The tune is Triumph 691. When to worship saints assemble,
let the song to Jesus flow. He forsook his ancient glory,
groaned and bled for worms below, ransomed mortals, joined to swell
the sacred song. Hymn 920, tune Triumph 691. ? We will worship Saint Joseph
Lord ? ? Let us all do ? Jesus Christ, he forsook his ancient
glory, world and death after death. Ransomed mortals, ransomed mortals,
join to spell the sacred song. If you find yourself wounded,
in your hearts a ship of sin, we shall help, by God, in future
Righteousness that guides and leads, Tis the covenant, tis
the covenant, Both by heaven, both in heaven. Teach me how the sun provideth
that the crystal of Divine from His eye forever hideth Hymns
of every faith and strife. He that wears it, he that wears
it, is by God it's own dead life. Adam ran, the tempter called
him, his bridegroom's wife with him called. But his righteousness, O Jesus,
Once a knight is always gone. Tis then, title, tis then, title,
To the mansion's love obey. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, in chapter
one. The epistle to the Ephesians,
chapter one. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ
by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to
the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace from
God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted
in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having
made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in
the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together
in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and
which are on earth, even in him, in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,
that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ, in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word
of truth the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, after that you
believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
which is the earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory. Wherefore I also,
after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto
all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you making mention
of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ
the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his
calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power
to us all who believe according to the working of his mighty
power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead
and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. 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. And
hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the
head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness
of him that filleth all in all. May the Lord bless the reading
of his own precious word and grant to us a spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we bow before thy glorious majesty. These three are one. May we, in the experience of
our souls tonight, Feel that oneness, that union that is in
the Godhead between the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, that
one glorious Lord Jehovah. From everlasting to everlasting
thou art God. We come, Lord, to bow before
thy holy majesty. We read in thy word, holy, Holy,
holy Lord God Almighty, which is an art, an art to come. We
bow before thee, Lord. We come as poor sinners. Each
one of us is a fallen son or daughter of Adam. We are born
in sin. We are shapen in iniquity. In
sin did my mother concede me. And we can say with the dear
Apostle solemnly so, for I know that in me, that is in my flesh,
there dwelleth no good thing. And Lord, we prove this to be
so. We pray, most gracious Lord,
this evening to be led of the Spirit of God. For as many as
are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. May
we have that witness, O Lord, with our spirit even tonight,
that we are the sons and the daughters of the Lord God Almighty. May we be favoured to experience
the sacred spirit of adoption, the everlasting love of our Eternal
Father in the glorious person of His Son. sealed into our hearts
by the Holy Ghost. Lord, may that be so as we gather
together around thy word. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst
come and open thy word. And we read in scripture, then
opened he their understanding that they might receive the word.
We pray that it may be so with us tonight. that the eyes of
our understanding may be enlightened, that we might know what that
good and perfect and acceptable will of the Lord is, that we
may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, lay hold on eternal life,
find union and communion with Him. May we hear His voice. My sheep, they know my voice
and they follow me. Pray that it may be so tonight.
I hear thy voice. We may see thy countenance, Lord
Jesus, for thou art the altogether lovely one. Thou art the chiefest
among 10,000. Thou art the sum and the substance
of all our hopes and all our desires. In thee there dwells
a treasure all divine. And may we be enabled to say
a matchless grace has made that treasure mine. O most gracious
Lord, we pray that the word of the Lord may have free course,
that thy name may be honoured and glorified, that the Lord
Jesus Christ may be exalted as a Prince and as a Saviour, for
to give faith, repentance and remission of sins. O we do pray
that we may catch a glimpse of our Lord Jesus at the right hand
of the Father. Our hearts may be filled with
adoration for such an High Priest have we, who is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, who sitteth at the right hand
of the Majesty on High. May we worship him. May we behold
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.
full of grace and truth. May we touch the hem of His garment
and draw from that sacred fullness that is in Him. We thank Thee
for that wonderful soul-sustaining truth of God manifest in the
flesh, the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father being made flesh
and dwelling among us. And as the dear apostle puts
it, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might redeem
them that are under the law. Oh, we do thank thee for Jesus
Christ, for that holy, sinless life that he lived as a man here
upon earth, for the wonderful glory of his holy life and the
light that shines in it. I am the light of the world.
