The book of Colossians is all
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Alright, the book of Colossians is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. The entire New Testament is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. The entire Old Testament is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. Every word in the Bible is concerning. Every word is
all about the Lord Jesus Christ. And what I would like for us
to see in the three verses that are our text this morning is
number one, what the Lord Jesus Christ did. Number two, who the
Lord Jesus Christ did it for. And number three, why the Lord
Jesus Christ did it. What he did. who He did it for,
and why He did it. All right, let's read these three
verses. Colossians 1, verses 20 to 22. And having made peace through the blood of His cross
by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself. By Him, I say,
whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And you that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled. in the body of His flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in His sight." What an announcement. What an announcement. What a
declaration. Especially considering who the
Lord Jesus Christ is. What an announcement concerning
what He has done. The Gospel is only an announcement
of what He has done. What an announcement of who He
has done it for and why He has done it, especially considering
who He is. Who is He? Who is He? This man Jesus that everybody
is speaking of. Who is He? Well, verse 15, right
here in Colossians chapter 1, verse 15 says, He is the image
of the invisible God. You want to see God? Look at Jesus Christ. Verse 16 says, He is the one
who created everything that's in heaven and everything that's
in earth, whether it's visible or invisible, He created every
bit of it. And it says everything was created
by Him and for Him. Verse 17 says, He is before all
things, And by him all things consist, and he is the head of
the body, the church who is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence."
He might have the glory, he might have the credit, he might be
first. Verse 19 says, he's the one that
it pleased the father to put all fullness in. So considering the glory of who
he is, it's an amazing announcement. It honestly is. I stand here. I wrote this in my notes a few
days ago. I'm just as amazed right now as when I wrote it
down. It's amazing. This is amazing. It is an amazing declaration
to hear of what he was pleased to do. And that's what the gospel
is. It's not what he's trying to
do or what he's planning on doing. So far, so good. If you could
just help him keep the devil out of the way, no. The gospel is what He has done. Known unto God were all His works
from the beginning. He said, Father, I finished the
work. It's finished. And it's amazing to hear what
He was pleased to do, who He was pleased to do it for. He
did it for who you wouldn't have done it for. And it's an amazing declaration
to hear of why He was pleased to do it. Let's look at these
three things, alright? What was He pleased to do? Verse 20 says, And having made
peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all
things unto Himself, By Him I say, whether they be things in earth
or things in heaven." He made peace. This is what He did. This is what He was pleased to
do. He made peace through the blood of His cross. He reconciled. all things unto himself. That's
what he did. He reconciled all things unto
himself. He said to the very first man
that was ever placed on earth, he said, cursed is the ground
because of you. And every man and woman that
has come since has suffered under the curse. The curse brought
war. The apostle Paul said, I have
a war raging inside me. There's a war going on inside
me. The curse brought wrath. The
curse brought judgment. The curse brought punishment.
The curse brought death. Christ brought peace. He brought
peace. It was all negative. It was all
bad. It was all ruined. Everything that pertained to
man and his sin was terrible. Christ came and brought peace. Look with me at Romans 5. Romans 5 verse 1 says, Therefore,
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. That is a current established
thing. It's not we should have peace
with God, we might. It's an established thing. Being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. That's what Christ came to accomplish
and that's what He accomplished. He accomplished Peace. I love
peace. I'll just speak on my own behalf.
It's one of my favorite things that this life has to offer.
Peace. I have a concordance in my office.
It is a Bible dictionary and it tells you you have all these
Hebrew words and Greek words and it gives you the definition.
So all the words of the Bible are in there. I leave that page
open. It says it on both sides. It
says it in the scripture so many times. Peace, peace. It even
says it in the, peace, peace, peace. Every time, I just want
it open right there. Peace. I love peace. Christ came and accomplished
peace. You know what life with Him is
like? It's peaceful. You know what heaven's gonna
be like? It's gonna be peace. There's just so much peace. He
said there's so much peace, a lion and a lamb can have lunch together. It's fine. It's just peace. Because of that curse that came
upon both man and woman, God said originally, cast them out.
Cast them out of my garden, cast them out of my presence, cast
them out of the fellowship and union that they had. A man made
this statement. And this is why it's so vital
to go back to the origination of sin every time. He said, if
we're wrong on the fall, we're wrong on it all. People believe
that man, you know, messed up and God gave him a slap on the
wrist and put him in prison for a while. That's not what happened.
