Throughout the 1999 football season, Kurt Warner was the talk of the NFL after rising from obscurity to become quarterback of the explosive St. Louis Rams. The Rams were the "Greatest Show On Turf" and Warner was the ringmaster. He led the team to the Super Bowl as the league's MVP and, as a committed Christian, Warner was very vocal in giving all of the glory to Jesus for his personal accomplishments as well as the team's success, as the Rams went on to win the big game.

During the traditional post-game championship ceremony at mid-field, Warner was presented with the MVP Trophy for the game after passing for a Super Bowl record 414 yards including two touchdowns in the 23-16 victory. Mike Tirico of ABC, knowing Warner's penchant for praising Jesus in such moments, opened his interview with the statement, "Kurt, first things first," then proceeded to ask a question specifically about the game. Warner responded without missing a beat: "Well, first things first, I've got to thank my Lord and Savior up above -- THANK YOU, JESUS!!!"

Charles Spurgeon once defined true joy as an acronym, saying it was found in putting: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself third. As believers, we are compelled to put Christ above all others, and above all else, for a simple reason -- He is above all!

As we read of Christ in Colossians 1: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [ruler] over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."

Although He is one with God the Father and God the Spirit, co-equal and co-eternal, Jesus has been given the preeminence within the Godhead as the only Savior, the only way to heaven, the only means of reconciliation to this one true triune God there is or ever will be -- given the preeminence (first place) because of His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world.

Philippians 2:5-11 tells us: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore also God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Because Jesus being fully God willingly laid aside His rights and privileges as God, lowering Himself to take the form of man and die in our place -- in your place and in mine -- on the cross to pay our sin debt in full, His is the name above every name. Thus, the Father is only glorified in spirit and truth when Jesus is exalted in all of His divine glory as the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. This means Jesus is first in all things, He is Lord of all!