Ephesians chapter 1, we'll read
the whole chapter together. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to
the faithful in Christ Jesus, grace be to you and peace from
God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as
He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the
praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted
in the Beloved. in whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace. Wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he
hath purposed in himself. that in the dispensation of the
fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in him. In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him,
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,
that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ, in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word
of truth the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, after ye believed,
ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory. Wherefore I also,
after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto
all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention
of you in my prayers. that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of
your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the
hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints. and what is the exceeding greatness
of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His
mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him
from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly
places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion
and every name that is named, not only in this world but also
in that which is to come. and hath put all things under
his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fulfilleth
all in all." Yesterday, I think most of you
have heard, was a tumultuous day for me. I was packed and
ready to leave the house yesterday morning when I got a notification
that my flight to Atlanta had been delayed. So immediately
I was concerned about the connecting flight to get out to San Diego.
So I checked on that on my phone and everything looked okay. I
was going to make it alright. So I drove to the airport and
got there and using my little phone to try to check in. While I'm doing that, a notification
pops up on the phone. And you've been there. You're
in a hurry. You want to get something done.
Something pops up on your screen. You just want it to go away. So I hit a button. And I'm trying
to get checked in. And I get a text message from
Delta. We've changed your flight. It's
no longer at 2 o'clock. It's at 9 o'clock PM. What? Why'd you do that? I didn't do
that. So I run to the desk, try to get that resolved. They can't
resolve it. That flight was overbooked, and
as soon as I gave up my seat, somebody else took it. They'll
get me on standby. So I'm panicked. I'm upset. My
blood pressure is going out the roof. I'm calling Gabe. I called
Mike. Should I cancel? Should I just
not even come? I can't make it for evening services. Is it worth trying to get my
money back? What should I do? So as we're all discussing, trying
to make things go, I get called over the loudspeaker, you better
get here. We're leaving without you. So
I don't have an answer. So I'm like, OK, going, going. Whatever happens, we're going.
Throw my bags down, I hear my phone ringing as it goes through
the conveyor belt to be x-rayed. I have no idea what it says.
I've got to get on this plane. I still haven't listened to your
voicemail. I don't know what the decision was. The decision
was I was coming. So, longer story to shorten it,
I finally arrived last night at about 11.30. Thank you, Cass,
for getting me and for y'all's patience and picking up someone
that can't keep his ducks in a row. We had scheduled I would be here. It's been scheduled for a couple
of months. I would be here. I would preach
on Saturday evening and this morning. We make our schedules. We set
our purposes in order. We plan, try to keep everything
going as it should, but we have absolutely no power to bring
our purposes to pass. I don't remember which message
was in the bulletin for me to bring, but we had a scheduled
message I was going to bring. During all the tumult yesterday,
I sat down and wrote a new message. And I believe this is the message
for the hour. And so my topic this morning
is, The Purpose of God Shall Stand. And so many things have occurred
over the past couple of days, including Mr. Bob's message this
morning. in which he referenced not only
my scripture this morning, but he read from Isaiah 40. Comfort
ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned. For she hath received of the
Lord's hand double for all her sins. It is a comforting thing to worship
the sovereign God, the One who sets His purpose and brings it
to pass. I don't know of anything more
comforting than to know our Lord reigns. God has a purpose that He has
set forth. And this morning, Lord willing,
we'll look at what that purpose is, how He has brought that purpose
to pass, why He did so, and our assurance concerning His purpose. Our text is Ephesians 1, verse
11 and 12. in whom also in Christ also we
have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according
to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel
of His own will, that we should be to the praise of His glory
who first trusted in Christ." The purpose of God is that we
should be to the praise of His glory. And this purpose involves a we.
