If you have read what I have written up to this point you would know that most of what I read is made up of men who are no longer on this earth. However there is one man in particular that has been such a help to my soul. His sermons, writings, passions, and ministry has been nothing but an encouragement and a conviction to my walk with Christ. Since running into him while listening to a popular sermon of his I’ve done nothing but soak up all of his content. And I am pleased to announce that he finally, at 62 years old, has written his first book.
The Preeminent Christ – Paul Washer
As soon as I got the email from his ministry Heart Cry I purchased the book without hesitation. I knew without a doubt whatever he wrote must have been of great importance. And what better subject than the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! In Paul Washer’s own words: “My burden in writing this book was not for the reader primarily. Rather, Christ deserves to be written about. I’m only ashamed that I wrote so poorly—this is why I quote so much from church history. And I want everyone to see that all the great theologians in writing about Christ simply wanted to throw down their pens, walk away, and hide in a cave. They could only stammer. But you see—about what other subject can you say this?
If we could even catch in our humanness just one glimpse of Christ’s beauty, it would fracture us. I wrote this book because I have to write. You cannot see the beauty of Christ and not tell everybody.”
In a brief 98 pages Washer attempts to plead with the reader why Jesus Christ and His Gospel ought to have the preeminence in our lives. It ought to have preeminence in our study, our family, our thoughts, our music, our language, our work, our everything. Though clear throughout the entire Bible the word preeminence appears in Colossians:
And He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence. Col 1:18
Paul quotes A LOT of past men of God who stand with him in this declaration that Christ ought to be the chief object of our desires and passions. He does so to show the reader that this stands the test of time. From Adam to you the subject most worthy of our meditation has never changed: Jesus and His Good News.
Thoughts
This book is such a breath of fresh air from the current books that constantly bombard the shelves in modern day Christianity. Everyone seems to have their own opinion on worship, church structure, habit building, easy devotions, and theological concepts, and yet so few take the time to simply “Be still and know that [Jesus is] God” Denominations, opinions, music styles, Paul Washer cuts right to the center of it all and reminds us of our “first love” and why we ought to return with all of our hearts to the God who rescued us and seeks to rescue the world through His Son.
A Simple Plea
Return to Him. Look to Him. Come back to the one whom your soul loveth. The one who saved you and has held you so dearly all this time. Make Christ the chief desire of your thoughts. Wake up with Him, walk during the day with Him, and fall asleep in Him. The Bible makes it very clear: nothing is of greater importance. Nothing comes close to the eternal value that is in Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:36
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”