himself, said of Jesus, “Innocent blood.”His preeminence is unrivaled in the universe. The Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”The Holy Spirit of Truth speaks only of Christ and glorifies Him.The theme of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, is Christ; “Cristo-centric” is the key to interpret the Scriptures.In salvation, He is the “only Way”.To the Church He is the Head, Foundation, and Chief Corner Stone.To the Architect, He is Builder, Owner, and Occupier of the house.To the universe, He is Creator and Sustainer.In the judgement (the Bema and The Great White Throne) He will have the last word in righteous judgement.In heaven, He will be worshiped and crowned forever.
He is able to offer unqualified pardon, forgiveness for all our trespasses, deliverance from the power of darkness, translation into the kingdom, redemption and peace through the blood of His cross, and much more.
The blessed truth for the believer is that his position and standing are “complete in Him” (Col. 2:10). This is possible because our Lord has done it all with nothing for us to do but believe, receive, and enjoy. “Nothing in my hands I bring; simply to thy cross I cling.”
His preeminence is based on the dignity of His name, the majesty of His person, and the brightness of His glory.
A story is told which claimed that Leonardo DaVinci, after completing his famous painting,
The Last Supper, showed it to a friend. His friend was impressed and said, “What a beautiful gold cup; it looks so real that you feel like reaching out to take it!”The painter took his brush and painted the cup away. “Why would you do that?” his friend asked. DaVinci said, “I will not allow anything to distract attention away from my Master.”
When the believer sets his affection on things above, he will be occupied with Christ and His all-sufficiency, which is the key to making one heavenly minded. “We have the mind of Christ”(Colossians 3:2; 1Corinthians 2:16).Let us avoid the world’s religious quick-fix substitutes and be occupied alone with Him.He has the preeminence, and we are complete in Him.
Outlines
Christ In Revelation One
**Revelation 1:5,7,18 - "He loveth He cometh He liveth"
1. Three names express different aspects of His person. (Revelation 1:5)
(1) “
Faithful Witness”(Revelation 1-3)
(a) He assesses the condition of the Churches.
(b) He is grieved with Compromise, Condoning sin and Complacency.
(2) “
Firstborn From The Dead”(Revelation 4-18)
(a) He triumphed over death and is glorified in heaven.
(3) “The Prince Of The Kings Of The Earth”(Revelation 19-22)
(a) We will reign with Him in the millennium and eternity.
I. “Unto Him Who Loved Us” 5
1. He is “Faithful Witness” - “as many as I love, I rebuke”(Revelation 3:19)
2. He is “Firstborn from the dead” - love in His priestly ministry.
3. He is “Prince of the Kings” - His love will one day let us reign with Him.
4. “I love the Lord because” – our love for Him is conditional.(Psalms.116:1)
(1) “We love him, because he first loved us”(1John 4:19)
(2) “ Christ died for the ungodly” – His love for us is unconditional.
5. “The kindness and love of God our Savior appeared”(Titus 3:4-6)
(1) “According to his mercy he saved us”
(2) “Shed on us abundantly”
6. God’s infinite love and grace were veiled in the Old Testament.
7. See how low such love will stoop to reveal itself.
(1) Stable; manger
(2) Upper room; feet washing
(3) Garden; agony
(4) Judgment hall; shame.
(5) Cross; suffering
(6) Tomb; empty, “He lives”
8. Such love deserves total devotion.
II. “Behold He Is Coming”
1. This is not the rapture, but the “Advent” to reign.
(1) John says, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”(Revelation 22:20)
(2) John agreed with the advent, but was anxious for the rapture.
2. The rapture, the next great event in God’s prophetic program for the Church.
3. The Second Advent will be no secret.(Matthew 24:26-28)
III. “I Am He Who Lives”
1. The living Savior died and rose again.
2. The eternal One; “which is, and was, and is to come.”(Revelation 1:8c)
3. The omnipotent One - “the Almighty”(Revelation. 1:8c)
4. He is the righteous Judge
(1) “Out of His mouth, a two-edged sword.”(Rev. 1:16)
(2) He holds the “keys of hell and death.”(Rev. 1:18c)
Seed Thoughts & Sermon Starters
THE POWER OF THE GLORIFIED CHRIST: see Col. 1:11-14. He has redeemed us through the blood of His cross.We are “Strengthenedaccording to His glorious power.”He “hath delivered us from the power of darkness.”He has “translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
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CHRIST be with me, CHRIST within me,
CHRIST behind me, CHRIST before me,
CHRIST beside me, CHRIST to win me,
CHRIST to comfort and restore me,
CHRIST beneath me, CHRIST above me,
CHRIST in quiet, CHRIST in danger,
CHRIST in hearts of all that love me,
CHRIST in mouth of friend and stranger.
