I'd like you to turn back with
me in your Bibles to the epistle to the Colossians. We looked
at the first few verses of this last week. And the title of this
message is Believers' Prayers for One Another. And the text,
if there is a text, is verse 9. But we'll be looking at verses
9 down to about 23. You know, when you think about
the the greatest blessings that can
happen to you in this life, the things that you can acquire,
the experiences that you can have. There's some thrilling
things that you can do and have, but for those that know the grace
of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. For those that know and experience
what the grace of God has done for your eternal soul, who have
the certainty of knowing that you have eternal peace with God,
is that not by far the greatest blessing the greatest riches
there is there is nothing else that can compare with it there
is nothing everything else however good it might be and let's not
deny it the things the things of this world are appealing to
the flesh let's not let's not try and be super spiritual and
claim that they're not but nevertheless they all pale into insignificance
the time will come when If you've known this, and if you've got
it, it will be the one thing that you will value above everything
else that you've ever had or possessed or experienced. To
know, peace with God, eternal peace with God, that it is well
with my soul. Do you know that blessing? These Colossians, Paul was convinced,
evidently did know that blessing. He has been told all about them
by the one who is called their brother, Epaphras, a faithful
minister of Christ to them. He's come to Paul in his confinement
in Rome, and he's told Paul about these Colossians, and even though
we believe Paul hadn't seen face to face the majority of the Colossians,
nevertheless, he counts them as dear brethren. Dear brethren,
I mean, is that not like us? We keep hearing about people
that are joining us for these services on the internet and
we think of lonely Christians who know the truth and they can't
go to the church that they've been to anymore because what
they hear more and more is a compromise and a sell-out to the world.
and a sellout to the things and the devices and the schemes of
Satan. And so they're on their own,
but yet they believe and love the Lord Jesus Christ. And where
do they get their spiritual food? They join with us. And how do
they worship God? They play back these audio files,
and this is the service that they have. They're on their own,
but the most precious thing to them is this love of the Lord
Jesus Christ, this knowledge of Him. And what do we know?
What are the marks we saw last week? Who is it that has this
experience? It's those that have faith. All
men have faith of sorts, but this is the true saving faith
of the scriptures. Faith in Christ and Him alone.
Christ alone. Christ alone. In what He has
done. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply
to thy cross I cling. That faith produces the fruit
of the Spirit, the first of which is love. The fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, patience. Faith, love, and then
love for one another. And then the third thing is hope,
because those who have experienced this grace know that this world
is not my home, I'm just passing through. I have a home in glory. You know all of the choruses
that are flippantly sung with arms waving in the air, but nevertheless
there are strong elements of truth in them. A hope of eternal
glory. I know where I'm going. I know
that should I die today, I know where I'm going. I know it is
well with my soul. I know that the Lord Jesus Christ
has said to me, through his word, by what he said to that thief
on the cross, this day you shall be with me in paradise. If today
is the day I'm taken, I know to be absent from the body is
to be present with the Lord. This is a heart-changing experience
of repentance and faith in Christ. It's belief of the truth, belief
of the truth, trust in it, dependence upon it. It's knowing him, not
knowing about him, it's knowing him, knowing him. I know about
a lot of people who I don't know at all, but there are some that
I know intimately, closely, really well. I know them really well. And it's living, it isn't a kind
of an academic knowledge that is, you know, I know all sorts
of things, well I used to do, about nuclear physics, I've forgotten
far more of it than I ever knew. But, you know, it's kind of pigeon-holed
away. It doesn't affect me in my daily
life in the slightest degree. Not at all. But knowing Christ
does. It's a living day-by-day experience. Knowing the presence
of God. Now, do you mean all the time
I'm floating around with this knowledge? No, of course not.
It fluctuates. It goes up and down. But the
general tenor is to know Him and to live day-by-day in fellowship
with Him. And so, knowing these people
like that, what does it prompt Paul to do? To pray for them. And that's what's in the next
few verses. He prays for them. And I want to look at what he
prays for them. When I think of you here, and
those joining us on the internet, some of you I know obviously
all of you here I know others I don't know of those on the
internet some I know others I don't know but for all of you my prayer
is that of Paul here in verses nine to twelve let's have a look
at Paul's prayer since Epaphras had told him about them he prays
for the Colossian believers whom he loves with a brotherly love
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being
fruitful in every good work. and increasing in the knowledge
of God, strengthened with all might according to his glorious
power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness,
giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." That
was his prayer. He prays for them. He doesn't
pray for their material prosperity. Does he? He doesn't pray for
that. You know, when you think about what is at the root of
many, many prayers, the prayers of many Christians, some of them
true Christians, it's generally speaking material or health benefits. I'm not saying there's anything
wrong in praying for practical things for one another, but isn't
the weight of what Paul prays for, it's spiritual. He's praying
for their spiritual good, not for their material prosperity.
