Colossians 2 is where we'll be
tonight. The name of the message is Full
Assurance. Now, we're going to look back
in chapter 1 of 25. We'll continue our study, though,
tonight in chapter 2, looking at verse 2. I'd like to read
this in context, so we'll start in verse 25 of chapter 1, and
we'll read the verse 3 of chapter 2. Colossians 1, starting in
verse 25, where I am made a minister according to the dispensation
of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God. Even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His
saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory, whom we preach. warning every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every
man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto I also labor, striving
according to His working, which worketh in me mightily. For I
would that ye know what great conflict I have for you, and
for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face
in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted being knit
together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance
of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of
the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge." Full assurance is the name of
the message tonight. Last week we looked at Paul's
conflict in prayer and is striving in the gospel for the church
at Colossus and the other churches that he had visited and heard
of. And Paul prayed for the churches
daily. We know that from what we've
looked at before. He prayed for different churches daily. And he prayed that they would
grow in the knowledge and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. That
they would grow in grace. That they'd be strengthened.
strengthened in their faith. And tonight we'll look at verse
2 of chapter 2 and always pray the Holy Spirit would illuminate
the Scriptures and teach us. Teach us of Christ. Teach us
of Christ. That we would know more about
our blessed Savior. And that we would just marvel
in His grace towards us. So let's look at Colossians 2,
verse 2. That their hearts might be comforted
being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance
of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of
the Father and of Christ. So our text begins with that
their hearts might be comforted. That their hearts might be comforted.
We who are God's people need our hearts to be comforted every
day. Every day. We need our Savior
every second, every minute, every hour of every single day. And we need comfort. We are needy
creatures. We are. We need to be comforted. And think of this, each day there'll
be something that will disturb our hearts. It may be a financial
issue. It may be a health issue. It
may be a world situation. It may be a political situation.
It may be a job situation. God's people have the same struggles
as everyone else in the world. But, we have a hope in Christ. In Christ that others do not
have. Now Paul knew well that false teachers had crept in.
Next week I'm going to name a few of the different... I purchased
a new book this week and the guy The guy bought out that there
was three different heresies going on in Colossus, not just
the Gnostics. There was two other ones too
at the same time. So the church was under siege
in that sense by false teachers, by false teachers. And Paul knew
well that false, excuse me, that false teachers would cause division
and would cause unrest and strife within the body, within the body. And here he pens, of course,
and always remember this, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit
of God, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, he pens in
sharp contrast to the division and strife caused by the false
teachers, that the Colossian believers and those in Laodicea,
and those who had not seen his face, that they would be comforted, knit together in love, knit together
in love. What a contrast from the strife
that the false teachers are bringing in. And he prayed that they'd
be comforted, knit together, and would be given a full assurance
and understanding of the mystery of God and of the Father and
of Christ. The doctrine of the Gospel in
Christ alone, through faith alone, is under attack by the false
teachers at Colossus. It's under attack. It's under siege by these false
teachers. And Paul here defends his fellow
soldier in Christ, Epaphras, who is a faithful preacher. He's
a fellow soldier in Christ. And Paul here defends him, defends
the Gospel that he preaches, because in chapter 1 we saw that
He told the Colossian believers that the same gospel he preached
is the same gospel that Epaphras preached. The same gospel. And he confirms that the Colossian
believers believe in the truth of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. and Him alone. And we saw in
chapter 1, He just brings out the preeminence of Christ. Now
this chapter, not in this verse, but as we continue, He's going
to start dealing with the different issues too that are going on
within the Colossian church. He's going to contrast Christ
alone against the false teachings. And Paul knows, turn if you would
to Isaiah 40, Paul knows that comfort for God's people comes
through the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He had studied the Old Testament. He had studied the Old Testament.
And he would know that God tells His preachers in Isaiah to comfort
God's people. And how is this done? By preaching
Christ and Him crucified. By preaching Christ and Him crucified.
Look at this in the Old Testament. Isaiah 40, verse 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
that's the church, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished. Beloved, we have peace with God
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Her warfare is accomplished,
that her iniquity is pardoned. Pardoned by the precious blood
of Christ. For she hath received the Lord's
hand double for all her sins, the voice of him that crieth
in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight
in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked
shall be made straight. That's us. That's believers. And the rough place is plain.
