Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn number 18 to the tune Salem's
Plains, 407. Now to the Lord a noble song,
awake my soul, awake my tongue, Hosanna to the eternal name,
and all his boundless love proclaim. Hymn number 18. Now to the Lord an angel song
Awake my soul, awake my child ? Hosanna to Thee ? ? Eternal reign
? ? And all its boundless love ?
? From Thee ? See where it shines in Jesus' face. The brightest stage of
His grace. of his son, as all his mind is
put out of Bow to the Lord as an infant.
Proclaim the word, and bow And thy great glory from above
Sparkle in every glowing star But in this world shall always
stand The noblest name, the Rock of
Christ, The peace in the stead of His light, O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? Praise Jesus, sweet and calm
in theme, My soul's rejoiced at Jesus' birth. The angels fell upon the sky. In heav'n they fell to the ground. The way I live to reach the place When He unleashed His lovely
flame, Then all His beauties became Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in Paul's epistle to the Romans and chapter 16. Romans chapter 16. I commend unto you Phoebe our
sister, which is a servant of the church, which is at Centuria,
that you receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that
you assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you.
for she hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my
helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their
own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the
churches of the Gentiles. Likewise, greet the church that
is in their house. Salute my well-beloved, Eponitis,
who is the firstfruits of Achaia, unto Christ. Greet Mary, who
bestowed much labour on us. Salute Andronicus and Junia,
my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles,
who also were in Christ before me. Greet Amplius, my beloved
in the Lord, Salute Urbain, our helper in Christ, and Stachys,
my beloved. Salute Apelles, approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus'
household. Salute Herodian, my kinsman.
Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the
Lord. Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa,
who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Perses, which
laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord,
and his mother and mine. Salute Asencritus, Phlegon, Hermas,
Petrobus, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philogos
and Julia, Nerus, and his sister, and Olympus, and all the saints
which are with them, salute one another with an holy kiss. The
churches of Christ salute you. Now I beseech you, brethren,
mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the
doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. For they that
are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly,
and by good works and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
For your obedience has come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore
on your behalf, but yet I would have you wise unto that which
is good and simple concerning evil. and the God of peace shall
bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Timotheus, my workfellow,
and Lucius, and Jason, and Suscipita, my kinsmen, salute you. I, Tertius,
who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius, mine
host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus, the chamberlain
of the city, saluteth you, and Quartus, a brother. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now to him that
is of power to establish you according to my gospel and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made
manifest. And by the scriptures of the
prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made
known to all nations for the obedience of faith, to God only
wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. May the Lord bless that portion.
of his own precious word and grant to us a spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God, do fill our hearts with gratitude that there is a God
that hears and answers prayer, that there is one God and one
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave
his life of ransom for all to be testified in due time. Lord, we meet in his name, and
we have that desire to worship him, to worship thee, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. We pray that
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father,
and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and
abide upon us. We pray to be led and guided
and directed by the Holy Ghost this night. We pray for the divine
influence and power of the Holy Ghost. We pray that the word
of the Lord may have free course. Thy name may be honoured and
glorified. and the gospel may come unto
us, not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost and
with much assurance. O most gracious Lord, we do thank
thee for the glorious divine person of the Holy Ghost, the
divine spirit. We pray, most blessed spirit
of truth, that thou wouldst dwell in our hearts, that thou wouldst
exercise our souls in spiritual things, that thou wouldst set
our affections on things above and not on things of the earth,
that thou wouldst lift us above the carking cares of this life,
