Preeminent

Colossians 1:13-20

“13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 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. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Preeminent: Superior to or notable above all others; outstanding.

I have something I’ve been thinking about for a few weeks now. I’ve held off writing about it because I feel like sometimes I can be hyper critical, but as I’ve been thinking about this, I don’t, think, in fact, this is a case of being hyper critical, though people might see it that way.  Here goes….

We went to visit the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. a few weeks ago. Before I get into my critique, I want to say the production quality overall at the museum is very high, very well done, from an aesthetic standpoint. From a historical standpoint, there is much that is good, and I liked a great deal of the exhibit on the Reformation and the translating of the Bible into the common languages. The Old Testament walk through experience had a whole lot that I liked, and which was done very well, but, in the end I left feeling a sad emptiness, like there was a huge missed opportunity - not once in that exhibit was the opportunity taken to point forward to Christ. In several places, I was shouting on the inside how much the opportunity was missed, especially when talking about Ruth and King David. No mention of the link to Jesus, just how great, but flawed, a king David was.  No, rather they ended at Ezra saying what a great thing it was that the light was restored because they had their scriptures and a rebuilt temple. No mention of the shadows pointing toward the ultimate fulfillment that those very Scriptures prophesied, the ultimate Light, who is Christ.

I hoped that when we went over the New Testament exhibit maybe that would be corrected, but I have to say that I actually left that exhibit offended, because really, though they mention Jesus, it’s almost like they kind of blew past the crucifixion and resurrection without expanding AT ALL about why He is so significant.  In the pre-movie about John the Baptist, they even made Herod almost a sympathetic character, like he was sadly forced into arresting and executing John, if only John had cooperated better, and made it more about politics than anything. Totally missed the point that John was prophesying the Messiah! And in the exhibit, much was made about the changed lives of the apostles and about Paul, but it was amazing how little focus was actually on Jesus. If you didn’t already know the gospel, I think you would leave that exhibit a bit confused - what was the point of it all? So He was a good teacher who sadly died, and oh, yeah, the grave was empty and these lives were changed but so what, really? I found that highly offensive, though I can tell the creators of the museum do not mean it to be.  I’m sure they mean to give much respect to the Bible and to how people have been impacted by it though the years, but they MISS THE POINT.  It is offensive to spend the millions of dollars I’m sure have gone into that effort and miss the entire point of the book they are trying to honor.  

JESUS IS THE POINT.  From beginning to end, HE is the point! From Genesis to Revelation, it is ALL about Jesus. To blow past Him and talk vaguely about changed lives but miss the actual gospel message that God is the Creator, and He has spoken in His word, and what He has spoken is salvation to a lost, sinful, and dying world is a hugely wasted opportunity.  I’m glad they want to honor the Bible as such a significant book, but it is significant precisely because in it we find salvation.  Those people’s lives were changed because they met God! Not because He was merely a good teacher who did some miracles, but those miracles pointed to Who He is. 

The message of the Bible is that God created everything, mankind sinned and we are under the wrath of God because we are sinful to our very nature, but God who is just and merciful, came to earth - Jesus lived among us and fulfilled ALL of God’s holy law, that law that we cannot fulfill, and He died on the cross, suffered the wrath we deserve as our holy substitute, He finished everything that He came to do, He did everything God’s righteousness requires, and He rose again, proving that the sacrifice is accepted, and to all who believe in Him and repent of their sin, trusting in Jesus alone, and only to those, He credits His righteousness and counts us as righteous and forgiven. 

Jesus is the preeminent One. Any effort that attempts to respect His word, but downplays HIM, is offensive to a degree that I just can't get over. It doesn’t matter how beautifully done the production value is if Jesus is not ultimately lifted up as the preeminent One.  It may succeed in pleasing those who do not want to see Him as preeminent, but it is ultimately lacking in what matters most.  

So, at the risk of once again being too critical, that was my take away, much as I wanted to like the museum, I just can’t fully.