Introduction:    I believe that many of us are yet to discover the full treasure we have in Jesus Christ. Oh, dear friend in Jesus Christ, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now, how can those treasures be yours? Well, there's a key verse it's verse eighteen. Look at it. Now here's the key phrase, watch it, that in all things He might have the preeminence (= to be first in rank or influence). I want to talk to you about Discovering Your Treasure by recognizing God's eternal plan; that in all things Jesus may have the preeminence. The very first thing I want you to see is

I.          THE DETERMINATION OF HIS PREEMINENCE.

I read verse eighteen. Look if you will in verse nineteen. What does that mean, it please the father, that in all things, (v.18), Jesus should have preeminence, and it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell. When you understand that you are going to unlock the key to all eternity. God has but one eternal plan and it is that his son will have the preeminence.

·         Why did God send the Holy Spirit?

That Jesus might have the preeminence. Jesus said when he is come he will not speak of himself, he will glorify me. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ. Beware of any so called Christian movement that has the Holy Spirit for a figurehead. The Holy Spirit, very God of very God, has as his office work to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.

·         Even the final judgment is that in all things Jesus has the preeminence.

God is going to judge the world. Why? That every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the father. If you want to get in on what God is doing, if you want to understand what God is up to, if you want to bring your life in line with almighty God, then make it the purpose of your life, that God's purpose will be your purpose, that Jesus will have the preeminence. You can never, ever know the fullness of God in your life until the one single aim of your life is that Christ and Christ alone will be exalted. (Illus: A great preacher once said in every heart there is the throne. He said when self in on that throne Christ is on the cross. But he said when self is on the cross Christ is on the throne.) Is Jesus on the throne of your heart?

·         Jesus is not looking for a place in your life.

He doesn't want just a place in your life. Jesus Christ is not looking for prominence in your life. He does not want just prominence in your life. Jesus Christ deserves and demands preeminence in your life. Jesus Christ is not someone that you can tack on to your life. Jesus Christ doesn't want to be the spare tire dear friend; Jesus Christ is to be Lord of your life. It pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell. And so, the very first thing that I want you to understand, if you would discover your treasure is the sovereign determination of his preeminence. All that God is doing is so that his son might have the preeminence. Now, the second thing I want you to understand is

II.         THE DIMENSION OF HIS PREEMINENCE.

What should He be preeminent in? Well, look again if you will in verse eighteen, that in “all things.” He is to be preeminent in

A.        The Revelation Of The Father (v.15)

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. God is unseeable, God is unknowable, and God is unapproachable apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. You will never know God apart from the preeminence of Christ. You cannot know God through reason. You cannot know God through religion. You cannot know God through ritual. The only way that you can know God is through Jesus Christ. In Matt. 11:27 Jesus Christ said “all things are delivered unto me of my father and no man knoweth the son but the father. Neither knoweth any man the father except the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him.” The only way you can know God is for the son to reveal him to you. If you worship God any other way you're worshipping an unknown God. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life and no man comes unto the father but by me.” He is preeminent in the revelation of the father. Secondly, He is preeminent in

B.         The Regulation Of The Universe

·         Jesus is the power of creation (v.16)

It was all done by him. Who created this vast, mighty world? Who was it that flung out the stars? Who was it that scooped out the seas? Who was it that heaped up the mountains? Who is it that paints the rainbow? It is Jesus Christ. And I want to tell you that little baby of Matthew one is the mighty God of Genesis one. There was not one blade of grass made, not one grain of sand created without the Lord Jesus Christ. And when Jesus Christ came into this world as a little baby He was the one that had created his mother. And when He was born He was older than His mother and as old as His Father.

