Let me invite you to take a copy of the Scriptures and to turn or perhaps scroll to Colossians 1, verses 15-20. We read these verses responsibly a few minutes ago. And let me just say to you what a delight it is to be here with you today on this Reformation Sunday. celebrating not an event for the sake of celebrating an event, but celebrating God's work of grace through the movement that we call the Reformation. I appreciate very much your pastor's prayer a minute ago. Let me say that what I have been praying in preparation of our time together now is that the same Holy Spirit who inspired these words would help us to rightly understand them and apply them to our hearts in these next few minutes. So I know that we have already read this together out loud, but let's read again Colossians 1 15 through 20. I will read out loud if you would read along quietly, and I am reading from the English Standard Version. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, Through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven Making peace by the blood of the cross This is God's Word Let's be thankful for it A few moments ago, we had the opportunity as part of this public worship service to sing in Christ alone. And every time I have ever preached from this text, it's been a test to see if the church is with it enough to sing in Christ alone when that's obviously going to be the theme. So congratulations, friends, you passed the test. I want to begin by talking a little bit about that hymn. In 2001, Keith Getty and Stuart Townend wrote In Christ Alone, My Hope is Found, or as it's more commonly called, In Christ Alone. The song is not yet 20 years old, but it has already been included on a number of lists of the greatest hymns of all time. In fact, it's one of only a couple of songs written in the last generation that make those sort of top 50, top 100 lists of greatest hymns. It's been covered by numerous recording artists across all sorts of genres. On several occasions, the Christian Copyright Licensing International, the folks who track the use of what songs are used in public worship services, has said that it's among the most frequently sung modern hymns in the English-speaking world. It was sung during the consecration service of the current Archbishop of Canterbury, It's been recorded by the chart-topping electronica artist, Owl City. This is a song that gets around. I can vividly remember where I was the first time I sang this song. It was during the 2002-2003 academic year at Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. I thought it was wonderful. the first time and since then it's become my favorite modern hymn. In fact, when my wife Leah, who I wish was here with us today, in fact, if I can chase a rabbit for a minute, this is a bit of an anomaly. Normally when I go and preach somewhere, I go by myself or I take one of my kids or our whole family goes. This is the first time in 20 plus years of ministry I have ever preached somewhere besides my home church and my wife has been out of town and I've had the kids. You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for this. It's been quite the adventure this weekend. But when Leah and I first began to intentionally teach some of our favorite hymns and worship songs to our children as part of family worship, this was one of those first half-dozen songs that we began to teach in our family. It captures one of the five great themes of the Reformation. Your pastor spoke well to these earlier today, those five solas of the Reformation from the Latin word for only. Scripture alone is our only ultimate authority for faith and practice. We are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone. and every moment of the Christian life beginning with that initial salvation experience is to be lived for the glory of God alone. Perhaps more than any of the other five solas, the theme of Solus Christus, Christ alone, runs from Genesis to Revelation. The scriptures present us with a grand biblical narrative, creation, fall, redemption, consummation. And Jesus Christ is ultimately the main character in that story and the one upon whom the entire story hinges. There is no story of the Scriptures without Jesus at the center of that story. And that story That grand biblical narrative has rightly been called the true story of the entire world. And all of our individual stories only begin to really make sense when we see them in light of that story of stories. Whenever we begin to live in light of who Christ is and what He's done by grace, through faith, to the glory of God. Colossians 1, 15-20 is one of four great hymns or passages about Christ in the New Testament. The others are John 1, verses 1-18. I'll reference that in a few minutes. Philippians 2, verses 5-11. Hebrews 1, verses 1-4. The whole Bible is about Jesus, but these four passages are perhaps the meatiest texts that teach us about who Jesus is and what He has done. And if we're allowed to play favorites when it comes to Scripture, this passage in Colossians 1, 15-20 is my favorite passage in Scripture about Christ. It's my favorite passage in the New Testament. along with Isaiah 53, it's one of my two favorite passages in all of scripture. So this morning we're going to walk through Colossians 1, 15 through 20, verse by verse. And as we do