Colossians this morning. Colossians. Colossians chapter 1. I never know enough to ever get up here. Colossians chapter 1. Paul's writing this church, he's
never met these people. He's heard of them through their
pastor, Epaphos. And in verse 4 he says, verse
3 he says, We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, praying always for you, for we have heard, we have heard
of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for
all the saints. He says here in verses 5 and
6, We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which
you have for all the saints, for the hope, we're thankful
for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof you
heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which is
come to you as it is into all the world, bringing forth fruit
as it doth also in you since the day you heard of it." And
you knew the grace of God and truth. And you've learned, you've
also learned of Ephras, our dear fellow servant. who is to you
a faithful servant and minister in Christ Jesus." Paul's met
this man who's come and told him about these people, and he's
giving thanks for what's going on here. It's an immediate resort
for the Apostle to thank God for what he's heard. He says
here, if you drop down to verse 9, which is where my text starts,
"'For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and in spiritual understanding."
Now, Paul immediately resorted to prayer in reference to these
people he'd never met. There's a reason for that. That
is how people grow. That's how the blessing of the
Lord comes upon a congregation. It's through the prayers of the
Lord's people for them. And Paul knew this. And he prayed
for them. Notice how he says, we cease
not to pray for you. He continually prayed for them.
I'll tell you why. He knew this. Everyone that asketh
receiveth. That's what the Lord said. Everyone
that asketh receiveth. So he's praying here. Praying
for their growth. Did you notice that he talks
about back here in the beginning. We heard of your faith. We also
heard in verse 6 how it's bringing forth fruit. And yet he prays
for growth, because I tell you this fact, the best of us are
not good enough. We can be better. We can be better. The believer's graces are at
best imperfect. You know that. No believer is
perfect. And with all our imperfections
our lack of perfection, we can also decline. That's another
reason Paul prayed. You know, in Revelations chapter
2, when the Lord wrote the church in Ephesus, He said, I know your
labor. I know how you've stood up for
the truth. I know how you've endured and labored. Yet, nevertheless,
I have somewhat against thee. Thou hast less thy first love.
So it's possible for all believers to decline and decay. So he's
praying here that these folks would continue to be faithful
and to be filled. Did you hear that? You might
be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding. Now, what is the knowledge of
his will he's talking about here? He's not talking about you knowing
what God's going to do next week. You understand? You can pray
the cows come home and God's not going to tell you what the
future holds. But what he's saying here is
the knowledge of his will is in reference to his revealed
will, the Word of God, that you might grow in knowledge of his
will, what he's revealed in his Word. You can't ever know too
much of God's Word. You really can't. You can't ever
be too firm in your conviction to know it. With all wisdom and
spiritual understanding, you know, it's not just knowledge
that you need. Knowledge is not enough. It's
spiritual understanding and wisdom. Henry used to say, and I like
to quote the man because he's been right most of the times
I've ever dealt with him, he always said that knowledge is
the horse. Wisdom is the driver. Getting
it under power, driving it, putting knowledge into practical use
here. Verse 10 tells you why. That you might walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God. The practical result of
your knowledge and your wisdom and your spiritual understanding
growing is that you might walk worthy of the Lord. Knowing His
will. Knowing His will and redemption. I need to know His will and redemption.
It's been declared. To know His purpose. His will
and conduct and attitude. His will for the eternal glory
of the Lord Jesus Christ and His people. To know these things.
Not just in our heads, but in our hearts, as Brother said here
this morning. The manifold mercies and wisdom
of God known to us, that we might walk worthy of the Lord. You
know, now how are you going to do that? I can't. There's no
way you'll ever be worthy of the Lord. But to walk worthy
of Him here. Have you ever seen A procession
where a king is walking or a queen or somebody in royalty is walking.
