Well once again we'll turn to
the first chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians and
this evening we'll meditate on verses 21 and 22. Colossians chapter 1 and verses
21 and 22. And you that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and
unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. This surely is good news to a
poor sinner, one who feels their need, one who is indeed described
in this statement that we're sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works. How true that is of all of us. We were really enemies to God. We were alienated, we were separated,
and we were against the things of God. And we had no time for
the things of God, even if we pretended perhaps to have some
time for them. Our heart was not right with
God, and therefore how true this was, that we were indeed alienated
and how sad that was. And we realize that the truth
spoken here and also the truth spoken by the Apostle when he
wrote to the Ephesians in similar words really, when he wrote the
fourth chapter in verses 17 and 18. He says, this I say therefore,
and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. Well, there was that time, was
there not, when we were blind, when we were deaf to the great
and glorious things of God. But what a wonderful blessing
it is if our eyes have been opened and our ears have been unstopped,
so that we are now not alienated. and that we're not in darkness
as we were at one time. Indeed when we were born in darkness
and we remained in darkness until the light of the glorious Gospel
shone into our heart. And what wonderful news that
was. What a wonderful time it was. Perhaps what a wonderful occasion
it was, and so we are able to understand therefore what the
Apostle says here, that were sometimes alienated enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now, yet now hath he reconciled. Well what a wonderful blessing
it is if tonight We can understand such a truth and we can agree
with such a truth and have the evidence that God in his love
to our souls has indeed reconciled us, brought us to God, done all
that was necessary to redeem our souls. Yes, we had a mind
of wicked works, but there came a change, a change when we desired
good works and not wicked works. And that was by the grace of
God. It's not because of anything
that you and I did, but it's all because of his love and mercy
toward us. So what a blessing tonight. If in our lives there has been
a time when we were alienated, when we were enemies in our mind,
but now have he reconciled. And of course, it's very strange
that there's a new verse after that, because really they just
follow on. Now hath he reconciled in the
body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable
and unreprovable in his sight. You see, that is the only way
that we indeed could be reconciled. There was no other way. And again,
the Apostle, when he wrote to the Ephesians, speaks really
in very similar lines in the second chapter. And from verse
15, he tells us, having abolished in his flesh, no other in his
flesh, the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances, for to make in himself of Twain one new man, so making
peace." What a wonderful truth that is, to realise that we who
were enemies now are at peace. through what Christ has done,
and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to
you, which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Very clear description, isn't
it? just like it is in this statement
here, and indeed how such statements do apply to the whole Church
of God. Well, it's a blessing for us
tonight if we have the evidence that we understand what the Apostle
is speaking of here and to realise the great blessing that Christ
has been, that Christ is to his Church and that Christ is to
you and to me tonight. To understand the blessedness
of this great statement, now hath he reconciled in the body
of his flesh Through death, the only way that you and I could
be reconciled, as when Christ stood in our place, he paid the
punishment for our redemption. If Christ had not died, if he
had not given his life on our behalf, we could not have satisfied
the holy law of God. But bless God tonight, if we
have indeed that good and wonderful hope, the blessed Saviour indeed,
through his death, does present us holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight. We who were sinners indeed, we
who were blameable, we who were reprovable, but through the death
of the Saviour, what a change that is made. In the Philippians,
again we have a verse which is encouraging to us. In the second
chapter, he tells us from verse 14, For it is God which worketh
in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Well that's
a wonderful truth, isn't it? And wonderful if you and I can
find that within us, to realise, yes, it's God who's worked in
me. It's not what I've done. For
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His
good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings
and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons
of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Well, that's
a blessing, isn't it? If we are a shining light in
this dark world, and we show forth the praise of our God. And as the Apostle says, holding
forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Well then, to come to this realisation,
this great blessing, hath he reconciled in the body of his
flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and
unreprovable in his sight. Nothing less than that will do. Sometimes it causes us to think
again what the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians when he described
what they were like. He didn't beat about the bush.
He told them exactly what they were like. And then he came and
said, and such were some of you. And as the Holy Spirit may convince
us of our sin, we have to agree, yes, That was me. But, what a
wonderful but this is, but, ye are washed, washed in the blood
of the Lamb. How precious then is the death
of the Saviour to cleanse us from all sin. But ye are washed,
but ye are sanctified made holy, but ye are justified, made just,
in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Do we not have to say, we must
say to God, be the glory, great things he has done, great things
he's done for me, unworthy sinner hath he reconciled in the body
of his flesh through death to present us holy and unblameable
and unreprovable in his sight. To think the Saviour will present
us to his Father, not because of what we've done, but because
of what He's done. on our behalf. What a wonderful
and blessed situation that is. May we truly rejoice in it and
bless God for it. And as the Apostle said to the
Thessalonians in the first epistle in the third chapter, in the
last verse he says, to the end, he may establish your hearts
Establish our hearts, set our hearts upon things above. Establish your hearts, unblameable
in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. We can look forward,
can we not, to that wonderful occasion when the Lord will return
Indeed, to unite all the Church together and to be with the Saviour
throughout eternity. Well, these are wonderful words. As I commence with a statement,
this is indeed wonderful news. And I hope it's wonderful news
to all of us tonight, to bless God for such a glorious truth,
because it's specific and you that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled
in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and
unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. Well may we rejoice
in such a great and wonderful truth. May God bless his word
to us.