In his sermon titled 'The Preeminence Of Christ' based on Romans 8:29, Steve Hopkins explores the ultimate purpose of God's act of predestination. He posits that believers were foreknown and predestined by God to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, not for their own sake, but for the glory and exaltation of Christ. The sermon underscores that the term 'firstborn' signifies Christ's preeminence, supremacy, and rank above all creation. Pastor Hopkins emphasizes that Christ is central to all creation—everything was created by Him and for Him. The ultimate end of predestination is that Christ might be the firstborn among many brethren, thereby receiving the highest honor, worship, and praise from a redeemed humanity. Believers are called to live in a way that reflects Christ's preeminence, holding Him in the highest place of honor in their hearts, minds, and actions, both now and in eternity. The sermon encourages believers to see their salvation as part of God's eternal plan to glorify His Son, urging them to live lives that demonstrate Christ's supreme importance.

Welcome back to Burnet Bible Church. Join us this week as Pastor Hopkins continues his sermon series through the book of Romans. Let's read the Word of the Lord, Romans chapter 8 and verse 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Let's pray.

Father, oh that you might give the Spirit once again to open our understanding as we open your Word for the glory of the name of Jesus, your Son and our Lord and Savior we ask it amen I want to begin this afternoon with a question for every believer here because we've been talking for a couple of sessions now about how God foreknew or for loved a people in eternity past and how he predestined that same people to be conformed to the image of his son. The question I want to ask you to consider this afternoon is why? You'll be looking at the text here, Romans 8.29, why? I'm not asking why in the sense of why it is that God fixed his love on some before the world began and not on others, or why he predestinated some to be conformed to the image of his son, not others. That's not my question.

Paul will answer that further on in Romans 9.15. God says, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy on, and I will have compassion on whom I'll have compassion. That's not my question. My question is, is why in the sense of to what ultimate end or purpose did God predestinate a people to be conformed to the image of his Son in glory one day? What is the ultimate purpose for which God determined before time began to redeem a people from out of the mass of fallen humanity and in time reconcile them to himself by the death of his son why Why did he determine to bring them to his son, to call them with an effectual calling, to justify them in his sight, and then ultimately bring them to heaven conformed to the image of his son with sinless souls and bodies that can never again sin and never again die.

Why? Why? If you look at your text this afternoon, it infers a purpose. And that purpose includes all true believers in every age of mankind. And what we're going to be doing in the time we have this afternoon is gazing into that eternal purpose of God.

That great end and purpose in the mind of God for which we who have been drawn to Christ and granted repentance and brought to saving faith were for loved of God with a distinguishing love before the world began and were predestinated by God to be ultimately finally and completely conformed to the image of his Son in glory and what we're going to see is that the glorious end the glorious purpose for which the Father fixed His love upon us before the world began, and that glorious purpose for which we will be ultimately, if you're a believer here today, we will be ultimately and perfectly conformed to the image of Christ that is coming is not ultimately about us that it isn't ultimately about us you know we're in a me me generation and even in the churches of America, it's all about me. It's all about God, you know, about God fawning over us, fawning over me, and He's just so elated with us. And that's not really correct. He loves us with a distinguishing love from before the foundations of the world where the love is so great we can't comprehend it But what is the glorious end for which he fixed that love upon us?

For which we will be ultimately and perfectly conformed to the image of his Son. It's not ultimately about us, but about Him. It's all ultimately about His Son. Our text This afternoon says in verse 29, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, and that for a purpose, that he, that is an order that he, that God's son, might be the firstborn among many brethren. Brothers and sisters, the great purpose in the mind of God from all eternity past with regards to predestination is the glory and exaltation of Jesus Christ, the glory and exaltation of God's Son.

When you think firstborn, think preeminence. When you think firstborn, think preeminence. When you think firstborn, think preeminence. When you think firstborn, think the one who is preeminent, because that's what's being communicated. The firstborn in the Old Testament, what was that firstborn son who held the most distinguished and exalted place among the children in a family.

Paul is using figurative language. When he speaks of the firstborn, he's talking about preeminence. When he speaks of the firstborn, he's talking about superiority. He's talking about supremacy. He's talking about one who is first in rank, who is first in priority, who is first in dignity, and who is first in honor and with regards to Christ in all things and in every respect.

