Refuge 2011 - The Supremacy of Christ

Supreme - (adj) most important or most powerful

Supremacy - (n) the state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power or status

It's been a year since last Refuge Weekend and my first post. It's crazy how fast a year has passed. The topic for Refuge this year was the supremacy of Christ. It is a concept from the book "Christ is All!" by David Bryant and Richard Ross. While studying for the weekend, I felt so ignorant. I had read many of the scriptures before but had never thought about them with the mindset of focusing on how supreme and majestic Jesus is. That sounds weird, but it's true. I know that Christ is the ruler of the universe and He is the reason we have a hope for everlasting life, but I had never really grasped the fact that He doesn't exist for me, but that I exist for Him. He doesn't just give me a plan for my life; it's not automatic. I am privileged to be a part of His plan for the universe.

The one illustration that really stuck with me from the weekend was said by Richard Ross, one of the authors of the book. He is a professor at Southwest Seminary (the youth pastor at PABC, Jeff Gilliam, is one of his students) and this is what he said (in a nutshell):

Jesus is not a "little Jesus" that you can stick in your pocket and whip out whenever you're in trouble or whenever you need something. He is the RULER OF THE UNIVERSE. He has conquered DEATH. He sits at the right hand of God. He is the ONLY one who has the authority to pass judgment on the world. How dare I reduce His authority and His worth? Who am I to diminish His sovereignty to the point that I think I can come to Him only when I need Him to do something for me?

I was totally convicted by that illustration and I have a feeling it will stick with me the rest of my life. I have made a vow that the first thing out of my mouth when I pray will not be about me. I will not ask for anything. I will not thank Him for anything. I will spend time praising Him for who He is. That's all. He deserves my praise and adoration first before I say anything else.

I invite you to read Colossians 1:15-20. If you have read this before, read it again, thinking about each verse and how it gives examples of how and why Christ is supreme. I have read this before and after this weekend, it blows me away that it never had this kind of impact on me.

Here are other verses about the supremacy of Christ.

Romans 9:5, 10:11-13 ~ He is the Lord of all

Hebrews 7:26-28 ~ He is completely holy

2 Corinthians 5:10 & 2 Timothy 4:1 & John 5:26-27~ Only He has the authority to judge the world

Revelation 1:4-8 ~ He's the Alpha and Omega

John 1:1-4 ~ He has been here from the beginning of time