May the Lord help us in hearing
and speaking this evening. I would direct your prayerful
attention to the chapter we read. The first chapter in the epistle
to the Colossians, and verse 17. Colossians 1, verse 17. And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. May the Lord help us as we desire
to look at this word Firstly, in terms of pondering the context
of the epistle to the Colossians, the reasons for Paul writing
this epistle, and one or two of the aspects in it. Secondly,
as we come to the text itself, to ponder the supreme doctrine
of the eternal of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, to come and
view what it means that He is before us in all things, and
really perhaps to consider those last three words, before all
things, all things, spiritually and providentially. So may the
Lord help us in these three aspects. And so, friends, to rightly set
the scene has helped. We have Paul in prison, wrongfully
in prison. But friends, what a blessing
of God that that man had time, ability, and was favoured of
God while imprisoned in Rome to be able to write several of
the epistles, most certainly he wrote to the church in Ephesus
and the church here at Colossae with a similar theme at a similar
time in about AD 60. And it is remarkable how the
Lord has used these letters, which they were of course, to
those churches. He has used them across the years
and he's still using them today. And thus, man can imprison man
Man can do all these things and John as you know was also in
prison on the Isle of Patmos when he had that glorious revelation
which he was able to write as the last book of the Bible. Friends
man cannot stop God's work and he cannot stop God's work in
today's age. And I do feel much burdened,
and you will have noticed that in prayer, and I know I'm not
alone in this, friends, in the way that things are moving, and
particularly, I have to say, under the current government,
and I'm not a political in the pulpit at all, but friends, we
are very concerned about many freedoms, and not least of us
as Christians. May the Lord help us and may
he grant us much prayer. And so back in these days, there
was Paul writing to the church in Colossae. It was a church
in an area that was mainly made up of Gentiles. There were some
Jewish believers there as well, Jewish converts to the Christian
faith, but mainly Gentiles. But there were some severe errors
creeping in to this church, and how Satan is active in the Church
of God in that those errors can creep in. And the errors that
were creeping in were really twofold. Firstly, in terms of
some of the Jewish believers, that they were very concerned
about outward things such as the circumcision in the flesh
and such as dietary aspects. And these things perhaps were
overriding the need to serve the Lord. And then in terms of
the Gentiles, There was that which is otherwise termed as
Gnoticism, G-N-O-T, I-C-I-S-M, and you will find that that was
a belief, although they believed in God in a sense, they did not
believe in God as the creator, and they did not believe in the
fullness of Jesus Christ having come as a Savior upon the earth. And this is why in this first
chapter that Paul is so clear in these matters. From verse 12 where he speaks,
giving thanks to the Father which made us meet or suitable to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints. And he goes on
to say that he have delivered us from the power of darkness,
translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. And it's from
here onwards that he writes of Jesus, the son of God, in whom
we have redemption, that is the son of God, even the forgiveness
of sins. And the son of God, who is the
image, verse 15, of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. and by Him were all things created
that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, all things
were created by Him and for Him. Now this is continuing to speak
of Jesus the Son. Now we know that God created
the world and we read so clearly, don't we? If we turn to Genesis,
it's so clearly that in the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. But the word here is particular
that it was Jesus that it refers to who was in the image of God
who is of course invisible. And so we come, that's the background
really to the verse here that Paul is trying to correct some
of these errors that had crept into the church. And therefore
he states this in verse 17, he, that is Jesus Christ, is before
all things, and by him all things consist. And this helps me really
to come to our second point, that as this is regarding the
Lord Jesus Christ, who is co-equal and co-eternal to the Father
in heaven, this point of major doctrine that he existed, the
Lord Jesus, before time began, before time was. We can't understand
it. We can't begin to comprehend
it. But here is the true statement
in scripture of the eternal sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
friends, if you asked me to explain it, I couldn't. All we know is
this, that he came to save his people from their sins at the
instruction of his heavenly Father. And that clearly here Jesus himself
was involved in the work of creation. Do we understand it? No. But
do we respect it as followers of the Lord? I hope and trust
that we can say we do. Now there was a time there were
many contentions amongst the churches regarding this particular
doctrine. Friends, how clear it is in scripture
here that he is before all things and by him all things consist. But really this evening, as helped
of God, I would desire to speak about some of the all things
in our spiritual and providential experience and this before and
what that really means. Now when I looked at the word
before it struck me that you could read it in two ways and
indeed when I went to the Collins English Dictionary I found that
my thoughts were indeed correct in that. So let us be simple
in our explanation. This little word before, we use
it all the time, but often we use it as we refer to something
that has gone on in the past. Now, that sense is in the text
here, as well as the other sense. Let's talk of that sense to explain
it. What I mean is this, I could
say that before I was pastor at East Peckham, the word before
I was pastor at East Peckham, I was an itinerant minister.
