The Lord may be with us this
evening as we continue our meditation in the fourth chapter of Paul's
epistle to the Ephesians. I thought we would just read
the first 16 verses of that chapter. So Ephesians chapter 4, and read
in the first 16 verses. I therefore, the prisoner of
the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering,
forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and
one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one
of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ. Wherefore, he said, when he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men. Now that he ascended, what is
it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth. He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill
all things. And he gave some apostles and
some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers
for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in
the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the
slight of men cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
But, speaking the truth in love, they grow up into Him in all
things, which is the head, the even Christ, from whom the whole
body, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love. May the Lord bless us together.
We'll continue our meditation in this fourth chapter of the
Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians. And this evening we'll read verses
9 and 10. Chapter 4. Paul's epistle to the Ephesians,
reading 9 and 10. Now that he ascended, what is
it? But he also descended first into
the lower parts of the earth. He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill
all things. We know, of course, that the
Apostle is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's important
for us to realise that the Lord did come. He did descend from
heaven, that glorious place where he existed from eternity. But
grace has been wonderfully condescended to come down into this sinful
world. And he came down into this sinful
world and he did indeed descend first. He didn't ascend. He couldn't have ascended unless
he had descended. And therefore he came down first
into the lower parts of the earth. Indeed he made himself lower
than the angels. He came right down to our level. He took on him our form, our
nature. Indeed, he mixed with the very
poor of society. It's important that we do remember
that. He went and preached unto the
spirits in prison, those who were cast out. He came down to
the very lowest place. No one could accuse a saviour
of not meeting the worst person, the worst situation. And so,
what a wonderful saviour we have, who was so gracious and so condescending
to come down to the very violence of sinners. And that must, of
course, really pick us all up, mustn't it? How bad we may feel
before our Holy God, to realise this Jesus, descended first into
the lower parts of this earth. But then we're told he that descended
is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that
he might fill all things. And that really means that he
was to fulfil all things which he did. All that the Father gave
him to do He fulfilled. Nothing was left undone. The whole work that the Saviour
came to do, He didn't fail. He completed it. And today, what
good news it is for us to realise we have such a Saviour. A Saviour
tempted in all points of life as we are, yet without sin. And this great and glorious Saviour
gave His life so that we might receive life. And He rose from
the dead, a conqueror over sin, hell and the grave. And He ascended
up to glory. Well, it's wonderful to think,
when He went, came to that Mount of Olivet with the disciples,
and we're told it came to pass, we're only blessed then. He was
parted from them and carried up into heaven. And there He
is today, our glorious Saviour. He has ascended. And there He
sits on the throne, on the Father's right hand. And there He intercedes
for us today and every day. And He always has done, from
the time He rose and went to glory. And yet there will be
that great day which hastens on when He will come and He will
return as the angels came and told the disciples in like manner
He will come again. Well we know not when that will
come. The great issue is to be ready when He does come. So let
us rejoice today. Let us be thankful today that
we have an Ascended Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because
without an Ascended Saviour, we would have no hope. We would
not be able to approach unto the Majesty on high. We would
not be able to pray to our Father in heaven. Because we are unholy,
and our Father is holy. But my friends, we have this
great Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who stands between, in
garments dyed in blood. And so, it is Him, instead of
us, is seen as we approach to God. And as we're here tonight,
to pray to our Father in heaven. May we realise personally and
collectively that our prayers are accepted not for our virtue
but for the virtue of the Saviour, this ascended and glorious Saviour. And so we are thankful tonight
that he did come and he fulfilled all things, all that the Father
gave Him to do. He kept the law of God, which
we could not do. And He made it honourable. He
did not fail in any one iota. Everything was complete. And
we should be thankful tonight to believe that by His grace
we are complete, not in ourselves. We are complete in Him. What
a saviour then we have. What cause tonight to thank God
for this great and glorious truth. He that descended is the same
author that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill
all things. Of course, we cannot physically
view the heaven where he is. We can view the natural heavens,
but we know not how high the heaven of heavens is. where the
Saviour is seated now. But what a blessing if you and
I have faith to believe that we approach the mercy seat through
the merits of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, tonight
as we are blessed to be able to come to Him in prayer, may
we know what it is to draw near unto the throne of grace, that
we may find help in time of need. Amen.