Friday 7 June 2013

The Supremacy of Christ

Our Lord Jesus Christ is supreme over all creation and all re-creation. He reconciles all things. And so He should be supreme in our lives. Christ is not an object to analyze but a King to worship. He is key for the meaning of creation, the purpose of life today and the door to life beyond this one. Scientists continue their search for the “holy grail” of science, the “theory of everything,” the simple set of laws that explains every complex detail of our universe. This poem professes that, in a way, Christ is the theological “theory of everything.” He is the key who unlocks the meaning and purpose of the universe, and our lives.

Christ is supreme over all. He is the image of the invisible God. The First before all creation; the creator of all; first of all that is; and holds everything together. He is the head of the church; the first of all that will be; He is supreme over all; He is fully God; He reconciles all things by making peace through His bloody cross. How strange if He who is sufficient to sustain a universe, should be insufficient for our lives. How strange if He who is supreme over all that is, should not be supreme in our lives.

Furthermore, the ministry of Christ was accompanied by supernatural power. Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes, restored eyesight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech to those who could not speak. He displayed power over all manner of sickness, demons obeyed His command, and dead people came to life through His word. On one occasion, when He and His disciples were in a boat on the lake, He was awakened out of sleep. Matthew 8:25-27 tells the rest of the story. It states, "The disciples went and woke Him, saying, `Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' He replied, `You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, `What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!'" Yes, the ministry of Jesus was accompanied by a display of supernatural power!


When John the Baptist was cast into prison, he sent two of his disciples unto Jesus. Matthew 11:3-6 tells us the conversation which took place with Jesus, "The two disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus, `Are you the One Who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' Jesus replied, `Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me.'"

Why did Jesus send back to John's prison this answer to his question? Jesus knew that John was acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah to come. He was saying to John, "You know the credentials which the Old Testament required of Messiah. My miracles which accompany My ministry prove that I have these credentials." Isaiah 61:1 states, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Isaiah 35:4-6 states "Say to those with fearful hearts, `Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.' Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.'"



There was an old Frenchman named Lepaux who thought he would get up a new religion which he proposed to call "Theo-philanthropy." He had great difficulty in getting the people to accept it. One day he complained about his difficulty to Talleyrand, who said to him, "I am not surprised at the difficulty you find in your effort. It is no easy matter to introduce a new religion. But there is one thing I would advise you to do, and then, perhaps, you might succeed." "What is it? What is it?" cried Lepaux. Talleyrand answered, "Well, it is this, Go, and be crucified and  then be buried, and rise again on the third day...and then, if possible, you may accomplish your end." Is it any wonder the old philosopher went away silent? The final proof that the ministry of Christ was that of the divine Son of God was His miraculous resurrection from the dead after His cruel crucifixion. Who else could boast of such supernatural power accompanying his ministry?