So that refers to the past, something that has gone before. And in
that sense, in our word that we've got, he is before all things. He is before everything. He has
been there before these things came to pass. And the other sense
of the word before, is the sense of if we are in a queue and there's
somebody in front of us, they are before us, they are in front
of us. And that sense of this word is
a most blessed sense to the child of God because he is before all
things, he is in front of us. in the pathway. He is in front
of us in those things that lie before us. What a thought it
is. And friends, the Lord alone knows
what things you have before you in the pathway at this time. But He knows. Not only does He
know what is before you, and I want to speak this rightly,
but He is actually in those things. because you will prove, as you
walk on, and often it's in looking back that we see this, you will
prove that all your times, as we sang, will ever be ordered
by His wise decree. And so, how lovely are these
two words, all things. All things. Now, We read in the
previous verse, all things were created by Him. But now we are
reading that He is before all things. And the word that has
been so much on my mind this day, regarding those things that
we have in front of us, and that the Lord has promised to go before
us in. He is before us. in all things,
but those things, a word that has been upon my mind is a word
that the Lord sent an angel to speak to Mary Magdalene. And if I can find it, he says
this in Matthew 28, Verse seven, the angel said,
he's not here, he is risen. But these lovely words, go quickly
and tell his disciples that he is risen, and this, and behold,
he goeth before you into Galilee. Now, friends, come back to our
text, he's before all things. He goeth before you, that means
in those all things that you have before you in the pathway.
He goeth before you into Galilee. And the Lord knows what your
Galilee might well be, and mine. But He goeth before you, in front
of, He is before all things. He's before these things happen.
He's before these things come to pass. He's before you walk
in that particular pathway. He's before it. And that's a
wonderful thought. that he goes before his people.
It's a wonderful thought that he goes before them in their
spiritual exercises and burdens as well as in the things of their
daily life. Oh, friends, he goeth before
you into Galilee. And there's this lovely word
that follows, there you shall see him. You shall see him there
in that Galilee that is before you. He goeth before you. There
ye shall see him. Yes, he is before all things. You got some things at the moment,
friend. You got some things and you look
at them. How can I continue? How can I go on? How can I serve
the Lord? Oh, I'm so far off. I'm such
a poor sinner. I'm so weak and feeble in my
faith, how do I continue to serve him? Well, my friends, he is before,
and he goeth before you in that that lies ahead. You know, I read not so long
ago regarding Mr. Joseph Short. a brief experience of his life.
And the dear man came into an affliction that went on for two
years. I think I'm right in saying that
it was well over two years, nearly two and a half from the time
that this weakness and collapse came upon him until he was able
to go back to work again. And this dear man, he came to
this place Then he had to go for a lot of tests and other
examinations at Bath Hospital. And he had this major thing before
him. And he said, I said to the Lord,
Lord, I cannot go without a word. Oh, a word for the future, a
word to sustain me, a word to help me to go on. And he felt
that the Lord would go before him and he gave him a quite unusual
word. It's in the second book of Kings
25. And at the end of it, it speaks regarding a one that was
watched over in the prison. And I think this is where it speaks of one that was
in captivity, and they changed his prison garments. And he did
eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.
