The idea of first place is appealing to most of us.  There are those of us who still are hoping that the Big Red Machine will be reconstructed and our days of being in first place in the National League will be a given.  Others of us follow the Oscars and hope our favorites will be honored as top of their profession.  Still others are animal lovers and whether its showing sheep at the State Fair, or cats at a national cat show, the appreciation of the fine pedigree captures our attention.  First place is a demanding and exhilarating concept.

Have you ever been in conversation with someone and a third person walks up and addresses the other but doesn’t seem to know you exist?  I have been on both ends of that.  While it is obviously a breech of good etiquette, it is also indicative of the fact that we, too, need to be recognized.  I am not suggesting this is a problem.  Simply that it is.  Whether its first place for the world to see, or validating one’s existence in an intimate setting, we all have a need to be acknowledged and to acknowledge others.

What we root for, what we place first in our desires and our hopes, uncovers our core values.  If attaining a certain reputation is key for you, much of what you do will be governed by that desire.  Let’s say you want to be known as the best volunteer in your organization.  You will then give yourself to that in order to secure that reputation.  You will put in extra hours; you will do the odd jobs others choose not to do.  You will spend time thinking about how you could improve the organization and the service it  renders  to its clients. You will even work to get these improvements enacted.         

In this Colossians passage Paul is unveiling his desire.  He states that there is nothing more worthy of first place in his life than Jesus Christ.  He proceeds to make his case.  He says: 

When we look at Jesus we see the God that cannot be seen.  He reflects for us what God had in mind when we were created.  Not only is Christ a reflection, but he was involved in how we were made and why we are here.  He is the cause for the beginning of all things and is the end purpose for everything that exists.  That is a mouthful!  You know its humbling to even reflect on that!  While we are amazed at the quality of his humanity, we become awestruck at the significance of his divinity. Christ, the beginning of all things and the goal for all things!   

We, who are so goal oriented, get caught right here.  As a confessional statement, we can say the above.  We acknowledge the ultimacy of Christ.  But we so easily get sidetracked by our own goals.  We get caught up in our power struggles, in the thrones we want to build and enjoy, and the castles we choose to create.  And some of those castles might even have God’s name on them.  And we enshrine them and want to protect them at the expense of seeing and honoring Christ above all else.   

I am excited about the future of this church, for you are here, not out of convenience or habit, but because you have made a conscious choice to be here.  You have fought for this congregation and its connection to the  Presbyterian  Church (USA).  Now,  I  caution  you not to lose sight of why this church is here.  Do not make this church the end - only the means.  And when I am talking about this church, I speak not just of the building, I mean the people; the beautiful relationships you have built here and the sense of welcome you experience.  This passage reminds us that the reason this exists is not as an end in itself, as good as that may be.  But we have this wonderful community because of the gift-giving director of the church.  The one who forms it, shapes it, and calls it in to being.  It is in this one, the Christ, by whom the complete picture of God is made clear.  It is in this one that all of the gifts and graces flow to us and through us. We have been recipients even when we chose to pursue other interests.  Even when we thought we knew better what would really make our lives worthwhile.

Yes, Jesus came to us to offer us a better way, a clearer light, if you would.  Humanity, and, creation because of humanity, was not what God intended.  We began to choose our goals, our objects for our esteem.  Our value systems have become distorted, and we needed an overhaul or redesign.  Jesus Christ is that new design.  Jesus Christ is the way to all that God has for us. Jesus Christ is the first place we can turn to when from our despair we need hope.  He is the first place we may go to when we need to reorient ourselves.  He is the first place we may turn to when we want to find meaning and purpose for our lives.  And when we want to give thanks for all that God has given us, he is the first place we can lay down our offerings and render our gratitude. In fact, if we are to experience the wholeness that Christ gives, we are to embrace HIM, HIS VALUES, HIS PURPOSE, AND HIS HOPE. 

For two weeks in a row now, we have the pleasure of witnessing this happen.  Last week three new members joined us as well as witnessing the covenant of infant baptism.  This week Tina Williams will be making public her desire to love and serve Jesus Christ first in her life and receive holy baptism.  This is also a time that each of us can renew our attachment to Jesus.  Listen to the questions she (and you indirectly) will be addressing.  Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world?  Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as you Lord and Savior, trusting in his grace and love?  Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple obeying his Word and showing his love? 

It is exciting to witness and has brought joy to me as I have reflected on it this week.  Tina is joining you and me, who have made these same commitments. I encourage you to answer again these questions when they are posed to Tina, to renew your own life in Christ.  I have in preparing this sermon.    

We, who are by Christ brought to live in peace and love with God, have that same gift to offer to the world that still sees other things to pursue, that still finds lesser things to give themselves to.  We are urged to be agents for giving life.  In fact, we simply can tell our friends and our relatives what benefits we have received from loving God and being loved by God.  We don’t have to be hired to do this, we just can talk about what is first place in our lives. 

But that is easier to say than to do.  To be agents of bringing peace in people’s lives is a constant piece of work.  It means being consistent  in  what  we  do  and how we live.  It does mean getting down and dirty in this world.  We need to actively resist those things that destroy and tear down.  We are to not only model a hospitable life style, but to challenge the structures and organizations in our society that alienate and demean.  That means caring that there is not sufficient affordable housing in our community for all while we spend millions on sustaining the wealthy.  That means asking questions about employers making hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars, while employees struggle to meet basic needs of their families.  We need to be involved in making all members of our society a full active member.  The new population of Hispanics is finding it difficult to become assimilated in Cincinnati.  Are we part of the problem, or the solution?  Our own neighborhood around this church is in need of hope.  Are they hearing it from us?  The elections are coming up in a few months.  Are we engaged in any meaningful way?  Are we challenging our leaders here in Cincinnati to encourage unity and wholeness rather than polarization in our communities?   

Making Christ the first place we turn to is not escaping from but plunging into the hurts the problems and challenges of our world.  Christ is the reflection of the caring and gracious God who brings us into relationship and desires that all creation experience the wholeness and richness of God presence.  Yes, Jesus Christ the first and last.  Let’s keep our focus on him.