He is first in rank, priority, dignity, honor. In Colossians chapter 1 beginning with verse 15, Paul writes speaking of Christ's supremacy over all things. He says he is, if you want to turn there you can turn there, that's Colossians chapter 1 beginning with verse 15. I would say this is the preeminent, preeminence chapter in the scriptures, maybe followed by or equal with Hebrews chapter one. The preeminent, preeminence chapter in scripture.

Listen to these words. He is, speaking of Christ, the image of the invisible God. We were made in His image. Christ is the exact image. He is the firstborn of every creature.

That is, he is preeminent, supreme over all creation. Because look what follows. Because he made all things. Because He is the one who created all things for by Him were all things created What Jesus are you worshiping? Who is the Jesus that you have been told about?

Because you know the scripture says there are many Jesuses. You know, you might, Paul said, come to worship a Jesus that's not the Jesus of scripture in Galatians. This is the Jesus of scripture. This is the Jesus that we worship. This is the Jesus that we worship.

This is the Jesus that we will all who have been for loved of God, predestinated to be conformed to His image, will be conformed to His image in eternity one day. This is that Christ, He is the one who suffered and died for our sins, for by Him were all things created. All things that are in heaven and that are in the earth. Visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all Things were created by him and all things were created for him It's all about Jesus It's all about Christ All things were created by him and all things were created for him It's all about him and then he goes on Paul goes on and he is before all things without beginning from eternity past with the Father in the Spirit and By him all things consist brothers and sisters He's saying here that by Christ the Jesus that suffered and died for our sins, who came from heaven to earth on a mission to save his people from their sins and Accomplish that mission 2, 000 years ago at the cross by him all things consist Everything in this room everyone in this room everyone in all the universe It all is held together by Jesus Christ.

This is the Jesus of Scripture. This is the Jesus of Scripture. The inference of course is that it would all come apart without Him. He sustains everything. And he goes on to say he is the head of the body.

This great Savior, this great Christ Jesus, who came to earth and suffered and died, who was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, a life we could never live, died a death we could not die in order to save us from our sins. This Lord Jesus is the head of the body of the church. He's ours. He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning. Remember the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

He's the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. And look what he says here, that in all things, He might have the preeminence. That in all things He might have the preeminence. This is the Christ we serve. This is the Jesus who came into the world to save us from our sins and accomplish the mission for which he came into the world to save his people from their sins.

Brothers and sisters, the eternal purpose of God in bringing many sons to glory, the plan of God from all eternity, the ultimate purpose for which God made all things, and the ultimate end for which he predestined the people to be redeemed from all iniquity and conformed to the image of his Son, who we've just been describing. In glory, the ultimate end is the glory and exaltation of God's Son, that His Son might have the preeminence in all things, that He might be forever praised, forever worshiped, forever honored, forever exalted, forever adored by an innumerable multitude, an innumerable glorified host of redeemed humanity. That's the purpose in the mind of God from eternity past. Does that excite you? That excites me.

This is the plan of God from all eternity. And brothers and sisters, it's God's plan for you if you're in Christ. That's His plan for you personally, personally and collectively as a church. It is God's plan for you. And nothing in heaven and nothing on earth and nothing below the earth will ever be able to interrupt it.

Nothing is going to be able to separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Nada, nothing, zero. If you're a believer, you will be glorified. That is, you will be made like Jesus in glory at Christ's return. And you will be thereby enabled to worship him and to adore him as he deserves to be worshipped and adored for all eternity.

That's your future if you're in Christ the ultimate end and purpose for which Christ came from heaven to earth in time and assumed our nature and lived for us and died for us and Rose again for us was not only that we might be forgiven our sins, which is as wonderful as that is, but that we might also be partakers of His nature. Paul says conforming to Jesus, yes, in holiness and suffering here on earth as we looked at in our last session, but ultimately and finally conformed to His perfect image in glory in heaven that we might be with Him and praise Him and exalt Him and adore Him and thank Him forever. Oh don't leave that out and thank Him forever. We who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb will be thanking Him forever. We will be praising Him, we'll be honoring Him, we'll be glorying in Him, and we will be thanking Him forever.

This is the end to which every child of God has been predestinated to be conformed ultimately and finally and perfectly to the image of God's Son in order that Christ might forever reign preeminent, being forever praised and honored by those sons and daughters, that vast host of sons and daughters He has brought to glory. In a word, that He might be the firstborn, the preeminent one, that He might have the preeminence, that he might be preeminent among many brethren his glory displayed forever before all creation if you're saved here today if you are a child of God this is ultimately why the purpose for your salvation this is why God fixed his love on you in eternity past and predestinated you to be conformed to the image of his Son in glory, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. The ultimate objective of God in your salvation is the glory and exaltation of his Son, of Jesus Christ. Does that strike a chord in your heart? Does that just resonate in your heart?