May that light shine into our hearts tonight. May that light
shine in our midst tonight. May that light shine into this
village and the surrounding villages and hamlets. Many, many precious
souls may be gathered in. May the light of the glorious
atonement shine forth, the precious blood of the Lamb that cleanses
from all sin, that reconciles unto God. We do thank Thee for
that sin atoning sacrifice of the cross of Calvary. We do thank
Thee for that holy sinless life and the law fulfilled and honoured
and magnified and everlasting righteousness brought in. We
do thank Thee that He died for our sins and rose again for our
justification and now sitteth at the right hand of the Majesty
on high Fill our hearts, O Lord, with gratitude, with thanksgiving
for the wonderful glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the fullness
of that salvation that is in Him. For He is full of grace
and truth, and in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily, and through Him we have access by one spirit unto the
Father, and that we desire to bow in humble adoration, thanksgiving
and praise for that wonderful fullness of eternal love that
is in our Lord Jesus Christ. God so loved the world, he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved. Gracious God. fill our hearts
this evening hour with gratitude, with thanksgiving for the wonderful
glories of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember us as a church and as
a congregation. Remember those away from us at
this time and graciously bless them where they are and bring
them home in peace and safety at their appointed time And O
Lord we do pray, O that thou wouldst be gracious and richly
bless us together. Remember our brethren the deacons,
give grace, wisdom and help and undertake for them in all their
concerns and in all their needs. Help us to bear one another's
burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ, help us to help
one another, that we may sustain each other on the road. We do
humbly beseech of Thee. We pray that we may be enabled
to present our bodies, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable
unto Thee, which is our reasonable service, and be not conformed
to this world, but may we be transformed by the renewing of
our mind. And while our days on earth are
lengthened, may we give them, Lord, to Thee, cheered by hope
and daily strengthened. Oh, do hear us, Lord. We humbly
pray Thee, and help us to walk by faith and not by sight. We do humbly pray Thee. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that Thou would remember the little ones and the children
that gather with us and bless them indeed. Remember the young
friends, bring them to live in faith in Jesus Christ that they
may become true followers of thee and of those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises. Give parents wisdom
and grace to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord And, O Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst be with
all in the midst of the journey of life, graciously work in them
to will and to do that which is thy good pleasure. And that we do pray, most gracious
Lord, that thou wouldst make us more spiritually minded and
set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth,
For, Lord, by nature we're earthbound. We pray that thou wouldst elevate
our thoughts to heaven, to glory, to our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh,
do hear us, Lord, we pray, that for thy great namesake, keep
us from the temptations of the wicked, the wicked one. who would seek to allure us and
to draw us aside from wisdom's way, or deliver us from his power
and from his influence, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord our God. And we do pray that thou in thy
precious mercy, remember those of us that are in the evening
time of life's journey, and we pray to be prepared for that
great day that must soon come, and a grant that we may be enabled
to truly live to Thee, and to rest by faith in the Son of God,
the eternal Rock of Ages, casting all our cares upon Him, and looking
to Him for needed strength, wisdom, and grace in all matters. Oh, we do pray, most gracious
Lord, that it may be so with each one of us, that we may not
look back and think, if only I'd done this, if only I'd done
that, if only I'd done something else. Oh, gracious God, forgive
our many shortcomings, forgive our heart wanderings, forgive
our backsliders, forgive our carnalities, our worldliness,
and graciously set our affections upon thee. We thank thee then
for the glory of Christ, for the new and living way that he
has made into the holy place. We thank thee that he is the
way, the truth, and the life. We thank thee that he is our
great high priest who has passed into the heavens. We thank Thee
that He has promised I will never leave Thee, nor forsake Thee
world without end. O gracious God, we do thank Thee
for our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank Thee that He died for
our sins and rose again for our justification. We thank Thee
for every mercy of Thy kind providence, and we're very much aware, O
Lord, that every blessing, every favour, freely flows through
Jesus' precious blood. Lord, we pray for those that
listen online that they may be profited also and it may redound
to the great glory of thy holy and thy righteous name. Be with
us now, Lord, as we turn to thy holy word. Come and open thy
word to our heart and to our understanding. we ask for Jesus
Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
267. The tune is Theodora 511. Children of the Heavenly King,
as ye journey, sweetly sing. Sing your Saviour's worthy praise,
glorious in his works and ways. Hymn 267, Tune Theodora, 511. O come, O come, all ye faithful
joyful and triumphant O come, O come, all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant ? Sing of David's happy praise
? ? Glorious in his work ? Thee, O champion of the world,
give away the promised land. Lay your heart in love with me,
soon happiness shall see. We have blessed thee, O God,
Christ, who ever blesses us. ? He has taken away my sins ? ?