those things that would hinder us in divine worship, we pray
that thou wouldst take them from us and defend us from the work
and power of the enemy. And as he would seek to distract
our minds, and we pray to be delivered from a weary mind and
that our affections, our desires, may be set upon Christ, that
he may be exalted among us. Blessed, holy, divine spirit,
is it within thy power alone to exalt a precious Christ, to
lift him high upon the gospel path, and to grant us that gracious
determination to know nothing among men, save Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. There is none other name given
under heaven whereby you must be saved. We thank Thee that
He is our law-fulfiller, that He has fulfilled the law, honoured
the law, magnified the law in His holy life as a man here upon
earth, thereby bringing in everlasting righteousness Therefore, being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. We thank thee, most gracious
Lord. We heartily thank thee for that
holy life, for the law fulfilled, for everlasting
righteousness brought in. We thank thee, for Calvary where
the Lamb was slain, where sin was put away, sin was dealt with,
where God and sinners are reconciled in our Lord Jesus Christ, that
glorious Mediator. We thank Thee for the shedding
of His precious blood that takes away all sin. Oh, we thank Thee
for that new and living way that He has made. He died for our
sins. and rose again for our justification. He's now ascended into heaven
bodily. A man, there is a real man with
wounds still gaping wide from which rich streams of blood once
ran in hands and feet and side. Oh, we thank thee for that real
man, the holy God man, the man Christ Jesus. We thank thee for
the infinite love of our eternal Father for sending forth his
Son, made of woman, made under the law, that he might redeem
them that are under the law. Lord, fill our hearts with gratitude
for the gift of gifts. O most gracious God, may our
hearts expand and praise thy great name for thy wonderful
mercy. Thy mercy, my God, is the tune
of my tongue, the joy of my heart. O most gracious Lord, were it
not for thy sweet mercy I could not live here. O most gracious
God, we thank thee that there is therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus. But we thank thee that we are
reconciled unto thee, God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, has shined into our hearts with the light of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Oh, we desire
a heart of gratitude. We thank thee for all thy tender
mercies. Truly, Lord, thy mercies to us
are new every morning and great is thy faithfulness. And we do
desire to be thankful, even as we're exhorted in thy work and
be ye thankful. But above all, thanks be unto
God for his unspeakable gift. We come, Lord, as poor sinners
before thy great majesty, born in sin, shaped in iniquity. We mourn over our sinfulness.
We struggle under the old man of sin which we carry with us.
And we pray, most gracious Lord, to be delivered from his power
and from his influence. And that thou wouldst deliver
us from the power and influence of sin. And the power of Satan. For Lord, we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against powers, against principalities,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Gracious God. Thou hast gained the victory,
and we shall, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And, O Lord God, we
do pray that Thou wouldst subdue the powers of evil in our hearts,
in our lives. We do humbly pray Thee in our
society. Iniquity abounds on every hand,
unrighteousness on every hand. But may we ever remember the
powers that be are ordained of God. And gracious God, we do
pray that we may pray for those that have rule over us, that
thou would give them wisdom, guidance, and direction. For
thy word declares that they wield not the sword in vain. Gracious
God, let us be subject unto the higher powers. We do humbly beseech
them. They are ministers of God, We
pray that, dear and most gracious Lord, that thou wouldst help
us to be kind and loving and gracious, even as our Lord. That we may be kind and tender-hearted,
forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath
forgiven us. Oh, enable us to forgive each
other. Enable us to bear each other's
burdens. and enable us to be forbearing one toward another. For Lord, we each have our failings
and we each have our shortcomings. And we pray that we may not fall
into that, that we try to cast the beam out of our brother's
eye when we have a moat in our own eye. Deliver us, O Lord,
from that spirit which is of the O gracious God, we do pray that
we bless our brethren, the deacons, and give grace and wisdom and
help, guidance and direction in all their responsibilities.
Remember each one of our brethren and sisters in church fellowship.
We do humbly beseech them. And may we epitomize that beautiful
word of our Lord Jesus Christ. By this shall they know that
ye are my disciples, because ye have love one to another. Deliver us, O Lord, from Satan,
the separator of the brethren. He has, O Lord, that great magnifying
grass and explodes everything out of proportion. We do pray
that we may be aware of his cunning devices, his wiles. and that
we may be delivered from his power and from his influence.