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and it is in Christ
Jesus our Lord. And all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. Now Paul, like all
believers, had problems in the flesh. We know that. Turn, if
you would, to Romans chapter 7. He had problems just like
you and I do. He battled with the flesh all
the time. All the time. And he needed comforting,
just like you and I do. Just like you and I do. Paul
was no different than us. He's an apostle. He's called.
He's different in that office, but he's a sinner saved by grace
just like you and I. Just like you and I who believe.
Look at Romans 7, verses 18-20. For I know that in me, that is,
in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, for the will is present
with me. But how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I
do not. But the evil which I would not,
that I do. Now, if I do that I would not,
it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me." So we
all, humanly speaking, including Paul, fall way short of perfection. Way short of perfection every
day. But our comfort and our strength is in Christ and Him
alone. Look at Romans 7.24 and then we'll read to 8.1. Because
you have to include it. O wretched man that I am, who
shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through
Jesus Christ our Lord. There's his comfort. There's
his comfort. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There
is therefore now no condemnation. Those are sweet words to believers
in Christ. No condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit. So our text, back to our text
in Colossians. See, Paul's comfort is Christ.
And he says in our text that their hearts might be comforted.
And every one of God's blood-bought saints need to be comforted. Need to be comforted. We need
to be comforted. And we are by the Holy Spirit
of God. through the preaching of His Word, through the preaching
of the Word of God. John 14 says this, I'll read. 14, verse 16 to 18. And I will pray the Father, and
He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever,
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive. The
world cannot receive. Because it seeth Him not, neither
knoweth Him, but ye know Him. We who believe no We're comforted
Comforted by the Holy Spirit of God for he dwells with you
and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless
I will come to you John 14 verses 16 to 18. So let us remember
beloved Let us remember that although our path Although our
path in this world our future is yet untrodden, right? We haven't
walked the future yet. I And our unknown steps, let
us remember this, our unknown steps are mapped by our Sovereign
God. They are mapped by our Sovereign
God. They are arranged and provided for in the everlasting and unchangeable
covenant of God with the believer. Turn, if you would, to Job chapter
23, verse 10, and put your finger in Psalm 37. Job 23. Oh, we are kept by the One. Beloved,
we are kept by the One who knows the end from the beginning. We
are kept by Him. And this brings the believer
great comfort. Great comfort. Look at Job 23.10. But He knoweth the way that I
take. He knows it. God knows the way
that we take. When He hath tried me, I shall
come forth as gold. Nothing catches our King by surprise. Friend, if you would, Psalm 37.
Psalm 37. And let us remember this, beloved.
Christ is our Great Shepherd. He's our Great Shepherd. And
He skillfully and gently leads the flock, the flock of God,
leads His sheep amidst all the trials and troubles in our life. Christ is our Master. He's our
Captain. He's our Shepherd. And there
is not a step we take that He has not ordained for us. What
great comfort for the believer. What great comfort. It's like
a well that never stops giving water. Fresh water. On a really super hot
day and you get a nice ice cold drink of water. Oh my. Look at this in Psalm 37, verse
23. The steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord. Ordered by the Lord. And he delighteth
in his way. The steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord. There's nothing good but God,
right? But we're clothed in the righteousness
of Christ. Oh my goodness. The steps of
a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his
way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down. And
we fall daily, don't we, in our sin. And he'll not be utterly
cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. What confidence! The believer is upheld by the
omnipotent hand of God. The everlasting arms. I have
been young, and now I am old. Yet have I not seen the righteous
forsaken." Have you ever seen God's people forsaken? Never. Never. Nor seed begging bread. He is ever merciful. Ever. ever-merciful, and His
seed is blessed." God's people, God's elect are blessed people. Blessed people. Oh my. Now we know we don't use God's
grace or the truth concerning the path that He has ordained
for us. We don't use that as a license to sin. Others may,
but we don't. Don't. We don't use the precious
truth that God has ordained all of our steps as an excuse or
a license to sin. But when God's people sin, when
we sin, and we do, and when we sin, we cry out from a sincere
heart, don't we? We cry out from a sincere heart
with genuine remorse over our sin. over our sin, with repentance,
asking God to forgive us for Christ's sake. And we're greatly comforted knowing
that He does. That He does. The believer is forgiven in Christ.
