Ephesians chapter 3, to all my
messages, what prophets and angels seek. Now I want you to imagine
something. If we pulled up in this parking
lot on Wednesdays and on Sunday mornings, and whenever you pulled
into the parking lot, all around this hillside, up on the hill,
back behind us, out in the street there blocking traffic was angels.
Tens of thousands of angels standing around this building. And then
you come into this building, and right up here on the front
row, there's Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Jonah, Hosea. The prophets are sitting here. Would I come? Would I have a word for them
when I got here? Would you want to ask them a
question? If those two angels that drug Lot out of Sodom and
Gomorrah, if just like that, they were sitting here today,
they hadn't seen what transpired, and they just showed up here
today, would you want to ask them a question? Would you go
up and say, I want to pay attention to you? You know what would happen? We're going to see this this
morning. Those prophets sitting on this front row would come
to you, and they would ask you, Oh, tell me what you know. Those angels would run off every
lizard on a hillside. They'd stop every fly from flying
and say, I want to hear what they got to say. They'd want
to hear the gospel preached and the revelation that we've been
given in our day and time. I'm unworthy to stand in front
of you and tell you that. What would we do? those prophets
came, they would ask us. That just amazes me. We're going
to see it this morning. First thing we're going to see
is the desire of those holy men of old, those prophets, what
they earnestly, what they searched after, what they were diligent
over looking for. Look here in verse 3. How that by revelation
he made known unto me the mystery The mystery of Christ, His gospel,
as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when you read, you may
understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. He's talking
about chapter 1, chapter 2. The Lord's purpose in saving
the people, the Lord's providence throughout this world, His sovereign
hand, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons
of men as it is now. They knew, but as it's revealed
now, they wouldn't reveal to them, unto His holy apostles
and prophets by the Spirit. So first thing we're going to
look at this morning, those men of old, those prophets of old, they
had a revelation to them, but not like we have. And they diligently
searched for Christ, to learn more of Him, to know Him. And
secondly, we're going to see what those holy angels in heaven,
what they look after, what they seek. Paul says there in verses
6-9, he says, I was sent by the grace of God to preach the gospel
to the Gentiles. The Lord was gracious to me in
wisdom and in perfection to give me this burden for you, for you
Gentiles. That's what Paul's telling us.
Then in verse 10, to the intent. that now unto the principalities
and powers and heavenly places, that's the angels in heaven all
around us, might be known by the church, might be known by
the church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal
purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. And when
Paul preached the gospel, A host of angels was round about so
they could see God's providence and His mercy and His holiness
unfold in you. When you hear. I already felt about that though.
Doesn't that just make you shriek? How could that be? Manifold wisdom
of God is how that could be. And then briefly, I want us to
look at those prophets of old, what they diligently sought after. Those angels, what they diligently
seek after. It's the only thing they're looking
for. And at the end, briefly, what
do you and I seek? I'm preaching to me this morning.
I'm just going to let you all listen. What do I seek? First, the desire of those Old
Testament prophets. Let's go to verse 5. In other
ages, the mystery of Christ, the gospel of Christ, was not
made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto His
holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. They understood Christ. They had faith in the Lord. They
knew salvation was of the Lord. But they didn't have a revelation
you and I have. Turn over to 1 Peter there, and
then leave your marker there. We'll be back. 1 Peter. Peter
was telling us the same thing in the same order that Paul was
telling us. It's almost like they had the
same teacher in them. 1 Peter 1. Apostle Peter said that
them prophets of old, they desired to know more of Christ. Look
here in verse 10. 1 Peter 1.10, "...of which salvation
the prophets have inquired and searched diligently..." They
inquired and they searched diligently. "...who prophesied of the grace
that should come unto you..." That's unto us. "...searching
what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in
them did signify, when it testified beforehand..." They wanted to
know what this was all about. When is this going to happen?
They didn't know yet. They knew it was when they testified
before Him the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should
follow. He's coming. He's going to suffer
and He's going to be risen up and He's going to be glorified.
And they diligently searched what that was about. How's that
going to take place? When is it going to happen? Oh,
I want to see these things. Unto whom it was revealed that
not unto themselves, This wasn't going to take place in their
lifetime, but unto us they did minister the things which are
now reported, they're now preached unto you by them that have preached
the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
That great mystery that they leaned forward, we see it and
that's what's preached to us. It's not what's going to happen,
it's what's done. What God's already completed in His prophecy. They didn't have the completed
Scriptures like we had. Those prophets of old, they're
still writing. The Lord spoke to their hearts individually.