You know, life comes along with its ups and downs, doesn't it?
With times that to the flesh feel good, and times which to
the flesh seem abysmally bad. you know, abysmally bad. You've
had those experiences where you just think, oh, just, oh, the
things, oh, that situation, oh, what I said, what I did, the
things that, oh, if only we could wind the clock back and I could
read it, you know, ups and downs. No, he doesn't pray about that.
There are times of want, and there are times of plenty. No,
he doesn't pray about that. He doesn't pray that all believers
will not want for anything. No, he doesn't pray for that.
we have days like last wednesday when it felt like there was a
lovely warm southerly wind blowing and it felt like summer was coming
and then two days later because of where we live the wind now
is coming bitterly down from the arctic and it's freezing
cold i heard the weatherman yesterday say well the weather's been quite
good for early march but not for the end of april we're in
a cold arctic airstream But Paul doesn't pray about that. These
are the things that ebb and flow. Your health, you know, is it
God's will that everybody, every believer should go through life
without any ailments whatsoever? Well, everybody would become
Christians like a flash if that was the case, wouldn't they?
No, it isn't. We all suffer. Ill health, and
we all enjoy good health at different times. It's just part of the
ebb and flow of life. But what Paul prays for is the
spiritual good of these Colossians. And that's what we should pray
for for one another, above all else. Pray for spiritual good. What we need more than anything
else, when it finally comes down to it, is eternal comfort. Let's
say you get ill. It's not beyond the bounds of
possibility for any one of us. and you get so ill that you get
something terminal and it's going to cut your life short and you're
going to die well before your expected years do you know the
one thing that you need in that circumstance is eternal comfort
above all else the things that you might buy, the experiences
you might have will just evaporate into irrelevance compared with
the need for eternal comfort our prayers for our children
and for our grandchildren's welfare. What do we pray above all? Above
all we pray for the blessings of salvation. That's what we
pray. In a way, I don't care. Some of them are sitting here
this morning. I pray good for you, but above
all I pray the blessings of salvation. What does he ask for? that you
might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding. Knowledge! Knowledge! What, that
your head might be puffed up with knowledge? No! But knowledge,
the right knowledge, the knowledge of him, and of his will, and
of his wisdom, and of his spiritual understanding, consent, that's
at the root of everything that is good for you. Knowledge. You're filled with the knowledge
of His will. What, whether I should turn to
the left or the right? No, the knowledge of His will about salvation,
and His eternal purposes, and how He rules over all things,
and how... Think about the series on Revelation,
and what we saw of His will. What's His will? Thy kingdom
come. Thy kingdom come. thy kingdom come. It's that,
you know, the knowledge of his will, that his kingdom should
come to fruition, to fullness. That his kingdom should come.
That we should be filled with his wisdom, for he is wisdom
from God. He's made unto us wisdom from
God. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Oh,
I want to understand this, that and the other. Oh, but above
all, spiritual understanding. that I might understand the things
of God. Now where are you going to get
these things? Oh, I need to go to Bible college. I'll tell you
what, the last place on earth to go is to a Bible college.
You will not get those things from a Bible college. Don't be
fooled. Those that tell you the way to
prepare for the ministry or whatever else is to go off to a Bible
college, that's the quickest way to get the truth killed straight
out of you. No. No. You won't get it there. You get it from God himself.
He gives. He gives spiritual understanding. It isn't in religious practice
or discipline. It's not in traditions handed
down. You get the knowledge of his
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding in Christ. And in Christ alone. If you look
back, you probably don't even need to turn the page back. Verse
10 of chapter 3 of Philippians. Paul says that I may know him.