Can you glory in that? That it's not about you and ultimately about Him and His glory and His exaltation. John MacArthur comments on this passage, quote, The goal of the mission of God in the world was to create a preeminence for His Son, where he would forever be exalted by all those who love him and adore him close quote amen Martin Lloyd Jones the great Martin Lloyd-Jones put it this way God's ultimate object in planning and introducing the scheme or plan of salvation was to glorify His Son. The ultimate object of salvation is that the Son might be set in the position in which at His name every knee should bow of things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Close quote. Brothers and sisters, like the 24 elders in Revelation chapter 4, we also will fall down before Him.

And we also will cast our crowns, if we have any, at His feet saying, Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created oh the glory of the preeminent Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we read earlier all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist and Hebrews chapter 1 tells us he is the heir of all things he is the inheritor of all things he is the one by whom the worlds were made he is the brightness of the Father's glory He is the express image of His person. He is the one who upholds and governs all things by the word of His power. And that after Himself, He Himself had purged our sins. This great God, God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, after He Himself had purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. From which place He's coming again to take all those to himself for whom he died.

Brothers and sisters, this is our Christ. And further on in Hebrews chapter 2, he is called the captain of our salvation. And we're told that it was fitting for him, for whom, and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, that he should be made the captain of our salvation through suffering speaking of the cross and we're told in Hebrews 2 11 that He is not ashamed to call us brethren. A note in my Reformation Heritage Bible commentary says here, Christ willingly identifies himself with and takes to himself sinners as his brethren. It seems as though it couldn't be, but it is.

Calvin comments on this passage, as the firstborn sustains the name of the family so Christ is placed in a state of preeminence not only that he might excel and honor among the faithful, but also that he might include all under himself under the common name of brotherhood. He calls us brethren. Still he calls us brethren still, though we treat him ill. Remember the John Newton hymn, one there is above all others, we sang it last Sunday. And though we treat him ill, he still calls us brothers still.

He calls us brothers still. Our opening text said, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. The eternal purpose of God in bringing many sons to glory, the plan of God from all eternity, the ultimate purpose for which God made all things, and the ultimate end for which he predestined a people to be redeemed from all iniquity, and conformed to the image of his Son in glory, was that his Son might have the preeminence in everything, in all things, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, that he might in eternity be forever praised, forever worshiped, forever honored, and forever exalted and adored by an innumerable glorified host of redeemed humanity. Brothers and sisters, in application, Where do you hold Christ? We know from our opening text that in glory he will have the preeminence among all those whom he has brought to glory with him.

But what about now? John Gill comments on this passage. He ought to have the preeminence in first place in the affections of our hearts, and in the contemplations of our minds, and in the desires of our souls, and in the highest praises of our lips he ought to so gills talking about in the here and now it'll all be perfected then we'll worship him in glory in perfection as He deserves to be honored and praised and glorified. But what about now? We ought to.

He ought to have the preeminence in first place in our affections and our hearts here and the contemplations of our minds in the desires of our souls and in the highest praises of our lips. In eternity there's no doubt that He will have the supreme place and be the central object of our affections in contemplations and desires and receive the highest praises of our lips but what about now? What place does Christ occupy now in your life, in your heart, in your mind? What do you suppose the world would say? What do you suppose the world thinks that you think of Christ?

What do you think, What do you suppose the world thinks that you think of Christ when they see you in the world? Your unbelieving family members. Your co-workers. Do you think that in observing your life and devotion to God, they would conclude, his heart, his mind, his soul is focused on Christ? Her heart, her mind, her soul, her life is focused on Christ?

That person is all about Christ. Is that what you think they would conclude? I was watching a sermon last night, part of a sermon by imprisoned pastor, Wang Yi. I like to go and watch these sermons once in a while very inspiring the ones that he made just before he was taking away to prison when they the CCP invaded their church and arrested a hundred members of the church in China and This was one of the sermons that he had preached before that, and while he was preaching there before his arrest and then imprisonment, of which he's in a nine-year sentence, the fifth year of a nine-year sentence, he was concerned for his church in this message. And he said something to the effect of it isn't that you don't believe but that they don't believe that you believe he said God would have the world believe that we truly believe because of how we are in the world.