Man died in sin. Man lost the union of life. And God cast man and woman out. From that moment ever since,
man and woman has been separated from God. Every child that's
born into this world is born estranged from God. Separated from God. But Christ
came and reconciled every single one of His people. And I want
to emphasize that. He didn't make a general offer
for all of mankind. God the Father gave Him a list
of particular people. And every single one of His people,
Christ came and reconciled them back to Himself. They were cast
out, estranged, gone. Every one of them, He reconciled
them back to Himself. How did He do that? Don't turn
back, but our text said, having made peace through the blood
of His cross. There was only one way to end
the war. This is the declaration of the
gospel. Don't let anyone tell you, oh, there's more than one
way. There's more than one way. You
better figure out your way. If you have that way, that's
fine. And we have this way and that's fine. God says there's
only one way There's only one way, and man
can't do it. Man can't go that way. Only Christ
went that way. He said, where I'm going, you
cannot follow me right now. I must do this alone, by Himself. There's only one way for God's
chosen but separated and cast out people to be reconciled back
to God. Christ had to offer himself as
a bloody sacrifice to God on behalf of those people. The price
of reconciliation, it was so high, no man or woman on earth
could pay it. This is what it took to reconcile
man back. Sinless blood. None of us have
it. None of us have it. I have sinned.
You have sinned. Every man and woman in the scripture.
David, the man after God's own heart, cried, I have sinned against
you. I acknowledge my sin. We have sinned. We have sin in
our blood. and it cannot reconcile us. No
man or woman could pay it, so Christ came and He paid it for
them through the sinless blood of His cross. I told you the
whole Old Testament and the whole New Testament is all about Christ.
Let me show you that. Look with me at Isaiah 63. Isaiah 63 verse 1, Who is this that cometh from
Edom? That word means red. Edom is
the people of Esau, Jacob and Esau. Edom is the people that
came from Esau, but the word itself means red, and that's
the color of blood. Alright, so verse 1 says, Who
is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments, from Basra. The name Basra means the sheepfold. Who is this that cometh with
red garments from the sheepfold? We know who it is. Christ Jesus
the Lamb, Christ Jesus the Lord. the peacemaker, the reconciler.
Verse one, who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments
from Basra, this that is glorious in his apparel? Traveling in
the greatness of his strength, I that speak in righteousness,
mighty to save, wherefore art thou red in thine apparel? and
thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat." The question
is asked to him, why do your garments look like they have
been stained, covered in the blood of red grapes? Why is that?
Verse 3, he said, it's because I have trodden the wine-press
alone. And of the people, there was
none with me. For I will tread them in mine
anger, and trample them in my fury." He's speaking of substitution.
He's speaking of what God did to us in Him. He goes on to say,
"...and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments. And
I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in
mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." And I looked,
and there was none to help. And I wondered that there was
none to uphold. Therefore, mine own arm brought
salvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me. And I will tread
down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury,
and I will bring down their strength to the earth." We're either going
to be judged in Him or by Him. Verse 7, I will mention the lovingkindness
of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord according to all
that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward
the house of Israel which He hath bestowed on them according
to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses. For He said, Surely they are
My people, children that will not lie, so He was their Savior. In all their affliction, He was
afflicted. And the angel of His presence
saved them. In His love and in His pity,
He redeemed them. And He bared them and carried
them all the days of old. That's what He did. That's how
He made peace. That's how He reconciled. He tread the winepress of God's
wrath alone in the place of His people. Now if you'd like to
see it, you can turn to Revelation 19. It says the same thing in
the New Testament that it says in the Old Testament. Revelation
19, this is verse 15. And out of his mouth goeth a
sharp sword, and that's his Word, that's the Word of God. The Word
of God is sharp, it pierces, it divides. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp
sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall
rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress
of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Who's that talking
about? Who tread the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God? Verse 16 says, He hath on
His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings
and Lord of lords. That's who tread the winepress.