He came and instructed them. He told them what to write. They
didn't have the Scriptures fulfilled. The prophets only had revealed
to them what the Spirit of Christ revealed in their hearts. What
He told them. And they had to wait on the time for Christ to
reveal these things. When it testified to them. And
all the things that were revealed were not made known to them as
fully as they are now revealed to us by the Holy Spirit and
in the Scriptures. It was revealed to them that
the things they spoke of, the things that you and I have preached
to us today, were not going to come to pass in their day. He
says in verse 12, unto whom it was revealed that not unto yourselves
but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported
unto you by them that preach the gospel unto you with the
Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. But with all their heart, they
knew it wasn't going to be revealed to them, they knew it wasn't
going to come to fruition, it wasn't going to come to pass,
but they still diligently looked for Christ. They still diligently
looked to Him and for Him, for His coming. That's why I said
there in verse 10, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and
searched diligently. Now can't you just imagine, and
it's recorded, Moses said, Lord, show me your glory. Teach me. And he said, all right, Moses,
I'll do that. Solomon, we just read there in
1 Kings 3, that wisest man that ever lived, prayed to the Lord.
The Lord said, ask me anything you want, Solomon. He said, Lord,
give me an understanding heart. I want to understand these things.
I want to search these things diligently. Let me look after
you. Let me look to Christ." All these
prophets, they inquired of the Lord. And they inquired and they
searched diligently. Moses saw all these things in
part. The Spirit of Christ revealed
to Moses in type and in picture, he got to see our Lord. The sufferings
of Christ and the glory that should come. Moses saw in part
Christ's suffering and all those lamb sacrifices. It wasn't just
one, there's a bunch of sacrifices weren't there? It took all those
to tempify each portion of Christ's full body, his full atonement,
his full life that he was going to come. And he only showed in
part, didn't he? Moses saw in part Christ and
that scapegoat. They'd bring that scapegoat before
the priest. In ceremony, they'd lay their hands on that scapegoat's
head, showing the ceremony that the sins of Israel, and only
Israel, were transferred to that scapegoat. And then that scapegoat
would go out to a land uninhabited. A fit man would take him. And
that fit man would come back, and he had to wash. He had to
be clean before he could come back. Moses saw it in part, and he
said, Christ will take our sins away. And then they had that
land for the atonement. That lamb slain. A high priest
would enter that holiest of holies once a year by himself but not
without blood. It had to be something that had
blood. Something had to die for that
atonement. Now sprinkling the blood seven
times on the mercy seat. He saw in part the glory that
was to come. He saw the sufferings in part.
He saw the glory that was to come in part because of Israel's
deliverance out of Egypt. That Passover land that they
sacrificed every year to declare what had already been happening.
And that drawing out, that Day of Atonement when the Lord passed
over Israel. And Moses did not look at these things in hindsight
like we did. We have that privilege to look
back on these things. It's already taken place. These
things were revealed to him by the Lord. He came to his heart
and said, this is what's going to happen. This is who's going
to do it. This is who's going to save my people. But it hadn't
happened yet. He couldn't look back. He couldn't
read Hebrews 9 when it says, but Christ being come and high
priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands. Moses got the instructions to
build that tabernacle, didn't he? And this is Christ. That is to
say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood he entered once into the holy place, having
obtained eternal redemption for us." How he diligently inquired. He
sought more of Christ. That's what Moses did. Isaiah
saw him part. Isaiah is quoted more in the
New Testament than any other prophet in Old Testament. in
the Old Testament, in the Prophets of old. He's quoted more. And
he saw in part those sufferings of Christ and the glory that
should follow. The Spirit revealed to Isaiah the sufferings of Christ
in part. It was revealed in part to this
great prophet that all these apostles quoted. It said in Isaiah
7, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold,
a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name
Emmanuel, God with us. Two days ago, that was probably
quoted a million times around this world. When Isaiah wrote
that, somebody's probably come up to him and said, Isaiah, what's
that mean? I don't know. Croft is coming. When's that
going to take place? I don't know. That's what it
gave me to write. He said Isaiah 53, for he shall
grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry
ground. He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there
is no beauty that we should desire him. That's that one born of
a virgin. God with us is coming. But Isaiah
never saw that as we do. Lord revealed that truth in his
heart, but he didn't have it like we have it. He didn't see
that God born of a virgin and that God man growing up, being
despised and rejected by the Pharisees and the Sadducees and
all those around him, even his own family. He didn't know how
it was going to take place. He saw in part the suffering
of Christ on the cross. He told us there in Isaiah 53,
5, but he was wounded for our transgressions. The Lord hath
laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and
he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. Isaiah, what's
that mean? I don't know, but I want to find
out. He's coming. Here's what he gave me to write,
and I want to know more of him. He never saw in hindsight that
Christ's substitution for his people or his perfect suffering,
not as we do. He knew it was coming, but he
doesn't see it like we have. We've had revealed in us. He saw that glory
that should follow. After Christ's sufferings, he
wrote in Isaiah 53, 11, he shall see the prevail of his soul and
shall be satisfied. God the Father is going to be
satisfied with this sacrifice that's coming. This true lamb,
slain before the foundation of the world that's coming, God
the Father is going to be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many. And he tells us in Isaiah 54,
saying, O barren, thou that didst not bear. You that didn't do
any of this. He didn't lay a hand to it. Sing. That's who he'd come to save,
wasn't it? Those lame, those blind. That's who he'd come.