And has made me whole again ? ? Chanting hymns of love and praise
? ? Will only distant shadows ? ? Echo to thee now prevail ? ? Hail, all ye heavenly hosts ?
? Hymn of heaven's joyful sound ? ? From the fullness of your
blood ? ? Jesus Christ, your blood has shed ? ? Radiant in the pitch-black night
? ? Which shepherds by the storm
? ? Had been keeping o'er the grove ? ? O'er the grove where
he hath been ? ? Ever since his birth ? Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, direct your attention to the chapter that we read,
the first chapter in the epistle to the Ephesians, and we'll read
verse 10 for our text. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 10
that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven
and which are on earth even in him. how the Apostle here beautifully
speaks of that oneness there is between Christ and his church. That union that exists and it's
because of that union that his children will reach heaven. The hymn writer says doesn't
he, in union with the Lamb. from condemnation free, the saints
from everlasting work and shall forever be. But in the dispensation,
a dispensation is a period of time. And there are people such as
the brethren who are dispensation lists. and we wouldn't go along
with a lot of what they say concerning dispensationalism. They go through
the prophets and through the book of the revelation and they
speak of this dispensation and that dispensation and another
but there obviously are dispensations. There are periods of time and
these are laid out in holy scripture. There is of course the dispensation
of the law, the holy righteous law of God that was given by
God unto Moses and written on tablets of stone and with it
comes a solemn curse that there is the need of absolute obedience
to that holy law in thought, word and deed and if we break
it in thought, word or deed then we come under the curse. Cursed
is every man that doeth not all things that is written in the
book of the law to do them. And in that sense you have in
scripture the dispensation of Moses and how the Lord gathered
together the children of Israel when they were in captivity in
the land of Egypt and Moses led them out of the land of Egypt
with mighty signs and wonders. those ten great plagues that
came upon the children of Egypt because of the way that they
treated the Lord's living family. There is in a sense the dispensation
of the prophets, the prophets of God that prophesied in the
Old Testament in that period of time. Christ he says in his
teachings the law the prophets were until now. The last great
prophet of the Lord was John the Baptist and he was the herald
of our Lord Jesus Christ. He prepared the way of the Lord.
He pointed them to Christ. He said behold the Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin of the world. Very pointed isn't
it? What he says, behold the Lamb
of God. Every morning, every evening under the Levitical dispensation
a lamb was slain, sacrificed. Every evening a lamb was slain
and sacrificed. And it pointed to Christ. As
it says in Isaiah, he was led of a lamb to the slaughter. The
prophets prophesied of the coming of Christ. And they prophesied
some most wonderful detailed things concerning our Lord Jesus
Christ. How that he was led as a lamb
to the slaughter and as a sheep before a shearer's dom, so he
openeth not his mouth. They prophesy how he was wounded
for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement
of our peace was upon him. This is what Isaiah prophesied
that should come. these wonderful prophecies. So
we have the dispensation of the prophets, the last of whom was
John the Baptist. The most prominent of course
was Elijah and the wonderful miracles that he wrought in his
day and the wonderful things that are recorded concerning
him. Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he was on the Mount of Transfiguration,
he took with him Peter, James and John and he was transfigured
before them. And as they beheld him, they
beheld Moses and Elijah talking with Christ. In the Gospel of
Luke, in the record there, it says they were speaking of the
things that he would accomplish at Jerusalem. It wasn't any idle
talk. Moses had seen his day, Elijah
had seen his day. Now there is teaching in the
Mount of Transfiguration that is as much as to say you've heard
what Moses said in the Book of the Law You've heard what Elijah
said in all the prophets. And what does the father say?