Take us to foxes, those little foxes that do so spoil the vines,
for our vines have tender grapes. We pray, O Lord, that thou in
thy precious mercy would graciously remember the young of the flock,
the little ones, the children, the babes. Bless them indeed. Give them the fear of the Lord,
which is the beginning of wisdom. Show them thy ways, teach them
thy paths. We do humbly beseech them. The
generation may be raised up that shall call thee the Redeemer,
blessed. Supply all their needs in providence,
whether it be in their education or whether it be in any future
employment. Help them to commit their way
unto thee. Or things regarding the a partner
in life journey, grant that they may cast their burden upon the
Lord and prove thy wonderful mercy. Lord, we pray that thou
wouldst remember the prodigals. There are those that have wandered
from the house of God, from the ways of God. We pray that thou
wouldst stretch out thy almighty arm and that thou wouldst cause
them to return, thou art able to do abundantly more than we
can even ask or think. Gracious God, we do pray that
thou, in thy precious mercy, may enable us to lengthen our
cords and strengthen our stakes. For thou hast said thou shalt
break out on the right hand and on the left. And as promised,
I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with
bread. Let us see Zion's offspring come. Send out the glory and light
of the gospel into this village. Precious souls may be gathered
in. Hear us, Lord. We humbly beseech thee. Bless
the distribution of the word and of the calendars. And grant
that he may be down to the great honor, glory, and praise of thy
holy name. Give us that patience to wait
and to watch unto prayer, we do humbly beseech of thee. Give
us, O Lord, a spirit of real travail, for as soon as Zion
travelled, she brought forth her children. May we be often
at the throne of grace, often wrestling with thee, we do humbly
beseech thee. Let we pray. Most gracious God,
that thou would remember all in the midst of the journey of
life and graciously undertake for each one. I knowest the temptations
and the trials, the afflictions, all is known to thee. Lord, we
lovingly commend them to thee. May the family all to be raised.
May the word of God be read and prayer made. For all things are
sanctified by the word of God So may it be among our families.
O Lord, we do beseech thee. Help us to be thy witnesses.
Help us to do that which is right in thy sight. And do all things
honestly that will honour thy great, thy holy, and thy eternal
name. Deliver us from the spirit of
covetousness. Deliver us from the Spirit of
all unrighteousness, O Lord, we do beseech thee. May we cover
earnestly the best gifts. Remember those of us in the evening
time of life's journey. Lord, thou knowest all that we
stand in need of. Prepare us for that great change
which must come to each one of us. Prepare me, gracious God,
to stand before thy face. Thy spirit must the work perform,
for it is all of grace. O Lord, we do pray that thou
wouldst brighten up our prospects for eternity, and that we may
live here as pilgrims, our shoes on our feet, our staff in our
hand, our loins girded. O Lord, this is not our rest. It is polluted. May we have an
eye to the heavenly city, to the glories of Christ, to the
wonders of redeeming love. Remember our dear brother and
sister in Holland. Remember our dear sister in her
great age. Lord, undertake for each one.
We do humbly beseech you. Remember those that have lost
their loved ones, that are walking the path of bereavement and sorrow.
draw near and comfort their hearts. O Lord, we do beseech thee, and
in the weeks and months ahead, that may they know thy divine
support and thy loving kindness, we do humbly beseech of thee.
Be with us as we turn to thy holy word. Come and open thy
word to our heart and to our understanding, a grant that we
may delve into the deep that couched beneath in thy word.
and above all things, that the Lord Jesus may be exalted. Come and touch one's lips with
a live coal from off the heavenly altar, for Lord, without thee
we can do nothing. We ask for Jesus Christ's sake,
amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 977. The tune is Wareham at 431. Deep are the wounds which sin
has made. Where shall the sinner find a
cure? In vain alas is nature's aid. The work exceeds all nature's
power. Hymn 977. O come, O come, all ye faithful
joyful and triumphant O come, O come, all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant O come, O come, all ye faithful joyful and triumphant In vain am I lost, this angel's
place, While the world makes siege of angels. ? Shed the light of grace ? ? In
daily the praise ? ? When angels shine ? ? In ev'ry night ? ?
And I am glad ? ? Through hills and vales ? ? And trails with joys ? ? Of heaven
and love ? ? I gather my soul ? O Holy Night, that we may stump
up petition nigh. ? To ease her pain ? ? And fill
her wounds ? ? When I am gone and gone ? ? When I am gone and
gone ? ? This tradition bear ? ? Blue
and white as snow ? ? Sing in praise to him ? ? Which
was and is ? ? For Jesus' sake ? ? Evermore to reign ? See the Satan's treacherous plan.
