Jesus Christ is the Firstborn over all creation, signifying His supreme rank and authority. As stated in Colossians 1:15-18, He is the image of the invisible God, through whom all things were created in heaven and on earth, holding all things together. He is the head of the church and the Firstborn from the dead, ensuring His preeminence in creation and redemption. Revelation 3:14 calls Him the beginning of God's creation, emphasizing His primacy in rule and dignity, not a created status. His role as Firstborn denotes inheritance, dominion, and the continuation of the Father's will, affirming His position as Creator and Redeemer with ultimate authority over all.

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Jesus in the Feasts (Part Two): Firstfruits

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ stands as the central figure of Scripture, the Word of God, and the focus of all biblical revelation. He is the preeminent Firstfruit, the initiator of God's spiritual harvest, as described in I Corinthians 15:23, where He is called the firstfruits. His resurrection marks Him as the firstborn from the dead, a title affirmed in Colossians 1:18 and Revelation 1:5, signifying that others will follow in His path. As the Firstfruit, He is first both chronologically and in quality, surpassing all who come after, who are also called firstfruits to the Lord. In the context of the holy days, particularly Pentecost, Jesus Christ is the model Firstfruit, the standard for the elect to emulate. On wave sheaf day, He represents the beginning of the harvest, the first to be given glory. On Pentecost, He is the preeminent Firstfruit par excellence, the One whom all must follow. His role as the prototokos, meaning first in preeminence, authority, and privilege, underscores His position as all in all, as noted in Colossians 3:11. The call to follow Him is the first duty of His disciples, as seen in His command to Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, and Philip to "Follow Me." This charge implies not just physical following but a spiritual imitation of His actions and way of life. He never strayed from His Father's will, providing an unerring example for all to pursue on the path to the Kingdom of God. As the trailblazer, the Archegos, He has forged the way through the wilderness of this world, cutting a path for others to follow to glory, ensuring that staying on His trail leads to the same destination. Jesus Christ, as the Firstfruit, is also the dispenser of the Holy Spirit, a responsibility given to Him by the Father. He grants this Spirit to those who repent and are baptized, enabling them to walk the path He has laid out. His desire is for brethren, a bride, to join Him as firstfruits at His return, motivated to guide them along the way He pioneered. Through His example, instruction, gifts, help, and strength, He makes it possible for others to grow in righteousness and become like Him, focusing not on personal struggles but on His perfect model. Ultimately, the goal is to be exactly like the Firstfruit, the Head, by forsaking the human way and embracing the godly way. The truth resides in Him, and to be firstfruits after His manner, one must put on Christ, living as He lived in true holiness and righteousness. He is the true focus of Pentecost, the One who leads and guides in the walk of faith to the Kingdom of God, ensuring that through His efforts, all can be completed and perfected to the end.

Jesus Is God

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ is described as the firstborn, a term that carries significant weight in understanding His preeminence and divine nature. In Colossians 1:14-18, He is called the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, emphasizing that by Him all things were created, whether in heaven or on earth, visible or invisible. This passage underscores His role as Creator, being before all things and holding all things together. He is also the head of the body, the church, and the firstborn from the dead, ensuring His preeminence in all aspects of creation and redemption. Further, Colossians 2:9-10 affirms that in Him dwells all the fullness of divinity bodily, confirming His divine essence in human form and His position as head over all principality and power. The theme throughout Colossians is not about the order of birth but about His supreme rank and authority over all creation. In Revelation 3:14, Jesus is referred to as the beginning of the creation of God, using the Greek word arche. This term, while literally meaning beginning, is best understood in this context as indicating primacy in rule, authority, rank, and dignity, rather than suggesting He was the first created being. This interpretation aligns with the message to the Laodiceans, where He asserts His lordship and mastery, warning them to repent or face rejection. Other translations and commentaries support this view, rendering arche as source, origin, or ruler, reinforcing His preeminent position rather than a created status. These passages collectively affirm Jesus Christ's eternal existence and supreme authority, establishing Him as uncreated and preeminent over all things, both as Creator and Redeemer.

Hebrews (Part Five): Who Was Jesus?