As they come in, everybody with them, buddy, looks right. You
know what I'm saying? Walking worthy of the Lord. That's
what he's saying here. Walking worthy of the Lord. Aiming high now. Aiming high. Unto all pleasing. Do you see
that? Now, that's not talking about pleasing all men. Because
that can't be done. The Lord Jesus Christ didn't
please all men. I hear people say, I just want
the world to see Jesus in me. That's a good way to die. You're never going to please
all men. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. This is really how this should
read. Furthermore, then, when we beseech you, brethren, and
exhort you by the Lord Jesus Christ that Ye have received
of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound
more and more. Unto all pleasing means unto
all things pleasing to the Lord. That's what that's referring
to back here. All things pleasing to Him. Being fruitful back in
the text. Being fruitful in every good
work. You know, believers are fruit-bearing. Look at Isaiah 60. I love this.
Isaiah 60. You don't have to turn there.
I'll read this to you. Listen. In the last two verses of Isaiah
60, it says, Thy people also shall be all righteous. They
shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the
work of my hands that I may be glorified. The little one shall
become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation. will hasten
it when in his time." Whose time? The time of Christ. Look at the
next verse. The Spirit of the Lord gods upon me because the
Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He
hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim the liberty to the
captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance
of our God, to comfort all that mourn. to appoint unto them that
morn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called the trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord, that he might be glorified." God's people are
his planting. We are like trees. And the deeper
our roots go, the taller we grow. Now that's just a fact. And that's
what he's saying here, this increasing in knowledge. Knowledge, wisdom,
spiritual understanding that we might grow. And you notice
here, he repeats this again, and increasing in the knowledge
of God. That's amazing. Verse 4, he says, you believe.
Verse 6, he says, you're fruitful. And he says, we cease not to
pray that you'll have knowledge and wisdom and understanding
and that you'll walk worthy, being fruitful, that you might
increase in more knowledge. Isn't that what you think about? You know, I think sometimes I'm
just a spiritual pygmy. A spiritual pygmy. How can a person
that's filled, I pray that you be filled, how can a person that's
filled get any more? Because God's got to make them
bigger. You see what I'm saying? That's
exactly right. God's got to make them bigger. See, there's no
end to the growth one might expect being made in the image of the
likeness of the Son of God. And that's what we've been called
There's no end until the day that He returns and we actually
behold His face and we become just like Him. There's no end
to the growth that might be expected of those that are being made
in His image. Look here at verse 11. Strengthened
with all might according to His glorious power unto all patience,
longsuffering, from joyfulness. You know, it's not just enough
for you and me to know more, to understand more. Paul prays
here to the very same source, God Himself, that we might have
the strength to endure. Not only do the best of us need
to be better, the strongest of us need to be stronger. Growth, strength, might. You
know, we have infirmities and imperfections. In our natural
strength, our human willpower will not get the job done. Not
in spiritual matters. Not in spiritual matters. We
need to be strengthened, you notice how he says this here,
with all might. You're never going to walk worthy
of Him unless you're strengthened with all might. Why? Well, you need to be patient. That's how he puts it here. Strengthened
with all might according to His glorious power, with all patience
to endure the things we go through in this life. To patiently endure
them with long-suffering. Not talking back, but believing
God. And not only that, with joyfulness. Going through all that comes
our way in this life with joyfulness, patience, and long-suffering.
I'm telling you, you're going to have to be strengthened by
the very Spirit of God to do that. You see, this isn't a pep
talk. He's talking to God on behalf
of these people and praying for them. Because this is what it
will take. This is what it will take. God
alone can give this to us when we go through our trials. Look
at verse 12. He goes from his prayer to his
praise here, giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. I've got to give credit. Give
credit for everything that we need, the strength we need, the
knowledge we need. He prays that God will give you
that. But he gives the credit where the credit is due here
also. We have been made meat to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints of life. You know what that word meat
there means? The word is literally fit. Remember in this old book
of Genesis where a woman was made to be a helpmeet for a man? That meant a helper who was fit
for a man. And this is talking about us
being made fit. Giving thanks unto the Father
which hath made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in life. He hath made us fit. suitable, sufficient to inherit
heaven. And right now, right now, this
is true in every believer's heart in life. Everyone. He hath made
us. You see how that's a present
blessing there? This isn't just something we
shall receive. You know, that's by and by. We're going to receive this blessing.