Thy plan can be his heaven and earth. His heav'nly place is in the
sacred cross, where He died and reigneth forever. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I'll direct your attention to the chapter that
we read, the 16th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and
we'll read verses 25 to 27 for our text. Romans chapter 16,
verses 25 to the end. Now to him that is of power, to establish you according to
my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the
revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world
began but now is made manifest and by the scriptures of the
prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known
to all nations for the obedience of faith To God only wise, be
glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Now to him that is of power. It's a reoccurring theme in the
epistle to the Romans, that the wonderful power of God unto salvation. The Epistle to the Romans was
not the first epistle that was written by Paul. He wrote the
Corinthians before, but the reason that it is put first in the line
of the epistles is because it is of such a sublime nature. Doctrine, experience, practice
is very clearly and most emphatically laid out. The fall of man, the
total depravity of man, his utter, complete helplessness to redeem
himself or to give himself a new birth. It's all laid out very
clearly. The distinction between law and
grace is laid out exceedingly clearly. And the law as the apostle,
he takes great pains here in the epistle to the Romans He
said it's for Jew and Gentile, it affects both. We're all under
that law, there's an equality before God. And there's only
one righteousness that is acceptable unto God, and that is the righteousness
of His Son, Jesus Christ. He quotes to us from Psalm 14
in chapter 3, there is none righteous, no, not one. Not one. How clearly he lays out the total
depravity of man. The complete and utter fall of
man. In the first chapters he speaks
of us all appearing at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. And then the principle of most
glorious doctrines of the gospel are opened up to us. How beautifully he sets forth
Christ as the way, the truth and the life. The only one that
is able to save us, the only one that has redeemed us. How
beautifully he sets forth the liberty of the living family
of God, the believers in Jesus Christ. There is therefore now
no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. No condemnation. He speaks of the glorious and
complete liberty of the people of God. It's a very precious
epistle, very sacred epistle, a very instructive epistle. He speaks also here in the Romans
so clearly of that conflict within the believer, that conflict between
sin in the believer, the old man,
which is corrupt. And in chapter seven, so clearly
how he sets out, that which I would, I do not, that which I would
not, I do. I find a law within my members,
that when I would do good, then evil is present with me. You see, my beloved friends,
how comprehensively He deals with the doctrine of truth and
the doctrine of the experience that the living family of God
have. And though he speaks of that awful nature of sin that
is within us, he goes on in the eighth chapter, he speaks of
the wonderful work of the Holy Ghost in the heart, and the deliverance
from sin and Satan's power, and the precious fullness of the
gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How beautifully
he opens it. He speaks of how the law was
a stumbling block under the Jews. Speaks of it in the Old Testament.
He repeats it here in the Romans. They stumbled at that stumbling
block, which was the holy law of God. You might say, well,
how did they stumble? They thought that they could
keep it. They thought that they could honor it and magnify it.
They thought they were righteous. Listen to the Pharisees. I thought
they were righteous. I thank God that I'm not as other
men are, even as this publican. I fast, I tithe, I do this, I
do that. Oh, so full of righteousness.
But how the dear apostle here in the epistle to the Romans,
he completely takes it all away. There's none that do it good,
whether Jew or Gentile. There's none that is acceptable
to God. only in Jesus Christ, only in
that precious blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. How beautifully
he sets it before us. And when he speaks of the fall
of Adam in chapter five, and from verse to verse, he speaks
of Adam and Christ. He speaks of Christ as the second
Adam. Just as Adam was the federal
head of the human race and we all fell in him, so Christ is
the only redeemer of the human race and we're all saved in him.
That is the wonderful comparison he makes in that fifth chapter.