so, what I want to highlight from God's Word, with the help of the Holy Spirit, are two important ways that we see Christ being preeminent over all things, being first most over all things. And our first theme is this, Christ alone is the source and sustainer of the world He created. Christ alone is the source and sustainer of the world He created. I hear children behind us greatly enjoying that world outside today. Christ alone is the source and sustainer of the world He created. Paul begins this passage by reflecting upon creation and Christ's role in creation. In verse 15 he writes, He, that is Christ, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. When speaking of Jesus as the image of the invisible God, the original Greek here literally says that Jesus is the icon of God. Now, I have multiple seminary degrees. I hate it when people say the original Greek and the original Hebrew. I think you should only do that whenever it's an obvious word, when people hear it and they make that connection. So this is one of those times. I promise I'm not as dorky as you might think I am right now. But that Greek word is iconos. So we get our English word icon from that. And many of you are familiar with the idea of an icon. Icons are images that are intended to represent individuals. Whether that is an electronic icon that you might have as part of your email address, or social media account, or whether that's a physical icon of a great figure from scripture that you might find on the sanctuary, or in the sanctuary in certain Christian traditions. Of interest, just in passing but for fun today, since this is Reformation Day, the icons of biblical figures were a common feature in Christian churches in those eras before it was common for people to be illiterate. I mean, before it was common for people to be literate. Not everybody could read, and so things like images and stained glass were teaching tools, so that ministers could be able to point to statues, they could point to stained glass windows with images in them, and they were able to help teach the great truths of the Christian faith. But they were always controversial. They were never universally accepted for a couple of reasons. One is because it could lead to superstition if you make too much out of these various images. But also because images of Christ, there was a big debate, you may be aware of this, over whether those images of Christ were a violation of the second commandment that we not make graven images of the Lord our God. And since Christ is both fully human and fully divine, there were many, including many Reformers, who would say those images of Christ, especially images in worship settings, maybe not every image, but at least images in worship settings, were at least potentially violations of those graven images. And so for that reason, many Reformers rejected icons. They said at best they are unhelpful and unnecessary, At worst, they can become idolatrous. That actually has nothing to do with this text, but since we're talking about icons and it's Reformation Day, I thought it was an edifying rabbit to chase. So, now you know. And knowing is half the battle, as they used to tell us at the end of episodes of G.I. Joe in the 1980s. For our purposes this morning, what matters is that when we see an icon, we're meant to remember the person it depicts. So when that little emoji of your spouse comes up on your text message, or whenever you see that picture of the Apostle Paul when you're in that high church sanctuary, whatever the icon is, you're supposed to think about the person it represents. Though Jesus of Nazareth is fully human like you and me, He's also fully divine like the Father. and like the Holy Spirit. And as the God-man, he always reflects his Father's character and his Father's attributes. And so the idea that the author here is getting at, that Paul is getting at, is that when we see Jesus in particular, we should think about God in general. When we see Jesus, we should think about God. Because He alone is God in human form. Or as some theologians have said, with Jesus we see the human face of God. What it is to see God in flesh. God like you and me through the miracle of the incarnation yet without sin. Now the idea that Jesus is the firstborn of all creation, has been the source of great controversy throughout Christian history. There have always been false teachers, heretics, including some false teachers during the time of the Reformation, who argued from this verse that rather than Jesus being the eternal Son of God, Jesus is the oldest of all of God's creatures, the firstborn of all creation. But it's important for us to remember that in Scripture, That idea of firstborn speaks often of one's position rather than his or her birth order. Let me just give you one famous example. Psalm chapter 89 verse 27 says this of King David, and I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. Now you see the problem immediately, right? If we're talking about King David and firstborn refers to birth order, we have an issue. Because David is not Jesse's oldest son, is he? He's Jesse's youngest son. But God promises to make him the firstborn because of his position. Because humanly speaking, he will be the king of kings. Humanly speaking, of all the kings of the earth, he will hold