In every race, you have to decide what order all of the participants will start in. In auto racing, this involves a race before the race. Sometimes this is determined by “Heat Races”, which is just a qualifying race to determine the starting order for the main race. The heat race is a shorter event than the main race.

Other times, the Pole Position is determined by time trials, the pole position is typically given to the vehicle and driver with the best qualifying time in the trials before the race. This number-one qualifying driver is referred to as the pole-sitter.

The term pole position has its origins in horse racing. Where the fastest qualifying horse would be placed on the inside part of the track, which would be next to the pole.

The Apostle Paul likens your life to a race:

1 Corinthians 9:22–27 AV

²² To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

²³ And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

²⁴ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

²⁵ And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

²⁶ I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

²⁷ But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Colossians 1:12–18 (AV)

12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Background

•     The church at Colosse was infiltrated with false teachers, namely Gnostics.

•     The name gnostics comes from the root word Gnosis (know-sis). they positioned themselves as the people in the know, when it came to the things of God

•     They promised people such a close union with God that they would achieve “spiritual perfection” here on the earth.

•     The Bible teaches that we will not achieve spiritual perfection until the day of Christ

Ephesians 5:26–27 AV

²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

1 John 3:2 AV

² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Eminence = High, lofty, or exalted in rank

Pre-Eminence  = Surpassing all others, supreme

To  often Jesus is treated in the opposite manner of what he deserves. Instead of being pre-eminent in the lives of believers, he is treated as:

•      insignificant
•      Non-Essential
•      and as a minor part of their lives.

Today, we are going to look at the Ways that Jesus is Pre-Eminent (superior)

Pre-Eminent in the Gospel

Colossians 1:1–5 (AV)
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
2To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Power to transform lives

The gnostics and many teachers today have a message:

•     They teach about Angels, legalistic rules, and bodily disciplines

•     but their message does not have power to transform lives

Paul is reminding the Colossians (and us) that once we are saved, our lives have been transformed

Only possible due to the Gospel

Epaphras evidently heard the gospel preached by Paul in Ephesus and brought it back home

Colossians 1:7 (AV)
7As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Witnessing should start at home

Mark 5:19 (AV)

¹⁹ Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Epaphras gave them the word of the truth of the Gospel (vs 5)

•     Faith comes by hearing

Romans 10:17 AV

¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Evidence of transformed lives

Colossians 1:4–5 (AV)
4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Transformed lives are demonstrated by

Faith

•      Everybody has faith in something
•      Faith is only as good as the object in which you put your trust
•      Gods of wood and stone
•      Money
•      Possessions
•      Status
•      all those lead to a faith that is empty
•      The Christians faith is based on the word of truth
•      It has been tested
•      It has been proven
•      And it has passed every time

Psalm 12:6–7 AV

⁶ The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

⁷ Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Love

The next evidence of a transformed life is that they had love for other people

even people that they had not met or did not have an invested relationship with

John 13:34–35 AV

³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Hope

Blessed hope for the future

Colossians 1:27 AV

²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

•     Jesus will present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable

Colossians 1:20–22 AV

²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

²¹ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

²² In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Our hope is “laid up” in heaven, it is reserved for you:

1 Peter 1:3–5 AV

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Pre-Eminent in the cross

Colossians 1:13–14 (AV)
13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

It is what Jesus did for you on that cross that makes the gospel possible. The Bible says that cursed is every man that hangeth on a tree, and that is what Jesus did for you, He became a curse to save you from the curse that you deserve:

Galatians 3:13 AV

¹³ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Pre-Eminent in creation

Colossians 1:15–17 (AV)
15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Jesus is not one of Gods creation, He is God

John 1:1–3 AV

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² The same was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:3 AV

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

And he is still holding it all together

Colossians 1:17 AV

¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Pre-Eminent in the Body of Christ

Colossians 1:18–23 (AV)
18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

The body of Christ is the new creation

•      Jesus is the originator of the new creation
•      His resurrection give him title to the throne
•      He is Firstborn from the dead
•      He was the first to rise from the dead, never to die again

Firstborn of every creature

Jesus was the first to conquer death

Revelation 1:5–6 (AV)
5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 1:10 AV

¹⁰ But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

This chapter of Colossians shows how that Jesus has won the race and is eligible to sit on the pole position of your life

The question is:

     Are you allowing him to take first place?

     Are you allowing him to lead you?

     or

Are you treating him as an insignificant part of your life

Have you been treating the Lord as if he is non-essential in your daily walk?

Our hope at Irvington Bible Baptist Church is that this podcast provided some encouragement and has helped you to develop a closer relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.