Quite remarkably, he sets before us how that everything that we
stand in need of is in Jesus Christ. You know, that's very
beautiful also, isn't it? Something that's been exceedingly
sweet to me over the years is the the fifth chapter of the
epistle to the Romans and he builds on what is written in
the fourth chapter, therefore being justified by faith we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we
have access by faith and to this grace wherein we stand and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God Not only so, but we glory in tribulations
also, knowing that tribulation work is patience. Patience, experience,
experience, hope. Hope maketh not ashamed, because
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
which is given unto us. For when we were yet without
strength, this is the glory of free and sovereign grace. For
when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for
the ungodly, for scarcely for a righteous man will one die,
yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
But God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified
by his blood, we have we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies we
were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. The glorious life
and death. Saved by his life. I understand
a minister in one of our pulpits and some little while ago, he
said the life of Christ means nothing. Dear friends, what utter
nonsense. We've just read it. Saved by
his life. That perfect obedience of Christ. That perfect sinless life of
Christ. That perfect obedience is the
everlasting righteousness of Christ. for his church, they
are clothed in it. We are saved by the life and
the death, the sufferings and the sorrows and the death of
the man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief, who was wounded for
our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and the justicement
of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. Now let us come more closely
then, this is the conclusion here to this epistle to the Romans. And what a lovely conclusion
it is. Now, to him that is of power, to establish you according to
my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, to him that is
of power. Isn't that just what we need?
You know, we have no power to convert ourselves. We have no
power that we can make ourselves be born again. We have no power
to keep ourselves. And so the dear apostle, he dwells
on this here. He puts it in a very positive
way, now to him that is of power. to establish you. We need the
power of God to establish us in the truth as it is in Jesus.
We need the power of the Holy Ghost as we read in the epistle
to the Ephesians, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened to him that is of power. What to? To enlighten
you. To cause light to shine into
your mind. He's a power to do that. God
who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined into
our hearts, but with the light of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. Shined into our hearts. everything
my beloved friends is in Christ and hence the emphasis here now
to him that is a power to establish you according to my gospel and
the preaching of Jesus Christ we preach Christ crucified the
preaching of Jesus Christ the the apostles in Acts chapter
5 they were commanded of the rulers and the magistrates that
they were no more to preach in this name. And we read they rejoiced. To think that they were worthy
to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. And they went out and
they preached Jesus Christ. Because it's through the preaching
of the cross. It's through the preaching of
the person and work of Jesus Christ that sinners are converted
unto God. It's through the preaching of
Jesus Christ that liberty is proclaimed unto the captives.
The acceptable year of the Lord is come through the preaching
of Jesus Christ. The preaching of his glorious
person. It goes on here, the preaching
of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest. This mystery in 1 Timothy chapter
3 and the last verse we read, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. It's a profound mystery. One hymn writer speaking of that
mystery of God manifest in the flesh, how it was done, We can't
discuss, but this we know, it was done for us. The eternal
word was made flesh and dwelt among us. It's through that holy,
pure and spotless life of Jesus Christ that there is hope. It's through the sufferings of
the Lord Jesus in the garden in the judgment hall on the cross
of Calvary, those agonies and those sorrows that he passed
through that no tongue can tell. We cannot fathom the depth of
the sufferings of Christ. The whole church of God, from
the time of Adam to the end of time, our Eternal Father took
the sin of the whole church and he laid upon him the iniquity
of us all, the preaching of Jesus Christ that is now made manifest,
revealed. That's what the word manifest
means, it's revealed, it's shown forth. And how is the principle
why that it's shown forth? By the preaching of the everlasting
gospel, or as the apostle says, through the foolishness of preaching. That's how the Lord gathers his
people unto himself, through the preaching of the gospel.
