Jesus At The Center

“for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him..”- Colossians 1:16. 

There are few things as beautiful as the stained glass windows you find in churches all over the world. The light shining through the stained glass window adds illumination and beauty. Stained glass windows tell stories, educate and inspire. At the center of many of the stained glass windows is a depiction of Christ, and that makes perfect sense. Christ is at the center of everything that we do as a people and a church, not just at Christmas or Easter, but all the time. 

As the Colossians passage above tells us, Jesus is at the center of the universe. But Jesus is not only the creator of the universe, He also continually sustains it. Hebrews 1:3 tells us, “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command….”  Jesus is at the center of the Bible. The New Testament begins with four different accounts of Jesus’ life. The New Testament contains a number of letters explaining more about the significance of His life, death and resurrection. But let us not forget the Old Testament spoke about Him too.

Consider the rest of the Colossians 1 passage: “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” (Colossians 1:17-20)

Paul wants every Christian and every person to know that Jesus Christ is preeminent. He is preeminent over His natural creation, the universe. He is preeminent over His spiritual creation, the church. Jesus Christ is the center of everything, but is He at the center of our lives? Does He have first place over your thought life? Does He have first place over your words? Does He have first place over how you use your time? Does He have first place over your finances? Does He have first place over your entertainment choices? Is Jesus the center of your life?

Discussion Questions:

1. What can we do this week to keep Jesus front and center in our lives?