·         Jesus is the preserver of creation (v.17)

Jesus Christ holds it together. Jesus is the glue of the galaxies. Jesus Christ is the one who regulates the universe. Jesus is the one who fuels the sun so that it can burn. Jesus Christ is the one who veils the moon with beauty. Jesus Christ is the one who guides the stars and the planets in their mighty orbits. The scientists talk about natural law. There is no natural law; it is the law of God. He alone regulates the universe. Not only is he the power of creation, not only is he the preserve of creation; but dear friend,

·         Jesus is the purpose of creation

Look again in the last part of verse sixteen. All things were created by him and “for him.” Did you think it was made for you? It was made by him, it was made for him and that word for is a preposition and it means movement toward an object, it means that this universe is coming to him, it was made for him, it is coming to him and it is all for him. Life is meaningless if you don't understand the purpose for creation. Jesus is preeminent He is preeminent in the revelation of the father. You cannot know God unless you know him who is the image of the invisible God. Jesus is preeminent in the regulation of the universe. He is the power, He is the preserver, and He is the purpose of creation. Thirdly He is preeminent in

C.         The Reconciliation Of The World (V.18) 

There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. He is preeminent in salvation. He made peace with the blood of his cross. There is no way apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace by the blood of His cross. What a savior we have, there's none like the Lord Jesus Christ, thank God for the Lord Jesus. Now, I've talked about the determination of his preeminence. It pleased the father. I have talked about the dimensions of his preeminence, that in, all things he might have preeminence. Now, thirdly, I want to talk to you about

III.       THE DEMANDS OF HIS PREEMINENCE

What does this mean to me? Well, it means dear friend, that in my heart and in my life, He must be first. There are two things that demand that Jesus have first place in my life. Number one,

A.        Because Of His Deity (v.18)

Jesus Christ is God and He is Head. He is king and therefore He has a right to demand of me His preeminence. There can be no rival, there can be no refusal. There can be no rebuttal. Christ is God and because of His deity, He demands preeminence. But not only because of His deity, but

B.         Because Of His Death (v.20)

When you put verses eighteen through twenty together then you understand why I must bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Love so amazing so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all. The carnal Corinthians had forgotten the preeminence of Christ. And Paul told them in 1 Cor. 6:19 “what? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy ghost which is in you which ye have of God and you are not your own.” Oh friend, he bought you, he bought me, and I have no right to my life. I must turn it over to him completely. This is the sacred demand of his preeminence.

But, how is that going to work out in my life? If Jesus Christ is Lord and he is, if he died for me and he did, if God has determined that in all things Jesus Christ should have the preeminence, what does that mean to me? May I suggest several things that it means to me and God help us that it ought to mean to all of us? If Christ is on the throne of my life, if Christ is to have preeminence what does that mean? Well, that means he comes first. That means I must

·         Give Him the first thought of the day.

(Psa. 5:3) “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning oh Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up.” Is the first thought in the morning of the Lord? It ought to be. Give him the first thought in the morning.

·         Give Him the first day of the week.

It belongs to him (Acts 20:7) “upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them.”(1 Cor.16:2) “Upon the first day of the week, let everyone of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.” Oh, friend, give him the Lord's day, not just Sunday morning, but Sunday evening and all day Sunday. What should a Christian do on Sunday? The New Testament does not lay down rules, it is not the Old Testament's Sabbath, it is the Lord's Day, but dear friend, it is the Lord's Day. I'm not going to make any rules for you, but I tell you  what you ought to do, you ought to bow and give this day to Jesus Christ, give him the first thoughts in the morning, give him the first day of the week, and

·         Give Him the first- fruits of your time, talent, and treasure.

(Prov. 3:9-10) “honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruit of all thine increase and so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses burst out with new wine.” (Matt.6:33) “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Give him the first thought in the morning, give him the first day of the week, and give him the first fruit of your time, talent, and treasure,

·         Give Him the first consideration in any decision.

2 Cor. 8:5 “they first gave their own selves unto the Lord.” Just give him ALL, give it all to Jesus.

Conclusion:     Jesus Christ deserves, demands preeminence and when you begin to give him preeminence then you're going to find the treasure that is hid in the Lord Jesus. I want every head bowed, every eye closed and I want to solemnly ask this question, Is Jesus Christ preeminent in your life? I'm not asking does he have a place. I'm not asking do you intellectually believe in him. I am asking is he totally, completely, Lord in your life? Are you willing to first give yourself to him, to give him the first thought in the day, to give him the first day of the week, to give him the first fruit of your time, talent, and treasure, to give him the first  consideration in any decision to say he is Lord, no refusal, no rebuttal, He is Lord.