Because they entered into a cloud and when the cloud was gone,
it was just Christ. They saw no man save Jesus only. And the voice from heaven, this
is my beloved son, hear ye him. was the teaching, you've heard
Moses law, you've heard Elijah the prophet, and now hear what
mine only begotten son has got to say to you. And you know,
it's so prominent in the epistle to the Hebrews, and obviously
the apostle was writing to his brethren, It says in the beginning
of Hebrews God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake
in time past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir
of all things by whom also he made the worlds who be in the
brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and
upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty
on high. You see, it goes on. In chapter two, therefore we
ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have
heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word
spoken by angels, that was the giving of the law, was steadfast,
and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of
reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation,
which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed
unto us by them that heard him? God also bearing them witness,
both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and
gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. God has spoken to us by his son
and there are one or two admonitions there in the Hebrews and it says
in chapter 4 let us therefore fear lest a promise be left us
of entering into his rest, that is the rest of faith in Christ.
Any of you should seem to come short of it, for unto us was
the gospel preached, and though he's speaking of the Old Testament,
as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we
which have believed do enter into rest. As he said, as I have
sworn in my role, if shall enter into my rest, although the works
were finished from the foundation of the world. Let us therefore
fear. If you look at verse 11 in Hebrews
4, let us labour therefore to enter into that rest. And then
in verse 16, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time. of need. These directions and
exhortations that we find in the holy scriptures and as he
speaks there with divers miracles and gifts of the holy ghost we
need that mighty power of the holy ghost to apply the word
of truth into our hearts. But in the dispensation of the
fullness we've often explained here. When
we read in the New Testament, it's also
mentioned in the Old, of the last days. Christ often speaks
of the last days, and what is that? Well, we have the book
of the Revelation, and that book of the Revelation covers the
period of time from the first coming to the second coming of
Christ. And that is what is called in
scripture, the last times. They are the last times here
on earth. There will be no more dispensations at the end of this
one. And this, what we're in now,
is the dispensation of grace. It's the dispensation of the
gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That in the dispensation
of the fullness, of times. There's a fullness. It speaks
in one of the epistles of the time of the fullness of the Gentiles. It also intimates quite clearly
of the conversion of the Jews in these last days. And these
are all markers of the end of time, of these last days. This dispensation of time that
we are now in. That in the dispensation of the
fullness of times. The completeness of times. And it says in the book of the
Revelation, the angel he said, and time shall be no more. That means the end of this world.
Time shall be no more. You just think carefully what
it is that controls time in the universe, in our world. It's
the sun. And the moon. The greater light to rule by
day, the lesser light to rule by night. And it's by that constant
circulation of the sun and of the moon that we can tell time. And God created time. We live
in time. But when we leave this world,
we're no longer in time, but we're in eternity. And that is
where God dwells, in eternity. Thus saith the High and Lofty
One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy. God is holy,
God is righteous. And what we read in the scriptures
continually of these fullness of times, of everything coming
to fruition, we read it especially in the book of the Revelation
how everything is coming to fruition. There are seven angels, seven
trumpets, seven vials of wrath, the seventh being the number
of perfection. In other words the fullness,
the completeness of what God is determined to happen on earth. It says in the previous verse,
having made known unto us the mystery of his will according
to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself. God
has purposed, God has decreed that he would gather all things
in one in Christ that in the dispensation of the fullness
of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both
which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him. And of course we have
wonderful intimations of this in the Word of God, where the
wonderful promises that were given to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his sons, wonderful
promises that in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth
be blessed. In other words, that Christ would come of the seed
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And we see how in the days of
Abraham, how the Lord blessed Abraham. He became a very great
and a very wealthy man. He was a very great and a very
wealthy man. And the Lord gave him that, as
well as gave him faith, and tried his faith. The same with Jacob,
the Lord gave him promises. The same with Isaac, the Lord
gave them promises and each one of them received that promise
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed and we
read in that great famine Jacob eventually went down into Egypt
from the land of Canaan, the land of promise and the Lord
directed him to go He's going to his son Joseph who he thought
for many years had been dead. Joseph my son is alive. And the Lord sent Joseph before
the children of Israel to preserve them. And then he gathered them
all together in Egypt. The Lord did that. And he preserved their life.
