Title: NO NEXT BEST THING TO JESUS!
Text: Colossians 1:16,18 — “For by him were all things created… And he is before all things, and in all things he might have the preeminence.”
THEME VERSE: Psalm 138:2 — “For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
INTRODUCTION:
During my time in Fiji, I was struck by God’s marvelous creations. Looking up, I saw the beautiful blue sky dotted with various cloud shapes. From atop a hill, I gazed at the expansive South Pacific Ocean. As the sunset gradually progressed, the blue of the sky transformed into orange, blending with the sunset’s vibrant hues.
At that moment, I realized we were beneath a mango tree. This tree, like others on the island, consistently blooms its flowers and bears fruit in its season. Seeing these wonders made me wonder how anyone could believe there is no God.
Romans 1:20 — “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”
Creation acts as a continuous, silent sermon preaching God’s majesty. God’s invisible attributes are made visible through the material world, rendering human skepticism totally without defense.
The world says: “There’s a backup plan. There’s plan B. There’s something almost as good.”
The Bible says: “In all things he might have the preeminence.”
There’s no such thing as a self-made man. Genesis 1:27 — “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
We owe our very existence, breath, and identity to the breath of the Creator.
There’s no such thing as luck. Proverbs 16:33 — “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”
What men call ‘chance’ or ‘luck’ is merely the sovereign execution of God’s perfect, divine oversight.
And after seeing God’s handiwork in Fiji, there’s no such thing as denying the Creator. Psalm 19:1 — “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Creation speaks an undeniable universal language that glorifies its Architect.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE NEXT BEST THING TO JESUS!
Because Christ is preeminent, He deserves our preeminent devotion.
WHEN JESUS HAS PREEMINENCE, WE WILL GIVE HIM OUR…
I. PRIME IN OUR PRIORITIES – Colossians 1:18, Matthew 6:33 KJV
If He’s first in rank, He must be first in our life.
A. PLACING Christ Foremost
Colossians 1:17 — “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
He exists before creation, before your career, before family, and before ministry. Time didn’t start Him, and time won’t end Him; He is the holding force of the universe.
Matthew 6:33 — “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
‘First’ denotes primary rank and immediate focus. Not second, not when convenient, but FIRST. When Jesus holds the throne, life’s necessities fall into their proper alignment.
B. PRECLUDING Competing Idols
No next best thing to salvation — You’re either saved or lost. Acts 4:12 — “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Christ holds an absolute monopoly on salvation. Good works, religion, and morality cannot act as a ‘Plan B.’
No next best thing to His Word — Psalm 138:2 — “…for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
God attaches His ultimate authority to His written Word. Devotionals, podcasts, and human opinions are helpful tools, but they can never substitute the infallible authority of Holy Scripture.
You can’t have two kings on one throne. When Christ is preeminent, He sits alone.
THE CALENDAR TEST
Look at your calendar and your bank statement. That’s your real priority list. If Jesus is Lord, He gets the prime time and the prime portion.
Preeminence means He doesn’t get our leftovers. He gets our firstfruits.
II. PURE IN OUR PURPOSE – Colossians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV
If He made all things, all things must be for Him.
A. PERFORMING For His Glory
Colossians 1:16 — “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible… all things were created by him, and for him.”
You didn’t make yourself, nor are you a cosmic accident. You are a purposeful divine design created to bring Him glory, just like that fruit-bearing tree in Fiji.
1 Corinthians 10:31 — “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Spirituality is not limited to church walls. Job, school, and home routines all transform into acts of holy worship when performed out of love for Jesus.
B. PURSUING Godly Excellence
No sloppy service for the King — Malachi 1:8 — “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.”
God rebukes half-hearted efforts. If we wouldn’t give lazy, careless service to earthly leaders, we must never offer it to the Almighty King.
Giving Him our BEST — The best of our efforts, the best of our days, the best of our talents. Romans 12:1 — “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
In light of God’s infinite mercy, surrender is not an extraordinary demand; it is our logically standard duty.
THE MANGO TREE
That tree in Fiji didn’t decide to bear fruit. It was designed to. We were designed too:
Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
When we bear spiritual fruit, we reveal the transforming power of our divine Cultivator.