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He Is The Great
ATTRACTION
**Luke. 2:15,16; John. 1:35-39; 12:32,33; 19:38-42; Acts. 7:55,56
(Like a magnet, Jesus attracted people to Himself)
1. His moral perfection was attractive. (His enemies conceded He was sinless)
2. His humble life was attractive. (Washed the disciples’ feet - John. 13:4,5)
3. His deeds of kindness were attractive. (Had compassion on the multitude)
4. His miraculous power was attractive. (Healed the sick and raised the dead)
5. His words of divine authority were attractive. “Never man spake like this Man”
6. His zeal to go to Jerusalem and to Calvary was attractive. This was the only hope for a lost world.
7. Unlike magnets repel. “Sinners drew near” / “Pharisees murmured.”Luke. 15:1
Notes & Quotes
The best place to be with our sorrows is at His feet, because there we will never doubt His love.
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The fear of God can lift the feeblest and humblest above the fear of men. “It is I; be not afraid.” Mark. 6:50
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There is no pillow like love, and the Lord said, “Come unto me and rest.”
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The calm of a soul, which reposes in the will of God, is unspeakable.
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We cannot have power before men until we first have power with God in His presence. Power is displayed by the revealing of Christ in our daily life.
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Results must be left for the judgment seat of Christ.Meanwhile, we must sincerely desire to be in His will and to one day hear the Master say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Mat. 25:21
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To honor and exalt Christ is evidence we are in communion with the mind of God.This will be our sole occupation in heaven.
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The filling of the Holy Spirit is the normal state of the believer. The humble and contrite spirit makes this a practical reality in life.
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The qualification for service is deeper acquaintance with the heart of God.
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Like cut flowers fade, so truth that is separated from Christ will fade away.
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Satan cannot find entrance into a heart filled with Christ.With God’s provision it is wiser to keep the enemy out, than to expel him after he has entered.
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The whole life of our blessed Lord as Man is compressed into the words, “He humbled Himself.”
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Christ should be everything to us because He is everything to the heart of God.
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A real revival is making room for Christ in the heart.
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Meditations
Humbled Himself
“He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”(Philippians 2:8)
The Almighty humbled Himself at Bethlehem.The faithful Servant of Jehovah tirelessly ministered on the rugged hills of Galilee.Our loving Redeemer predestined to go to Jerusalem and then climbed the rugged slopes of Calvary.Our sympathizing great High Priest is on the throne, praying for His own.Our loving Bridegroom is wooing and one day is coming to rescue His Bride from this evil world.
MARANATHA!- “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
Better / Lower
**Heb. 1:4 - “so much better than the angels”
**Hebrews. 2:7,9 - “a little lower than the angels”(Psalms. 8:5)
In His Deity, He is true God, and much better than the angels.He is their creator and they worship Him. In Humanity, He is true Man, and became lower than the angels. He had to be both, to qualify as our Redeemer.
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“He Loved Them Unto The End”(John. 13:1)
Why do I love Him so little when He loves me so much? - Is He not “Fairer than the children of men”? Did He not prove His love at Calvary? - Does He not supply all my needs every day? - Have not all of His promises come true? - Then it must be me.At times I seem so remote and distant from Him. What I need most is restoration to intimate communion and to trust Him because He is trustworthy.Lord, help me to be like Mary, sitting at His feet, listening, learning, and adoring. Or help me to be like John, with his head on His gentle bosom, experiencing and enjoying, the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” Philippians 4:7 – This is, ETERNAL REPOSE!
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Christ And His Own In Colossians.
**Colossians 1:18 - “that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.”
**Colossians 2:10 - “ye are complete in him”
**Colossians 3:11 - “Christ is all, and in all.”
(Christ is pre-eminent and we are complete in Him.Colossians 1:18; 2:10)
Questions & Answers
Question:- A friend, to whom I have been witnessing, has doubts about the deity of Christ. This being a fundamental doctrine, how can I help her from the Bible?
Answer:- Indeed, the deity of Christ is an essential doctrine. The Holy Spirit will guide an honest seeker to Christ who is the Truth.God may use you as the human instrument to accomplish this. Your friend may be ignorant of, but sincerely seeking for, the truth. Be assured, God will guide her in her search for truth. The great subject of the deity of Christ is prominent in both the Old and New Testaments and many volumes have been written on the subject. Because of limited space we are compelled to be brief. In the wilderness Jehovah spoke to Moses out of the burning bush and introduced Himself as the, “I am”(Exodus 3:14).Now notice how the Lord Jesus applies this title to Himself in the Gospel of John.”I AM the Door” - I AM the Bread” etc. And again the attributes of deity are applied to the Lord Jesus - eternal: “before Abraham was I AM” - (He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent) - Again the offices of deity are employed by Him(Creator and Sustainer of the universe).Also, the prerogatives of deity apply to Him.He forgave sins, raised Himself from the dead and preformed many miracles. His titles and names relate to deity: “Emmanuel” means “God with us”. Through the centuries, many Christians staked their lives on this fundamental truth and became martyrs, contending for the faith. - Be sure to pray for the Spirit’s enlightenment as you pursue this truth with your friend.