Precious souls under the power of the Holy Ghost are convinced
of their sin, are convinced of their lost condition, are brought
to see, through the preaching of the gospel, that there is
salvation. A door of hope is opened wide
in Jesus' bleeding hands and side. Now this is the point,
the emphasis here, now to him that is of power. He's of power to do that. There's a similar sort of word
with the same import in the last two verses of the Epistle of
Jude. And it says there, just as we
think of this, now to him that is of power, verses 24 and 25
of the Epistle of Jude. Now unto him that is able, what
a precious word isn't it, unto him that is able to keep you
from falling and to present you faultless before the presence
of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Savior
be glory and majesty dominion and power both now and ever Amen,
now unto him that is able, to him that is of power. You know, sometimes the Lord's
living family, they get exceedingly tried, concerning how it is that
this, as the Apostle, he says, I think it's in the Corinthians,
that this corruptible, this corrupt, sinful, wretched nature, This
corruptible shall put on incorruption. You know that's a wonderful precious
truth. We shall be changed as the twinkling
of an eye. Now Paul, the apostle, he touches
on that in the last two verses of Philippians chapter three. And there in Philippians three
he says, for our conversation is in heaven. If you look, if
you have a marginal reference, the word conversation can be
translated as citizenship. Our citizenship is in heaven,
from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this is the point, who shall
change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body, according to the work in whereby he is able, he
is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Now to him that is of power, all power, said the Lord Jesus,
it is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Isn't it him, right, who says,
what more can he say than to you he has said, you who unto
Jesus for refuge have fled, now unto him that is able. He's able. Now to him that is of power to
establish you according to my gospel. And we have an exhortation
in the epistle of Peter but grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is able, know to him
that is of power, all power is given unto him. Know to him that
if his power to establish you according to my gospel and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,
which is kept secret, There's another mystery. We've spoken
of that profound mystery of godliness in the person of our Lord Jesus
Christ. But you know, there is that wonderful
and sacred mystery of the trinity. It is a mystery. How can one
be three and three be one? But that is what we see in the
Godhead. That there is one God. That's very emphatic throughout
all scripture. There is one God. And we read
in Isaiah on a number of occasions, and there is none beside me.
But then it's also revealed that within the Godhead are three
divine persons. You know, Paul again, when he
writes to the Colossians in the second chapter, and the second
and third verses, he says 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. That's the Trinity.
The mystery of God, that's the Holy Ghost, and of the Father
and of Christ, in whom I hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. It's a profound mystery. But
what a sacred mystery. And this mystery, when revealed
by faith unto your soul, it will strengthen you. When you feel
in your own soul the love of your Eternal Father, when you
feel in your own soul the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, when
you feel in your own soul the love of the Spirit, it's the
most sacred soul-establishing thing. feel those things and
experience those things in whom I hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man
should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent
in the flesh, yet am I with you in spirit, joying and beholding
your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye
have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. rooted and built up in him, and
established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving. And this is what concerned the
apostle. Greek philosophy was very prominent
in the days of the early church. Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy. You might say, what is philosophy? Human learning. Wicked, sinful
man, and is learning, and they base everything on what they
think they know. Instead, he says, beware, lest
any man spore you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition
of men, after the ruminants of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead body, and ye are complete in him, which is the
head of all principality. and power now to him that is
of power the head of all principality and power now to him that is
of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching
of jesus christ according to the revelation of the mystery
and it is a revelation when christ is revealed to the soul it's
a wonderful revelation When the precious doctrine of the Trinity
is received by faith, it's revealed unto you, it's a most precious
revelation. And it's something that will
establish you. It will establish you. And also,
there is this establishing. When the Holy Spirit teaches
you your sinfulness, your weakness, your helplessness, your hopelessness,
what does it teach you? You mustn't trust an arm of flesh. You mustn't trust yourself. That's
what it teaches you. It'll make you very fearful of
self when you know what self is and what deceit there is in
your own heart. Now to him that is of power to
establish you according to my gospel, the good news of salvation
and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of
the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now
is manifest, is made manifest. That is in the coming of Jesus
Christ, the coming of the Son of God, living as a man here
upon earth. It is a revelation of the way
of salvation and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to
the commandment of the everlasting God, made and known to all nations
for the obedience of faith. That's why it's made known, that's
why it's manifested for the obedience of faith. That we should walk
in obedience to Christ. Let this mind be in use as the
apostle in Philippians 2. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus. What was the mind of Christ? He made himself of no reputation. He took upon in the form of a
servant and was made in the likeness of man. And being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself. He humbled himself. That's the
mind of Christ. Humility and love. or that we
might have that mind given unto us and made known to all nations,
no longer just the Jews. This is why these things are
emphasized. This is why the apostle emphasizes
it. The gospel is now as much for
the Gentiles as it is for the Jews. They were very clear here
in the Romans how the Lord's people were rejected because
they rejected the Lord of life and glory. The majority of the
Jews did. But he said, there is still a
remnant according to the election of grace. And that remnant is
from among the Gentiles as well as among the Jews. He said, an
Israelite and the Lord has saved me and the Lord has saved all
those Israelites that are true Israelites that were that become
followers of Christ and of the Gentiles but and there is this
one Savior this one glorious Redeemer who loved us and gave
himself for us but now is made manifest now has he been made
manifest to you Because you know, real religion, my beloved friends,
is very personal. Has it been made manifest to
you? Has it been revealed to you? Has your darkness been turned
into light? Has your stony heart been taken
away and you've been given a heart of flesh? Do you have an aching
void that the world can never fill? There's something within
you that is so empty, so aching, and you cannot satisfy that emptiness
and that aching. You know, there is something
that can satisfy it. It's Jesus Christ. It's the glorious
gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of salvation, redemption
through the blood of the Lamb. You say, but I'm such a sinner.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. You say, but I'm so defiled.