And then eventually after many many years and great persecution
under the pharaohs, the children of Israel, Moses was sent by
God to Egypt to lead them out of the land of Egypt and to go
to the promised land and to walk through the wilderness for 40
years. And the Lord was to feed them
for 40 years in the wilderness. All the time He gathered them
together, His own people. Just as in the
day in which we live, Christ has His own people and He is
gathering them together. A little company here, a little
company there, a greater company there. But the Lord is gathering
them together in the Gospel. We have those lovely words in
Revelation chapter 6 that speaks of Christ in this dispensation
of the gospel. And he went forth conquering
and to conquer. What was he conquering? His own
people. In their hearts, in their lives,
in their circumstances. He brings them into subjection
unto him. In that lovely psalm 45, David
prays, doesn't he? Praise to Christ, gird on thy
sword, O most mighty, and ride prosperously. Let thine arrows
be sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, and the people
will fall under thee. That's in the gospel of the grace
of God, in this day of grace in which we live. When the gospel
is to be preached in every nation, kindred, tongue, and tribe, and
people, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he
might gather together in one all things in Christ. You know, friends, that it's
a wonderful truth. It's often said, but it's a wonderful
truth. There will be no denominations
in heaven. No. There'll be nothing to separate
the people of God in heaven, because all will be one in Christ. All will be complete in Him. All will be accepted in the Beloved. There'll be nothing that divides.
There'll be no jarring none. There'll be no differences of
opinion. No. They're all gathered together
in one in Christ. Minister from another church
speaking to me when I was speaking a couple of years ago and he
come and shook my hand and he said brother we must keep denominational
barriers as low as we possibly can and I absolutely agree with
that. The Lord has his people in many
different ways in many different administrations, but they're
his people and we shouldn't despise them. No. We don't see eye to
eye, but it's mainly on church order. We see eye to eye on the
person of Christ. We see eye to eye on the eternal
covenant of grace. We see eye to eye on the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost. And we should concentrate on
those things that we agree with. and not seek to introduce the
things that we don't agree with. We should seek to love one another
with a pure heart, fervently. The fullness of times you might
gather together in one all things in Christ. All things in Christ. To be one in Christ. my mind
was much drawn to that beautiful prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ
in John 17. And there the Lord Jesus Christ so
beautifully speaks of that oneness that is between the Father and
the Son. And then that oneness that is
between Christ and the Church. And he prays in verse 21 of John
17, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us. That the world
may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory which thou
gavest me I have given them, that they may be one. even as
we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know that
thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Father,
I will, that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me,
for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. You
see that wonderful love and union and communion. You know, when Rutherford, godly Rutherford,
when he was here on earth, of course he was a Presbyterian
and he held very doggedly to that doctrine, that order in
the Presbyterian Church. And he actually, and for all
the fact that he was such a godly man, he actually said that all
Baptists should be hung. He was so against the Baptist
churches and that order of divine worship among them that he advocated
they should be hung. He won't do that in heaven of
course. because they will then realise that they are all one
in Christ Jesus. And nor should we seek to introduce
into our conversation with other people things that will separate
us rather than things that unite us. We should ever be seeking
union and communion with the Lord's living family, that in
the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together
in one all things in Christ. Both which are in heaven and
which are on earth. In heaven and on earth. Jesus
is now in heaven. His church is here on earth. his church that he has redeemed,
his church which he has paid the redemption price. But he
speaks to his church, doesn't he, in those beautiful words
of grace, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God,
believe also in me. In my father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you
And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. The apostle says, doesn't he,
to be with Christ, which is far better. He speaks here in this
epistle, this first chapter of the Ephesians, He says in verse
3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ. And I've often pointed out to
you that it is the most prominent, he's like it in all his epistles,
but it stands out most prominent in the epistle to the Ephesians,
just that you see the last three words of our text, even in him. And it doesn't matter where he's
speaking of doctrine, experience, practice, everything is in him,
through him, by him, unto him. He constantly uses those terms. It doesn't matter what he's speaking
of, he points it to Christ. He centres it in the glorious
person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And then he speaks of the divine
order here, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
Him in love." What wondrous grace, isn't it? What amazing grace. Poor, wretched, filthy, how deserving
sinners. And yet he says that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love. Oh, the root of all grace, my
beloved friends, is love. The love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Or as John says, we love him
because he first loved us. That wonderful love of Christ. He says to the Israelites in
the wilderness in the book of Deuteronomy, that he didn't love
them because of what they were as a people, he said because
you were a people, a rebellious people. But it says he loved
you because he would. It flows from his heart. He loved
you because he would. It's a sovereign, divine love. God so loved the world he gave
his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved. And that glorious person having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself according to the good pleasure of his will. Of his will. And this is the, as it says in
the verse we've already alluded to in verse 9, having made known
unto us the mystery of his will according to the good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself. in himself. His love comes from
him. And any love that we have and
feel towards him and towards his people comes from him. For
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Or as the Apostle puts it, faith
that worketh by love. Faith is that wonderful grace
of the Spirit. It works by love. It motivates
the child of God by love. It's love that brings us to union
and communion. With love. David says, doesn't he, in Psalm
116, I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice, the voice
of my supplications. Do you love the Lord? Do we love the Lord? Do we live
as though we love the Lord? Because you know friends, if
we do truly love the Lord, it will separate us from this world,
and the things of this world, and the ways of this world. They're
not compatible with the eternal love of God. They're not compatible
with faith that works by love. that the Lord will cause a separation
between you and the world. It is everlasting love that does
it. That everlasting love will draw
you to your Heavenly Father. Yay! I have loved Thee with an
everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness,
have I drawn Thee. Wonderful thing to know that
drawing. Says in the Old Testament, doesn't
it? I will draw them with the cords of a man. I will draw them. What man? The man Christ Jesus.
Drawn to Christ. Drawn to that holy God man. The man Christ Jesus. Drawn to
his sufferings, his sorrows, his crucifixion, where sin was
put away. where divine justice was satisfied,
drawn to that holy man that fulfilled and honoured and magnified the
holy law of God, you're drawn to him and you're drawn to that
law fulfilled in Christ. There's something in your soul
that longs to lay hold of that, the law fulfilled in Christ.
Or as it's put in another way, Righteousness of Christ. Jeremiah
23. His name shall be called the
Lord our righteousness. Jehovah Sidkenia. Who is it? It's Christ. And when
the eyes of faith are given and we behold Christ, we behold his
righteousness, his perfection. There's something there. my beloved
friends, that is so beautiful, so sacred, so precious. The first chapter of the Ephesians
and the first chapter of the Colossians are very similar. Much of the same things are set
before us in it. And I've often told you, not
long after we were married and we lived in the little cottages
at Mayfield Chapel and I was sitting reading one evening and
I was reading here in Colossians chapter 1 we have a very similar
scripture in the Ephesians chapter 1 as well about presenting us
holy. It says in verse 22 of Colossians
1 in the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy, unblameable,
and unreprovable in his sight. And you know friends, as I sat
and meditated, it seemed such an amazing thing. A poor, wretched,
helpless sinner, yet presented holy. You sometimes feel because of
the sense of sin in your heart, you feel you're the very dregs
of humanity. You feel something of the awfulness
of the fall and the corruption of your nature. You can echo
what the Apostle says, for I know that in me that is in my flesh
there dwelleth no good thing but then the Lord gives you a
sight by faith that he will present you in the
body of Ishmael through death to present you holy and unblameable
and unreprovable in his sight. Here in the fourth verse, according
as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love. It's the love of Christ. And
it's the love of Christ that gathers the church together. It's the love of Christ, through
that eternal love of God in Christ, that the Holy Spirit enters into
poor sinners' hearts, quickens their soul into life, shows them
that they're sinners, gives them to feel their need of salvation,
and then reveals unto them the glorious person of Jesus, the