But it was this, his allowance was a continual allowance given
him of the King. A daily rate for every day, all
the days of his life. A daily rate. And he felt this,
the Lord would be his supplier and his strength and go before
him every single day of his life. So he could go into Bath Hospital,
he could have those investigations. But friends, this is the going
before. Why? Because he's before all
things that ever existed. So the little things in your
life and the little things in your spiritual life, they're
not little to you, but they're little to the one who created
the world. And he's the son of God. And
jointly with his father, he's co-equal, co-eternal and will
exist. therefore throughout all eternity. He is before all things, is before
that that you've got, before you. And friends, so often there's
a looking back and seeing that's where he was with me, but he's
before you. And you know, it wasn't long
after that, that this dear man became exercised about walking
in the ways of the Lord. And you know, it's so remarkable,
but he spoke, to the Lord again and said, Lord, if a servant
of God comes and mentions that word, speak to the children of
Israel that they go forward. Then knowing and trusting that
thou has gone before me, I will go forward. And so Mr. Champion came and preached at
Chippenham Chapel and he was led. to go forward because He
mentioned those words. Now, friends, what a wonderful
thing it is when the Lord makes the way clear, that He will go
before us. Why? Because this word before,
He's being before all things, but it means He's then going
before you in the future pathway, which is why there are those
two interpretations of that little word before. Yes, He is before
all things. He knoweth the way that I take. And when He hath tried me, He
will bring me forth as gold. But friends, it's walking through
the trial, isn't it? We spoke of the third part in
prayer, coming through the fire, and that's what the Lord will
do, bring His people through the fire. Yes, He is before all
things. And you will find the way of
salvation is clear in verse 20, having made peace through the
blood of His cross by Him to reconcile the all things again,
all things unto Himself. I say, whether they be things
in earth or things in heaven, Yes, these all things. And the Lord's people come into
all sorts of things, and they can come like dear Jacob, where
there's a word in the middle, but he says this, all these things,
all things, all these things, he's pointing at particulars,
are against me. No, they're not, Jacob, because
The word is this, He is before all things. So all these things
are not against you. You think they are, but the matter's
going to turn in the Lord's hands. And therefore the good of your
never dying soul, therefore the good of your never dying soul
too, friends, that you have those things before you to bring out
prayer and exercise, but He is before them all. He, oh friends,
The Lord Jesus Christ himself, the only way of salvation. He
is before, before those things that you have. And that means
that he's seen them. He knows them. He knows the end
of it from the beginning before you've even entered the beginning.
It's a great comfort. Oh, may we plead. May we take
away prayerfully the words that Moses He spake unto Joshua in
the sight of all Israel. And the Lord, he it is that doth
go before thee. There's that before. He it is
that doth go before thee. He will be with thee. He will
not fail thee, neither forsake thee. Fear not. neither be dismayed that go in
before thee. Friends it's it's beautiful because
if you think there was Mary Magdalene when we quoted that word he goeth
before you into Galilee There's Mary Magdalene go to pass the
word on and it's specifically to be mentioned to the disciples
those that were his close followers I'm going before you I'm going
before you into Galilee there you will meet see me there And
friends, it's such a blessing. You may feel in darkness. You
may feel the Lord has left you. You may feel far off from God
in your spiritual thoughts and religion. But he says, I will
go before you into Galilee. He's before all things. He's
before that spiritual darkness that you're in to bring you out
into the light. Yet, again, to see that place
of light, he goeth before you. Yes, it's a great word for us
to plead and to beg. And I thought also, as it came
to me, the word in Isaiah was we pondered this, this, the words of the Lord to his
anointed, but this, I will go before thee. I will go before
thee and make the crooked places straight. And there's nothing
more crooked than your heart and mind, friend, spiritually.
What crooked places they are, you know, and that doesn't, that's
not beyond, is it? The power of salvation of God,
the vilest sinner out of hell, and that may be you and I. We
feel perhaps, oh, we feel we're on the edge of it. We feel like
dear Peter Simmons, you know, he had a dream when he was only
eight or nine, I think, young child and he's on the edge of
hell and they were calling out the names of those that should
go there and he's waiting, waiting in his dream to be called. There was never a call and he
woke up. Oh what a profound effect it
had upon him as a young man. the vilest sinner out of hell.
Yes, in the edge of hell, but cannot go in because he's gone
before us and made the crooked places of our wicked hearts straight. I will go before thee and make
the crooked places straight. And then in Providence too, to
make some of those crooked and impossible things straight. Yes. He is before all things. Friends, he knows the end of
the matter this week, what he will do this week, what will
come to pass in your and my life. Yes, he performeth those things
for us, and many such things are with him, many such things. But all of this is reflected
because of that that has gone before. John speaks of this,
I think in the beginning of John's gospel, where he says this, all
things were made by him. You see, there again, you get
this eternal sanctity. In the beginning was the word
and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. But you see, all things were
made by him. but really the word refers to
the divinity of Christ, but the word that came and flesh and
dwelt amongst us, the Lord Jesus Christ. And you see this, all
things were made by Him. It says all things again were
made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made
and in Him was life. Oh, the glories of the gospel,
that he is before all things. And he's gone before his people
in a go with before you into Galilee. Oh, my friends, I have
not forgotten. And you know, I felt reminded as we spoke to dear
friend before the service, about someone hearing, well, your dear
pastor in a sermon, the last sermon they heard before they
died. Now, friends, I was preaching at Bethel Chapel, Luton, myself,
a few years back, three or four, I think. And I took that text
that evening, as helped of the Lord, he goeth before you into
Galilee. And we felt let out in a certain
way. And I didn't know, but there
was a person listening in that had been a member of the congregation,
not the church, of a congregation that had been listening in, who
was with his family on his deathbed. And he and they said what an
appropriate word it was for him as he went through. into that
Galilee of death. He goeth before you. You know,
we fear death, we fear the end, we can do, and there are some
all their life, the scripture says, subject to the fear of
death through bondage. But you see, what a promise given
to the Lord's people, that he is before all things. is before
all things in life, is before all things in death, is before
all things here below. And these all things, of course,
are expanded in the verse before. But yes, all things were made
by Him. Without Him was not anything
made that was made. And therefore, that in a sense
in John is a summary of the second part of our text by him all things
consist. You know, there's an interesting
word in Hebrews which says this Hebrews 3 verse 4 for every house
is built by some man. Well, that's a statement we can
all go along with that a house has been built every house has
been built by a builder by some man, but then this But He that
built all things is God. Yes, He has built all things,
all things. Yes, and He builds the faith
in His chosen people. The builder and the maker is
God, the eternal God. So friends, At this, He built
all things. Well, what about you then with
this little matter? You say it's not a little matter
to me. If you knew what I'd got before
me, if you knew what I'd got in my pathway, you wouldn't bring
it in with such a term. To the Lord Jesus, friends, it
is nothing. Why? Is it not with Him that
He has power? Belongeth unto God. Power belongeth
unto God. Is it not with Him that we truly
have to prove, Behold, I am the God of all flesh. Is there anything
too hard for me? Because He is before all things. All things. Now, my friends,
there will be those things in your life that you will have
to acknowledge, these all things. My thoughts went to Romans. that
beautiful verse, and we know that all things work together
for good. He is before all things, and
we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose. All things. Nothing is left out in those
two words, all things. And as he wrote to the church
there, how clear he was, he is before all things. I can't emphasize enough friends,
the beauty in this for the Christian believer, he's before these things. And I believe this, and a Christian
believer will prove this, that they are amongst the sheep of
Christ and they hear, they follow him. So he's gone before them. Yes, we read in John 10 that
he speaks of the shepherd, but really he's referring to himself,
When he put forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the
sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And he says, I am the good shepherd. The sheep, you see, they goeth
before him. My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me. But then, but then, friends,
we read it this morning, Psalm 23. And it so struck me that
He goeth before us and then He promises to say this, as He did
to Joshua, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. Or as
He said to Moses, certainly I will be with thee. So we have His
presence promised and we have So that's at the time we need
it. But he's also before us. He's
gone before us. Then he's with us at the time. But not only that, he sweeps
up behind us. Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me. Behind us, you see. Oh, how complete
is the work of the salvation with the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Oh friends,
you can't slip out of this, because once in Him, in Him forever,
thus the eternal covenant stands. And He goes before you, and then
He's with you at the time. My presence shall go with thee,
and I will give thee rest. And then He says, surely goodness
and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Oh, what
a favorite it is. He is before all things. I think it was in 2005 that dear
Peter Cottenham preached from this word and mentioned of that
going down into, he goes before you into Galilee. But it was an afternoon that
I will never forget not because I was blessed, I can't explain it friends. There
was a perfume of the gospel message that afternoon and a soul was greatly blessed
and we felt that as we sat in the pew. It wasn't for us but
we felt that the words were being used and so they were in a dear
soul that was not live with us much longer on earth but it was
a glorious crowning for her to go to glory. Yes. Oh, we look back on these things,
the time when we sat in the house of prayer. Can I put it this
way? You could have heard a pin drop
and there was that sanctity and friends, I want to be right when
I say this, you know, all our senses can be rightly aroused
by the work of the Holy Spirit. And I heard of some minister
recently that said, have you ever smelt the perfume of the
gospel? Well, friends, I believe I did
that day. That dear soul that was blessed.
Yes, he goeth before you. He is before all things. Friends, what a word it is. for
us to really ponder this evening. Now, I think there's a word on
my mind. In the second of Corinthians
chapter nine, God is able, verse eight, God is able to make all
grace abound toward you. That ye, always having all sufficiency
in all things, may abound to every good work. And what that
says is, you are given grace to sustain the pathway in all
things, given sufficiency, sufficient grace to your need, spiritually
and providentially, so that it may abound to every good work
within you to bring you to glory. Ah, friends, these all things
in our experience Oh, I do hope that you know something of it.
You know, the Lord Jesus Christ speaks of the third member of
the Trinity, the Comforter or the Holy Ghost in John 14. And he says this, the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things, all things. and bring all things
to your remembrance." Ah, friends, He is before all things. And those things in the past
that are all things will be brought to your remembrance. Those blessings,
those times past when you've been favoured. Yes, bring all
things to your remembrance. Whatsoever I have said unto you,
the words of Jesus, will be brought by the Holy Spirit. to be our
remembrancer, to remind us of those things. Ah, it's blessed. But these two little words, these
two words that have so taken hold of me, all things. Oh, friends,
aren't you glad that he manages all things? I felt to have to pray on Friday
morning that the Lord would manage the day, various things in front
of us. And you know, there's that little
couplet in the hymn, he engaged to manage all by the way until
the end. And he came in so sweetly and
I felt the Lord will manage all things. And it was then that
I was led in my thoughts to these all things. But I can see why
they're managed, because he's before them all. Because by him
all things consist. Hence, our divine heavenly manager
is in control. One thought, friends, before
I leave. I was taken in thinking about
the work of creation, that he's before all things. The work of
creation, all things consist. You know, there are those that
take their holidays at this season of the year, and we, all of us
I know, enjoy lovely scenery and looking at the creation of
the Lord. But I know a soul that was greatly
blessed under a hymn, and I have brought it along. And friends,
it summarizes. Psalm 104 verse 1. Oh Lord my
God, thou art very great. Listen friends. Oh Lord my God,
when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hand hath made. I see the stars, I hear the mighty
thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed. And he'll
bring you here friends, he will. Then sings my soul, my Saviour
God to thee. How great thou art, how great
thou art, and it repeats, then sings my soul, my Saviour God
to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art. Amen. The love of God and the communion
of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.