He would have the world to believe that whatever it does cannot tear apart these two loves, His love for us, our love for Him. He would have the world to believe that. May the world believe that this is for real, he goes on, that they cannot change the faith of Christians, that whatever they do, it will be in vain. That in the end, they will conclude because of what they see in us and our willingness to suffer for the name of Christ, he was saying, that they would conclude that this is real, this is real, and that unless they also come to Christ and repent and believe, it is they themselves that will pay the price. And I wonder about us.

Does the world get that from us and our lives in the world? Do they get that from our lives in the world? Christ is so dear to them. He is held in such a high place of honor and dignity and worth and value. These people will truly die for Him.

He mentioned one Christian school that had 200 young people in it, and he was horrified because the CCP came in and asked them to sign a statement that said that they would no longer believe in Christ and no longer believe and pursue Christianity. And he said 199 young people signed that statement and only one refused. Brothers and sisters, what reason does the world have to believe that we would die for Christ if they don't see us living for Him. And are made to know that He means that much to us, that we hold Him in that place of preeminence over all things, even our own lives. What place does Christ hold in your life?

In what place do you hold Christ this afternoon? Can you sing? Can we sing from the heart, fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, Son of God and Son of man, Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou my soul's glory, joy and crown. Can we sing that without feeling like we're at least in some degree being hypocritical? At the conference one evening they had the singing afterwards and I remember that The song came up and everyone began to sing a hymn.

I knew very well from growing up in the independent Baptist Church but a hymn that's always been very difficult for me to sing. All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give. Worldly pleasures all forsaken, in His presence daily live. And it really made me tremble that evening to consider those words because we don't ever want to sing something that we can't sing from the heart with integrity of heart. Never sing a hymn, never sing a song that you don't believe, that you can't sing from the heart.

I remember looking around and wondering how many maybe are caught up in the emotion of the words but not in the reality of them and that's not in that setting I'm not talking about that setting I'm talking about in any in any setting where we sing these kinds of hymns How many are caught up in the emotion of the words but not the reality of them? Paul Washer in his book The Preeminent Christ quotes John Flavel. What shall I say of Christ? The excelling glory that that object dazzles all apprehension, swallows up all expression when we've borrowed metaphors from every creature that has any excellency or lovely property in it till we have Stripped the whole creation bear of all its ornaments and clothed Christ with all that glory When we have even worn out our tongues in ascribing praises to Him. Alas, we have done nothing when all is done.

We read Colossians 1.18, He's the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence, the first place, the highest rank, the highest dignity, to be held in the place of highest worth and importance, infinitely surpassing all others. Is Christ preeminent in our minds? Does He hold the place of preeminence in our hearts, in all our thoughts? Is He preeminent in all our desires, in all our affection? That we, to the point, to the extent that we should no longer live for ourselves as Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5 But for him who died for us and rose again Paul says in Philippians 3 8 that what things were gained for him, he counted loss for Christ.

And indeed, he said, I count all things as loss or rubbish, something to be thrown out on the dung pile in the KJV for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. Colossians 3, 4 speaks of Christ being our very life. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear. Fasten on these words. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, that's at His return, then shall ye, plural, you all also appear with Him in glory.

Same thing that we were looking at in Romans 8-29. Is Christ your life? Then you will appear with Him in glory. If Christ is not my life, but just an accessory to my life, what should I think? Can you say this afternoon that Christ is your life?

He's the driving point, the force of your existence. Can you say, Christ is my life. I just want to live for Him. I just want to serve Him. I just want to live for Him, and I cannot live without Him.

Is Christ just He whom we pay lip service to on the Lord's Day or is He our life, our very life? Can I say that Christ is the centerpiece of the living room of my soul? Is He the one I'm all about? The one I adore and worship and long to be with, not only on the Lord's day, but every day? Is He upon whom my affections are set and my mind fixed throughout the week.

Paul says in Philippians 1.21, to me to live is Christ. To me, to me, to live is Christ. To live is Christ. And he followed that by saying, and to die is gain. If you're a believer here today, you were foreknown of God, foreloved of God before time began, predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, and that for a purpose, conformed to His image incrementally here on earth, and ultimately and finally and perfectly in glory, that Christ might have the preeminence in all things, that he might be the firstborn, capital F, the preeminent one among many sons whom he is bringing to glory, among many brothers and sisters adopted into the family of God, that he might be forever praised and honored and glorified by an innumerable multitude of glorified saints redeemed by his own blood.

Amen.