Introduction
What a blessing
it is, when we have friends on whom we can depend! A
true friend will joyfully sing with you when you are
on the mountaintop, and silently walk beside you through
the valley.
A real friend warms
you by his presence, trusts you with his secrets, and
remembers you in his prayers. A true friend is forever
a friend. There was, of course, a period when every
friendship began; some friend may be a recent one, while
others are long time friends
In our text a friend,
who was before all other friends, addresses us
Here is a friend
who loved us before we knew the love of a mother. One
who loved us before we were even conscious of our own
existence.
He ever says to
His own “I
have loved you with an everlasting love”
Jesus is indeed the first.
How many of those,
who were first in our lives, are not the last, for they
have long since passed from our view? Only a few of
the friends of youth remain. How many of our fondest
attachments of life have run like rivers into the desert,
and have been lost in the sands of time? But, Here we
have a Friend who will still be there at the close of
life. One who will remain while others have passed away,
for—Jesus is the Last.
Amid the passing
years and the passing forms of our loved ones, and the
changing scenes of life, how wonderful and comforting
it is to know that Jesus is the first and the last.
A true friend, who is forever a friend. There is not
a friend like Jesus.
Let us consider
this lovely name of His— A Name that covers all
the Past, Present and future.
JESUS THE FIRST
1. His Pre-existence...
Jesus, being the
first, expresses His eternal Pre-existence. We find
Him constantly declaring this in the Gospel of John.
The witness of
John the Baptist to Him was, “He
was before me” John: 30.
He testifies of
Himself “I came
from the Father and entered the world ”
His answer to the
questions from the Jewish leaders was “before
Abraham was I am” John 16:28
In the Old Testament we have some lovely pictures of the eternal
Christ. Isaiah’s picture of Jesus, the First—
Isa 9:6 “For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and
the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
The everlasting Father—(the Father of eternity)
Let us read what
the Lord has to say concerning Himself in the book of
Proverbs, through the inspired utterance of Solomon.
Prov 8:22-31
The LORD possessed
me in the beginning of his way, before his works of
old.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or
ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when
there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills
was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set
a compass upon the face of the depth:
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened
the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters
should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the
foundations of the earth:
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I
was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my
delights were with the sons of men. (KJV)
Solomon’s
thoughts took wing, and his words take us out beyond
the confines of time and space, as the Holy Spirit draws
aside the Veil to show us “Jesus
the First” abiding
with the Godhead.
We are taken back,
for a moment, to a place and time when God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit dwelt together
in all their wisdom—before their works began. This
is how long Jesus has been our Friend.
Standing at the
beginning, of time we behold the vast ocean of eternity
and Jesus our Friend and the Captain of our Salvation
is there and His delight is with the sons of men. In
His heart was love for the world of men, whom He would
come to redeem in the fullness of time. Jesus, the First
and the Last, is the Friend of Sinners.
Jesus is the same
forever—
As of old, so now
today All the hosts of hell endeavours Vainly to obstruct
His way But Jesus still His power retaineth And saves
His people from their sins
JESUS THE FIRST
1. His Pre-existence...
2. His Pre-eminence
The “First”
would also express His Pr-eminence. John the Baptist
said of Jesus “He
must increase and I must decrease”
The Apostle Paul
takes this on board when writing to the Church at Colosse.
Col 1:18 “And
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 pre eminence.”
It is the Purpose
of God the Father, that His Son should have the Pre-eminence.
He is Deity! He is higher than all men! Than all angels!
He is God of very God, the brightness of the Father’s
glory, and the express image of His person! He is King
of Kings and Lord of Lord’s.
Yet, this is the
one who is the Faithful Friend of His people, and will
continue to be for He is the “First
and the last” He is
the One who has paid the Ransom in full to Redeem our
souls. The welfare of our precious souls is in divine
and infinite hands.
With Paul we can
say
2 Tim 1:12 for I know whom
I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that
day.”
God is never defeated.
Though he may be opposed, attacked, resisted, still
the ultimate outcome can never be in doubt. Therefore,
what we have committed unto the one who is the first
and the last is eternally safe.