John 15:8 — “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
THE 10-TALENT TEST
If God gave you 10 talents, giving Him 2 is not “pretty good.” It’s robbery.
Malachi 3:8 — “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me…”
Preeminence demands excellence, not mediocrity.
Purpose is not “what can I do for me?” Purpose is “what can I do for Him?”
III. PASSIONATE IN OUR PRAISE – Colossians 1:18, Psalm 103:1-2KJV
If He’s preeminent in power, He should be preeminent in our praise.
A. PROCLAIMING His Supremacy
Colossians 1:18 — “And he is the head of the body, the church… that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
In the home, in the church, in the nation, in your heart — Jesus must be explicitly magnified above all else.
No next best thing to His love and care — Romans 8:38-39 — “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life… nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Counseling, friends, and money can provide temporary aid, but only the unshakeable love of Christ offers soul-satisfying security.
B. PRESENTING Continual Worship
Psalm 103:1 — “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
True worship isn’t an outward Sunday song; it is an internal, total-body posture of wholehearted surrender.
Psalm 103:2 — “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
Praise is grounded in holy remembrance. We don’t praise Him simply because life is easy; we praise Him because His character and faithfulness never fail.
THE SUNSET OVER THE PACIFIC
That orange sky in Fiji didn’t happen by chance. God painted it. And every time we praise Him, we’re reflecting His glory back to Him — just like the ocean reflected the sunset.
THE QUESTION FOR TODAY
“Are you giving Him YOUR BEST?” Best time in the morning? Best energy on Sunday? Best attitude at work? Or are we giving Him what’s left after we’ve given the world our best?
Passionate praise flows from a heart that knows there is no substitute for Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
Colossians 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 preeminence.”
A. A Call to Believing Faith (To the Unsaved) – Acts 16:31 — “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Salvation is not found in turning over a new leaf, joining a church, or trying harder. There is no ‘Plan B’ or alternative route to Heaven. You cannot save yourself. You must make a decisive choice to abandon all self-reliance and place total trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
2 Corinthians 6:2 — “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Delaying your decision is choosing to reject Him. If He is preeminent, He demands your decision today—not tomorrow, not when it becomes convenient.
B. A Call to World Evangelization (To the Saved) – Mark 16:15 — “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” If Jesus is truly preeminent in our lives, His last command must be our highest priority. We cannot claim He is Lord of our lives while ignoring the millions who have never heard His name. World evangelization is not an option for a select few missionaries; it is the binding commission for every believer.
Matthew 28:18-19 — “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…”
Because all power and supreme authority belong to Christ, we are commanded to take His gospel across our streets and across the seas. A church or believer that loses sight of global missions has dethroned Christ from the center of their purpose.
“Is Jesus preeminent in YOUR life?” Not merely important. Not just included in your routine. PREEMINENT.
Today the Lord is pressing two urgent decisions upon your heart:
- If you are unsaved: Stop searching for the ‘next best thing.’ There is no substitute for the blood of Jesus. Today, repent of your sin, turn away from self-righteousness, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved forever.
- If you are saved: Will you surrender your life to His global mandate? Will you pray, give, and go so that every nation, tribe, and tongue hears of His preeminence? Just as creation in Fiji declares His glory without reservation, let your life declare His Lordship to a dying world.
There is NO next best thing to Jesus. Come to this altar, submit to His Lordship, and crown Him Lord of all!
Are you giving Him YOUR BEST? Best time in the morning? Best energy on Sunday? Best attitude at work? Or are we giving Him what’s left after we’ve given the world our best?This really convicted my heart. I have to admit that I’m guilty of this. There are mornings when I wake up late and rush straight into cooking or getting ready for the day without spending time with the Lord first. Even on Sundays, there are times when I’m so focused on preparing for church and serving that I forget to give God my very best before everything else.
Reading this reminded me that God doesn’t deserve my leftovers,He deserves my first and my best. I want to make a conscious effort to seek Him first every morning, spend time in His Word and prayer before the busyness of the day begins, and worship Him with my whole heart. Please pray that I will be faithful in putting Christ first, because I truly desire to honor Him in every part of my life.