the place of preeminence. David is the firstborn. Not in the sense of birth order, but in the sense of his position in God's economy. And so we see that Jesus is the firstborn in the same way, but greater. He's not just the firstborn of all the kings of the earth, he's the firstborn of all creation. Jesus is the most important person in all of God's creation because of who He is as the God-Man and because of what He has done in His saving work, His perfect life, His sacrificial death, His victorious resurrection, His ongoing intercession, His inevitable return. He is the firstborn of all creation, the most important person in the universe, the cosmos, the stratosphere, the most important person in all of God's creation. And then in verse 16, Paul writes, for by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth. visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him. Paul is arguing that Jesus is not only the firstborn of all creation, He is the source of all creation. Everything that we see around us and everything that we cannot see around us, but that is real, was created by Jesus. through Him and for Him. Maybe it would be helpful if we put this passage alongside a couple of other passages from Scripture that teach the same idea. I will not ask you to turn there, but listen to what Genesis chapter 1, verses 1 through 3 say in these very familiar words to you. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light, and there was light." God created everything. Probably not a controversial view at Emanuel Bible Church. Then John chapter 1, verses 1 through 3, one of those four great passages about Christ I mentioned a few minutes ago, John writes, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." That Word is Jesus, the eternal Son of God. When we take these three passages together, they tell us that creation was a Trinitarian event. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, worked together to bring about everything that is not God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Everything else that is, was created by God. Genesis 1 says the Father created with the power of His spoken word. John 1 says Jesus is the eternal word, become a man. And both John 1 and Colossians 1 say that God created everything through the power of that eternal word, Jesus Christ. This is a glorious mystery, brothers and sisters. And by mystery, I mean we can't totally wrap our minds around it. If you think you have your mind totally wrapped around it, you don't. God bless you. You don't. It's a great mystery. We can't totally wrap our minds around. And yet scripture makes it plain. God created Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the source of all creation. Creation is fallen. But it's good. And it's good because it was created by Christ's power. And for Christ's glory. Not only is He alone the source of creation, however, He is also creation's sustainer. Let's look again at verse 17. Paul writes, "...and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." That Christ is before all things is another way of saying Jesus first. Jesus always. Jesus only. The idea being conveyed is that creation stays composed because of Jesus' power. Everything coheres in Him. It holds together in Him. When I read these verses that talk about Jesus being the source and the sustainer, I'm reminded of cast iron model kits. Anybody here ever made cast iron models of cars or tanks or planes or trains? Maybe whenever you were a kid? Now, there's all kinds of different ways to make models. But when I was a kid, we had cast iron models, and I know they're still around today. And a good cast iron model, do you remember what you used to hold it together? If it's cast iron? The rubber cement. The rubber cement holds it together because it dries invisible. If you try to build a cast iron model without the rubber cement, it all falls apart. If you just have the rubber cement, you don't have a model. You've got to put the pieces together. In a very real way, but far greater than this feeble illustration, Jesus is both the model maker and the glue that holds it all together. He puts it together and He keeps it together. He makes all the pieces and He makes sure all the pieces don't fall apart. Jesus is the source and the sustainer of everything that is. And we should add that everything holding together in Jesus also means that everything only makes sense when we interpret it in light of Jesus. This world doesn't make sense if we don't interpret it through the lens of its source and its sustainer. There's a reason our lost friends go through life so confused about the meaning of life. It's because they don't know the source and the sustainer. There's a reason why even those of us who are followers of Christ, when we begin to drift at times in our Christian walk, whenever we are not nurturing as close a relationship with Christ as we know we should. We begin to have doubts. We begin to have concerns. It doesn't all make sense. It's because we're not looking at things through the lens of Scripture, which is through the lens of Christ. All truth is God's truth. It's a Reformation idea. But only those who view the world with the eyes of faith through the lens of a biblical worldview, perceive how everything really fits together. This is why godly parents raising