Enlarge the place of thy tent. He speaks to Israel. Like Shem. Japheth's going to be enlarged.
He's going to be living in your tent. Better push that tent out.
Enlarge your tent. For thou shalt break forth on
the right hand and on the left hand. And thy seed shall inherit
the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. His kingdom
come. His will will be done. But Isaiah
never saw it as we do. Christ resurrected to his throne
of glory. Christ going forth through Paul. Preaching to those Gentiles enlarging
that tent. To us in our day. All of us Gentile
dogs sat there this morning. Isaiah didn't see that, did he?
We're allowed to. Calling out God's elect who he
successfully redeemed in his own blood. But these men of old,
they inquired, and they searched diligently to know the things
that we know, things that we take for granted, don't we? That's
what they eagerly searched. Now that's the men of old. How
about these angels? Look back in our text there in Ephesians
3. Paul said that he was sent to
preach the gospel. It says, verse 10, "...to the
intent now unto the principalities and powers and heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God according
to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord." Peter told us there in 1 Peter 1.12, "...which things
the angels desire to look into." The angels desire to look into
these things that we have sitting in our laps, sitting right here
on this table. And that's something. Holy angels learn to manifold
wisdom of God, beholding God's eternal purpose unfolded, beholding
Christ's work in the midst of His church. They can see these
things come to pass in the hearts of the sheep of Christ. Those
souls that he's going into, speaking into, like a two-edged sword,
quickening their spirits. They get to watch this. This
is what they look into. They want to see this happen.
Which things the angels desire to look into. The angels, during
Exodus, were shown as the those cherubims. Wikipedia actually
gets that right. It says it's not little tiny
plump babies. If we saw one, we'd probably pass out and scare
you to death. But over top of that ark and
the mercy seat, there's a cherubim on each side and the wings covered
their eyes, didn't they? But they were facing, looking
onto that mercy seat. That's what they were facing.
Overshadowing that mercy seat with their faces covered. And
they behold God's manifold wisdom in that. His eternal purpose
unfolded and crossed our mercy seat for His work and for His
church. He told us before time, this
is what's going to happen, right there it is, mercy seat. That's pointing
to Christ, isn't it? Throughout the Old Testament,
those angels, they've been diligently watching God's work ever since
the garden. Before time, He said, He notified
them. There's a good argument too that
when Satan fell, because the angels are higher than we are.
I think I'm pretty good. They're a whole lot better. But
they're above us, and the Lord declared His purpose. They were
listening in whenever He made that covenant of eternal grace
with His Son, Christ. And they said, I'm going to have
these angels. They're going to watch over these people. They're
going to serve these people that are mine. Satan said, not me.
That's just a little old man. I'm a big old angel. The Lord
didn't reserve him and allowed him to fall. A third of the angels
fell away. Because they were listening in to this. But since
that garden, they saw God come down and create the earth. They
were amazed. They saw Adam formed in His image. Perfect perfection and uprightness.
And they said, look what the Lord did. And they saw Satan
come. Tempt Eve through Adam. Come
to that wife. That's how he got to him. Tempted
her. Tempted Adam. And they fell.
And the Lord said, I'm going to send the seed of a woman to
come and crush his head. He's going to bruise his heel.
