All New Testament Churches Must Exalt Jesus Christ Above All Else!

What are the essential functions of a New Testament church? There are three simple duties that Christ left His church to do: Exalt Jesus Christ. Edify and disciple new believers in Christ. Evangelize the world.

Exalt Jehovah for He is worthy of all glory and honor. 

Psalm 34:3  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 99:9  Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

The Psalmist frequently connects the action of worship and reverence toward God with each believer's duty to exalt Jehovah Elohim above all others. 

When the Hebrew people of old met to worship, it was to exalt and lift high the name of God for all nations, kindreds, and tongues to see and hear. 

God alone created all things and is the sole sustainer of all life. His powerful word governs the universe and none can resist it (Hebrews 1:1-3). 

He is holy and we, His people, the sheep of His pasture, are called to holiness. We worship Jehovah in the beauty of holiness and rejoice that He makes us fitted to come into His presence to worship, through repentant faith in Christ. 

All people will bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!

Philippians 2:5-11  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6)  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7)  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8)  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9)  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10)  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11)  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. When we read about Jehovah in the Old Testament, He came to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ. The blessed name of Jesus means Jehovah is Savior!

He was the culmination of all the redemptive work of the Godhead, set in motion in eternity past, before anything was created and before man sinned. 

Jesus voluntarily set aside His glory and high place in heaven, and humbled Himself to become a man, with flesh and blood like you and me. 

Since He was born of a virgin, and God was His Father, Jesus did not inherit the sin nature from Adam like you and I inherited. Therefore, He could live a sinless and perfect life and be our substitute on the cross, bearing our sins, saving us with His blood. 

Jesus did this because it was the only way that the sin of Adam could be undone. He is the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15, Romans 5) who came to live a life of perfect obedience to the Father. 

Having done this, He assumed our sins upon His own body on the cross and died our death. 

His resurrection is the ultimate proof that all believers will share in His resurrection when Christ returns for His church ( 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

When Jesus returned to His Father, (Acts 1) the Father gave His Son the highest place of honor and glory in heaven. He glorified the name of His Son, Jesus, which means Jehovah is Savior. 

There is no higher name in heaven or earth than the name of Jesus. "Let Jesus alone be exalted", the Father commanded. 

Every knee of every single person is going to bow before Jesus Christ and is going to confess with their mouths, that Jesus Christ is Lord of all things. 

Believers in Christ will gladly shout out with joy and lift up their voices on high this triumphant expression of honor to Jesus. We will stand before Him in the resurrection of life. We will have our works and service for God judged by Jesus and we all should hope to hear "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

But unbelievers will hide in caves, and cry out for the mountains to fall on them. They will crumble in their sins before the wrath of Jesus when He judges them at the final judgment of damnation. They will hear the words "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity."

John saw our exalted Lord Jesus and fell down like a dead man. 

Revelation 1:9-18  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10)  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11)  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12)  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13)  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14)  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15)  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16)  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17)  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18)  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

John gave us a stunning view of our exalted Lord Jesus Christ. He was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day which is a term connected with prophecy and the inspiration of the scriptures by the Holy Spirit.

His voice sounded like a trumpet and like running waters. His appearance was as God manifest in the flesh with His glory unveiled. 

When Jesus lived on earth, His glory was veiled, except when He spoke with Moses and Elijah at the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17, Mark 9). 

In heaven, John saw the glorified Son of God. Jesus had a burning radiance in His appearance. His eyes were like flames of fire and His hair was of purest, radiant white. His body was compared to the luminescence of  molten metals.

Ezekiel saw Jehovah on His throne and fell down on his face. 

Ezekiel 1:26-28  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27)  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28)  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. 

The prophet Ezekiel also saw the pre-incarnate Jehovah in His glory and he described it with words very similar to those of John. 

Their beautiful and powerful descriptions of our glorified Savior, bring to life what it means when the scripture says our God is a consuming fire. Yet, His consuming fire is tempered with the love, compassion and humanity of Christ, who is well acquainted with our sufferings (Hebrews 12:29; 4:14-16).

All the cherubim, seraphim and saints in heaven worship the Lamb of God. 

Revelation 5:5-14  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6)  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7)  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8)  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9)  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10)  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11)  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12)  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 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. 14)  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. 

The book of Revelation contains many views of heaven, glory, splendor, majesty and unfettered worship. This is one of those views.

Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. All the hosts of heaven and the saints sang a new song to Jesus, the Lamb of God, that is filled with praise for His mighty works of redemption through His blood. They worship Him eternally and so will we when we arrive in heaven. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

First, I hope that each believer who reads this is a faithful member of a local Bible preaching church.

Are we exalting Jesus with how we work and interact with others?

Are we exalting Jesus in our homes, with parents training up their children and children learning to obey them?

Are we exalting Jesus in our prayer life, spending private time in prayer with Him?

Are we exalting Jesus by making progress in spiritual growth?

Are we exalting Jesus by fulfilling our Christian duties with joyful hearts? 

Are we exalting Jesus in our thoughts, words and actions?

Does our church exalt Jesus with God honoring worship, prayer and preaching?

Does our church exalt Jesus by seeking to exalt Jesus Christ in our communities?

I pray that each one of us will give serious consideration to each of these questions and that we will confess our shortcomings to the Lord and seek His reviving power in us. 

Bob