No, sir, we have been made fit. Made fit. Suitable. In Christ,
through His work, we who believe have been born of God. We've
received a new nature. There's a new man in the heart
of a believer. A new man. And I'm telling you,
that new man is fit. He's sufficient. He's suitable
for heaven itself right now. Henry always gave this example,
he always said, when a child arrives on this earth, he's got
all his fingers, you know they'll count those when you're in the
hospital, they'll count your fingers, they'll count your toes,
they'll count your legs and your arms, check your eyes and your
nose and check your ears. You're complete the day you come
here, do you know that? You're complete the day you arrive
here. And the most that can happen to you is to grow. And your capacities
grow and your abilities grow, but you're complete the day you
come here. You're never going to grow another arm, never going
to grow another leg. You're never going to add anything
to the work that God's done. I'm telling you, the day you
look to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, trusting Him for salvation
alone, you're born again and you, my friend, are fit for heaven.
You're fit for heaven. You're made suitable. All you
need is yours from day one to be a partaker of the inheritance
of the saints and light. You realize right now, and I
know this is something that's hard to believe, but right now,
there's not one glorified soul in heaven. standing before a
holy God, ineffable holiness, bliss beyond what you can possibly
comprehend. There's not one person standing
there who's more fit to be there than the people in this room
that believe the Lord Jesus Christ. My goodness, He hath made us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints You know, when
the Jews took the Old Testament land of Canaan, they split that
place up by a lot. But it's just one inheritance
for us. We're not going to divide this up. We're joint heirs with
the Lord Jesus Christ who is the ruler of it all. The ruler
of it all. Verse 13 says, listen to this,
this same One who's made us fit has delivered us from the power
of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear
Son." The power of darkness. I want to read you something
from Acts 28.18. This is what the Lord said to Paul when he was sent to preach. Acts 28.18. The Lord said in verse 26-18, excuse me. You get in a hurry, invariably.
Paul was sent to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness
to light, from the power of Satan to God. that they might receive
the forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified
by faith that is in me." Power of darkness is referring
to our natural state. We come into this world dead
in trespasses and sin. There's not a little spark of
good in us. You know, that's the common concept,
is that every man has a little good in him, and if we just fan
the flames, that'll be alright. No sir, there's no good enough.
We're dead in trespasses and sin. There's not one righteous,
no not one. There's none that understands,
there's none that do it good. We're all together unprofitable.
We are in darkness morally. We don't know right from wrong.
We take bitter and call it sweet, and we take sweet and call it
bitter. We take light and call it darkness. This is just the
way we are. We're spiritually in darkness.
We know nothing. We don't know a thing. We don't
know a thing by nature of God's holiness or our depravity. We have no idea how high He is
and how low we are by nature because we are under the power
of darkness when we come in here. And we've been delivered Here,
according to the scripture, from the power of darkness, that power
that so infatuates men that they love darkness rather than light. That's what the scripture says.
Men love darkness rather than light. You know, it's interesting,
when a kid comes into this world, a little girl, a little boy,
is afraid of dark. But the older you get, the darkness
more and more appeals to you. It hides the actions of wicked
men. And the power of darkness is
something that just emboldened us to all sorts of sins throughout
our lives. It's the power of darkness that
concealed the true state of our own souls. We were lost and did
not know. How lost is a man who has grown
up in religion, who's been a good old boy and a fair young fellow,
and yet he spends his life religious and he's still lost? I know about that. He hath delivered us from the
power of darkness. You see that back here? God,
who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated
us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Now this is talking about
something here that he does not hope to do. It's something he's
done. You see that? He's done this. Why is it I was in darkness?
