Jesus, Our God

False teaching and thinking about Jesus doesn’t seek to deny Him, but to Dethrone Him. It will allow Jesus to be prominent, but not Preeminent!

Christ by highest heav'n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a Virgin's womb Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!

The Preeminent Christ

• He is God – “the image of the invisible God” – the exact revelation of what God is really like 
• He is Firstborn – “of first importance, of first rank” – Term of position – Above all creation

“And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 89:27) 

• He is Creator
• He is Owner
• He is Sustainer
• He is Head of His Body – The Church
• He is Our Hope 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3) 

To live in commitment to the truth about Jesus we must recognize and refuse the temptation to Lessen Him

The Christmas Story Reminds Us That Our God Is...

• Powerful 
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

• Faithful 
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,” (Luke 1:68–70)

• Loving 
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“We may note in passing that He [Jesus] was never regarded as a mere moral teacher. He did not produce that effect on any of the people who actually met Him. He produced mainly three effects: Hatred-Terror-Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild approval.” C.S. Lewis

We know we have recognized the truth about Jesus when it changes our Lives 

Responding To Jesus, Our God

1. Reordering 
“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18) 

“You see, all our hearts live and respond under the rulership of something, and there are only two options: God or something he created. Let me say it this way— it is only when God is in his rightful place of rule in our hearts that people are in their appropriate place in our lives. You and I can keep the second greatest commandment (“ You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” Mark 12: 31) only if we keep the Great Commandment (“ You shall love the Lord your God,” v. 30). If God is not in his rightful place, guess who we insert in his place.” Paul David Tripp

2. Relinquishing 

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11)

“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20–21)

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Christmas is not primarily about “coziness” but Calling 

3. Rejoicing 

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

“Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:23)

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11)

Making It Personal: