Colossians chapter 3. This has
been a wonderful study. We are on number 65, message
65 of this study. It's just been a great joy to
go through this book with you and to see how Paul continuously
magnifies the supremacy and the all-sufficiency of Christ through
this book. while combating the error of
the Gnostics and false teachers. Tonight we'll be looking at verse
25, but I want to read the context of it. I want to start in verse
18, and we'll read to chapter 4, verse 1. Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands,
love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey
your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the
Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they
be discouraged. Servants obey in all things your
masters according to the flesh, not with eye services, man pleasers,
but in singleness of heart, fearing God and whatsoever you do, do
it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men. Knowing that of
the Lord, you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for
you serve the Lord Christ. He that doeth wrong shall receive
for the wrong which he hath done, for there is no respect of persons.
This is our text tonight there. Masters give unto your servants
that which is just and equal, knowing that you have a master
in heaven. So last week we looked at verses 22 to 24. where we saw that God's people,
His elect, have a singleness in heart in serving the Lord.
We do all things here in service to the Lord, because we desire
for the gospel to go forth. It's all about Christ. It's all
about what He's done. In the preaching and everything
we do, we desire to exalt and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, everything we do, we do unto Him. we do unto him,
but that's not just here at the church. This applies to, as we've
seen in the text, this applies to our everyday lives too. We
seek to magnify the Lord and glorify the Lord in our lives. And we seek to be servants of
God and not man pleasers, as the scriptures say there, but
servants unto the Lord. And we do all things heartily
unto him and not unto man. Verse 22 bought before us that,
again, we're not to be man-pleasers, we're not to do things to be
seen of others. We're not to do things to be
seen of others. It says, servants obey in all things your masters
according to the flesh, not with eye services, man-pleasers, but
in singleness of heart, fearing God, fearing God. So whether
we're at home or at church, we're to do all things for His glory,
honor, praise, in a singleness of heart, fearing God, fearing
God. And again, we looked at, Brother
Tim brought it out too in the reading, or that this is, in
his prayer actually, that it's a reverent fear, beloved. It's
not a slavish fear. It's a reverent fear that we
have, that we have of the Lord. And the fear of the Lord, again,
is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and
instruction. But the fear of the Lord, that's
what the Lord, when he saves us, we have a fear of the Lord
that we never had before. In awe of the Lord that we never
had before, because he's revealed himself to us who he is. And
he continues to do that in our journey here. He continues to
reveal more and more of himself to us through the preaching of
the word, through the study of the word, He reveals himself,
the Holy Spirit reveals more and more of who God is, Christ,
who Christ is. As I said, we preach, gospel
preachers preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. That means
it's unfathomable. It means you can't, it's a bottomless sea.
It's a bottomless sea, beloved. So again, we looked at how the
fear spoken of here is a reverent fear, a reverent fear, not a
slavish fear. He hath sent redemption unto
his people. He hath commanded his covenant
forever. Holy and reverent is his name. Psalm 119. Holy and
reverent is his name. Then we looked at verse 23. We're
instructed to do all things heartily unto the Lord and not unto men.
Whatsoever you do, do it heartily unto the Lord as unto men. Then
in verse 24, we looked at how Christ is our exceeding reward.
And we know Genesis, the Lord told Abraham, I am your exceeding
reward. I am. So the Lord is the believer's
reward. What an inheritance, beloved,
we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord. God, our Father, has appointed
His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be our Lord and Savior. To
be our Lord and Savior. And we are heir of all things
because of our blessed Redeemer. Because of our blessed Redeemer.
Our blessed Redeemer has met all the conditions of the everlasting
covenant of God. For us. For us. In our place. As our substitute. All of God's elect have an inheritance. They have an inheritance. Because
scripture declares in Christ we are Abraham's seed, right?
And heirs according to the promise. Do you know that right now while
you sit and listen, you have an inheritance already? You have an inheritance, you
have an inheritance that is incorruptible. Now on earth here, things become
corruptible, don't they? Our inheritance is incorruptible
because of who it's in. It's in Christ. Therefore it
can't be spoiled by man. You see the foolishness that
religion proclaims when they, well, and they can lose their
salvation because it's not of God. But you see, we proclaim
a salvation that is an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled. And scripture says, and that
fadeth not away. For how long? For how long does
that inheritance not fade away? For eternity. For eternity. Because of who
it's in. It's in Christ and Him alone.
So it's incorruptible, it's undefiled, it fades not away, and then it's
reserved for us in heaven. There's a place for every one
of God's people in heaven. When you make a reservation at
a restaurant, what do they do? They put on the table, right?
For however many people are sitting there, reserved. And when you
get to that place, where do you sit? Right for the reservation,
right? Beloved, rejoice. Though we toil
through this world, we go through the woes of this world, we have
an inheritance reserved for us in heaven. Oh, that brings God's
people great joy, great joy. And it's because it is in God
himself who predestinated us to obtain this inheritance according
to his own purpose and his own will. In Christ Jesus, our Lord. We believe and proclaim that
salvation is of the Lord, it's not our doing. Therefore that
inheritance and that salvation and that inheritance that's reserved
for me in glory, it's in Christ. It can't be defiled. It's incorruptible. It'll never fade away. Never. Oh, what great joy God's people
have when we study these precious truths. When our Lord Jesus bought
us under the sound of the gospel and revealed Jesus Christ and
his perfect redemption for us by the Holy Spirit, he regenerates
us. The Holy Spirit regenerates us.
And what does he do? He gives us a new heart, doesn't
he? He gives us a new heart. And when we heard the truth,
we believed the truth. Why? Because we were regenerated.
Because we're born again. God had granted us faith. and
repentance, faith to believe on Christ Jesus our Lord, and
repentance to turn away from our sinful life. My! And beloved, if you're a believer,
He's still working in you. The Holy Spirit's still working.
conforming you to the image of Christ, bringing you joy when
you hear the gospel preached and proclaimed, when you hear
salvation is done, it's finished. My, so the believer in Christ
serves the Lord as we see in the latter part of verse 24,
look at this. knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the
reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. And
this serving is not forced. The believer willingly serves
Christ from a grateful and redeemed heart, from a regenerated heart.
And we delight to do our Father's will. We serve His exalted Christ,
don't we? That's who we serve is the Lord
Jesus Christ, because He's our Savior. He's our Redeemer. We
serve with gladness, it's an honor to serve our great King.
And this honor, think of this, this honor has been bestowed
upon the saints of God. That we should be servants of
the Most High. That we should be sons and daughters
of the Most High, right? His children, redeemed by the
precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Think of it and just stand in
awe and in reverence, because this is gospel truth. We have
this in Christ. We have this in Christ. And what happens? All glory goes
to our great God. When we have this revealed to
us, When we have revealed to us even
that God, by His divine providence, saved us, and then God, by His
divine providence, opened doors of opportunities for us to serve
Him, what does it make us do? We just stand in awe. We just
stand in awe. All we have, and think of this,
all we have, beloved, and all we are was ordained by our majestic
God. before time began. It was ordained,
if you're a believer, it was ordained by God for you to be
a believer before time began. What love, what mercy, that God
would, that God loved me, When I hated
him by my actions and my words? Yes. And if you're a believer,
you too. Isn't that amazing? That's love
beyond compare. That's unfathomable love. And because of that, the believer
says all glory goes to our great God. For all that he allows us
to do. And this brings glory to his
name. Glory to the name of above all names, the one who we want
to have praised and exalted, the Lord Jesus Christ. So with
that, let us look at verse 25 tonight. We will see the universality
of the fact that God is no respecter of persons. In the name of the
messages, in the name of the messages, no respect of persons. God is no respecter of persons,
whether they are rich or poor. God is no respecter of persons,
whether they are a slave or a master. They that do it wrong will receive
that which is due. This is a sobering portion, this
one verse here. But he that do it wrong shall
receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect
of persons. He that doeth wrong shall receive
for the wrong which he hath done. He shall be paid, and one commentator
said, he shall be paid in his own coin. He shall be paid in
his own coin. The wrongdoer shall bear the
penalty of the wrong. They will receive their reward,
their payment, and the justice of God shall be satisfied. Scripture declares here, there
is no respect of persons with Him, with God. And we know from the verse preceding
this, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward
of the inheritance, for you serve Christ. In the verse following
it, masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal,
knowing that you also have a master in heaven, that the one who is
judge of all has no respect to persons. And the phrase here, respect
to persons, usually implies that an offender, simply for his rank
or position, or the class that they are in, escapes the penalty,
a mode of partiality not applicable to those of the lower class.
Nothing's changed. What it means is the wealthy
can get away with things. The super rich, they can buy
their way out of things. But there is one, and we'll see tonight. There's
one here spoken of in this text who is no respecter of persons. This will not happen with the
judge of the earth. We may receive injustice from
some as God's servants, and we do, while we are upon this earth,
but the wicked shall be judged. Not at a human tribunal, where
their rank may protect them, but before him who in his decisions
has no respect of persons. Listen to the words of verse
25. But he that doeth wrong shall receive, for the wrong which
ye have done, and there is no respect of persons. Justice in
general is giving everyone their due, giving everyone their due, that
which we have rightly earned by the breaking of the law. Beloved,
we've all broken God's law an infinite number of times. Deuteronomy 32, verse 4. Turn
if you would there. Deuteronomy 32, verse 4. We will see that our God, He
is the just one. He is the just one. He is just and right. Deuteronomy 32, verse 4. He is
the rock. His work is perfect. Think of
that in light of Christ. Perfect. Perfect. His work is perfect. For all
His ways are judgment, a God of truth. He's the way, the truth,
and the life. And without iniquity, just and
right is He. God is just and right. His ways
are perfect. Our ways are imperfect. Every
child of Adam is born a sinner. Christ is born sinless. Scripture
declares this, that the judge of the earth will do right. He
is the God of truth and without iniquity, just and right as He. We just saw that in Deuteronomy
32.4. Do you know the wicked shall receive
their reward? Scripture says, lift up thyself,
thou judge of the earth, render reward to the proud. Think of this. There's folks
who think because they're supposed good persons, good people, that
God will accept them, right? That's what they claim. Not knowing
that the scriptures declare there's none righteous, no, not one.
Or because they attend church and They're putting their faith
in the church that they go to, that, oh, because we go to this
church, we're saved. There's people who believe that. But God is no respecter of persons. God will accept no one based
upon their social standing in life, or their wealth, or their
lack of wealth. The only way God will accept
sinners is in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no
other way. Job 34, 19, Scripture declares
this. How much less to him that accepteth
not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than
the poor, for they are all the work of his hands. God is the maker of all who are
rich and the maker of all who are poor. The rich and the poor
meet together. The Lord is the maker of them
all. He's our Creator. And there are those, turn if
you would to Psalm 49, there are those who trust in their
wealth, who boast in their riches, yet do you know that they cannot
redeem anyone's soul? Not even their own? Not even
their own? Psalm 49, verses 6 and 7. They that trust in their wealth
and boast themselves in the multitude of the riches, none of them can by any means
redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. So think of the richest person
in the world. They can't redeem anyone else
and they can't redeem themselves. What are they going to offer
the Lord? He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The only thing God will accept
for a ransom for a sinner is the Lord Jesus Christ in Him
alone. There's no other hope but Christ. No other hope but Christ. And
He will one day render to those outside Christ according to their
works. And without respect the persons,
rich, poor, strong, weak, will all one day stand before He who
is King of kings and Lord of lords. Also unto thee, O Lord,
Lord, belong at mercy for thou renders to every man according
to his work. Psalm 62 verse 12. Turn, if you would, the Zephaniah
chapter three and then put your finger in Acts chapter seven.
Zephaniah chapter three and Acts chapter seven. God is infinitely just, beloved. He's infinitely just. Do you
know He's called the Just Lord in the Old Testament? And He's
called the Just One in the New Testament? Zephaniah 3.5, in
Acts 7.52, Zephaniah 3.5, the Just Lord, is in the midst thereof. He will
not do iniquity. Every morning doth he bring his
judgment to light. He faileth not, but the unjust
knoweth no shame. Oh, beloved, the just Lord, it
says. And then turn over to Acts chapter
7, verse 52. Christ is called the just one. Acts 7, verse 52. Oh, he who will judge will judge
justly. Acts 7, verse 52. Which of the
prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain
them which showed before of the coming of the just one. That's
Christ, beloved, of whom you have now, of whom you have been
now the betrayers and murderers. The just one there in the Greek
is one word, and it's defined as this, righteous, observing
divine laws. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
righteous one. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
one who fulfilled the law in our place. The Greek definition
continues with virtuous, keeping the commands of God. It continues
innocent, faultless, guiltless. This is our savior, beloved.
Use of him, Christ, whose way of thinking, feeling and acting
is wholly conformed to the will of God. All we are sinners. He
was pure, spotless, every thought, every feeling. Everything he
did wholly conformed to the will of God, and he's our substitute. Perfect, innocent, faultless,
and then the definition goes on to say only Christ truly. Approved of or acceptable of
God. God is satisfied with the sacrifice
of Christ, and then it finishes with this just righteous. Shall not the judge of the earth
do right? He giveth all their due. He is
not swayed by anyone's supposed power, beloved, or their greatness,
or their position in life, because none is greater than He. None
is greater than He. And none has more power than
God. He can't be swayed by humans. He created us. So scripture declares he's no
respecter of persons. He's God overall. We're his creation. He's the creator. He's so far
above us. He's so far above us, and he
does whatever he pleases. And because he's so far above
us, because he's God. Think of it about this up before
when you make a clay pot, the pot doesn't say, what are you
doing? I want to be a candlestick. It doesn't do that. It's molded
and made into whatever you fashion it into. Beloved, we're the clay. He's
the potter. Man may bribe other men on earth,
and they do, to get out of things, don't they? But in the day of
his wrath, man will be utterly powerless. before the great king
and sovereign of the universe who has no respect to supposed
honors or outward excellencies. No respect towards any of that. So we see here before us, one
commentator brought this up and I thought this was magnificent.
We see here before us the impartiality of divine justice. It can't be
moved, it can't be swayed. The righteous judge is not swayed
by the outward circumstances and qualifications of men. Again,
whether they're rich or poor, he sees not as man sees. Man looks on the outward appearance,
but God looks on the heart. God looks on the heart. But the
Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on this countenance or on the
height of a stature, because I refused him. For the Lord seeth
not as a man seeth. For a man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. The justice of God will come
to pass, beloved, as God declares himself to be eminently holy
and just. His holy law has been broken
time and time again by sinful man. He has stated that he will
by no means clear the guilty, which means that he will render
justice to the unsaved for the things which they have done. Think of what happened. Did a
little bit of looking at some history today. Think of what
happened to some who have persecuted the church in the past. Retribution
fell upon them. in this life, and it will on
the great day, the great day of judgment also. Herod the Great,
the slayer of the innocents, first persecutor of Christianity,
was overwhelmed with agonizing physical disease, and his numerous
family was extinct in a hundred years. Pilate, who condemned Christ,
was soon after expelled from office and committed suicide. Nero, after slaying thousands
of Christians, attempted to take his own life, but failing through
cowardice, called others to his aid. The persecutor, Dominitian, was
murdered by his own people, as was Caius and Severus. The Roman Empire, Claudius, was
poisoned. He was a persecutor of Christianity.
The Roman Emperor, Gallus, was sentenced to death and executed
by his own people. He was a persecutor of Christianity.
The Roman Emperor Aurelian was murdered while waiting in Thrace
to cross into Asia Minor. And they all died violent deaths
after persecuting Christians. God's justice and wrath will
not be thwarted. But think on this, we who believe
the elect of God. Think of this. Justice being
satisfied. Justice has been extinguished
against us. In the sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ, we do not get what we deserve. We will not hear what those in
Matthew 23 will hear. And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity." We'll never hear those words. The believer's sins have been
bought and paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ. By the shedding
of his precious blood to purchase us and to redeem us from our
sins. And who has made us to differ,
beloved? Who has made us to differ? God and God alone, beloved. We will hear, come ye blessed
of my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world. Undeserving. Unmerited sinners
are mercy given to us, we who are sinners by birth, nature
and choice, and we're here, the words come you blessed of my
father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world. That's mercy. That's. That's mercy beyond comprehension,
isn't it? And the only thing that made
us to differ as God's distinguishing grace, which was set upon us
from eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. Turn, if you would, to 1 Samuel
16. We see God distinguishing David from his brothers. And think of this in light of
you and I, who God has distinguished from our fleshy brothers or sisters,
Think of this. God's distinguishing grace, beloved. 1 Samuel, chapter 16. And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for
Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?
Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse
the Bethlehemite, for whom I have provided me a king among his
sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill
me. And the Lord said, Take and heifer with thee and say, I am
come to sacrifice to the Lord. And call Jesse to the sacrifice,
and I will show thee what thou shalt do, and thou shalt anoint
unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the
Lord spake and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled
at his coming and said, comest thou peaceably? And he said,
peaceably, I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord. Sanctify yourselves
and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his
sons and called them to the sacrifice. And they came to pass. When they
were come, he looked on Eliab and said, surely the Lord's anointed
is before him. Surely. But the Lord said unto Samuel,
Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature,
because I have refused him. For the Lord seeth not as a man
seeth. A man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh
on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and
made him pass before Samuel, And he said, neither hath the
Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass
by, and he said, neither hath the Lord chosen this. And Jesse made seven of his sons
to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, the
Lord hath not chosen this. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And
he said, There remaineth yet the youngest. And behold, he
keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send
and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ready, and were
with all the beautiful countenance and goodly to look to. And the
Lord said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of
oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit
of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose
up and went to Ramah. Let us ponder this, beloved,
we who believe. Has not the Lord made us to differ
from our brothers and sisters in the flesh, in family and friends? Why do we believe and they do
not? Is this not the distinguishing
grace of God at work in our lives? Stand amazed. Stand amazed. Stand amazed, brothers and sisters
in Christ, at the salvation of the Lord, at God's distinguishing
grace manifested in your life. It's amazing. It leaves the believer
in absolute awe. Because we know how undeserving
we are. We know we don't merit this. But Scripture declares this in
1 Corinthians 4, 7. For who maketh thee to differ
from another? Only God. Only God. And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? We didn't work for our salvation.
We received it. to give to God, not of works,
lest any man should boast. Now if thou didst receive it,
why dost thou glory? We don't have anything to glory
in, but in Christ. Only in Christ. Why dost thou
glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Let's close with this. Something interesting to note
from verses 16 to 24. In chapter 3, the word Lord is
mentioned seven times. Seven times. Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you
do in the word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. Wives, submit
yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands,
love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey
your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing unto the
Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger. lest they
be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things
your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as
man pleases, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever
you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing
that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance,
for you serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall
receive the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect
of persons." Paul's going, ting! Get your eyes on Christ. Ting,
the musical tuning fork, remember? And he's done it all through
this epistle, beloved. All through this epistle. Turn,
if you would, to Revelation chapter 19. Something interesting to
note there is Paul is giving the Lord his rightful title,
right? He's calling him Lord. He's Lord. It's a rightful title. We don't make Jesus Lord. He
already is Lord. God beat us to it. Like one of
the Brother Henry, I think, said that one time. God beat us to
it. We don't make him Lord. He's already Lord. He's king.
He's king. We're closed with this scripture
here. Revelation 19 verses 11 to 16. Beloved and rejoice. Rejoice.
This is our savior. This is our king. And I saw heaven
opened and behold, a white horse, verse 11, and he that sat upon
him was called faithful and true. That's our king. That's our Lord.
and in righteousness he thou judge and make war. His eyes
were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns,
and he had a name written that 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 falled him upon white horses clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword. that
with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a
rod of iron, and treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and
wrath of the Almighty God. And he treadeth, note that, he's
the only one. He treaded the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of the Almighty God in our place, beloved. And
on he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is our Savior. This is our
Redeemer. To God be the glory. Gracious
Heavenly Father, we come before thy throne in awe, in absolute
awe at your majesty, in power. And Lord Jesus, we bow and proclaim,
shall not the judge of the earth do right and do just? You do
whatever you're pleased. And we are so thankful, we who
are redeemed and so grateful that you purchased our souls
on Calvary's cross and that everything that is required for our salvation
is in you. You did it all. It is finished. Oh, Lord, help us to rest. Help
us to trust in you. As we go through this week, We
love thee because you first loved us in Jesus name. Amen.