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection that's where
I want to be found I want to be found in him not having mine
own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through
faith of Christ the righteousness that I may know him this is what
I want to do if you know him you know all you need to know
for life and eternity did you hear that? if you know him you
know all you need to know for life and eternity for he I've
already said it is made unto us wisdom from God and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption they are all that I need if I
have all of those I am as we'll see a little bit later on in
chapter 2 I am verse 10 I am complete in him if I have all
of those it's in him that I am complete you see this knowledge
where does knowledge go it goes into the mind and you can file
it away then it's interesting to know it and it might get you
to answer some quiz questions one day no this knowledge goes
into the mind and then it goes down several centimeters into
the heart I know the heart's just a pump but you know the
seat of the affections the motivation of the will it goes into the
heart And what does it make of Christ's people? It makes willing
bomb servants. I think I mentioned last week
about the pressed men and the volunteers. You know, if you
ask anybody in the military who he would want to choose to go
with him, and he'll say, any day I would sooner have half
a dozen volunteers than a hundred pressed men. A hundred men who've
had their arms twisted up their back or threatened to go, no,
he'd sooner have half a dozen that want to, that want to do
it, that want to do it, yeah? So knowledge. He prays for knowledge. Not material blessings. For knowledge.
The other things will come. Give us this day our daily bread.
Yes, by all means. Give us this day our daily bread.
Give me neither poverty nor riches. These are all valid prayers of
the Scriptures, but above all, the knowledge of His will. And
then, verse 10, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto
all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing
in the knowledge of God. There it is again. The walk,
what is the walk? It's the life that you live.
What is the life that you live that you might walk worthy? Is
this what? some call the believers rule
of life they say the law the ten commandments is the believers
rule of life we know that we're free from the law but we have
to live as though we're under the law we have to live as though
we're in bondage to the law because the law is the only thing that
will keep us living the right way this is what they tell us
is that right? well the scripture tells us over and over again
ye are not under law but under grace Oh, it can't possibly mean
that. Well, why does it say it? Ye
are not under law but under grace. No, it's not legalism, but it's
this. How can I put it? It's like this.
If you know the truth, you walk worthy of it. Do that mean you're
always behaving well? No, of course not, because you
still live in this flesh, which is weak. Your flesh is not improving. You're not gradually, progressively
sanctifying this flesh. No. But what he's saying is this.
If you know him, then you know who you represent. When I worked
for different companies, the company I worked for would have
a certain standard of behavior that they expected when you were
out and about. And it was just this, you know, there weren't
hard and fast rules, but it was just this. When you go to this
client to see them and to interact with them and to do work for
them, remember who you represent. you represent the company, whatever
it was, you represent them. Don't do anything, don't you
as an individual deliberately or sloppily or carelessly do
anything which will make that client say, well look at that
company, if it sends people like this out to me, look at that
company. I'm trying my best to avoid any hint of legalistic
practice because that's the last thing that I intend to say. Do
you know what I mean? It's this be aware of who you
represent. Like the soldiers, again I'll
use an illustration I've used before but the Trooping of the
Colour on Horse Guards Parade on June the third or whenever
it is, that Saturday which commemorates the Queen's coronation and I
tell you the troops there are under discipline. But the reason
that they turn out smart and they want everything to be done
perfectly is not in any way because they fear punishment or they
hope for reward. It's just this. It's the honour
of whom they represent. Remember who you represent. And
be fruitful, fruitful. I've already said that the grace
of God that brings the faith of God brings the fruit of the
Spirit of God. Being fruitful in every good
work, fruitful, love, joy, peace, delivered from the power of darkness,
live as those who are liberated, set free from the dungeon of
Satan and sin and the lost eternity, which is the destiny of this
world, If you're liberated, live as those liberated. And he says,
always increasing in knowledge. Increasing in knowledge. Getting
puffed up with knowledge? No, increasing with the knowledge
of Christ. Not knowledge about him, not
doctrinal facts that you can compete with one another about,
but the knowledge of Him increasing in knowledge. Peter, the last
verse that Peter wrote in the Scriptures, 2 Peter 3, 18, he
encourages believers, grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus. Grow in it, grow in it, grow
in that knowledge. Verse 11, He prays for strength,
that you will be strengthened with all might according to his
glorious power, empowered by virtue of the Holy Spirit's work
within you. You can do nothing of yourself.
Christ said to his disciples, without me, you can do nothing. Without knowing him, without
walking with him, without serving him, you can do nothing, nothing
whatsoever, nothing at all. There is a new birth. unless
a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God there
is a new birth of the spirit of God when that which was dead
in trespasses and sins is given new life and a new nature and
a new man and it's done in proportion according to his glorious power
in proportion to the power God is not short of power God is
abundant in power that you might be strengthened with that And
to all patience, look, the strength of God, what does it give you?