And the believer takes great comfort in knowing that the blood
of Jesus Christ has washed us clean in God's sight. washed
us clean. God's people are comforted, encouraged,
and cheered in times of sorrow, in times of trial, in times of
tribulation, in times of distress. How are we cheered and comforted,
beloved? By the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Tell me about my Savior. Tell me about my King. Tell me
about the One who left the glories and splendors of heaven and redeemed
my eternal soul. Tell me about Him. Oh, we must see Jesus. We rest and trust in the Christ
honoring truth that all our sins Past, present, and future have
been purged by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and
that God remembers them no more. What comfort. What comfort this
brings to God's people. Our Father in Heaven has forgiven
all of His chosen people for Christ's sake. Because of what
He's done. Because of what He's done. And
this is comforting truth for God's people. Now let's continue
in our text. Now Paul's prayer was for the
people of God, the saints will be comforted. Look at this. Comforted
together being knit together in love. Knit that their hearts
might be comforted being knit together in love. Knit together
in love. As I was reading some commentators
today, my dad used to be a welder. He worked on trailers and stuff. And he would often weld, put
pieces of metal together. Well, as welders weld together
two pieces of metal so that they are welded together and they
form an indissolvable union, right? Paul desires that believers would
be so united in Christ, in love, that union. That's union. He desires that the believers
in Colossus and in Laodicea and those he had not seen in the
flesh would be knit together, instructed together, that they
grow together in the knowledge and truth of the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. As Pastor Henry Mahan said in
his Bible class commentary from this verse, he said, that your
hearts might beat as one in love. That your hearts might beat as
one in love. Love for one another, Henry says. This is the way to comfort. Lack
of unity of heart and affection will destroy joy. It'll destroy
joy. It'll destroy comfort. Oh. Paul prays that their hearts
would be knit together in love. And sometimes God allows painful
and sad experiences to occur in the local body of believers.
And we know, we don't always understand, do we? But we know
that God has a divine purpose in these things. He allows things
to come to pass and God's people need comfort in through these
things that come to pass. And Paul is praying and writing
to these believers in Kloss that their hearts would be knit together
in love. That their hearts would be knit
together in love. God's people need comfort. And they need unity. They need comfort and they need
unity through times of unrest caused by false teachers. Caused
by false teachers arising within the midst. And our hearts as believers are
to be united together in love in Christ. And the love of Christ which
the Holy Spirit has put within each believer's heart is what
unites us. It's what unites us. It holds God's enlightened, regenerated
children together like cement, held together by the love of
Christ. They love the Gospel, they love
the King, they love the Savior, And the love of Christ is a bond.
Turn, if you would, a couple chapters over to Colossians chapter
3. And then we'll look at a couple different... This is not just
a Colossian... This is not something that Paul
just writes to the Colossians. We'll see that. It's through
the New Testament as we look at a few different places. It's
the love, the love that God's people have for one another.
Look at Colossians 3, verses 12 to 14. Put on therefore as
the elect of God. So he's speaking to God's people.
holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another. If any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." So we should
be quick to forgive one another because think of what Christ
has forgiven us. It's incredible. It's amazing. And then look at this. And above
all, these things put on charity. That's love. Put on love. Which
is the bond of perfectness. Now, this is a continuing thread
through the New Testament. Turn if you would to 1 Peter,
chapter 1. It's written all through the
New Testament. Or look at four different places that it's mentioned,
or five different places that it's mentioned. We saw in Colossians
there, Chapter 3, look at 1 Peter 1, 22 and 23. See, and ye have
purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
unto unframed love of the brethren. See that ye love one another
with a pure heart fervently, being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth
and abideth forever. And then turn, if you would,
over to 1 John. See, we're to love the brethren
because we're all redeemed. We're all bought by the same
blood, purchased by the same precious blood. Turn to 1 John,
chapter 4. And I'll read Hebrews 13.1, I
won't have us turn there. Hebrews 13.1, just a small little
verse that said, Let brotherly love continue. Let brotherly
love continue. Look at this in 1 John 4, verses
10 and 11. And then we'll look up after
that, we'll look up to verse 7 to 10. But look at verse 10
and 11 here. Herein is love, not that we love
God, but that He loved us. We didn't love God before He
loved us. He loved us before we loved Him. And sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved
us, we ought also to love one another. And then, as I said
in Hebrews, it says, let brotherly love continue. Without brotherly
love, we have no unity. We have no unity. We're all over
the board. And Paul here manifests his love
for the brethren, his love for the saints of God by praying
earnestly for them in Colossians. That their hearts would be knit
together, cemented together, welded together in love. In the
love of Christ. And this precious truth applies
to all saints. Not just the ones at Coloss,
not just the ones at Laodicea, but for us too. But for us, too. Look at 1 John 4, 7-10. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God. And everyone that loveth is born
of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. And this was manifest, the love
of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through Him. here in His
love, not that we love God, but that He loved us. And send us,
Son, that they be the propitiation for our sins. My. The hearts of God's people, how
are they comforted and how are they knit together? By the preaching of His gospel.