He's going to crush the serpent's head. And those angels stood
there and said, I want to see how this happens. We believe
him. Diligently, they searched these things out to look on to,
to watch. They heard God declare that.
and how it was going to come through the Law and the Prophets
in the Old Testament. And they diligently beheld God
unfold that eternal purpose of His through that. And all the
types and all the prophecies that were coming to place. They
watched that. Diligently seeking, diligently
listening. What did He say? I do that when I watch TV. If
I miss a word, I do it last night. Somebody said something to me,
what does that matter? I'll hit pause, I'll rewind. That's all
I want to hear. Do I look to this word that way? What did
He say? That's what those angels were
doing. To the intent that now, Paul said he was sent to preach
that gospel that now, there verse 10, Ephesians 3.10. To the intent
that now unto the principalities and powers in heaven, heavenly
places, might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom
of God. When Christ came into the world,
God declared and proclaimed from the throne of the Most High.
He said, when He bringeth the first begotten into the world,
He saith, let all the angels of God worship Him. That's who
angels worship. Worship Christ, look to Him,
how they do so. Our text says that holy angels
are attending the preaching of the gospel. Same as us. This morning, Bob, a host of
angels were around us quietly listening, diligently seeking
to hear a word. Am I ready when I come here? Am I ready when I stand up here
to tell you this? Am I ready when I tell them?
Makes me want to study harder through the week. Makes me want
to be prepared when I come here to hear a word from our Lord.
What importance is placed upon the preaching of the gospel?
In our day and age, that's a thing that says the promise of preaching
is gone. Entertainment. What kids programs
you got? Well, we sing a lot of songs.
We have hymn songs for an hour and a half. The angels are there
to hear the preacher of the word, aren't they? Angels behold the
manifold wisdom of God by the church, what he does in and for
his people. And when they beheld Satan outwit
Adam in the garden, he was an Eve. They must have been astonished. How could that happen? But when
they beheld Christ being made in fashion like His brethren,
being made a man just like us, made a little lower than the
angels for the suffering of death, that He should taste death for
every one of His saints, how they must have just diligently
paid attention when they watched Him come into this earth. What
was transpiring? Do you think they rolled their
eyes at the preaching of the gospel? Those angels that are looking
on and they hear the gospel of Christ preached, the good news,
the only news, the only salvation, you think, that man is just standing
up there saying it again. They seek diligently, don't they?
At the cross, Christ went to Calvary. Those angels beheld
God's wisdom in declaring His righteousness. while at the same
time justifying His people from their sins. They beheld Christ, the God-man,
taking His people's place, taking our sins to be His, being made
sin for us, and taking our judgment to be His judgment. They watched. Angels beheld that God-man go
into a tomb. And the stone rolled up the ceiling.
But three days later, they watched Him. They watched Christ raised
from that tomb, triumphant over Satan, triumphant over sin, triumphant
over death, triumphant over hell for His people. They beheld Him
crowned with glory and honor. That's what they've been watching
for Him. Hebrews 1 says, Being made so much better than the
angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name
than they. He inherited a much better name,
didn't he? Believer, that's the name you're given. In that marriage, to our Redeemer,
our kinsman Redeemer, we're given His name. He adorns His bride. Do we seek Him? Do we listen
for Him diligently? Those angels must have been amazed
at God's wisdom to use Satan and sin to manifest His glory
and declared Himself just and the justifier. They're in the
garden. They said, well, I don't know
what's going to happen. They didn't have the unbelief that
we have. It's all over now. They just said, how's this going
to play out? He's going to do something. And they said, oh, that's perfect.
