When Christ’s Holy Obedience Shows Up All Over the Scriptures
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
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.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Yesterday we were talking about cross references, and how they can further explain a verse or help guide your prayer. Today there is a little note by the word “firstborn” that points us to Psalm 89:27.
It’s one of those sections of Psalms where the writer is talking about King David, maybe even King David talking about himself, but then for a minute the writer is talking about the Messiah and God:
Psalm 89:24–29
[24] My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,
and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
[25] I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
[26] He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
[27] And I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
[28] My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
and my covenant will stand firm for him.
[29] I will establish his offspring forever
and his throne as the days of the heavens. (ESV)
You can tell that it’s starting to be about the Messiah because there are things that are impossible for King David. The other part to note is who is making Jesus the firstborn. God is!
How many times in the Gospels do you see Jesus submitting and yielding to the Father? Over and over He is trying to draw attention to the Father and to help people have faith in God. In Philipians 2 it says it most clearly that God exalted Jesus and gave Him the name above all names. God put Jesus in the position and rank of firstborn because of what Jesus did. Even when He couldn’t do anything, He cried out to God and submitted to God’s will in His soul.
Not just holiness, but utter dependence on God the Father is what Christ’s life was marked by. That dependence and obedience is what let to holiness, righteousness, and our salvation. Not His own works, but staying close and obeying the lead of the Father. Not His own will to be religious, but His desire to do whatever God the Father wanted. That is true religion that move God to make Jesus the Ruler over All.
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