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Jesus Christ holds a position of unparalleled significance as the Firstborn over all creation, a term that denotes His supreme rank and authority rather than a literal birth. As described in Colossians 1:15-17, He is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation, through whom all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. All things were created through Him and for Him, and in Him all things consist, affirming His preeminence and role as the head of the church. This designation as Firstborn underscores His inheritance and dominion, assuring the continuation of the Father's will through the Son. His role as Firstborn also signifies His position as the heir of all things, a status that conveys dignity and ownership, ensuring that the church is in capable hands for its spiritual administration and ultimate salvation.

The High Christology of Colossians

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ is presented in high Christology as the image of the invisible God, holding the title of firstborn over all creation. This designation does not imply He was the first created being, but rather that He is preeminent, first in rank and importance, possessing all the power, prerequisites, and prerogatives of the firstborn. As the Sovereign Lord over all creation, He stands superior as its Creator, having brought into existence all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, including thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers. All things were created through Him and for Him, affirming His ownership and authority over creation as His inheritance. Furthermore, He is before all things, existing long prior to creation, and in Him all things consist, holding together under His sustaining power. His role extends to being the Head of the body, the church, where He serves as the living personal Leader and Life-source. Additionally, He is described as the beginning, the origin, and the firstborn from the dead, indicating His position as the heir, raised by the Father as the first of many sons and daughters. In all things, He holds preeminence, standing as Number One in every category, with no one higher except the Father Himself.

Why We Observe Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The concept of Jesus Christ as the Firstborn is deeply woven into the spiritual narrative of God's purpose and relationship with His people. In Exodus 4:22, God declares Israel as His son, even His firstborn, establishing a foundational type that points to Christ. This imagery extends to the church, which is called the Israel of God in Galatians 6:16, signifying a spiritual lineage connected to the Firstborn. In Matthew 2:15, the prophecy "Out of Egypt have I called my son" from Hosea 11:1 is applied directly to Jesus, illustrating His role as the ultimate Firstborn whom God calls out of Egypt, paralleling Israel's historical deliverance. Further, Hebrews 12:22-23 refers to the church as the church of the firstborn, indicating either the church belonging to the Firstborn, Christ, or consisting of firstborn members united with Him. This union is evident as members are one with the Firstborn, part of His body, and identified as His spiritual firstfruits. Revelation 14:4 reinforces this by describing the redeemed as the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb, highlighting their connection to Christ as the Firstborn in the context of spiritual redemption. This theme underscores the significance of God's initiative in salvation, where Christ, as the Firstborn, is central to the calling and sanctification of His people. The focus on Him during observances like the Days of Unleavened Bread emphasizes His preeminence in enabling the spiritual journey of the church, mirroring the historical pattern of God's deliverance of Israel.

Reconciliation (Part Two): Christ's Work

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ holds a position of supreme importance as the firstborn over all creation, embodying both a temporal and qualitative significance. As described in Colossians 1:15-18, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, through whom all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. All things were created through Him and for Him, and in Him all things consist. He is before all things, and as the head of the body, the church, He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, ensuring His preeminence in all things. The Greek term prototokos, translated as firstborn, carries the dual meaning of existing prior to all else and being of the highest quality, signifying His superiority and excellence above all in the universe, second only to the Father. This preeminence underscores His unique role in the reconciliation of all things to God, achieved through the sacrifice of His life, demonstrating His unparalleled value as the Creator whose blood covers the sins of humanity and restores harmony with the Father.

Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Forty): Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In the journey of overcoming the futility of this world, Jesus Christ stands as the Firstborn, the Master and Archegos who has gone before us. He ran the same course of life that we must traverse, enduring the obstacle course of human existence under the sun to prepare for His role in the Kingdom of God. As the Firstborn, He sets the example for all His firstfruit brothers and sisters, who must also overcome the world of sin and vanity to be qualified as His bride. Through this shared experience, we gain the knowledge and mind of Christ, enabling us to teach God's above-the-sun way of life when the revealing of the sons of God occurs at the resurrection upon His return. His path through the frustrations of sinful human life, victorious with the help of God, ensures that we, too, can hit the ground running in the Millennium to guide Israel in righteousness.

