Jesus: Functions of Divinity

Superior to All Things

Few things in our being can be considered superior in making… If we go to Mexico they have a concept that what is made in Mexico is well made… Go to Germany and they stake a claim to superior craftsmanship… Here in the United States we would think whatever is made in the US is superior to all things.

How does that truth compare when we look cars. Well Mexico may be out of that race since they don’t make cars… German cars come with a hefty cost which may imply they are superior (Unless you are European and the German made car is used as a Taxi)… So we say American made cars are superior and we should all own one… Unless you consider the slogans and follow on jokes about them

Chevrolet: Like a rock sinks like one too

FORD: Found On Road Dead

Well this takes us full circle to the concepts of which country makes things superior others. While each of these vehicle designers craft great vehicles… many of them are actually built in Mexico… So much for superiority…

When we look at creation there is only one that can stake claim to being superior… no other is like Him since all others are made in His image… Namely Jesus. Unlike the cars He is not conceived in one dimension and then put together in other. As John 1 states Jesus was in the Beginning, was with God, and is God.

In its most simplest form because Jesus is not a fabrication He is known as the preeminent one… or the one who is superior to all things.

Jesus’ preeminence attests to His divinity giving us the assurance we are a new creation in Him

Isaiah 40:25–26 ESV

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

To whom will you compare me?

Many of us are trying to compare an infinite being to finite created things

Sarcastically-Tell me so I can be like him… but in this expresses his power to be

The Lord responds with another question

who created them?

this will be the remainder of this sermon

That which is created can scarcely attain to divinity much less Godship… one more things before we expand on the preeminent one

Isaiah 40:28 ESV

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

Until now we have not studied the names of God or Jesus in OT… small insight...

All things are created by, for, and through? Jesus

Here we see the Lord is God

Yahweh is the creator of all things… we begin to see the picture that Jesus is in fact present in the OT

Not just a God but the El-Olam....

God from the ages of the ages to the ages

in lesser words Yahweh (namely Jesus) is from the beginning, in the present, and will be God forever...

We could stop here and simply state case closed Jesus is preeminent in all things He and God are one but to some it may not be enough.... Lets look at what we started with

Jesus’ Role In Creation

Colossians 1:16 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Imagine Satan coming to Jesus in the Desert and saying “Hey I know you made all this stuff but if you bow to me I will give it to you...” Seriously I created it…

this was not the temptation as we will see in later weeks about the work of Kenosis...

The temptation was you can have it not and not have to pay for it…

Isaiah declares Yahweh is creator of all Paul declares Jesus created it all either;

The bible is contradicting itself or;

These two authors are stating the exact same thing with the available language (they are both speaking of Jesus)

All things… were created by Him… yes even Lucifer… well there goes the thought that Lucifer is His brother…

Through Him speaks of the nature of the Father… of whom remains the same essence… (what was Jesus’ name before come to know Him as Jesus)

Incredible to think that this God creator Jesus creates us, being able to create other such beings, chooses to pay for us His beloved creation

Jesus Sustainer of All

Isaiah declares that all things are sustained by Yahweh

Paul in Col 1:17 declares Jesus as the sustenance of all things…

In case there is a question a third author, The author of Hebrews says

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

We briefly covered the essence of Jesus and God being one and the same

Sustainer or the one who brings sustenance is not just the creator but the one who

Holds it together more importantly;

Maintains it… that is when we ask why Jesus had to come to earth as human to bring salvation.... as sustainer He is the only one suited for the task…

Preeminence here is met by the sustainer as no one else could fill this role.

Fulfillment of the Heavenly Reconciliation

Ephesians 1:7–10 ESV

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Redemption, forgiveness, and revelation which are all seen here are not the only things He has done or is able to do

He is known as the Unifier who restores is to the Father or nature thereof.

For now we do not yet see all things unified… this is the reason why there is a need for unity in the body of believers a hearts cry for us…

Who can unify antying o the divine but God and here we are told one of Jesus’ function in His preeminence is as unifier

The Only One Who Can Still Create

The Psalmist in Psalm 51 cries out to God and says Create in me a clean heart...

From what we have seen to this point Jesus is the only one who is creating

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

No other being can create… even the cars that we spoke about earlier those are formed from pre-existent parts…

The preeminent one takes not from what already exists… He is not Mexico in this equation putting parts together as if He needed to borrow from creation

Jesus manifests from the things which do not yet exist to create and make us into a new creation… that is He takes from that which has never existed...

Jesus in the OT is presented to us the preeminent one in the same way He is revealed in the NT. This testifies to us how He was from the beginning...

Being that He is above all things creator of all… Jesus does not depend on our old nature to transform us… In Jesus there is a nature that supersedes our own… In Him we are taken out of the Old and re-created or created once more into something new that is or can only be found in Him.

Today many of struggle with the old self… When reminded of who we once were we either long to return or mourn because of what we once were… Secret:You are a new creation that old being has passed it no longer exists.