their children in a Christ-centered way, why godly homeschool curricula, why godly private school curricula, Why Christ-centered schools like North Greenville University and many others in our state, in our nation, this is why all of those things exist. To teach students, whether they're the ones you birthed, or the ones you get paid to teach, or maybe both if you've got a sweet gig. This is why it's important to teach students that everything coheres in Christ. because He is Lord of everything. So whether it's just everyday family discipleship or whether it's earning a diploma or a degree at a Christ-centered school of some sort, whatever form that education comes from, authentic education is Christ-centered. It's the most important education because we can't understand anything if we understand it apart from Christ. What we know about it might be true apart from Christ and His common grace, but we don't fully understand things the way we ought to if we understand things apart from Christ. Jesus alone is the source and sustainer of all creation, and that should evoke in us a response of worship and adoration. This world exists because of Jesus. You exist because of Jesus. This world and everything in it belongs to Jesus. You belong to Jesus. Even lost people belong to Jesus. They don't belong to Him in a saving relationship. but they belong to Him in the sense that He has Creator's rights over them. Everything belongs to Jesus. He owns it all because He created it all, and He sustains it all. He keeps it all together. One of my favorite theologians is Abraham Kuyper. the great Dutch reformed pastor, scholar, statesman. He did a lot of cool stuff. Actually, next year is the 100th anniversary of his death. He lived from 1837 to 1920. And since it's Reformation Day, very much saw himself as an heir of John Calvin. Kuyper was a prolific author and speaker, but the most famous thing he ever said, and many of you have heard this before, And I quote, there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, mine. Mine. Or from our perspective, His. Every square inch. Every corner of creation. Everything that is, that ain't Him, belongs to Him. He is Lord over all. Because Christ alone is the source and sustainer of all creation. But there's a second great truth that we see in this passage. A second way that Jesus is preeminent over all things. Not only is He the source and sustainer of all creation, Christ alone is the Savior and Sovereign of every Christian. and ultimately, the entire created order. Christ alone is the Savior and Sovereign of every Christian, and ultimately, the entire created order. In the second half of this passage, Paul begins shifting his focus from creation to redemption. In verse 18, he writes, and he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Now the idea that the church is the body of Christ and that Christ is the head of the church, that is not unique to Colossians. That is a theme we find throughout the New Testament, and Paul especially. This is one of his favorite images that he uses to describe the church. It's the body of Christ and Christ is the head of the church. Jesus is the Lord of the church, universal, and Jesus is the Lord of every local church. Jesus is the Lord of this church. Jesus is the Lord of my church. I'm a member of Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Greenville. Our pastors are Bert, Rhett, and Matt. All their last names are monosybolic as well. Bert, Rhett, and Matt. Sounds like characters off of a children's show. Bert, Rhett, and Matt are our church's pastors. And we joyfully submit to their leadership. But Jesus alone is the king of the community of disciples called Mountain Creek Baptist Church. And you have elders here. And I pray you joyfully submit to their leadership. But Jesus alone is king of this community of disciples. Because He is the Lord of the church, the church and every local expression of that church. God gives elders and deacons as gifts to lead and to serve, but he's the only head. And your ultimate aim as Emmanuel Bible Church is to honor your head in your worship, your witness, and your service. Notice also that Jesus isn't just the firstborn of all creation, the beginning, but that he is also the firstborn from the dead, the new beginning. We know this is a reference to the resurrection because we find this sort of language throughout the New Testament. Just to give you a couple of examples. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 20, Paul writes, Very similar language. But then John in Revelation, chapter 1, verses 4 and 5, uses exactly the same language. John, to the seven churches that are in Asia, grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth, to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood." He's the firstborn of creation, the firstborn of new creation. through His resurrection. Jesus' resurrection defeated the power of death, and all those who believe in Him will share in His victory, because by faith, faith alone, we are united with Him in His perfect life, His atoning death, and His victorious resurrection from the dead. Paul also tells us that Jesus is preeminent in all things. reiterating that Jesus is the first, the highest, the greatest. If Paul was here today and he spoke English, he might say he's the first, the