I'm going to ask you to take
your Bible and turn with me to the book of Ephesians chapter
3. Ephesians chapter 3. While you're turning there, I
thank the Lord, O'Neal, for you, for your study, dedication, being
here to fill in. What a blessing. Ephesians chapter 3. verses 8 to 10. The Apostle Paul says, 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, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of
the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in
God, who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that
now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might
be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." There's a comma
there, but I'm going to stop and Lord willing we'll pick up
the next time there. Let's pray together. Our Father, how thankful we are
for this time to be able to meet together. And I pray that you
would bless our time of worship. Lord, to your people, manifest
yourself, we pray, to those that you've everlastingly loved, Lord,
would you cause the fruit of the preached word to draw your
people forth when it pleases you. Lord, forgive us where we
failed you. Help us this evening for Christ's
sake. Amen. Paul the Apostle was providentially cast into
a prison for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. The Jews that knew the Lord not
hated the message that he was preaching. But when he started
preaching to Gentiles, it just angered them more. They didn't
want to hear it. And they were just looking for
something else. Somebody just looking for a reason to be mad. Cast into prison, preaching the
truth. But the Apostle Paul, by the
grace of God, admitted, he said, I'm not a prisoner of Rome. Verse 1, I'm a prisoner of Jesus
Christ for you Gentiles. The most settling thing to a
believer is to know this, He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will. He is doing that which He has
eternally been pleased to do. Paul was a prisoner. of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he tells them that that stewardship
to preach to the Gentiles was concerning the mystery that had
been concealed in times past, but now was fully revealed through the Apostles and the
prophets, and here's what the mystery was, verse 6, that the
Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers
of His promise in Christ by the gospel, through the preaching
of the gospel. Now tonight I want us to take up right where we
left off, We ended in verse 7, whereof
I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God
given unto me by the effectual working of His power. God calls
preachers. Men don't call themselves. If you want to know a man that
has called himself to preach, listen to what he's preaching. A man that preaches the gospel
of God's grace is a man that has been taught the gospel of
God's grace by God. And he preached the truth. If
a man preaches a false gospel, the Lord didn't send him. So,
Paul says, concerning his calling, verse 8, 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."
Unto me, he said. God's preachers know that they
have been called and commissioned by the Lord and they recognize
themselves this way. Unworthy. Unworthy. you find a preacher that God's
called, and this is what he constantly will say concerning himself.
Who's sufficient for these things? To stand in a pulpit, a creature
of the dust, and to preach to God's heritage, to preach to
God's church, to preach to God's bride, to read in the scriptures concerning
how the Lord speaks of His people. Oh, the respect that is given
unto the Lord when we respect God's people. God forbid that
I should do anything but pray for you, encourage you, love
you, be a friend to you, brother to you. God forbid that I should
ever say anything. Paul says unto me, who am less
than the least of all saints is this grace given? God's people had met, as Paul
says in 1 Corinthians 15 9, for I am the least of the apostles,
I'm not meet, I'm not fit to be called an apostle, because
I persecuted the church of God. Now I stood as a Pharisee, one that the people looked and
saw me and thought I was somebody. Paul later gave an account of
what he was, all those things I trusted in. And he said, I
held the coats of the man that stoned Stephen. The one that God Almighty gave
a visible revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, I see the Son of
Man standing. I held their coats. 1 Timothy chapter 1. In verse
12 to 15, Paul said, I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath
enabled me, for that he counted me faithful. A believer will
never say I counted myself faithful. He counted me faithful. Putting
me into the ministry, who was before a blasphemer, Persecutor,
injurious, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly,
in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was
exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ
Jesus. This is a faithful saint, worthy
of all acceptation, Jesus Christ, came to the world to save sinners,
of whom I am chief." I think of that passage along with the
one I tell you so often. Lord, if you should mark iniquity,
who could stand. God's people are humbled people. Brought down and have the lowest
estimation of themselves. They have this treasure. You
know what they say it's housed in? In this earthen vessel. To
proclaim, now listen to this back in Ephesians 3. the unsearchable
riches of Christ. When Paul the Apostle speaks
of the unsearchable riches of Christ, he is declaring by inspiration
of God's Spirit that it is impossible, and this is what the word unsearchable
means, it means to trace out, trace out the unsearchable riches
of Christ. It's impossible to trace out
or to perceive or to grasp hold of the providential dealings
that Almighty God performs in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. It's impossible to trace out
His workings among His people, among all mankind. in the bringing
about of the salvation of His people. Now you think about this.
Trying to trace out what Almighty God has done, is doing, and shall
do. Being able to trace it out. Just
take your life. Can you imagine trying to trace
out and to see and to figure out by diligence and study and
trying to observe and to say, well I can see how this was the
cause of this and because of this, this came in this way and
this was over here, this worked here, this was waiting. Just
you, much less all of mankind. Unsearchable. Untraceable. That's what he's talking about.