The glorious everlasting righteousness of Christ covers a poor sinner
to stand complete in him, accepted in the beloved, to stand in heaven
above among the Lord's people. But now to him that is of power,
he's able. He is able. Doubt no more. Come you sinners, poor and wretched,
weakened, wounded, sick and sore. Jesus ready stands to save you,
full of pity, joined with power. He is able, doubt no more. He is able to save to the uttermost
all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth, seeing
he ever liveth. Now to him that is of power,
to establish you. You know, we have this here,
the obedience of faith. What does it mean? It means to
follow Christ. It means to follow Christ. If you're in love with Christ,
to follow him. Doesn't the hymn writer say,
follow him without delay? The obedience of faith. the sacred
ordinances of God's house. Believers' baptism and the Lord's
Supper, they are the two gospel ordinances. And they both speak,
they both reveal, they both make manifest the glorious person
of Jesus Christ. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness, or that you may be enabled to
live in obedience, as he calls it here, the obedience of faith. I think of that wonderful and
precious truth in the last chapter of the gospel according to Matthew,
and how the Lord he commands his disciples to go into the
world. Jesus, and it connects to our
text you see, Jesus came and spake unto them saying all power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore. Why? Because all power is given
unto me now to him that is a power to establish it. Go ye therefore
and teach all nations baptizing them the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Ghost just notice that it's only a
little tiny thing but it means so much in the name proper English
would say there's three people here and you should say names
but it doesn't why doesn't it because these three are one in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of of the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you, and lo, I am with you all the way, even unto the end of
the world. Amen. You may say, but I'm such
a poor, weak, needy sinner. But he is a power to establish
you. And it's true what you say. You
are a poor, weak, needy sinner. You are a poor, helpless sinner.
And it's a good thing if you feel it, because then you'll
ask the Lord to keep you. You'll ask the Lord to deliver
you. You feel your dependence upon him, and that's a good thing. And that is how the Lord will
establish you, because he'll reveal Christ unto you as the
eternal rock of ages, of that one that never changes, Jesus
Christ the same, yesterday and today and forever. and it will
bring you feeling your helplessness and your lost condition to rest
alone on the precious blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ
now unto him that is of power to establish you according to
my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the
revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world
began. and now is made manifest, and
by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith. To God only wise, be glory through
Jesus Christ forever. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 171 and the tune is Osset 386. Join all who love the Saviour's
name to sing His everlasting fame. Great God, prepare each
heart and voice in Him forever to rejoice. Hymn 171. O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? ? To sin is the everlasting blame
? ? Let all who live rejoice and praise the Lord ? Love him, what wondrous things
art thou, In the name of the Lord I begot For him I claim
We all sing his name To him I'd so forever cling. In Him my treasures all contain,
I give my soul to self-sustain. From him, I do hope things now
receive. Through him, my soul shall ever
be. With thee in my daily laughter
flow, Long live my soul, delight to toll, All Him I trust, my every care. Like Him, one day I shall know
Him. Bless him, my soul, from day
to day. Doth he live to bring me on thy
way? Give him thy poor, weak, sinful
heart With them, oh, never, never part Take him for strength and righteousness. Bring him thy refuge in distress. Love him above all else enjoy,
and give him everything employ. Praise Him in cheerful grateful
song To Him your highest praise belong. Tis He who does your every prayer. Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, Rest and abide with us each, both now
and forever. Amen.