Creator, Sustainer, Head (Part Two)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

Jesus Christ is the firstborn, the One who holds preeminence over all creation. He created all things, including every seat of authority, whether angelic or human. All things were created through Him and for Him because He is the heir of all things. He existed before everything else, and in Him all things consist. By Him, everything is held together, as He maintains, guides, sustains, and propels all things. He is the head of the body, the church, using His overwhelming intellect and skill to sustain, guide, and propel the spiritual creation of His brothers and sisters. He is creating the age when we will join Him in His glory, revealing Himself as Creator and giving us eyes to see some of His spiritual creation as it takes place.

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Eight): Hebrews 1

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

In the opening of the epistle to the Hebrews, God inspired the author to immediately focus on Jesus Christ, identifying Him through titles and associations with magnificent accomplishments and bestowed honors. God presents a series of powerful statements to establish His unique status: Is there any other person, angel or human, whom God names as His only begotten Son? Is there anyone else whom God declares will inherit all things, through whom the entire creation came into being, and who has given life to all creatures, including humans? Did God appoint any other as the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, or one who upholds all things by the word of His power? Did anyone but His only begotten Son purge sins by sacrificing a perfectly lived life in a painful death, rise from the dead, and ascend to heaven to sit at the Father's right hand, holding the second-highest position of power in the universe? God challenges the reader in Hebrews 1:5, asking to which of the angels did He ever say, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You," or "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son"? Unlike angels or others called sons of God in Scripture, Jesus Christ holds the exalted status of God's begotten Son, a privilege never extended to any angel. Further, in Hebrews 1:13, God asks to which of the angels has He said, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? This position of honor, derived from Psalm 110:1, underscores His superiority, having become greater than the angels through His inheritance of a more excellent name and His triumph in putting away the sins of men. The apostle John, in his gospel, emphasizes Jesus' unique identity as the only begotten Son, using the Greek term monogenes to convey a sense of endearment, singleness, and uniqueness. John intentionally omits the definite article in certain verses to intensify the descriptive power, signifying that Jesus is the sole, exclusive representative of the Father's character. This lays greater glory upon Him, severing Him from all other set-apart sons of God in Scripture and emphasizing an unoriginated relationship with the Father, distinct from human generational ties. As Jesus states in John 10:30, "I and My Father are one," indicating that everything the Father is in character, Jesus is also, both existing eternally as God. In John 1:1-3, the pre-incarnate Jesus, identified as the Word, is described as being with God in the beginning and being God Himself. This passage confirms that there was never a time when Jesus and the Father existed apart, implying that Jesus, the Son, is unoriginated, with no source before Him. All things were made through Him, emphasizing His role as Creator and Life-giver, working in perfect harmony with the Father, neither inferior as God to the other. Adding to this, Hebrews 1:3 states that He upholds all things by the word of His power, ensuring that He keeps all alive and in order to this day.

Born Again or Begotten? (Part Three)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

The concept of a spiritual birth has confused many. The Bible consistently compares Christians to already-born children or adults, not fetuses.

The Father-Son Relationship (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Father and Son are separate; the Father is the source of all power, while the Son serves as the channel through which we interface with the Father.

Who Are the Firstfruits?

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

We may take it for granted that 'firstfruits' are synonymous with 'Christians.'" However, 'firstfruits' is very general, referring to surprising things.

Power Belongs to God (Part Two)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Human beings, even those who have been called, have an innate fear that God will not always provide. This fear originates in doubt about God's power.

The Priesthood of God (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The firstborn privileges indicate prominence, carrying the birthright promises. In the New Testament, the firstborn did not always correspond to actual birth order.

Hebrews (Part Eleven): A Simple Recap

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Most of the attrition from the truth stems from losing interest. Drifting away is rarely intentional, but the result of choosing to live carnally.

The Attitude of Esau

Sermonette by Clyde Finklea

We are warned not to take these privileges and responsibilities as shallowly as Esau, who took something that was holy and treated it as common.

Born Again (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Things pertaining to the New Covenant can only be understood by those who have been circumcised in the heart, which equates to having been born again.