The Preeminence of Christ

(Eph. 1:17-23, 4:10, Rom. 14:17, Dan. 10:4-10)

I have recently heard the phrase of the title mentioned by two different followers of Christ.  I would first remind us that Jesus is the Christ.  I write this because I hear some cast the Christ apart from the man Jesus, or add some other distortion to His person.  I have heard it said that He is a mystery and a marvel and I appreciate that simple statement.  I think it is a great way to express the truth.  It is a mystery that God took on human flesh.  Let us not be distracted by words and our inability to comprehend the wisdom and love of God to display his immeasurable love by sending His Son.  He left heaven yet was always aware of His Father’s presence with Him.  We could continue sharing about His time on earth among mankind but most important that we grow in knowing Him as He is today.

God has highly exalted Him, this man Jesus, and given Him a place and a name above every name and authority.  No one compares to Him.  We are called to make Him our Lord, but I have found that I first simply acknowledge that He is Lord.  He alone is worthy to rule.  And I am wise enough to know that I must receive His Spirit, be filled up continually with that Holy Spirit, and let down my resistance to His working in my life.  By the Spirit, His kingdom, His rule, is expressed in and through us.  The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.  His lordship is made known in and through us by the Spirit.

Some among His people are concerned about an increased emphasis of the Spirit in our day.  The real problem throughout the church has been our own doubts and fears of things getting out of control.  The Corinthians were out of control because they were dealing with their earthly, carnal natures.  It takes time for us to grow.  Patience with those under our spiritual care is critical to an atmosphere of grace.  But we must never allow the deception that we can continue as we came and not grow.  The letter to the Romans acknowledges that some are still practicing corrupt lifestyles.  Paul took the time to teach them and bring them to Romans 12.  He beseeches them to present their bodies a living sacrifice.  That word, beseech, is a strong word.  Dictionary meanings include to beg earnestly or urgently.  We could say implore.  Paul’s heart was in it.  The Spirit is patient yet earnestly after us.  He pursues our hearts relentlessly.

Why this pursuit?  The Spirit is after Christ’s bride.  She must be clean, spotless, without wrinkles.  We might despair and say, it’s not possible.  Remember the thief on the cross.  He is welcomed into Paradise.  It can take a lifetime to be truly clean.  We want to bypass the work of the cross.  We all want to avoid pain.  We must each know Him for ourselves.  No other way can be found.  He is a personal savior, and He is the savior of His body.  He is the preeminent Bridegroom.  He, by the Spirit is perfecting us together.  May we submit to Him and one another along the way.

He has provided one way to be perfected, to mature.  Beholding Him we are changed.  We do learn some things through counseling and wisdom through others.  Ultimately the only change comes in the secret place, shut in and seeing Him, the One who is seated on the mercy seat.  It will expose our weakness and any dark corner in our hearts.  Daniel saw Him in His glory.  His life was committed to the Living God so that he was ready for the vision he had.  He wrote that no strength remained in him and he repeated that thought.  The Spirit made it clear that Daniel was emptied.  Daniel wrote his goodness was turned into corruption and he was in a deep sleep on his face.  It took a touch from God and a moment of trembling to restore Daniel. The call remains to seek His face.  That call is repeated throughout the Bible.  He alone is worthy of our attention.  He is glorious.  He alone sits far above all rule and authority.  He is worthy of our lives.  And His perfect love casts out fear.

Pursuit

(Song of Songs 1:4, Ps 34:14. Rom 14:19, 2 Tim.2:22, Heb. 12:14, 1 Pet. 3:11, 1 Cor. 13-14:1)

I looked at Webster’s definition of pursuit and was disappointed in that the tone conjured bad thoughts.  It included capturing and killing, like a hunt.  The Lord wants to capture us for love.  Paul wrote that he was a prisoner of the Lord but he had been captured by the lover of our souls.  To His people, the Lord said through His prophet, that as a young man marries a virgin, so shall the Lord marry you.  That is a beautiful intimacy that our heavenly bridegroom is after.  Yes it is spiritual and includes a lifelong pursuit by the relentless love of God.

We can consider the love of a man and a woman.  A man falls in love and pursues a woman.  They marry.  Natural love.  We read of it in Song of Songs.  It is allegorical and represents the Lord and His church, His bride.  We know the Lord is after something deeper and higher.  The Lord Jesus came on a heavenly mission.  One picture of the end of this age is called the marriage supper of the Lamb.  It is a time of unparalleled joy.

While that unspeakable joy remains for us, we now are in the time of pursuit.  What do we pursue?  First, we see He continually pursues us.  Pursuit is a matter of passionate, heart intensity.  It is compared to a fire.  Fire, once loosed cannot be easily contained.  His Spirit knows how to regulate the flame.  We learn to steward the gift of God in us.  And as the Shulamite (His bride) called to be drawn away, we are called to pursue our Bridegroom as He even pursues us.  What happens when they meet!  May we maintain a single eye, like the dove’s eye.  His eye is single toward us.  May we return such a gaze.

As we look through the referenced passages where we see the call to pursue, they each refer to peace.  When earthly relationships break down, emotions can get raw.  Bitterness is often exposed.  Thank God for His Spirit which helps us to release the pain and bitterness and find grace to forgive.  He brings a comfort which restores our souls and we can maintain peace in the storm.  Pursue peace with all.  And pursue righteousness and sanctification.  Isaiah wrote for us that His kingdom (government) will increase without end and that peace will accompany it.  Maintaining peace is a challenge.  Peace includes His rule, His reign over our hearts.  In Psalm 85, we read that righteousness and peace have kissed.  There we find His kingdom.

What do we pursue?  The question repeats.  Many necessities compete for our time and attention.  Hopefully, the longer we go on, we see our hearts change.  Our pursuits change.  Some seek wisdom, some adventure, some experience, some material things.  The list could continue.  The Living God calls and says, “Seek my face.”  Pursue Me as I pursue you.  Read all of the references and search their context.  How do we spend our time and energy?  First, I have learned to get quiet and receive His peace, the Lord’s presence.  We open up to Him, the One who loves us like no other.

Trouble comes.  Jesus said it would.  To those who are disciples, He said be of good cheer.  Disciples are followers, they are pursuers in that sense.  It makes me think our pursuit must be aligned with our following His lead.  Our efforts apart from Him lead to frustration but that turns us right back to Him.  We need never despair but hope in Him.  Our pursuit includes valleys and climbing mountains.  We find He has been pursuing us all along.

Pursue love, Paul writes at the start of 1 Cor. 14.  We should ignore chapter breaks.  He has clarified the meaning of agape, that deepest, purest love.  Our pursuit includes maintaining it in all our relationships.  That may be the greatest challenge of our lives.  It is not the only thing but the highest.  It remains alongside faith and hope.  It has companions which are also essential.  And Paul says to earnestly desire spiritual life or experience.  Without those gifts our ability to exercise that highest form of love is constrained if not prevented.  Without the presence of Christ in us by His Spirit, how can we love like He loves?  And with Him, we learn to love.