My family recently enjoyed a trip to Chattanooga. As I was standing down in the valley looking up at Lookout Mountain, I couldn’t help but marvel at how old that mountain must be. It’s ancient.

But as we turn to Colossians 1:17, we read something staggering about Jesus Christ. It says there, “And he is before all things.” That means that Jesus existed before Lookout Mountain. For that matter, He existed before all the mountains on earth, before the Earth itself, before even the entire universe. He is before ALL things. And that makes sense because we learn in v16 that He’s the creator of all things. And so, He had to exist before the things He created.

But when the Bible says that Jesus is before all things, it’s not just saying that He showed up at some point in time before He created creation. No, it’s actually pointing to His timelessness. It means He has always existed, was never created, never had a beginning. Jesus, the Son of God, didn’t always exist in the flesh, but He always existed.

This truth, of course, changes everything about how we view Christ. He’s not just a good teacher or moral example. He’s not merely the best among many religious leaders. He is categorically different—the eternal God who stepped into His own creation.

His supremacy flows from his eternality. Because he was before everything, nothing can compare to him. Every throne, every power, every authority came after him. He holds the ultimate position because He’s held it forever.

Beloved, let this truth shape your worship of Jesus. When you gather to worship on Sunday mornings, you’re not gathering to sing about just a historical figure or celebrate a beautiful idea. You’re mindfully entering the presence of the One who existed before the mountains rose up, before time itself began measuring days. This should strike you with holy awe—the kind that makes casual worship impossible and half-hearted singing absurd. You’re standing before the Ancient of Days, and every breath you use to praise Him is a gift from the One who was breathing out galaxies before you ever drew your first.

Change begins in you!