Christ at the Center

June 21st, 2025

Ephesians 1:21-23 – “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

A couple years back, I went to the Spiritual Leadership Conference in California. It was an amazing time – hundreds of pastors coming together with a shared passion for reaching people with the gospel.

I remember, after one of the sessions, they posted this massive group photo online. You know the kind—wide-angle, trying to squeeze everyone in. And what do you think I did the second I saw it?

Yep. I zoomed in… on me.
How do I look?
Is my hair weird?
Am I blinking?

We all do it, right? First thing we look for in a group picture is ourselves.

It’s funny – but it says something about us.

And not just when it comes to pictures. We tend to live like that, too – zoomed in on us. Our preferences. Our comfort. Our problems. Our plans. Without even meaning to, we make ourselves the center of the story.

But the end of Ephesians chapter 1 challenges us to zoom out and see Jesus as the center:

"Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named..." (Ephesians 1:21)

That’s not just a poetic way of saying He’s important – Paul’s saying Jesus is supreme. He’s not barely above everything else – He’s infinitely above it all. There’s no comparison. He reigns over every ruler, every kingdom, every fear, and every struggle. He’s King of kings and Lord of lords.

And not only that, Paul says God “gave him to be the head over all things to the church.”

That means Jesus isn’t just important to the church… He’s in charge of it. He doesn’t just deserve a seat at the table. He’s the head of the table. It’s His church. He leads it. He defines it. And He has the final say.

That’s convicting, isn’t it? Because sometimes—even in church—we start to build around personalities, styles, traditions, or opinions. Without realizing it, we start centering things around us.

But Paul reminds us – we’re the body. He’s the head. Our job is to follow His lead. To reflect His heart. To point people to Him.

So here’s the honest question: When people look at our lives, and at our church… do they see Jesus clearly? Are we making much of Him, or have we slowly made it about us again?

Let’s shift the focus back where it belongs. Let’s lift our eyes. Zoom out. And center everything on Jesus – because that’s when we become the church He designed us to be.

Not a church that impresses people. A church that reveals Jesus.