In our hearts, in our lives, everything that happens to us,
as the Lord reveals Himself to us and in us, the things of this
world go strangely dim in a lot of His glorious grace, don't
they? When we see the graciousness five years ago, ten years ago,
twenty years ago, we say, that was perfect. Remember when I
broke my leg? That's why you children are sitting
here today. Sad then, perfect. Boy, I'm glad
I broke my leg. That's a good day. Perfect. That's
what those angels did. Now the Holy Spirit declares
this amazing thing through the Apostle, that the holy angels
diligently attend the preaching of the gospel. They love to hear
the story of how God is just. How every elect child satisfied
divine justice in him. Not by our doing, but by his
one sacrifice and his body on a tree. They desire to look into
how God is a justifier in Christ, who God is providing himself
a lamb. How did He do this? And they
rejoice in the wisdom of God with us, as we rejoice when they
hear this declared. Imagine whenever Romans 8.33
is read, those angels listening on, and they know all this, they've
watched it all, been eyewitnesses. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who
is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God,
who is also making intercession for us. Can't you hear them rejoicing? Amen. That's to tell one another. That's what he said back in the
garden. That's what he said he was going to do. That's how he
did it. That's how it played out. Those
angels admire the wisdom and eternal purpose of God, which
was hidden. At Old Testament, the gospel
concealed. At New Testament, the gospel revealed. That gospel
was hidden then. How Christ is now sending forth
the gospel to call it his redeemed sheep. It's what he's doing this
day. With all of our technology. With
all the brilliance that we have as human beings. God saves by
the foolishness of preaching, and that's it. Not only among the Jews, but
also the Gentiles. They admire Christ's wisdom to
prevail over every obstacle that hell puts in the way. What's
that mean? You have a flat tire, didn't
get to make it to service. Or my tie ain't right. Satan will
use anything he can, and it ain't what we suspect, to take away
from the preaching of the gospel. To thwart God's sheep he put
in Christ. And those angels were just amazed,
like that can't happen. There he is. They're in his hand
and they ain't going nowhere. Luke 15.10 says, there is joy
in the presence of angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
They watch on as the Lord calls out His sheep, as He saves His
people with His divine hand and divine mercy and divine grace
as He comes to them. They admire with us God's wisdom
and how the Lord afflicts and how He comforts. I wish I could
admire the way He afflicts. I'm having a massive pity party
about how bad I got it, or how sad I am, or all this. So much
trial is on me. That and my, I said, well, watch
what he's going to do. That's to be a creature without
sin. how he upholds us. We find fault
many times in the province of the Lord because we don't understand
his doings. That's just unbelief in us. We
don't know what he's capable of and that he's willing and
able to keep his promises to his people and that it's all
for our good and his glory. Those angels behold that. How
amazing is that? That's what they look for. Now
lastly, Do I diligently seek the Lord? The prophets did. The Lord's angels do. Do I seek Him? Holy men of old
look to Him. Those angels seek Him. If they
do that, shouldn't we? If that's here for us to ask
a question, if I could go ask them, you think they'd tell me?
Hush! Just listen to them. Listen for
a word from the Lord. You think I ought to seek Him
too? You think you should? We should, shouldn't we? There in 2 Peter chapter 1. Apostle Peter wrote about being
on that mount of transfiguration with Christ whenever He beheld
His majesty and He heard God glorify Him. 2 Peter 1 beginning
verse 16. For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we were eyewitnesses of his
majesty." People said, oh man, could you imagine Peter standing
there on that? They saw him. Saw those two prophets of old
standing there talking with him. They saw him. How could they
not believe? The first thing Peter said, let's
make three Tabernacles here, huh? Let's make three idols to
worship." He dealt with him. Lord, I'll never deny you. He
said, before the sun goes down, before that cock crows three
times, you'll deny me thrice, won't you? I think Peter knew
what he was talking about. He said, verse 17, for he received
from God the Father honor and glory. When there came such a
voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased. Peter stood up on that mountain
and he heard, he saw Christ transformed and he heard God the Father speak.
He heard His voice. He said, this is my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased. That wasn't a general call. He
said, hear ye Him. He did. He heard it. And this
voice which came from the heaven, we heard. And we were with Him
in the Holy Mount. What a sight that must have been
to watch Him. What a revelation to have first hand to see. To hear Jesus speak to Moses
and Elias. That death He's going to accomplish
at Calvary. That's what they spoke of. What a sound to hear
the beloved Father's voice in our own ears. But we have something
better than just Peter's testimony. I'd want to sit down and say,
Peter, what was that like? And Peter says, you know what? You've
got something better than that, than what I can tell you, than
my words to describe it. God the Holy Spirit says that
through Peter right here, in our day, we have something just
as good as standing on that mountain with Peter. Even more sure than
that, we have the Scriptures. We have this book sitting right
in front of us. If that mountain was back behind us, it might
have strong legs, I'd climb it all the time looking for him,
wouldn't I? Do I have a strong finger to turn these pages? They're
in verse 19. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy, what I'm telling you. Where unto ye do well that
ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and until the day star arises in your hearts,
knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. He said, we have these scriptures
and this is proof. This isn't one man's opinion.
All those old prophets, all the, they weren't even on the same
continent, wasn't the same time. Every one of them you can go
through and they're telling you the same story. Those that search
diligently are pointing to the same Christ that's coming. Same
one that has came in the New Testament, as Peter wrote this
letter to us. He's come. He's accomplished
what He set out to do. It's finished. It's finished.
