Supreme and Preeminent

Supremacy of what?

First a small allegory. 

Once there was a very wealthy King who designed, funded, and personally built an incredible city. This city contained everything it needed to be developed and grow. It had a large body of freshwater, seaport, temperate climate, good farmland, and all other things necessary to sustain a bustling and attractive city. The occupants, also designed and created by this King, were given the task of developing and “keeping” the city. The one main stipulation was to follow the instructions of the designer and creator.

Not long into the project, the occupants decided to form their own government, not in agreement with the original Designer but rather in opposition to him. The rebellious occupants thought of themselves as the masterminds behind the beautiful city.

Meanwhile the true King of the city continued to fund and maintain the workings of the city despite the disproportionate number of loyalists to the overwhelming majority of rebels. The rebels even denied that a true King existed and most certainly refused to submit to his rule. At times they were very cruel to the loyalists, killing them or torturing them.

In time this true King came to the city. He decided not to come as the powerful and mighty King that he was, but rather as a small child. This allowed Him to enter the city unrecognized and experience the city first hand. He grew up in the low class, “other side of the tracks”, neighborhood struggling along with the poor. 

When he grew up, he pursued a career in education, becoming a teacher. He taught about how the real King wanted things to be done. He even did things that upset the status quo, causing the rebel government to see him as a threat. Eventually the rebel government killed this irritating occupant thinking that it will silence him and finally do away with this idea of a real King.

Incredibly, the real King came back from the dead. Instead of immediately taking revenge, he extended an offer to the insolent rebels. An offer that would be foolish not to accept and at the same time very humbling to accept. The offer was this: the real King would substitute His own gruesome death as a vicarious punishment for the rebels’ treason. All the rebels have to do is accept the offer and become loyal to the Real King. 

The peace deal came with a warning and a reward. It warned that at some point in time the real King will end the redemption offer and all the rebels will be punished. Interestingly enough, the reward included the promise of being part of the inheritance of the King as a full son.

The transfer of loyalties

"...and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Colossians 1:12‭-‬14 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/col.1.12-14.NIV

The Supreme and Preeminent Ruler of the Universe

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 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 and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Colossians 1:15‭-‬20 NIVhttps://bible.com/bible/111/col.1.15-20.NIV

 The Offer no one should refuse

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Colossians 1:21‭-‬23 NIVhttps://bible.com/bible/111/col.1.21-23.NIV

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Hebrews 2:1‭-‬4 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.2.1-4.NIV