Who is this we? Verse 1 tells us the we is the
saints at Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus. Verse 4 continues
the chosen in Christ Jesus. In verse 5, to those predestinated
unto the adoption of children, we, those redeemed through the
blood of Christ, are included in God's eternal purpose. What part do we play in this
role, in this purpose? That we should be to the praise
of His glory. Our existence, our salvation,
our being called unto Him and standing in His presence shall
bring Him praise. Can we remotely enter into what
that slightly means? that we, the sons and daughters
of Adam, rebellious, ruined sinners, are going to stand or be in the
presence of the holy God, the thrice holy God. And not only shall we be in His
presence, But we who have been washed in the blood of God's
Lamb have been purposed of God to bring Him glory." This ruined,
fallen sinner is going to bring the King of Kings glory. It's beyond imagination. It's baffling to even consider. How is God going to bring that
purpose to pass? How is this wretch going to be
made to glorify God? this man whose iniquities have
separated me from my God, whose sins have hid His face from me
that He will not hear. I am ever grateful to God that
He says, with men this is impossible, but with God All things are possible. Look in verse 7. In whom, speaking
of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have redemption. Redemption is
only necessary for those who are in bondage. Those who profess
themselves to be free have no need of redemption. There is
nothing to be paid for them. They say, I'm free. We've never
been under bondage, the Jews of old said. Are you like me though? Are you
bound and sold under the bondage of sin and shame? Then there's
good news for you. We have redemption. How? through His blood. Those in need
of redemption have a price that must be paid to redeem them. We are all sold under sin because
our father Adam willingly disobeyed, knowing full well the consequences
of his rebellion, in the day that thou eatest thereof." That's
not an if you eat thereof. In the day you eat thereof, thou
shalt surely die." To the fulfillment of God's purpose,
Adam died and we died in him. Not one of Adam's offspring have
a spirit of life in them apart from Christ. Not one of us has
the payment to provide for our own redemption. The just penalty for sin is death. I want you to hold your place
here and turn to Leviticus 17. I saw this yesterday. I pray I can make it clear what
I saw while I was reading this. Leviticus 17, verse 11. For the life of the flesh is
in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make
an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that maketh
an atonement for the soul." The life of our flesh is in the
blood. We all have blood coursing through
our veins. And you could take my blood and
you could spill it and call it an offering for sin. And it wouldn't
do a thing for you. I have a disease of the blood. Through and through, I am nothing
but sin. That includes my blood. Shed
my blood trying to make atonement for sin? You've wasted your time. It won't atone for my sin. It's
only the just penalty for what I deserve, that I die. And it
definitely won't do anything for yours. Go back to Ephesians 1.7. What hope does one have that's
sold under sin? We have redemption through His
blood. The man whose blood is pure,
undefiled, holy, full of life, His blood can pay the debt owed. The Lord Jesus Christ, the man
who was born the seed of woman, the man who is God, This man
came from God and returned to God. The wages of sin is death. Our
Lord is holy, undefiled, separate from sinners. How can He die? If the wages
of sin is death, the man without sin cannot die. So you've got a man who is sinless
who died? Yes. The answer is yes. A sinless
man died. He was led up Calvary's Mount
after being shamefully treated, nailed to a cross, and after
he had suffered, he gave up the ghost. and herein is displayed
for all to see the wisdom and power of God. God laid upon His
only begotten Son the sins of those that He came to save. Bearing my sin as His own, He
took it so completely that He died for His sin. Nailed to the cross, He took
my sin so completely that He claimed it as His own. And He suffered what the penalty
that should have been mine And by His shed righteous blood,
blood untainted with sin, He covered my sin completely. And the sin of all those for
whom He died, so that when we stand before God in His presence,
and He looks, the Almighty God looks upon us and says, I find
no fault in Him. He is perfect. He is my Son,
perfect, holy, and righteous. He is a wonderful Savior. Why would God give His beloved,
only begotten Son, to bear our sin, to suffer our death, to
endure the judgment and wrath of God, and finally to lay down
His life for a bunch of rebellious sinners? Ephesians 1.9. About the middle of the verse,
according to His good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself."