Son of God. of His precious blood and righteousness. And that then becomes the very
centre of your life. In Him is life. He that hath
the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. That in the dispensation of the
fullness of times we might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, to be
gathered together in Christ, to be forever with the Lord. In Thessalonians chapter 4, 1
Thessalonians 4, we read there a word of teaching from the dear
apostle, verse 13, but I would not have you to be ignorant brethren
concerning them which are asleep, that means those that have died,
that ye so are not even as others which have no hope. For if ye
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto
you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them that are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend. This is the fullness of this
dispensation that he's speaking of. For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall
we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. so we shall ever be with the
Lord. Now in the word of God, my mind
just for the moment goes to Matthew chapter 25 and there the Lord
Jesus sets before us the day of judgment very solemnly. Before
him shall be gathered all nations, all nations, he will judge the world, he will
separate the righteous, the believers
in Christ to his right hand and unbelievers to his left hand.
The believers are called sheep, the unbelievers are called goats
and he will separate between the two and he will judge them
in righteousness but he will gather them, he will gather them
and then My mind seemed much drawn to Revelation 16 and it
speaks there of the gathering of everyone to that great day. And the vials of wrath were poured
out and it says in verse 15, Behold I come as a thief, blessed
is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment lest he walk naked
and they see his shame. And he gathered them together
into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh
angel poured out his violin to the air and there came a great
voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne saying, it is
done. And there were voices and thunders and lightnings. This
is the consummation of all things, the end of the world and it says
how every island fled away and the mountains were not found. But that is up to the sixth,
the seventh angel. But it goes on in the 19th chapter,
it speaks again of what happens under this seventh angel. We
looked at it on the Lord's day, didn't we? And the revelation
of Jesus Christ says in verse 11 And I saw the heaven opened,
and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. This
is Christ. His eyes were as a flame of fire,
and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written which
no man knew but he himself, and he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. and the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white horses. Enoch said, I beheld
the Lord come in with ten thousands of his saints, clothed in fine
linen, white and clean, and out of his mouth came a sharp sword,
that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule
them with a rod of iron, and he shall tread the winepress
of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on
his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings
and Lord of Lords. Now, the angel, do you think
of this, how bright the angel was, and I saw an angel standing
in the sun. Now, if you look at the sun,
it's so bright, but I saw an angel standing in the sun. And
he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in
the midst of heaven, come and gather yourselves together under
the supper of the great God. You see, it's the end of all
things as at hand. Behold, I come as a thief. I come as a thief. Are we prepared? I love that verse of that old
hymn, Mr Wood often used to quote it, it was actually in the old
ancient and modern hymn book. And now my God prepare my soul
for that great day and wash me in thy precious blood, take all
my sins away. And then that will be a happy
day. That will be a day of eternal glory and of everlasting happiness. the day when Christ comes to
gather his people unto himself, when he comes to cast the wicked
and the devil and his angels into eternal damnation, that
in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together
in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and
which are on earth, even in him. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
1007. The tune is Roscommon 401. Stand up, my soul, shake off
thy fears, and gird the gospel armour on. March to the gates
of endless joy, where thy great Captain Saviour's gone. Hymn
1007, tune Roscommon 401. Come, my soul, take your place,
And let your heart be set upon the cross. Now to the gates of heaven's
joy, Where on great mountains fair ? And thy sins, Jesus, I rose ?
? Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen to his cross and sang
for the triumph of the world. Not heard by him, but lost within. His heart and starving gasp for
life. The weapons of fate Chorus praise shall steady thy
sins, and ever strive. And her life's work, what glory! No, that's over, till the family
day. Let peace and joy, eternal reign,
And living words of comfort reign. Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and forevermore. Amen.