We'll continue our meditation
in the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians and chapter 3 and tonight
we'll just read one verse which follows on really from the two
verses we thought upon on Friday. It's verse 19, so chapter 3 and
verse 19. And to know the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge. that you might be filled with
all the fullness of God. Last week, we thought upon the
previous verses which tell us that Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love may
be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and
length and depth and height. It gives us a very good base
to move on then to this verse, and to know the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge. Well, the love of Christ is really
beyond our natural comprehension. And especially as we go right
back in time to the Garden of Eden, when, as we know what happened,
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and deserved to be cut off, deserved
to never be blessed with any favour. And yet it was because
of God's love that he came and communicated with them in that
Garden of Eden on that occasion. And if we look at ourselves,
we are no better than Adam and Eve. We've disobeyed the word
of God, we've disobeyed the law of God, we've disobeyed his commands,
and so how wonderful it is in our lives if the Lord does not
deal with us as we deserve. And on that memorable occasion
in the Garden of Eden, of course the Lord came and he spoke, having
questioned them about what had happened, and how they told the
sad story, how they listened to the devil, and what good advice
it is for us today not to listen to the devil. And then he said
that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head, a
wonderful prophecy with regard to the love of Christ, the words
spoken by the Lord, the words which he would fulfil himself,
because of his amazing love. And then we read, they were only,
of course, they recognised they were naked, they covered themselves
with fig leaves. It was a pretty poor covering.
They made aprons of them. And then the Lord graciously
gave them a covering of animal skins. And again, that gloriously
sets before us the love of Christ. Because there he showed forth
on that occasion, how that there was the need for their nakedness
to be covered, as there is for us today. And the Lord Jesus
granted that favour by slaying those animals. And the significant
thing was, of course, that the blood of those animals was shed
in their death, and their skins were used to clothe Adam and
Eve. And so way back, we have a wonderful
position, the wonderful view of God's love to sinful mankind. And bless God, that love has
not diminished. That love is as great today as
it was on that occasion. So surely we have this word here,
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. You
know, we only have to trace, really, the love of God, the
love of Christ, right through the Old Testament, again and
again. Israel disobeyed God again and
again. They didn't listen to his voice. Or if they did, they didn't heed
it. And they followed their own way. They sinned again and again,
and yet, because of His love towards them, when they cried
unto Him, they heard, He heard, and He answered. And so today,
as we sin again and again, sad as it is, we wouldn't ever be
proud of it. We ought to always be very sorry
for it, and very sad because of it. but to recognise tonight
that it is because of the love of Christ and it set forth in
his grand and glorious life on this earth and that death upon
the cross at Calvary when he shed his most precious blood
to redeem us from all our sins and it was because of his love. So surely this word must be true. And to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge. Who else could possibly love
sinful people, sinful mankind, those who again and again sinned,
again and again turned their back upon him, again and again
opposed the word of God. And so we should be very thankful
as we're gathered here tonight to be appreciated. The Lord has
left on record such a wonderful statement, which tells us, and
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. Now that's
not something which is ambiguous, and it's not something which
is irrelevant, and it's not something which should pass us by, because
indeed every true believer, every true child of God, every true
born-again Christian will know in their heart something of this
amazing love. Because if we don't know anything
of this love on this earth, there'll be nothing to attract us to go
to heaven at last. Heaven will be an alien place.
We won't feel at home there, we'll feel a stranger. But if
by God's grace we know this love of Christ, then you see, What
a blessed time it will be when we enter in to that holy place,
when we view our Saviour, that One who loved us so much that
He gave His life for us. And so this statement is so very,
very true, which passeth knowledge. It doesn't pass God's knowledge,
but it passes our knowledge, because we can't really understand
why anybody should love us to such an extent. as to die for
us, unworthy sinners that we are. But tonight, come ye not
come, and bless God for this great and glorious word of truth,
and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. Well,
may all of us, without exception, be able to say very humbly, because
He loved me, because he loved me. The love of Christ which
passes knowledge. I can't understand it, but God
has given me faith to believe it and to recognise the wonder
of it. And so, to know the love of Christ
which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all
the fullness of God. Now really I think that has two
references. First of all, to remember something
in the fullness of God toward us in this life. When we think
of that, we think of His grace, we think of His unmerited favour
toward us, we think of His mercy, we think of His direction that
He gives us, we think of His watchfulness over us, we think
of His sovereignty toward us. There are so many things which
surely fall into this position that you might be filled with
all the fullness of God. To be filled as we ponder what
God is to us and what he's done for us and how good he is to
us. Does it surely not mean that
we are filled with this great knowledge of God? Now, the world
knows nothing of that. They're not concerned about it.
It goes over their head. bless God tonight, if the Holy
Spirit has given us a little understanding of the greatness
of our God, and has given us this blessed revelation, really,
that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. And
if we are, we recognise that, naturally and spiritually, it
must bring joy, really, into our heart. We read, didn't we,
in that fourth chapter of the Philippians, something of this
joy. Rejoice in the Lord always, in
the fourth verse of the fourth chapter. Rejoice in the Lord
always. And again I say, rejoice. Well, the church of God has great
reason to rejoice. May we have reason tonight to
rejoice as we consider this wonderful word that she might be filled
with all the fullness of God, and not only that, but then there
is the fullness that we shall receive hereafter. Even complete
holiness, perfection of knowledge, fullness of joy and peace and
entire conformity to God and Christ and everlasting communion
with him. That's a fullness, isn't it?
That's a fullness to be anticipated by the true Church of God. So let us be thankful tonight
for such words, and have faith to believe them, and be blessed
with a joy in our hearts to realize that this is the Word of God,
and it is sure and certain. and to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fullness of God. Amen.