Jump Start # 883

Colossians 1:18 “He is also head of the body, the church, and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

The position and role of Christ is what is defined in the first chapter of Colossians. It is a brilliant explanation of who Jesus is. One expression in particular that I want us to focus on, “first place in everything.” First place. Jesus is to be first in everything.

Have you noticed that everyone is interested in being first, the top of the list, the head of the line. First place in standings…first place in sales…first place at the finish line. The winners are remembered, honored and looked up to. The winners get the awards. The winners get the invitation to visit the White House. Few remember who came in second. Just about no one remembers who came in fifth place.

Jesus is to be first in everything. He already is in some ways. The Father made Him that. He has all authority—He’s first. It is His words that will judge us—He’s first. It is His death that saves us– He is first. The church carries His name– He is first.

However, there are other areas that Jesus needs to be first, and only you and I can make Him that way. For instance:

Christ needs to be the head of the church. He is in one what. The church is His body and He is    the head. But with each congregation, Christ needs to be the head. This doesn’t always happen. It ought to, but it doesn’t. Sometimes our ways, our thinking, our wants push Christ out of first place. The church, instead of honoring Christ, serves us. We can make the church more social than what the Bible intended. We can make the focus of the church to be here and now and not getting people ready for Heaven. We can change the mission of the church from spiritual to secular. When these things happen, Christ is no longer first. We remember the church at Ephesus that had lost it’s first love. Christ was no longer first there. This happens by the choices and decisions that we make. Christ needs to be first in every congregation.

Christ needs to be first in our homes. Sometimes, other than a prayer at the dinner table, Christ is shoved out of the way. Attitudes, modesty, choices of words, choice of shows reflect that Christ is no longer first. Marriages suffer because Christ is no longer first. Forgiveness and grace are not the foundation of the home when Christ is no longer first. When Christ is knocked out of first, selfishness rises. Materialism, worldliness, and living for today dominate our thoughts and decisions. Christ needs to be first in our homes. This is a choice we make. It won’t happen naturally. It won’t happen by accident. It happens when we make Him first.

Christ needs to be first in our hearts. His way needs to be our way. Pleasing God needs to be our goal and ambition in life. Set your mind on things about is what Paul said. Good idea. That would help us from saying things that we shouldn’t say. It would help us with the choices we make. It would help us from getting into trouble as much as we are in. It would help us with temptations and trials. It would help us with our worship. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you is something that the Colossians were told. Richly dwell…that’s like saying, “first place.”

First place—that’s where Christ wants to be. First in your life. He wants you to crown Him king of your heart. When you do that, things take on a different look all around you. You begin to see things the way God does. Your concerns become more spiritual. Things tend to bother you less. Hope and Heaven have real meaning to you.

First. First place. First in your lives. Is Jesus first in your life?

Roger