What a sure word. Do we desire to know more of
the mystery of Christ? Just like them. The knowledge
of Christ, the words of God, are more valuable than anything
else in this world. This book is more valuable than
the house that sits in it on top of you. Do I see it as so? Psalm 19.10 says, More to be
desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter
also than honey in the honeycomb. It's valuable, but you know what?
It's sweet to his people. Sweeter than a honeycomb. Oh,
that's precious, isn't it? When he fitly frames us together,
speaking of one another, you know what I read the other day?
Oh, that's nice. Oh, that is precious. Sweet.
Do we seek with more diligence earthly riches or the riches
of His kingdom? What have I sought? What have
I spent my time, my heart's desire after? We have a great privilege
given to us. Thank you for the great light
and the privileges God's granted us in our day. Most of those
prophets of old, they didn't know each other. As far as off
the top of my head, Isaiah and Hosea are the only two in the
same time period, but they didn't know each other. Jeremiah couldn't
go over to Ezekiel and say, hey, the Lord told me this in my heart.
What did he tell you? And I can compare. Let's make
some sense out of this. We want to search diligently.
We want to look for him coming. and learn more of him, know more
of him. What did he tell you, and I'll tell you what he told
me, and let's figure this out. They didn't have that opportunity.
We do. I can go to Isaiah and say, what's
that mean? Well, what did he tell Jeremiah? What did he tell
Hosea? The only sign we got is Jonah.
What does Jonah say? And then if I don't understand
it, I've got Paul and Peter and John's commentary on it. He goes
through and tells us what it means. Pharaoh's spiritual things
are spiritual things. That's our commentary right there.
What a privilege it is. God's given us the complete scriptures,
all the mysteries of Christ, the fellowship of the mysteries
contained in the pages of this book. And God has put you and
I in a country where we can freely and diligently search these scriptures. There's nations on this earth
right now, I think I got it bad, Just feel so frustrated and fired
up and mad. They won't let me do whatever
it is. There's people that believe Christ
in other nations right now that are risking their physical mortal
lives to do so. They search these scriptures
and it's against the law in that country to do so. Get their head
chopped off out in public. What a privilege we have. God's
given us so much light. He's given you who believe a
new heart a divine revelation to understand these mysteries.
He's given us discernment in these Scriptures. He's given
us access to the One who wrote the Scriptures. Look here in
Ephesians 3. He doesn't just give us these.
He gives us access to the author. Ephesians 3 verse 12. In whom
we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. I ain't got enough faith to read
these scriptures. It ain't your faith that matters
anyway. It's His. He gives it to you. By the faith of Him.
We have boldness and confidence to come to Him. Blessed are they
which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall
be filled." I wish I was hungry. I wish I wake up every morning
thirsty. Lord, I'm dry. Be with me. Give me Your life. Give me Your living waters. Holy men of old desire to know
Christ more diligently, to seek Him. Angels, they desire quietly
to listen to Him. Seek Him. Watch what's going
to happen. What's He doing in the hearts
of His people? I pray we can know Him. Search Him diligently. We'll come back to Ephesians
3 about Paul preaching. I just wasn't ready to preach
on preaching yet. I had to preach out first. I don't feel like
I'm qualified to tell anything. Some might say, Pastor, I don't
understand the Scriptures. That's what God gave me for for
you. People say, well, look at the boldness of him. Martin,
when you all have a business, if a new regulation come out
and you didn't have time to find out what that regulation was
and it affected your business, you go to the lowest person on
the totem pole and say, here's a machine. Get on the internet,
read a book, and find out what we got to do. Figure that out
for us. Your servant would find out for you, wouldn't he? I'm
your servant. That don't sound too high and
mighty, does it? So I can't understand these scriptures. Well, if I
don't know, I'll find out or I'll find somebody that does.
Sometimes neither one of us may know. It may be a mystery until
the end. That's what the Lord sent me here for. He said in
Matthew 7, 7, Ask and it shall be given you. That's me and that's
you. Me is your servant and you're the one asking. Ask and it shall
be given to you. Seek and you shall find not, and it shall
be opened unto you. Seek diligently and He'll open
it to you. He'll give it to you. Make this your foremost desire.
I need to make this my primary desire on this earth. Seek ye
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I pray God
gives us desire of those prophets of old and of those angels to
look for Christ in these scriptures. To look to Him and to look to
what's already been accomplished for His people. What's finished.
It's done. It's all good news. It's wonderful
news. Let's pray together.