By the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we
receive comfort. And our hearts become knit together
in love for one another when we realize how much the Lord's
forgiven us. Oh my goodness. All my sins,
past, present, and future, they're paid for. Oh my. Let's look at what falls in our
verse back in Colossians chapter 2. Let's look at what falls in
our verse after Paul has manifested his concern that the saints would
be comforted in telling them that he prays that their hearts
would be knit together in love. Let's see what falls in this
verse. Paul continues to write, "...unto all riches of the full
assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery
of God, and of the Father, and of Christ." So this ties right
in. Turn, if you would, again to
1 John. I should have kept your finger in there. 1 John 5, verse
20. Now, we looked at this verse
last week, but I want to show you how much this verse ties
right in unto all the riches and the full assurance of understanding
to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father
and of Christ. Look at 1 John 5, 20. And we
know, God's people know something, they've been taught something,
that the Son of God has come. 1 John 5.20, "...and hath given
us an understanding..." We didn't have an understanding before.
Remember we looked at that last week. "...that we may know Him
that is true." And we are in Him that is true. Even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life. So God must give us an understanding
or we never know Him. Or we never know Him. If you're
here and you're redeemed, praise God that He's given you an understanding,
that He didn't leave you where you were. I thank Him all the time. Thank
you, Lord. I'm no better than any of my
friends. I'm no better than my brothers. Not at all. But I thank God that He didn't
leave me where I was. I'm in contact with a few of
my high school friends on Facebook, and they're still doing the same
thing that we did in high school. And if I hadn't been saved, I'd
be right there with them. If it wasn't for the grace of
God in Christ. That's the only thing that's made me differ,
is the grace of God in Christ. And I know it's so for you who
believe, too. And I know you know that. And
it brings us great joy and comfort, doesn't it? It doesn't leave
us any room to boast, but it brings us comfort. It brings
us comfort. So God must give us an understanding
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, or we never know Him.
And Paul's prayer in our text is that the Colossian saints that the Colossian saints would
have a full understanding, a full assurance of understanding of
the Gospel, of the riches, of the riches unto all riches of
the full assurance of the understanding to the acknowledgement of the
mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. Now think of this. There's no assurance in works-based
religion, is there? There's none. You always have
something you have to do. Always. Always. It doesn't stop. Always something that has to
be performed. And it is the opposite. Think
of this. It is the opposite of the fullness of assurance. We have a fullness of assurance
because of what Christ has done. Not because of what we do, but
because of what Christ has done. False religion gives no assurance
It says that God wills that all the fallen sons and daughters
of Adam, that God wills that they all go to heaven. That's
what false religion says. And it's obvious that the majority
of them do not. What then does the will of God
have to do with our salvation according to religion? Nothing really, eh? according
to religion, according to works-based religion, it's all in man's hands. Then they tell you God's trying
to save every sinner, but his power is resisted by those he
created. By those he created? What power, what does then, in
false religion, what then does the power of God have to do with
our salvation? Nothing in false religion. There's a God who's powerless. So their God is powerless unless
they let Him save them. This is not the God of the Bible. And those who believe that lie
have not been delivered from the power of darkness. They're
still in the prison house of unbelief. Their understanding
is still darkened and whatever assurance they have, it's a false
assurance and it does not come from God. The believer in Christ, our text
says, has a full assurance. Unto all riches of the full assurance
of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of
the Father. This full assurance comes to
the hearts of God's regenerated, enlightened children when His
gospel is made effectual. Made effectual in their heart. They become born again. The Holy
Spirit again. What comes first? Faith or regeneration?
Regeneration. Born again. Salvation is of the
Lord. It's not of works. It's not of
the works of man and those who preach that man contributes anything
to the finished work of Christ and their salvation. No matter
what work that may be, they preach a false gospel. Salvation is of the Lord, period.
And nothing added. So let us ponder these facts.