To be able to know how everything is so ordered, so directed by
Almighty God to accomplish His purpose. When the Lord Jesus
Christ said in John 17 3, Thou hast given Him power over all
flesh. that He should give eternal life
to as many as thou hast given Him." This is what he's saying.
The unsearchable riches of Christ, unable to be able to perceive,
it is unimaginable that we could know that. Listen to Romans.
Romans 11.33. Verse 33, Oh the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable
are His judgments and His ways past finding out. We cannot know,
we cannot know that He says He works all things after the counsel
of His own will. So it is. As He says, I'll never
leave you, I'll never forsake you. So it is. When He says,
all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. He's going
to work all these things out and He's going to cross their
path with the gospel. They're going to hear. The Spirit
of God is going to give them faith. They're going to have
a new heart. They're going to be willing in
the day of God's power. They're coming. They're coming. They're coming.
This evening I expect, as I've said before, I expect God's Word
is going to accomplish the purpose for which it was sent. Tonight,
Almighty God shall accomplish that which He pleases. Job 11.7,
Canst thou by searching out find God? Canst thou find out the
Almighty unto perfection? back in Ephesians 3 verse 9, And to make all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ. And to make all men See what is the fellowship of
the mystery. I read that verse and I thought,
OK, to see all men, OK, see what is the fellowship of
the mystery. Two things, what man and what
mystery. Listen to this. Turn to Colossians
1. page or two back toward the back. Colossians 1 verse 26. Here was my question. What mystery
and what men? Colossians 1 verse 26 and 27
answers it perfectly. Even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations and 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." Now here's the mystery.
Paul was talking about the mystery that was revealed. Here's the
mystery. Christ in you, the hope of glory. There's the mystery. Now that's a mystery. Now back
in, just hold your place right there. I'm going to turn right
back to it. Verse 9, "...and to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the mystery." He's been talking about Jews and Gentiles
both being called out. God would make all men... Now
what men? Well, back in Colossians chapter
1 and verse 26, the last part says, "...but now is made manifest."
To who? To His saints. To the sanctified
ones. To the set apart ones. See, this
is why whenever somebody quotes a scripture, and says, well this
proves right here that God desires to have the whole world saved. If you can show with absolute
clarity what God is talking about right here, then when someone
takes another scripture and tries to rest, twist that scripture,
you'll understand. Scripture proves scripture. So
back in Ephesians chapter 3. and to make all men to the saints,
see what is the fellowship of the mystery, what mystery? Christ
in you, the hope of glory, which from the beginning of the world
hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. According to God's good purpose
and wisdom, the fullness of the revelation that the Lord would
call Jews and Gentiles. That was hidden. God was pleased
to conceal it. That was kept secret. And it was hidden according to
the scriptures. It says, which from the beginning
of the world hath been hid, it was hidden in God. He did not
make it known. He kept it in the wisdom of God. He kept secret that he was going
to save all manner of men. Well, that fact right there proves
that God alone must be the source of the gospel. If the gospel
is the declaration, of what Almighty God has been pleased to do, and
it's been hidden in God, and men preach the gospel now, then
where did it come from? Somebody here, maybe more of
you, told me at one time, Brother Scott was accused of preaching
a new gospel, a different gospel, you know, a false gospel. He
was preaching the gospel he was preaching. is the first message
and last message from God. Hidden in God, He's the source
of it. Hidden now, right now, from the unregenerates. Hidden
now from the natural man. Hidden in measure from the elect
angels that I'm going to deal with in verse 10 right here.
And until God Almighty is pleased to call out His saints, even
to the elect, the unregenerate elect, And let me ask you this, who
would have the right to question God's good pleasure to do so?
If God is pleased to hide something, if God is pleased to withhold
something, if God is pleased to show mercy to one and leave
another one to himself, does God have the right to do that? I've asked that question so many
times. Absolutely. Does the potter have power over
the clay of the same lump, same lump, to make one vessel under
honor and another under dishonor? Who art thou, O man that replies
against God? And to make, verse 9, all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ to the intent. That verse right there continues. Who created all things by Jesus
Christ. Who made the heavens, made the
earth, all things therein. made them in the beginning. He
has the right to hide, according to his good pleasure, to call
whom he will, when he will, by the gospel. The secret thing,
Deuteronomy 29, 29, remember this. There are some things that
I or you just don't understand. I don't understand the Trinity. I don't understand it. I believe
it. I preach it. God is one God. Father, Son, Spirit. One God. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
proclaimed to be the everlasting Father. You explain to me. I know that
there's one God, and when John baptized the Lord Jesus Christ,
here was the one that he was baptizing, and he saw the Spirit
of God descend as a dove, and the Father speak out of heaven,
and said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I'm well pleased. One God. Not three gods. One God. The secret things belong unto
the Lord our God. Those things which are revealed
belong unto us, unto our children forever, that we may do all the
words of this law. But now, he's been pleased to
reveal something. The latter part of verse 9 says,
"...who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that
now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might
be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." All things were made, were created,
by The Lord Jesus Christ. That's
what Scripture says. All things made by Jesus Christ. And this is the reason. This
is exactly what Scripture is saying. To the intent who created
all things by Jesus Christ for this purpose. To the intent. that now unto the principalities
and powers in heavenly places, the angels, that's who's being
spoken of, The principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church, by the mercy that is shown unto
the church. Not that the church teaches anything,
but the mercy of God to his church. I'm going to try to explain this
as I conclude this message and what he's saying right here.
