FBC Daily Devotions

“And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

How important is the Church? It seems the redemption of creation is wrapped up in this thing called the Church, Christ’s body. It is an unexpected connection between the Church and the supremacy of Christ over everything, but there it is in v. 18.

He is the beginning, and by that the Greek seems to indicate He is the beginning of the Church (i.e. He is its beginning.)  – something new, something significant, something incredible – a new creation through Christ in His body, the church. He is the firstborn from among the dead. His resurrection brought victory over death, but it meant so much more. His death and resurrection set into motion God’s cosmic plan to redeem His creation. The mysterious thing to me is that this reconciliation of God’s creation is bound up in the Church. Indeed, as one commentator has noted, “the new creation has erupted in the midst of a fallen creation, and the promised blessings of the new age are now being realized within the history of the church.”[1]

I picture a charcoal drawing on a piece of heavy, white paper. Black and white. But then a watercolor brush with color-filled paint touches the paper, and it begins to spread through the paper breathing color into the drawing. As the color of Christ touches the world through His body, the Church, there is a certain redemption, a certain supremacy of Christ that is taking place. It is not a fully realized redemption or reconciliation, but there is the presence of the supreme, risen and reigning Christ in everything He touches through the Church. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not everything I touch, not everything the Church touches brings forth the supreme presence of Christ. We’re not perfect by any stretch. But it is true that Christ began something revolutionary in His Church, and that His supremacy over all things is her ultimate mission. John Piper has written somewhere (I pulled it from one of Sara Waite’s blogs):  

“God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose.” — John Piper   

I like that a lot. God has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Wow, to be a part of God’s plan to make His name supreme over all, well that is an awesome calling and privilege. Consider how you might color someone’s world today with the supremacy of Christ in some way, because when you do, you are taking part in God’s ultimate purpose for your life and for His Church.