Salvation by church affiliation is not the gospel. It's not the gospel. Therefore,
anyone who trusts in their church affiliation for salvation does
not have any assurance from God. Salvation by meeting on Saturdays is not
the gospel. Sabbatarians believe this lie.
Seventh day of Venice. Therefore, they do not have any
assurance from God. Christ alone is the believer
of the Sabbath. Christ alone is our rest. There are some who believe that
salvation is by water baptism. That's not the Gospel. That's
not the Gospel. Therefore, any who believe that
baptism saves them do not have any assurance from God. None
at all. Some believe that salvation is
by making a decision for Jesus, by the exercise of man's so-called
free will. That is not the Gospel. Therefore, those who believe
that lie do not have any assurance from God. That's what God saved me of. Teaching those lies. Where is full assurance found
for the believer? Jonah 2.9. Salvation is of the
Lord. Period. Salvation is of the Lord. Only
in Christ is salvation found. What assurance? What assurance
the believer has in Christ? God the Father chose us in eternity,
in Him, in Him, before time began. Before time began. The Lord Jesus
Christ, the eternal Son of God, became a man and redeemed us
from the curse of the law. He redeemed His people from the
curse of the law. Turn, if you would, to Galatians
chapter 3. He redeemed His people from the curse of the law by
the shedding of his own precious blood when he died as our substitute
upon Calvary's cross. You see, the gospel is nothing
to be trifled with. Nothing at all. Salvation is
either all of grace or it's not salvation. Spurgeon has an excellent
book called All of Grace. If you've never read it, I recommend
you get it. It's really good. He just lays
it out. That salvation is all, all of
Christ and Him alone, plus nothing. Not in any works we do or perform. Look at this, Galatians 3. Christ
dies as our substitute upon Calvary's cross, but that no man is justified
by the law. So there, no man is justified
by following the law. Because we can't follow the law,
right? The law shows us our desperate
need for Christ. It's a schoolmaster to bring
us to Christ. It brings us to a point of despair.
I can't do this. It is evident for the just, look
at this, and we looked at this in Habakkuk 3, right? Remember
that was the key of the whole book. The just shall live by
faith. That's how the just lives. The
just lives by faith. by trusting and resting in Christ
in Him alone. And it's constant. It doesn't
stop. And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law. Oh, the law comes and demands
justice. The soul that sinneth, it must
die. Christ dies the sinless sacrifice
in the room instead of His people. Christ hath redeemed us, purchased
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For
it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on the tree, that
the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
Him. You must believe. You must believe. Oh, we know
that faith is a gift from God, isn't it? Not of works, lest
any man should boast. We looked at that Sunday night,
saving grace, saving grace. God, the Holy Spirit, brings
us under the preaching of the Gospel. He brings us under the
preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He reveals
to us Christ, the mystery that's been hidden. from ages and generations
is revealed to his sheep, to the blind. We've been given an understanding
by divine revelation. Born again of the Holy Spirit
of God and we are made willing. And we run. We run to Christ. Oh my, what mercy. What mercy. God's mercy and His grace, beloved,
is sovereign mercy. It's sovereign mercy. It's not
waiting for man to act. God's mercy and grace saves whom
He wills. And if you're a believer, aren't
you thankful that He willed the same? Oh my, what comfort, what
comfort for God's people, sovereign mercy, and it's rich, it's rich. Look in our text, that their
hearts might be comforted being knit together in love unto all
riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. Oh,
God's mercy and grace is sovereign mercy. It's rich and free. It's
wonderful, gracious. What a wonderful, gracious God
we have. He has mercy on whom He will
have mercy. So then it is not of Him that
willeth. There goes our will. Not of Him that willeth, nor
of Him that runneth. There goes works. But of God
that showeth mercy. If you're saved, God has shown
mercy to you. Showing mercy to you. Remember
Paul? I obtained mercy. I know I say
that a lot. I love that. That's me. I obtained
mercy. I didn't seek it. I know Brother
John, you didn't seek it. We obtained mercy. Mercy through
Christ and Him alone. Nowhere else. Nowhere else we've
obtained this. Oh my. And Paul's prayer was
that the Colossian believers would have their hearts knit
together, that they might be comforted being knit together
in love, cemented together, welded together in love, in Christ,
in Christ. And that happens as the Word
of God is preached and we're comforted and we grow in the
grace and knowledge and truth of Christ. The Holy Spirit teaches
us. Be knit together in love unto
all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. Unto
all riches, it says. And this is brought out very
clearly in Ephesians 1, 2. I'll read that. We know this
verse. We've heard it many times. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. There's the key. In Christ. All spiritual blessings though.