The manifold wisdom of God. To these elect angels, Those
who never fail, 1 Peter 1.12, they desire something. 1 Peter 1.12. 1 Peter 1.12 it says, And to whom
it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did
minister the things which are now reported unto you by them
that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost
sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look
into. Now, Almighty God created angels. They are ministering
spirits, ministering spirits, that ministers to we who are
the heirs of salvation. Ministering spirits. They have
never been ones that experienced regeneration. Christ didn't take on the form
of angels. He took on the image of fallen
flesh. He came in the person of flesh. Men. These elect angels who minister,
and without no doubt in my mind, these ministering spirits are
here. The Lord Jesus Christ is here
because He said He was. Two or three gathered together
in my name. And these ministering spirits, now we've read about
them, there's many instances. Elisha's servant, he looked and
he saw the Syrian army around. And he came back and reported
to the prophet. They're everywhere. They're all
around us. The prophet prayed, Lord would
you open my servant's eyes that he can see. And the Lord opened
that servant's eyes and he saw chariots of fire surrounding the Syrians. And the prophet said this, They
that be with us are more than they that be with them. These ministering spirits hear and see and behold, and
according to the scriptures, desire to look into these things
concerning the ones that they minister to. The Lord has commissioned
them to minister to, watch over, to minister. What do they do? Ministering spirits. The scripture
says, God created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent
that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the mercy that God Almighty is showing to His
church. The manifold, the many faceted
wisdom of God. This is how the Lord has been
pleased to make His wisdom known unto these principalities and
powers. It was the intent of God, the
purpose of God, create everything. That these ministering spirits
might behold and hear the gospel preached. This is how they hear
it, this is how they understand it, this is how they desire to
look into it. and they hear the gospel preached,
and they behold the grace of God, and they watch, and they
see God choosing His people. They can hear. There's instances
of angels talking to those at the tomb, when He rolled away
the tomb, they were talking to them. Watching them. Watching them, here's the apostles. You men of Galilee, why stand
you, you think they saw Him? Why stand you here gazing into
heaven? They were looking at Him. This
same Jesus that you see carried away, lifted up, ascending and
shall return in like manner. They knew that. They're beholding,
watching to the intent that these angels might know, by God's grace
to His people, the manifold wisdom of God. In the choosing of the
surety, the one who ever stood as the representative, I don't
know how to speak in eternity. Everything I say comes out sounding
like time. But when, in eternity, as the Lord
Jesus Christ eternally stood as the surety of the sheep. God
never looked to the sheep again for any satisfaction to God's
law. The surety is who He looked to.
He looked to the surety. And these powers and principalities,
behold, they desire to look into that. God chose a people. They saw the manifold wisdom
of God in the creation of all things, and God ruling and reigning
in all things in this earth, and bringing them into being.
They were born, redeeming them from the curse
of the law, regenerating them by the irresistible grace and
power of God's Spirit, preserving them. And they're charged to
watch over them, and God directing them. keeping them, God keeping
them from falling away. And finally, to behold the glory
as they are glorified with the Lord Jesus Christ. Hearing the
gospel, Father, I will that those that Thou hast given me be with
me where I am, that they might behold my glory, the glory that
I had with you before He was made flesh. He is. He has always been the mediator. He's always been the advocate. He's always been the husband. Oh, I've loved you. I've betrothed
myself. And they've watched this. Oh, the manifold wisdom of God.
The unsearchable riches of God in Christ. His ways are past
finding out. Who can know them? Lord, give
me a heart of appreciation for this glorious message. When I was down in Mexico last
week, at the end of the preacher's class, we had a preacher's class
Monday morning, and all the preachers, most of them, from the villages
came in. And Cody and I was talking about
the preaching of the gospel and the enjoyment that we obviously
have to preach and to hear the truth. And he said, you know,
Here's the sad part of admitting our flesh. There are times when
we can hear the message, and it's like for a fleeting moment, just maybe a fleeting moment,
I think for maybe a fleeting moment, almost able to enter in. I think just for a brief moment,
maybe the Lord gave me just a glimpse of His glory. I think He did. Then we go through these times
of dryness. It just seems like the heavens
are brass. But according to this Word, there's
coming a day that there'll be no more tears, no more sin, no
more doubt. We're going to see Him as He
is. And we're going to know Him and
be like Him. And I think to myself when I
hear this, Lord, keep me. Lord, keep me. Let me not fall
away. Lord, if everybody I know falls
away, don't let me fall away. That's what every believer says.
If everyone else forsakes you, Lord, don't let me be like Peter
and say I won't do it. Lord, if you don't keep me, I'm
going to perish. Lord, teach me by your truth
for Christ's sake.