Patience. And long-suffering, with joyfulness. Which is so hard for the flesh
to do, isn't it? Patience? Very difficult. Long-suffering? Very difficult. Joyfulness? In
the face of frustration, very difficult. But with the power
of God, strengthened, with all might, according to his glorious
power. And verse 12, thankful. Thankful. This is a mark of those who know
the Lord Jesus Christ. Thankful. Unlike fallen, unregenerate
mankind, you know, one of the main accusations against those
who know not the truth is this, Romans 1.21, neither were thankful. This is Paul describing the lost
state of fallen man outside of Christ. They were not thankful.
Thankful for what? for what God has done with such
as we are. What does he say? Look, he says
that verse 12, giving thanks unto the Father which hath made
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light. Made us meet, made us fitted,
made us qualified. He's qualified us to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light. He's elevated sinners
from the gutter of sin to the Father's mansion. He's made us
heirs of all that God has for his people in eternity. made us heirs of it, we're going
to inherit that, give thanks for it, because he's delivered
us, he's translated us, look at verse 13, he's delivered us
from the power of darkness, that's the power of Satan, from the
lostness of Satan, and has translated us into the kingdom of the son
of his love is what the margin says the kingdom of the son of
his love he's made us heirs of all that God has for his people
in eternity and delivered us and translated us into that situation
you know just as a pale illustration you know we see hordes of Syrian
refugees fleeing the conflict and the poverty and the warfare
and the destruction in Syria and seeking to come to European
countries and not least the United Kingdom in order to establish
a better life where they'll be prosperous and they'll be able
to work and they'll be able to bring up their families in relative
safety and they'll be able to have some of the things that
the free world has that they don't have at the moment And
that's a very, very dim picture of what Christ has done for his
people in delivering us from the power of darkness and translating
us into the kingdom of the son of his love. You think about
it, what they aspire to is actually what the scriptures call vanity,
vanity, all is vanity. The more you know of the society
in which we live, the more you are aware of its vain sinfulness. And that's what they aspire to
as a great thing. Think how much better what the
people of God aspire to. He's delivered us from the power
of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the son of
his love. Yes, pray for practical support
for one another help one another practically where possible but
above all pray for the eternal good of one another as brethren,
as joint heirs with one another and with Christ. Now what I want
to do is I want to look at Paul's focus because you know he says
be filled with the knowledge of his will, well What particularly
is it? Well, it's the knowledge of Christ,
and in the next few verses he goes on to extol the virtues
of Christ, and that's what I want to focus on for the rest of our
time. In praying for their being filled with knowledge, he then
expands to extol the one who is the center, the sum, and substance
of all that life-changing knowledge. This, in these next few verses,
13 down to 23, is a hymn of praise and worship, of honour and blessing
to God for Christ. Christ is the centre of our worship. What was it that they sang, we
read in Revelation 5, verse 12, several weeks ago? Worthy, worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. blessing
and glory and honor that's the hymn of praise of eternity is
for the lamb the lord jesus christ who was slain he's worthy he's
worthy of that praise why? what is the reason for this?
why is this what you need to know and grow in? why do you
need to know more about christ? why do you need to understand
more about what christ is and what he has done? will it make
you Somebody once said to me, if you carry on the way you're
going, you'll become too heavenly minded to be any earthly good. No. The reason it's important
is this. He's your king. He's translated
us into the kingdom of the son of his love. The kingdom. He's
the king of his kingdom. He's your king. You know, this
week, we have marked in this country the 90th birthday of
the Queen and that's a significant milestone by anybody's standards
and she's the longest reigning monarch over these islands nobody's
ever reigned longer She's the oldest reigning monarch there's
ever been on these islands. She's 90 years old. Very, very
good. And I greatly respect what she's
done and the institution. But in actual fact, to me, practically,
it makes very, very little difference day to day. But not in this case. He is my king. I walk with him
every day. I should seek to, at any rate.
In our king, in Christ, look, We have redemption. We have in
Him. I can't think of anything the
Queen alone has done that without her doing it I would be in a
worse state than I am now. I mean I support the institution
but I can't think of anything specifically that she has done
for me personally that has made my life different. I'm not trying
to be disrespectful to the monarchy, that's the last thing on my mind.