I was in Adam. When Adam fell, this one who
represented me in the Garden of Eden, according to the plan
and purpose of God, one man represented me. He represented all men. And when that man fell, all men
fell. The death of that man and the
sin of that man was imputed to all his descendants. And that
man who represented me was where I was and when the Son of God
came, the last Adam, he's called in Scripture, he represented
his people. And when Adam disobeyed, he fell. But this one, the Son of God,
the last Adam, obeyed. He kept the law perfectly, perfectly,
on behalf of his people. And when he died on that cross,
he wasn't dying because of any sin he'd committed. He was dying
for the sins that had been imputed to him. from His people, all
His elect. The sins were placed on Him and
He was made sin for us that we should be made the righteousness
of God on Him. And we were taken out of the
kingdom of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear
Son. That's a good place to live.
I'm telling you. That's a new address. I love
it here. He's not talking about something
that he's hoping to do here. This is an intelligent statement
by Paul. He knew what he's saying. He's
not saying that God Almighty is going to get this done somehow.
He's saying it is done. It has been done. He hath done
this. Giving thanks to the Father which
hath made us meet, to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints
in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness
and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." It's
just like that night the Jews were brought out of Egypt. You
know the Bible says in Deuteronomy there was not a hook left behind. Have you ever read that? They
all came out of there, right down to their tail. Not one hook
was left behind. That was redemption with a high
hand. God brought them people out of
that nation. And we have been brought out
of Adam and placed in Christ. He hath done this. He hath done this. And I love
it because this is all God's work. Do you notice how often
it just keeps repeating? Why do you think Paul was praying
to the Lord? Because it was God's work to do. Why was he praising
God? Because it was all God's work.
All God's work. The power of sin, the guilt of
sin, They've all been dealt with. Our brother brought such a great
Sunday School lesson about how we've got to be washed. We've
got to be bought. And that's been done. That's
been done. He's delivered us. He's translated us. And that
being true, what will he withhold from us? Now look at Romans 5
for a second. You've got to see this verse. Romans 5. Is there anything? that God Almighty
will hold back from His people after giving His Son. Romans
5 verse 8, But God commendeth His love towards us, that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, much more
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, while we
were enemies, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved
by his life." You see what he's saying? He set the sun to put
away the sins of his people when they were his enemies. Stupid,
dummies, spiritually lost. I'm telling you at Calvary, the
sins, my sins were put on the Son of God. Every one that I've
ever committed to this day and every one I ever will commit.
Because when he died for me, all my sins were future anyway.
You understand that? This is God we're talking about
here. Taking care of his people, putting away their sins, and
leading them and guiding them like a shepherd all the days
of their life. Oh my, look at verse 14. In whom, talking about
Christ, we were translated into the kingdom of his dear Son.
In whom, in Christ, we have redemption. It's ours. We have redemption. Complete redemption. Freedom
from all our enemies. Freedom from sin. Say, well,
I still sin. Yeah, I do too. Freedom from the punishment and
the guilt of sin. We're free. Free from the law,
that law that we could never keep. God's holy law. Have you
ever read God's law? You can't keep it. Deuteronomy
22 talks about how a woman shall not wear that which pertaineth
unto man. But the same chapter says you can't take a chicken
and the eggs You can eat the eggs, but you can't take the
chicken. We've done it all. We've both eaten the eggs and
the chicken. We can't keep the law. We cannot love God perfectly. That's one of the commandments.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. Never
done it. Never done it. And here, it's through Him we
have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. It's through His blood on account
of His sacrifice. There's no way you can get a
hold of it. We have, listen, in Him we have
redemption through His blood. Look, even the forgiveness, look
at that tense, present tense, the forgiveness of sins. We're
forgiven right now through the blood of the Son of God. I'm
forgiven of the vain thoughts I've had this morning. Forgiven
of the vain thoughts I'll have this evening. It's through the
work and the merit of the Son of God. We're not talking about
a common man here. Even the forgiveness of
sins. Look at Ephesians for a second with me. Just back a chapter. It's through His blood. I was
thinking about those words this week. Scripture says, blessed
is the man whom thou choosest. and causes to approach unto thee. In Ephesians chapter 1, look
at verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. This is all according
to as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the
world. Now I know this isn't a popular doctrine. People don't
like the idea of choice. But do you know in the Scripture,
Christians are called believers two times. Believers. We talk
about believers. There's two times that being
a Christian is mentioned. One time that Christians are
mentioned. But there are over 41 times that
believers and Christians are referred to as the elect, the
chosen of God. Now that's just something we
cannot deny. We've been chosen in Him, in Christ, put in Him,
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love. That's how we become
holy and without blame. We were put in Christ, not just
in Adam, but in Christ, having predestinated us unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good
pleasure of His will. This is His will to do this.