And in Ephesians 3.8, Paul referred to the riches of Christ by saying
this. And every Gospel preacher preaches this. Unto me who am
less than the least of all saints is this grace given that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. The unsearchable riches of Christ. Oh my. Who can plumb these riches
that the believer has in Christ? Who can measure these riches?
Who can mine these riches that the believer has in Christ? No one. These riches of the mystery of
the gospel which our text speaks of and which was spoken of in
chapter 1. Turn over to chapter 1 where
we see the mystery mentioned again in verse 26. Remember we
looked at that in depth. Chapter 1 verse 26 says, This
mystery has been now made manifest to the saints. under the preaching
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at Colossians 1,
26. Even the mystery which had been hid from ages and from generations,
hid, but is now made manifest to His
saints. As I said, if you're saved, it's
because God has manifested His grace to you. He's manifested
the mystery. The mystery of the gospel, which
is Christ. Now it says in our text that
you might be comforted, or their hearts might be comforted being
knit together in love and to all riches of the full assurance
of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and the
Father and of Christ. So we're closed with these. What
are some of these rich blessings? What are some of the rich blessings? The rich blessing of being chosen
in Christ in eternity, Ephesians 1.4. The rich blessing of being predestinated
unto the adoption of children in Christ, Ephesians 1.5. The rich blessing of being redeemed
by the blood of Christ, Redeemed by the blood of Christ and being
forgiven by God for Christ's sake. And being made accepted
in Christ. Ephesians 1, 6-7. The rich blessings of being sanctified
by God the Father. Preserved in Jesus Christ. Of being called by the Holy Spirit
of God. to an understanding of who Christ
is and what He has done for you, for me who believe,
the Alexei, for us, for us. Jude chapter 1, or Jude verse
1, and 2 Thessalonians 2, 13 and 14. The rich blessings of
being justified by God. The rich blessings of being justified
by God, glorified by God, through the perfect redeeming work of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing needs to be added. What
a rich blessing for the believer. What a rich blessing for the
believer, Romans 8, 29-33. The rich blessing of knowing
that Christ is our wisdom. That Christ is our righteousness.
That Christ is our sanctification. And that Christ is our redemption,
1 Corinthians 1, verse 30. The rich blessing of knowing
those things. And this wonderful assurance,
this wonderful full assurance spoken of in our text, the full
assurance from God comes to us when He gives us spiritual understanding
and when we acknowledge the gospel truths. The word acknowledgement in our
text means to recognize, to recognize. It comes from a word that means
to perceive. to become fully acquainted with. God, by divine revelation, to
his chosen children, his blood-bought, redeemed elect of God, his children,
under the preaching of the Gospel, reveals Christ to you, to his
people. And this is not an intellectual
acknowledgement. It's not a head knowledge. God
himself performs the hard work, born again of the Holy Spirit
of God. Under the preaching of his gospel,
in this acknowledgement, beloved, is the full assurance of understanding
that comes from Christ in us, the hope of glory. Our faith
comes from God. And it will keep us looking to
Christ. It will keep us looking to Christ with unspeakable joy. Joy in times of sorrow. Joy in
times of trial. A peace that passes all understanding. And electing grace is redeeming
grace, beloved. Electing grace is redeeming grace. It's sanctifying grace. It's
preserving grace. And we are kept by the power
of God. We are kept by the power of God,
the Holy Spirit. He receives all the glory. in
all the honor, in all the praise. What a wonderful assurance. What
a wonderful full assurance the believer has in Jesus Christ
our Lord. And it's only in Him. It's nowhere
else. It's in Christ alone. We are
saved by the pure, free, and sovereign grace of God in Christ
plus nothing. Mercy. I obtain mercy. Glory to His name. Let's go to
the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank You. Oh,
thank You for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And Lord, thank
You for leaving the glories and splendors of heaven and becoming
a man and dying as a substitute for Your people. Paying the price
that the law of God demanded in our room and place. May we
ponder these wonderful things that we've looked at tonight,
the wonders of full assurance, the riches of your grace, undeserved
mercy. May it be a well which we draw
from this week. We love you and praise you in
Jesus' name. Amen.