And that amazing fact is emphasized in our text. Go back with me
to Colossians 1. Verse 20 says, And having made
peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all
things unto Himself, by Him I say, whether they be things in earth
or things in heaven, He is the One who reconciled. 2 Corinthians
5 says, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. Our brother just read that for
us. Now think about this. God was the one who was offended. God was the one that we went
to war with. But God was the one who made
peace for us. God was the one who reconciled
us to Himself. He is such a merciful and gracious
God. He's such a loving and kind God. We see that not just in the fact
that He was willing to make peace, but we see it so clearly in who
He was willing to make peace for. Who He reconciled. Now, who did He reconcile? Who
did He reconcile? Verse 21 says, you and you that
were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled. He reconciled sinners. What makes
a sinner an enemy? What are the wicked works that
that verse is speaking of. Here it is. It's believing in
our own hearts that our works are more effectual than His.
It's believing that it's going to take our works and our deeds
and our morality and our obedience to this law to get us into heaven. Denying everything he accomplished
through the blood of his cross. It is such a spit in his face.
It's such an offense to him. Every time we believe in our
hearts, I better fix this. He fixed it. That's an offense
to God. That's an offense to His Son.
You know, in our simple minds, we think we're doing right. We
mean good by it, but it's an evil work to God. All of our
works are going to be cast out. Every work we bring to Him, He
says, that's a filthy rag. That's all it is. So He reconciled
sinners just like you and sinners just like me. Look at Romans 5 again. Verse 1 says, Therefore, being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace
wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing
that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and
experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed,
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost which is given unto us. Now watch verse 6. For when we
were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for. Who did He do this for? Who did
He do this for? In due time, Christ died for
the ungodly. Christ only made peace for those
who are ungodly in and of themselves. What makes me say that? What
makes you say that? Because He said, I did not come
to call the righteous. I came to call sinners. The only people that Christ reconciled
are those who see themselves to be completely ungodly in the
flesh. Now to one, that's a savor of
life unto life, and to another that's a savor of death unto
death. To those who see themselves to be righteous and would prefer
to offer their own works, that's such an offense to them. Don't
you call me ungodly? But to those who are wallowing
in their misery because they just cannot stand what they see
in themselves, they cry, thank God, He died for me. I know He died for me. You know
why? Because I know what I am. If God leaves me to myself, I
know what I am and I know where I'll be. This wicked mind, these
wicked works, these wicked deeds, all the thoughts, Where would I be if God left
me to myself? I know where I'd be. Christ made peace for those who
see themselves to be completely ungodly in the flesh. It breaks
my heart. It makes me so sad. But there
are not many people in the world who see themselves to be ungodly.
There are not many people. Our Lord said, broad is the way
that leads to destruction. Straight and narrow is the gate,
and few there be that find it." Who's going to find it? The ungodly. Crying, oh, woe is me. I'm undone. I'm a man of unclean lips. That's
what Isaiah said, who we just read. Oh God, be merciful to me. Please
be merciful to me. If we do, if He has been merciful,
if He has caused us to see ourselves for what we are, then the Word
of God says, and you. And you. If God has revealed to me what
I naturally am by nature, then according to the commandment
of the Word of God, I can say, and me. And me. Verse 6 says, 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 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."
What did He do? He made peace by the blood of
His cross. He reconciled every sinful child
of the Father back to Himself. Who did He do it for? He did
it for ungodly, alienated wicked sinners like you and like me. Why did He do it? Turn back to
our text, Colossians 1. Colossians 1 verse 21, it says,
And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath He reconciled. in the body of His flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable
and unreprovable in His sight. He made peace for and reconciled
His sinful, wicked people so that He could present them back
to His Father spotless, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable
in His sight. Holy means sacred, pure. It means a saint. He did it to make sinners saints. Unblameable means faultless. unblemished, without blame. Therefore, unreprovable means
unaccusable, cannot charge. That's what it means. Christ
accomplished all of this so that no accusations could ever be
brought up against His Children, never again, never again. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us. That's what He did, that's
who He did it for, and that's why He did it. And this is our
response to it all. Okay, everything so far is what
He did, who He did it for, and why He did it. Now this is our
response to it all. Turn with me to the book of Jude.
We'll close with this. Just before Revelation, there's
only one chapter in Jude. Verse 24 says, Now 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 forever. Amen. Amen. That's our God. That's what He's
worthy of. All dominion, all power, all
glory, all majesty, both now and forever. Amen. All right,
let's all stand together.