Pentecostal Sermons and Bible Studies by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.

Jesus, Preeminent & Supreme Holder of All Authority in Heaven & Earth

Summary: He is above all, over all, in control of all, and “Lord of all.” Who? Jesus Christ! There is nothing in heaven or earth that God the Father has not placed under Jesus’ Lordship. So you can serve Him with absolute confidence that nothing in this world can separate you from His love and His almighty power that He is willing to use on your behalf.


Colossians 1:18, KJV
  And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

• Other translations use similar expressions for Jesus’ exalted position: “the chief place … above all others … the primacy … far above everything … the supremacy.”
 
• In our earthly lives many things compete for first place in our priorities. Some are good things (family, ministry, church, jobs, etc.). Some are harmful things (love of money, striving for status, pursuing worldly pleasures, etc.).
 
• But that which should have the absolute preeminence, the primacy, the sovereignty, the chief place above all others in our lives, should be the Person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through Whom alone we are able to come to God the Father (John 14:6).
 
• Our highest aim in this life should be a close walk with God the Father through a personal salvation relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s live our lives so that “in all things [Jesus will] have the preeminence.” Now let’s look at some ways in which Jesus’ preeminence can affect your life for good.

Jesus is Lord of all, the possessor of all authority in heaven and earth.

Acts 10:36, NASB  …Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)…

Matthew 28:18  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

• No matter what is going on around you, no matter what dangers, troubles, afflictions and more that you are facing, Jesus is Lord of all! He exercises absolute dominion over the entire creation.
 
• The devil doesn’t control this world. Terrorists will not gain ultimate victory. Sin and sickness don’t have a right to overcome you. Why? Because all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus. There is no force on earth powerful enough to withstand the power of Jesus Christ — crucified, resurrected, and working in the lives of His followers.

He is the Savior, the Lord over sin.

Acts 16:30-31  …[the jailer in Philippi] asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.”

• Before faith in Christ comes, we are all lost sinners. All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and are separated from God by our sins (Isaiah 59:2).
 
• But God has provided a remedy for our sins in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
 
• If we will repent of our sins and have faith in the Savior Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21), He will save us, give us new birth, and make us sons and daughters of God who will be blessed with eternal life with God. Christ’s preeminence extends even to the forgiving of sin and the granting of eternal life.

Water Baptism points to Him and is in His name.

Acts 10:48  So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…

• The very important Christian ordinance of water baptism is to be done in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
• This is only fitting, because it was Jesus who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. In our water baptism we follow Him spiritually in these things. Having come to Jesus in faith and repentance, we are “buried with Him in baptism” and then arise from the waters of baptism to “walk in newness of life” just as Jesus rose from death to new life (Romans 6:3-6).

It is Jesus who gives us the mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:11  “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one [Jesus] who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

• The life-changing baptism with the Holy Spirit — the same Holy Ghost anointing that the early Church had (Acts 11:15-17) — is available to you.
 
• The first church’s members in Jerusalem were all filled with the Spirit and began to do mighty works and to witness with power to others about our Lord. How did they receive this power? All four Gospels tell us that it is Jesus Christ who baptizes His followers with the Holy Spirit.
 
• If you wish to receive supernatural power from God (Acts 1:5,8) to be effective witnesses for Christ, then ask Jesus to baptize you with His Holy Spirit. He will fill you full of the Spirit, you will begin to speak in new tongues, and power for ministry will be dramatically increased in your life. I recommend this Pentecostal experience for every Christian. And its Giver, from His place of preeminence at God’s right hand (Acts 2:33), is our Lord Jesus.

He is Lord over demons and Lord over sickness.

Mark 16:17-18  And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues … they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.

• Our crucified, resurrected Lord has absolute supremacy over demons (Colossians 2:14-15). His power over Satan’s hordes is so complete that He even delegates some of that authority to believers, telling us that in His name we will drive out demons!
 
• Our resurrected Savior is also Lord over sickness.  Jesus has borne not just our sins, but also our sicknesses (Matthew 8:16-17 and 1 Peter 2:24). And here too, in the spiritual realm of healing the sick, Jesus has commissioned His followers to impart healing in His name!

It is through Jesus that we have access to God the Father.

Ephesians 2:18  For through him [Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

• There are not “many roads to God,” as some falsely claim. Quite to the contrary, Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There is just one way to the Father, and that way is Jesus Christ.
 
• At the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross, the veil of the temple in Jerusalem was supernaturally ripped apart, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). Under the Old Covenant, only the high priest could go through that veil into the Holy of Holies. But Jesus’ death and resurrection bought access into the presence of God Almighty for everyone who would come to God through the salvation provided by His Son Jesus.

Prayer is empowered and made effective through Jesus Christ.

John 16:23b-24  Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

2 Corinthians 1:20, KJV  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

• All the promises of God are said to be “yes and amen” in Jesus Christ. Think of that! It is through Jesus Christ that we can confidently come to God and ask for the fulfillment of His promises for the various needs in our lives — for salvation, for healing, for gifts of the Holy Spirit, for encouragement, for deliverance from evil, for “all the promises of God.”
 
• Because God the Father has given “all authority in heaven and on earth” to His Son, we can boldly come to the Father in prayer through Jesus the Son, and we will be helped in doing so by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18) — a beautiful illustration of the complete unity and cooperation within the divine holy trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Son of God deserves honor just as God the Father does.

John 5:23  …that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

• This is a striking affirmation of the supremacy of Jesus in all things that has been granted to Him by God the Father (Acts 2:36). We are told to honor Jesus the Son just as we honor the Father. The Son of God is to be honored no less than our Father in heaven!

God has entrusted judgment to Jesus, and everyone who has ever lived will appear before His judgment seat.

2 Corinthians 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

• Saved and unsaved, heathen and believer, man, woman, boy, girl — “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (Matthew 25:31-46). Some, the saved “sheep,” will be ushered by Christ the Judge into the eternal presence of God [34, 46]. Others, the unsaved, lost “goats,” will be judged guilty and will be condemned to everlasting fire and punishment [41, 46].

Eventually every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:9-11  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• The Scriptures tell us that “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, NASB).
 
• As we have seen above, every one who has ever lived will stand one day before the judgment seat of Christ, the preeminent One to whom God has given all authority in heaven and earth. And there will be no excuses! Every knee shall bow before Christ’s absolute Lordship.
 
• The saved will bow the knee in joyful adoration before their beloved Lord. The unsaved, who have chosen not to receive Christ’s salvation, will also bow the knee. But they will be bowing in terror, facing their damnation to hell for having refused God’s gracious offer of salvation in Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

Our Savior Jesus has, by God the Father’s choice, been designated “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36) … “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36) … the One who has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18) … the one who “in all things [has] the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).

Whatever your need — for salvation, for healing, for the empowerment of His Holy Spirit, for comfort, for a touch from God in any way — look to the Son of God. For all God’s promises are “yes and amen” in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).

----------------

Check out our featured article: "Who Is Jesus Christ? God? Man? Both?"

----------------

Subscribe

Shortcuts to Major Topics:

Christian Living
Doctrine & Theology
Evangelism
Faith
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Healing
Hearing from God
Holy Spirit | Pentecostal Topics
Jesus Christ
Ministry
Power of God
Prayer
Salvation
The Church
Various Topics Not Listed Elsewhere
Victory over the Devil
Word of God

Sharing is great!
BoysSharing
If this message has blessed you,
please share it with your friends.
Email them the browser link. Or
you can post the link on your social
media
(Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
Thank you for sharing God's Word!

©2015, James H. Feeney.
Copyright statement.



 

Pentecostal Sermons and Bible Studies
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.