And this is 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 and the forgiveness of sins. And this is all according
to the riches of His grace. What great rich grace this is
that has brought this to pass. The Son of God was set aside
by the Father in eternity passed and was sent in the fullness
of time for his people. And as he died for them and put
away their sins, he sent forth the Holy Spirit to call his people
through the preaching of the Word, to call them all. And back here in the text, let's
go back. It's in him, in Christ, that we have redemption through
his blood. Even the forgiveness of sins.
I've got to read you this verse. Look at Hebrews 9. I said go
back to the text, but I was a little early on that. Hebrews 9. What I want you to see as we
read these things is the finality of what's going on here. You
know, there are folks in the world today, so many preachers,
that lead you with the impression that the work of God is somehow
not complete and that it's all been left in the hands of men.
Look at Romans, Hebrews 9, look at verse 12, verse 11. But Christ
being come, a high priest of good things to come, by a greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of bulls
and goats, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy
place Having obtained, look at this word, eternal redemption. We talk about redemption. He
says it's an eternal redemption for us that he accomplished going
into that holy place. Look over, just one chapter over
in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 16. Oh, I'm sorry. Go on up. And every priest standeth
daily ministering, offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can
never take away sins." Those Old Testament priests were in
there constantly in front of the offering off. But this man,
after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified." Them that are set apart. That's
what sanctification means. Set apart. I've set apart this
glass. Set it apart from all the others.
God Almighty has sanctified some people and the Son of God perfected
them once and forever. Matter of fact, verse 15 says,
The Holy Ghost witnessed to us, for after that he said before,
this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
saith the Lord. I'll put my laws in their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more." How can God forget anything? How
can God forget sins and iniquities? He's a perfect being. He can't
forget them. You know why He can forget them? They don't exist. They don't exist. They've been
placed on His Son. And we've been translated out
of Adam and put in Christ. That's where our standing is
before God Almighty. Now back at our text. Now listen. Verse 15. How can this have been
accomplished? Well, this one that did it is
the very image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. He is the image of the invisible
God. Now Paul's getting at to some
people here. In the church there around Colossae there were some
people called Gnostics. And they just believed that anything
material could not be godly. And basically they did not believe
that Christ could be God because he had a body. And there were
even folks there like Simon Mangus and the boys that believed that
that somebody named Helena created the angels and that the angels
created the earth, and Paul's going to put an end to this right
here. We have one who is called the image of the very invisible
God. This sacrifice, this blood demanded
a human body, but it was a perfect body. This is why it's essential
that the Son of God be born of a virgin. He did not inherit
the sin of Adam. He was born of a virgin with
a higher dignity in person than anybody else that's ever been
on this earth. He is the exact image of God Almighty. God Almighty. Of the unseen God. The invisible
God. He's a man, yet He's God of very
God. Exact, adequate, express image
of God in the flesh. He's no mere creature. He's no
mere creature. So He can do what we're talking
about. As a man, he can bleed and die
for his people. And as God, he has the power,
the power to forgive those people of their sins. This preexistent
one, every attribute of God is seen in Christ. As a matter of
fact, there is no true knowledge of God, nor will any man ever
hear from God except and through the Lord Jesus Christ. You will
not hear from God any other way. Look at John 1. This Scripture
was quoted this morning. John chapter 1. Now, in the beginning
was the Word. This is the Word, the Logos.
