Church Foundations – Part One: The Eternal Plan of God (Col 1:15-20)

From Colossians 1:15-20 we learn that everything exists through Christ, in Christ and for Christ – that He may have the supremacy – the pre-eminence in all things. And Since in God’s eternal plan all things were create to show the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, the existence of the church must also involve the upholding of that supremacy, that pre-eminence.

How are all things created in such a way as to give Christ the pre-eminence – as the means by which Jesus is glorified?

By nature, we give supremacy to the thing we treasure most – that giving supremacy is an act of devotion – it is worship. In pursuing what we love most, we bring glory to it – and since all mankind is devoted to something – is in pursuit of something – we are all worshippers.

If you want to know what a man treasures most, run your eye over his bookshelves, or the history pages of his search engine. We adore, sacrifice and dedicate ourselves to the thing which holds supremacy in our hearts. Or, to say it another way, we glorify what we treasure most by our pursuit of it.

In Ephesians 3:9-11, Paul says something very revealing about God’s eternal plan and it’s connection with both creation and the church. Paul’s says that God created all things so that,

“…through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realised in Christ Jesus our Lord…”

The church – in the eternal plan of God – is the chief instrument by which God has set forth the supremacy of His Son to all mankind. How do we do that? How do you demonstrate the superior value of Chocolate cake to someone? You put a piece before them and invite them to taste it.

Christ is pursued and displayed, and God’s eternal plan upheld, when we obey, with joy, His commandments, and invite others to enter into that joy through obedience to the gospel. We invite the world to taste and see that the Lord is good! A life pointing anywhere else remains not only a fragile life, but a wasted life. Therefore, in all that we do as God’s people, we do with this question in mind: Does this set forth the Supremacy of Christ or not?

God has no other plan to set forth the supremacy of His Son to the world except through His Church and that is the church that God has called us to be. That is why we exist.

Lessons for Little Saints…

1. Why did God create the universe?

2. Why did God establish the Church?

3. What does the word, “perfect” often mean in the bible?

4. How can I show that Jesus is my number one treasure?