The Grace of the
Infinite One, who is our Friend, is sufficient, not
only for our Salvation, but for our eternal security.
Jesus, who is the
“First and the Last”, Must ever have
the Pre-eminence in the lives of His people. We must
bring forth the Royal Diadem and crown Him Lord of all,
bowing before Him in obedience.
Like one of old
we would pray---
Teach us, good Lord, to
serve Thee as Thou deservest To give and not to count
the cost; To fight and not to heed the wounds; To toil
and not to seek for rest; To labour and not to ask for
any reward save that of knowing that we do thy will.
JESUS THE FIRST
—
His Pre-eminence....
A. His Pre-eminence—In
Relation to Creation...
Paul expresses
this thought in his epistle to the Colossians. “For
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:”
Col 1:17 “And he is before all things, and by him
all things consist.” Col 1:16
Paul underscores
Christ’s relationship to Natural Creation, and
to the affairs of Providence. By His hand the Material
universe was formed, and it is by His constant superintendence,
the whole machinery of providence is maintained. By
Him all things consist!
Jesus, the First
and the Last, is the force that holds the universe in
order and harmony. “All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth”--
None can stay His hand or ask Him “What are you
doing”?
There is a Throne
set in heaven and the one, who is seated on the Throne,
is the One who is “First and Last” All angels,
and all Creation sing with adoring reverence and love.
Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom,
and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”
Rev 5:1
Rev 5:13 “And every creature which is in heaven,
and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are
in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,
Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be
unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever.”
A. His Pre-eminence--- Relation
to Creation...
B. His Pre-eminence Relation to Revelation...
Jesus is first
in relation to the Bible. He is First on the sacred
page. The one object of the Holy Scriptures is to reveal
to men the Person and the beautiful Portrait of Jesus
Christ. Jesus is the key to its interpretation! He is
the Glory of its pages.
• Jesus—
is the Covering Provided after the fall of man.
• Jesus—is the Ark, which rose above the floodwaters
of Judgment.
• It is Jesus whom we see in the Sacrifice on Mount
Moriah, in the ladder of Jacob, in the story of Joseph.
• Jesus is the Paschal Lamb! The Manna in the desert!
The smitten rock! The suffering scapegoat! The enrobed
Priest.
• It is Jesus whom we see in the Tabernacle and
its furnishings—in the mercy seat! In the golden
candlestick.
• It is Jesus whom we see in the book of Psalms—
In Proverbs, the book of wisdom. In the visions of the
Prophets. Jesus is the “First” in revelation
• His face can be seen on every page! The testimony
of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, for He is the Alpha
and the Omega” The first and the last of this Holy
Book. How sad it is, that there are so many who never
read this wonderful book.
George Whitfield.
--- “God has condescended to become an author, and yet people
will not read his writings. There are very few that
ever give this Book of God, the grand charter of salvation,
one fair reading through”.
A. His Pre-eminence—
In Relation to Creation...
B. His Pre-eminence—In Relation to
Revelation
C.His Pre-eminence—In Relation to Redemption
Jesus is First,
in the Plan of Salvation—He said in the book of
Psalms
Then said I, Lo, I come:
in the volume of the book it is written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is
within my heart. Ps 40:7-8
He has accomplished
redemption! Forever more He will stand as the centre
and the Head of God’s greatest work -—The
Restoration of a Ruined Race of sinful men! and the
Restoration of a cursed World.
Jesus is not only
the first in Redemption—He is the all of Redemption.
The Winepress He has trodden alone! His was all the
cost! His agony! His shame! And His shall the Glory
be, the one, who is the first and the last, shall be
honoured forever.
ILLUSTRATION King Richard the Lionheart angered King Leopold when, during
the crusades, he took down Leopold’s banner and
put up his own.
So, on his homeward journey, Richard was kidnapped by
Leopold and held for ransom. It was an enormous sum.
Eventually, Richard was set free but the ransom was
never entirely paid. Only a part of it was paid to Leopold.
Joyfully, we say of our ransom, Jesus, the First and
the Last, has paid it all!”