highest, the greatest, full stop. There's nothing else to say. He's just. The head, the first. And then in verse 19 we read, For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. Jesus isn't only the image of the invisible God, but fullness of God is found in Him. This is another way of saying that everything that is true of God in general is true of Jesus Christ in particular. Again, He shares a full and true human nature with each of us. And he shares a full and true divine nature with the Father and the Spirit. Everything that is true of God is true of Christ. Just as everything that is true of humanity by creation is true of Christ. Except sin, but sin wasn't part of creation, was it? Sin comes in later. Everything that is true of God and man is true of Christ. We are each of us created in God's image, but Christ alone is the perfect image of God. And in Him alone is the fullness of deity united with authentic humanity. He alone is fully God and fully man. And then verse 20 brings us the culmination of this passage and really speaks to the culmination of all of creation. And through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. In His death and resurrection, Jesus reconciled all of creation to Himself. He regained everything that was rightfully His, but that had been forfeited by the sin of the first humans. We already know that Christ alone is King of all, but remember that every human creature rebels against His kingship by nature and by choice. This has been the case ever since the original sin of the first man and the first woman in God's garden. And not only does every human creature shake their fist in sinful rebellion at the rightful kingship of Christ, even if they don't realize they're doing it. They may not walk around saying, ah, Jesus. But that's what they're doing in their hearts, even when they don't realize it. But Romans 8.22 reminds us that a bent and broken creation longs for its own renewal. When Adam rebelled, the creation he ruled over on God's behalf became a fallen kingdom. But it will not remain that way. It will not remain that way. And that begins with the resurrection of Christ. Now we do need to understand Be very clear that this verse is not teaching universal salvation. It is not teaching that. Universalism has been a temptation since the earliest centuries of Christian history. This has been the go-to verse for universalists. Some of you may know that even in recent weeks, one of the leading theologians in the English-speaking world has come out of the closet as a universalist. Universalists have been among us since the earliest days of Christianity. And I understand the appeal of universalism. I mean, I'm just trying to be as honest with you as I can be. I get the appeal of universalism. I understand why people want to be universalists. And there are some areas where honest Christians debate among themselves the best way to handle sensitive issues. Honest Christians debate among themselves how to handle the salvation of those who die in infancy or as very young children. And honest Christians debate among themselves how to handle the salvation of those who are developmentally incapable of exercising faith. Honest Christians debate those issues. There might even be more than one opinion in this church. So I don't want to imply that everything is crystal clear, but this much is crystal clear. Those who possess the natural ability to believe are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone, based on His finished work. Everybody will not be saved. Hell is not temporary. Heaven is not the destination of every person who has ever lived. Paul is not teaching universal salvation. Universal salvation is a pipe dream. It is not what scripture teaches. But this verse does remind us that through the saving work of Jesus Christ, sinful humans are being redeemed and the entire created order is being renewed. The kingdom is being reclaimed. Eden is being restored. Jesus is fixing everything that was broken by Adam's sin and by our sin. And when we come to the end of the Bible in Revelation 21 and 22, we find a new Jerusalem and a renewed earth that is populated by redeemed people who for all eternity offer pure worship and perfect service to the rightful King of all creation. That is the end game. That is our ultimate destination. Christ alone is the Savior and Sovereign of all Christians, and one day the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He alone shall reign forever and ever. Our part to play in this drama of redemption is to enter into His kingdom by grace through faith and to live out kingdom priorities in the here and now as we anticipate the fullness of Christ's rule over all things. The kingdom that is coming is the kingdom that is now. It exists now in our hearts. We anticipate it in this church, in every true church, But one day this will be that as his kingdom spreads from shore to shore. We do this, we live out kingdom priorities by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with unbelievers, inviting them to join us as citizens of God's kingdom by grace through faith. We live out kingdom priorities by walking together in a way that pleases God in these kingdom embassies that we call local churches. We live out kingdom priorities by using our gifts and talents to promote