Read it, bear record. The Word. And the Word was with
God and the Word was God. And the same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him,
and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was
light, and the light was the light of men. And the light shineth
in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Look down
at verse 14. And the Word, this One who was
in the beginning with the Father, was made flesh and dwelt among
us." This is the preexistent Son of God, the One who was from
eternity past. He was made flesh and dwelt among
us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. So John bear witness
of Him and cried. This is John the Baptist. He
said, this is He of whom I speak. He comes after me, but He's preferred
before me, for He was before me. John the Baptist was saying
to people, this is one who existed before I did. He's talking about
the Son of God. For of His fullness have we all
received, and grace for grace, for the law was given by Moses.
But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Now no man, now you listen
to me here, no man has seen God at any time. All the Old Testament
pictures you see, whenever God's appearing to someone, you're
not talking about seeing God Almighty. Listen, the only begotten
Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared
him. Every Old Testament appearance, every time Abraham was spoken
to, it was the Son of God there. Every Old Testament thing. I
love this because it doesn't say he was in the bosom of the
Father, he is in the bosom of the Father. And here in the text
he's called the firstborn of every creature. Now what's that
mean? Well, he's not a created being,
but it means he's the heir of all things. Now, this is something
we've got away from in our day, but in the old days, the firstborn
was the heir. I had this brother read this
psalm to you. Listen to what it says in Psalm 89. Don't turn
there. You just read it a few minutes
ago. This one's spoken of as David here. This is the Lord's
David. I've found David my anoint, my
servant with my holy oil. I've anointed him. With whom
my hand shall be established, my arm shall strengthen him,
and the enemy will not exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness
afflict him. I'm going to beat down his foes
before his face, and plague them that hate him." You know who
he's talking about? He's talking about the foes of the Lord Jesus Christ. "'But
my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and in my
name shall his horn be exalted, and I'm going to set his hand
in the sea and his right hand in the rivers.'" He's going to
reach to the sea and to the rivers. That means he's going to have
all dominion on the earth. He shall cry unto me, Thou art
my Father, my Rock, my God, the Rock of my salvation, and I will
make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
My mercy will I keep for him forevermore, and my covenant
shall stand fast with him." Now listen to this covenant. His
seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the
days of the heaven, and if his children forsake my law and walk
not in my judgments. And how often have we done that?
If they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, how
often will I not visit their transgressions with a rod and
their iniquities with a stripe? But nevertheless, my love and
kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness
to fail. It's him I'm dealing with. I'm
not going to take my faithfulness from him. My covenant will I
not break, nor alter the thing that's gone out of my mouth.
Once have I sworn in my holiness that I will not lie to David.
His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before
me. It will be established forever as the moon, as a faithful witness."
Has there been a day since this earth began that the moon has
not been a faithful witness? So you write her down. God's
seed, the seed of the Lord Jesus Christ, are safe and secure in
Him. They may be whooped occasionally,
but that's a fact. He's the firstborn of every creature,
and back in verse 16, we'll quit here. For by Him were all things
created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, whether they be dominions or principalities
or all powers, All things were created by Him and for Him. Everything
was created by Him. The sufficient Savior we have.
We're talking about One who created it all. You came down this morning
looking at the beauty of the world around you. The trees,
the rocks, the sky, the moon, the stars, the entire... Things
you've never seen. The mountains far away and the
ocean and all the creatures that are in it. The heavens, the first
heaven, the second heaven and the third heaven were even the
angels of God. He's made them. They're all created
by Him and for Him. It's all for His glory. It's
all for His glory. The invisible God in flesh creating all things
for His glory. It's right. The sea is his, he made it, his
hands formed the dry land. He created hell, do you know
that? Hell is a necessary part of his moral government of this
world. Those who refuse the sun will righteously be put in hell.