Why did God send His Son? It was His good pleasure. Isaiah
53.10 says, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, He hath put
Him to grief. His good pleasure He purposed
within Himself caused Him to send Christ. He sent our Lord
and Savior because it seemed good to Him to do so. Look at
verse 10. That in the dispensation of the
fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in Him. He sent Christ to reconcile sinful
men to Himself. Look over the page there, chapter
2, verse 13. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye
who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath
made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of petition
between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even
the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in
himself of twain one new man, so making peace. And that he
might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby. And came and preached peace to
you, which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. And he
sent Christ, look at chapter 2 verse 7, that in the ages to
come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. And finally, why did God send
His only begotten Son to save sinners? Back in chapter 1 and
verse 12, that we should be to the praise of His glory who first
trusted in Christ. Who is it that first trusted
in Christ? The religions of the world would
have us believe that we did. That it's our faith that saves
us, that gives us a... our decision gives us a righteous
standing before God. But this word declares that God
first trusted in Christ. God Almighty put all things under
His Christ feet. Is Christ worthy of God's trust? Our Lord said in John 6.38, For
I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the
will of Him that sent me. Did He complete God's will? Did
He fulfill God's purpose? Let's turn to Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24, verse 5. He's speaking about These women,
who were disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, coming to His tomb
to anoint His body. And two men in shining garments
said unto them at the end of verse 5, Why seek ye the living
among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how He spake unto you
when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third
day rise again." To prove that Christ had fulfilled
God's purpose of salvation, Our Lord took up His life again on
the third day after having suffered for our sins. While our Lord
walked the earth in the flesh, He perfectly fulfilled the law
of God. Not for Himself. He was perfect. He is perfect. He had no need
for His own righteousness to fulfill the law. He already had. But for our sake, as our representative,
a man born of woman walked this earth and from the time he was
in the womb until the time he was in the tomb, he kept every
word of God perfectly. A man accomplished the law of
God. He did so as my representative. As He kept that law, I kept that
law. Upon the cross, my Lord bore
my sin in His own body. He suffered God's wrath. He endured the punishment that
was mine. Bearing my sins in His own body,
He nailed them to the tree. And on this earth, men who walk
around touting God's name. The world considers murderers
and thieves, drunkards, to be sinners. And they look at these
people that get on TV and proclaim, God loves you. If you just give
your life to Jesus, you'll be all right. And God in His mercy doesn't
strike us down as we proclaim that. He's long-suffering to
us. But on that tree, my Lord endured the wrath of
God without mercy. Those men who profane His name
today received God's mercy because He hasn't strucken them down
yet. But on that cross, His Son received
no mercy. In death, He paid with His blood,
that blood of the man undefiled by sin. In His death, He laid
down His life paying the sin debt I owed. In His resurrection, He showed
proof that God is pleased with His salvation. He finished the
work that was entrusted to Him, and He made you, me, and all
those that He came to save the very righteousness of God, that
we should be to the praise of His glory. What a wonderful Savior! is Jesus my Lord. God in His
eternal wisdom and glory is pleased to receive all glory, honor,
and praise in the salvation of sinful men. The Lord of hosts
hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come
to pass. And as I have purposed, so shall
it stand." You and I have often said something similar. I'll
be there tomorrow. Well, we have no power in which
to make that purpose stand. The Lord of hosts shall fulfill
His purpose. Even the wrath of man shall praise
Him. His purpose is toward His people. It involves His people. But there
is nothing in our text that relied upon those people. Salvation
is to the praise of God's glory, not men's. God's purpose is to magnify and honor the Lord
Jesus Christ in the salvation of sinners, and it shall stand. Do you need redemption? Are you,
like me, sold under the bondage of sin and shame? Come to Christ. Bow to Him. Beg Him for mercy. Seek His face. I remind you of what Mr. Bob said
this morning. Salvation is of the Lord. God
the Father purposed our salvation. God the Son accomplished our
salvation. And God the Spirit reveals it
in us. of faith of our Lord Jesus Christ
to our salvation. Christ alone is able to save. He alone is willing to save.
God has put His trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and our only
hope of salvation is to be found in Him. May the Lord give us
the faith to trust Him, believe on Him, and continually come
to Him seeking His mercy. I pray God that that was a blessing
to you. I pray He'll bless His Word to
our heart and encourage us and comfort us in knowing that our
God is able to perform His purpose.