Redemption! Oh
wonderful story
Glad message for you and for me
That Jesus has purchased our Pardon
And paid all the debt on the tree.
There is no Name
so sublime in heaven as the Name of Jesus! And there
is no song so loud as the one that celebrates His Redeeming
Love, a love that knows no limit, and a love that knows
no end.
D. His Pre-eminence— Relation to Personal Salvation
Every saved soul
must acknowledge Jesus as the First. He ever says to
His Own. “ Ye have
not chosen me, but I have chosen you”, John 15:16
The first desire,
that we had to come to Him, came from Him. The very
longing that we had for Him was His. Grace, beginning
to enter our hearts. With His loving kindness He has
drawn us to Himself. Jesus is “First in Personal
Salvation”—Salvation is of the Lord.
E. His Pre-eminence—
In Relation to our Personal Consecration
The true aim of
a consecrated life is to make Jesus First. He is to
have first place in our heart’s affection. Jesus
is to be First in our thoughts, in our motives, in our
plans, friendships, occupations, and business, first
in our whole existence.
”Jesus First”
let this be our simple watchword and very soon all of life’s
entanglements will soon be unravelled. Jesus first in
every decision that we have to make! Is this His will?
Will this please Him?
Do you want the
best? give your best by always putting Jesus first. This will elevate
you to a higher plain of spiritual experience. When
Jesus is on the Throne of our hearts, the fullness of
Blessing will be on us. God tends to use the one
nearest him.
Friends, as someone has said “Mend your nets with prayer,
cast them in faith, and draw them in love for the Saviour”.
His Pre-eminence-- In Relation to our Consecration--
Jesus First—
Take my life
and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days Let them flow with Ceaseless
Praise.
JESUS THE FIRST.
JESUS THE LAST
This implies the
eternal existence of Jesus. He is as He himself has
expressed it “Alive
for evermore”
It is a blessed
thing to have one, as our friend, who holds all the
future in the palm of His hand. Let us, as Believers,
always remember, that no matter what is coming Jesus
is coming, with it, and that He is in control of every
future event.
Though it is Trial,
Temptation, or death, He will be there. The heavens
and the earth will pass away, but He will remain and
so will His Word.
All other friends,
whom we have known, will pass away, but Jesus will remain
forever the same. We will change but Jesus never! He
is the same yesterday today and forever—
Beyond the tears
and the partings of earth, Jesus stands in eternity
to welcome His people home, and to give out the crown
of life.
JESUS IS THE LAST.
The things that He gives to us will stand sure, for
the things, which are linked to Him, are eternal.
A. Jesus the Last. -- His Eternal Presence....
I -will never leave
you nor forsake you}’
B. Jesus the Last
-- His Eternal Plan
“The author
and the finisher of our faith “
Jesus, our Friend,
will finish His work in us and He will carry to consummation
all that He has begun.
Paul says to the
Church in Philippi --
”Being confident of this
very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Phil 1:6
The Psalmist said
--
”The LORD will perfect that which concerneth
me: thy mercy, Psa 138:8
C Jesus the Last
-- His EternalPromise
”My sheep hear
my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand.”
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than
all; and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27--29
Jesus has taken us on forever and He will lead us on! He will
accomplish in us all that He has planned and it will
be for His Glory.
Jesus Christ is the substance and the end of all things.
ILLUSTRATION As one writer of old has said, “When we are done with
all things and people see Him as He is, we shall find
that His heart is the fountain of love. His smile is
the substance of joy! His life is the life of all life.!
Himself the First and Last of everything!”
Beloved, when we get to heaven we will have nothing that is
not part of Him and linked with Him. Every face we see—will
reflect His beauty! Every glory we wear will reflect
His Holiness.
Put Jesus First
and you will find out surely that Jesus is the Last..
Rev 22:13 I
am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first
and the last.
There is One amid
all Changes
Who standeth ever fast
Jesus is the First Jesus is the last
Trust to Him your future,
Give to Him your past
Jesus is the Rock of ages, He is the First and Last
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