Heaven, even the angels, you know the angels in heaven according
to Hebrews 1 right now, They are ministering spirits sent
forth to minister to them that shall be the heirs of salvation.
That's their purpose, is to take care of those who shall be the
heirs of salvation. The fallen angels, they serve
God's purpose. They're all within His power.
And in a sense now, listen to me, everything's going to give
Him glory and there's a sense in which everything in the entire
creation was made as a stage upon which the Son of God would
come and die on behalf of his people and put away their sins.
That's the only reason this world exists. The Son of God died for His people
on this earth, and the reason the world stays in existence
right now is one of His elect is out there yet, perhaps just
been born, that one day not too long from now will hear the gospel
and believe. And the day that child believes
the gospel, whoever he may be, and the last one is called in,
you write her down, He's wrapping this place up. He's going to
wrap it all up. Look at verse 17. He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist. I love that. He's before
all things. He created all things. He's the
cause of everything you see and everything you don't see. Powers,
principalities and dominions. He is not only that, but the
supporter, the sustainer. The upholder of all things. The
only reason this world stands today is because the pillars,
the foundations of the universe are held up by the Son of God
Himself. He is, and what I want you to
see in that last verse is He is not only God in the past. He's not just God acting in the
past. You know, we talk about everybody
believes in God. Most people believe there was some sort of
design in the universe. And even scientists acknowledge
that the world itself is obviously created for life. There's nothing
else in our universe that has the potential for life like this
place does. Scientists agree about that.
But I'm not talking about one who was God in the past. I'm
talking about one who was God in the past and God in the present
and right now is working all things after the counsel of his
own will. That's what they say. He's God over all right now,
allowing all things to consist. Romans 8. Look at this. Just
so you don't think I'm making this up. Romans 8. Now listen to me. Because this One exists and allows
all things to exist and is defending His truth and His people. Verse
28, we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God. Now, let's be specific here.
To them who are the called according to His purpose. God has called
people the called according to His purpose. Not all things are
working to good for everybody in this world now. I'm just telling
you. And this is true of the elect. It's true of His people.
For it's what He says here, for whom He did foreknow, them He
did predestinate, listen, to be conformed to the image of
His Son. That's what we were talking about
a while ago. that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,"
this God Almighty predestinated some people, "...them he called."
Past tense. whom he called, then he also
justified, and whom he justified, then he also glorified." This
is so sure that when you talk about the glorification that's
yet to be in the life of a believer, when we are made in the very
image of the Son of God, it's so sure in the Bible that it's
spoken of in the past tense. They're glorified. Now what can
you say to these things then? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Didn't I tell you that a while
ago? If he's already sent his son to die for you and put your
sins away, what do you think he's going to withhold? Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Just name them.
Satan? Your neighbor? Who's going to lay anything to
the charge of God's elect? It's God to justify it. Who is
he to condemn them? There's nobody that can condemn
them. It's Christ to die. That's why they can't be condemned.
Yea, rather, He's risen again. Right now, He's at the right
hand of the Father. He's even at the right hand of God. And
right now, He's living, making intercession for these people
He died for. Oh, my goodness. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Who can do that? I'm telling
you, nobody can do that. Shall tribulation? Ain't no tribulation
coming that's going to separate us. Distress? Persecution? How about if things get bad?
Famine. The economy is down. Nakedness. Peril. The sword. Somebody is going to come and
kill us. A war. It is written, for thy sake we are killed all
the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay,
in all these things, whatever comes, we are more than conquerors.
Why? It is through Him that loved
us. Do you understand that? Whatever happens to you, the
Son of God has died for you and you are a conqueror through Him.
Your sins have been put away through Him that loved us. For
I'm persuaded, I like Paul here, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor height, no matter how high you go in
this world, the Lord lets you become the president of a great,
great company. Nor death, if you're brought
to the very depths where you're on the dunghill of this nor any
other creature, just in case I miss something here, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus." My friends, we have been made fit, suitable by the redemption
that's in His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. That's what that says. And I
better quit.