human flourishing in every sphere of life, creating signposts of Christ's reign. We live out kingdom priorities by advocating for justice and showing mercy to those who are in need. Anticipating the perfectly just reign of the true king who loves them and wants them to enter into his kingdom through repentance of faith. There are all kinds of ways we erect signposts for the kingdom. Because we have a kingdom calling. because we have a King. And that King is preeminent over all things. And we are already living out the fullness of that Kingship. Christ alone is the Savior and Sovereign of every Christian and ultimately the entire created order. So friends, we have before us a manifesto from the Apostle Paul that teaches that Christ alone is preeminent in all things from creation to new creation. And that includes each of us. I've tried to make some application throughout, but I think a truth this big and this glorious begs a few parting application questions. And so permit me to ask you three parting application questions. Are you living as if Christ is preeminent? Are you living as if He is preeminent? Are you seeking to submit to Him every day and in every way? Or are there pockets in your life where you continue to choose your way instead of His way? Things that maybe even nobody around you knows about. but you hide them away. Maybe you even nurture it. And you pretend like the Lord doesn't see it. What areas of your life do you need to today bow the knee anew to King Jesus and hand it over to Him? Not because you need to be saved again. but because we're always growing in what it means to lovingly follow our King. What do you need to give the King today if you're going to follow Him in the way that He would have you to do so? Another question. It's the same question but applied more broadly. In what areas of your church's life can you better exhibit following the kingship of Christ? Is your greatest ambition as a local church to honor Him alone in your worship and witness and service? Or like, let's be honest, every church. Do you at times advance your own agenda and hope the Lord will bless it? It's a great temptation, isn't it? Because we think we know what to do. And often the things we think we know are good things. But we can go into default mode. And just assume that because we're doing it, it's a good thing. And as long as we pray some, and as long as there's no public scandal, and as long as we take the word seriously and we check the right doctrinal boxes, of course Jesus is going to bless what we're doing. Because we're us. And He's Him, and that's what He does, right? But friends, what areas of your church do you need to give back to Him? What areas of your church life do you need to corporately bow the knee anew to Him today? And not just prayerfully keep your fingers crossed and hope that He's going to bless what you're doing. but know that your experience is blessing because of open Bibles and calloused knees and warm hearts among each other. My last application question, maybe you're here today and you're not yet a follower of Jesus Christ. Maybe you're here today and you're intrigued by all of this Jesus being the Creator and the King and Preeminent and Him alone, That's not yet registered with you in a personal way. The bad news is that if you continue on the course that you're on, if Jesus continues to not be your King, then you will eventually reap the eternal consequences of your rebellion against your Creator. That will happen. And that is bad news. We are all of us sinners by nature and choice and scriptures teach that sin against our creators leads to eternal suffering against his just and perfect because of our rebellion against his just and perfect rule. That is bad news. But I have good news for you as well. The same One who created you became a human being just like you. And 2,000 years ago or so, He entered into the world He created. And He lived the perfectly sinless life that you are commanded to live, but don't. And He died the sinner's death. You deserve to die, but don't have to. and He was raised into the newness of eternal life that is offered today to you. And if you turn from your sins, and if you look to Him alone as your King and your Savior, if you bow the knee knowing that your only hope to be what you were created to be, to be reconciled to your Creator, to live the life that is intended for you. If you look to Him today alone as your Lord and Savior, your sins will be forgiven. You will be treated as if you are not a sinner. You'll be accepted into His family, adopted as His child. Your life will begin to have the meaning He intends it to have. And you will spend all of eternity with Him, as He rules perfectly, as you love and serve and worship Him perfectly. This is the life intended for sinners. and you're a sinner, but He's a greater Savior than you are a sinner. Won't you look to Him today alone as your Lord and Savior? Jesus Christ is preeminent over all things. There are no greater words we can say than Christ alone. May our lives live out the glorious truth that our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. And my prayer for you as a community of disciples is that Jesus will remain at the center of all you are and all you do until He comes back and says, well done, my good and faithful servants.