I'm trying to draw the contrast that King Jesus, the Lord Jesus
Christ has redeemed me. through his blood. He's paid
the price of my redemption, of my liberty, of my freedom. He's paid the price with his
life's blood, which was the only currency that would pay the price
required. I have found a ransom, deliver
him from going down to the pit. This is the ransom that is acceptable,
because his lifeblood He's pouring out his lifeblood, has made satisfaction
to the law of God, which says, the soul that sins, me and you,
the soul that sins, it shall die. The law is not satisfied
until the soul that sins dies, unless a worthy substitute dies
in that one's place. And Christ has died in my place. He's redeemed me. through his
blood. And because of that, I have the
forgiveness of sins. And if my sins are forgiven,
when I stand before the throne of God, before the judgment seat
of Christ, what words am I going to hear? There is therefore now
no condemnation to those who are in Christ. No condemnation
now, I dread. Jesus and all in him is mine. Do you understand it? No, of
course you don't. Neither do I. I scratch the surface. But Paul prays, and we should
pray for one another, that we might know more of it, that it
might affect us every minute of every day that we go on. You see, who is it that has redeemed
us with his blood? Who is this one Christ? Who is he? Well, he's Jesus,
isn't he? Jesus of Nazareth? The man that
was born of Mary in Bethlehem? The sinless man? Wasn't he sinless? He was a sinless man, he was
a wonderful example, wasn't he? Oh, and didn't they do some outrageous
things to him? He died the shameful death of
the cross, the criminal's death. Not even the death of the Jews
by stoning. He died the death of the Roman
cross, the shameful death. but he rose the third day. Is
that all we know about him? No, look what these verses tell
us. Verse 15, look. He, Jesus, the man who lived
sinlessly, who died, who rose again, he is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. He is the
image, the image of the invisible God. Let me read Hebrews 1 verses
2 and 3. The writer, who I believe is
Paul, of Hebrews, he says, God's spoken through the prophets,
but in these last days he's spoken to us by his Son, whom he has
appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds. He's the creator. Is that what
this says? The image of the invisible God?
He made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory.
He, this one, this man, Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, is the brightness
of his glory. He is the express image of his
person, the image of the invisible God. He upholds all things by
the word of his power. When he had by himself purged
our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
turn if you can with me to John chapter one and verse fourteen
and let me remind you of these very familiar words having said
in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and
the word was God he was in the beginning with God all things
were made by him and without him was not anything made that
was made in verse fourteen of chapter one of John and the word
that same word who is our Lord Jesus Christ who is the image
of the invisible God that word was made flesh and dwelt among
us And we, the apostles, beheld his glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John,
the Baptist, bear witness of him, and cried, saying, This
is he of whom I spake, that he coming after me is preferred
before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness, we'll
see more of that in a minute, have all we received, and grace
for grace. For the law was given by Moses. but grace. The law which can
never save us was given by Moses. The law which can only condemn
us was given by Moses. But grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ. No man hath seen God at any time. No man has seen the spiritual
essence of who and what God is. No man. We can't. We're of this
creation. We cannot see Him. We're fallen in sin. the only
begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. He and the
Father are one. They're one together. He has
declared Him. This one Jesus, the Christ, he
is the only manifestation of spiritual God, who is unknowable
and unapproachable and mysterious in holiness and majesty. He,
Christ, is the only manifestation of spiritual God to this creation,
until all creation is fulfilled. Just look, let me read this verse
to you. in first Corinthians chapter
15 where Paul is talking about the end of all things he says
in verse 22 for as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all
be made alive but everyone in his own order and then he goes
on verse 28 and when all things shall be subdued unto him then
shall the son also himself be subject unto him that put all
things unto him under him, that God may be all in all. That's
mysterious stuff. Those are mysterious words, but
I believe it means this. that when this creation is wound
up, we were thinking about it in Revelation, we were seeing
it in Revelation, when God brings in the new Jerusalem, the new
heavens and the new earth, that new temple of God, that bride
of Christ, and when there's that perfect unity of His people with
Him, all things will be wrapped up of this creation. Christ is
the manifestation of God to us in this creation. will be united
with God in his essence. We don't know how or what, but
in this space-time creation, Christ alone is the one through
whom there is access to all the blessings of knowing God. In
verse 16 of Colossians, chapter 1, verse 16, he created all things
by him and for him. All things, this creation, was
In a way, you know how the canvas is the background on which the
artist paints his picture? Well, in a way, all things created
by him and for him was the canvas on which the grace of God, which
is God's supreme glory, is displayed. he made all things by whom also
he made the worlds in John 1 verse 3 he made all things and without
him was not anything made that was made verse 17 he is before
all things this one is before all things and by him all things
consist or hold together he upholds all things by the word of his
power you know physics is looking, searching constantly for what
that film recently about Stephen Hawking called, was it The Theory
of Everything? And it's searching for a unified
law which brings together the the gravitational force and the
electromagnetic force and the weak nuclear force and the strong
nuclear force and says we understand it all well I'm telling you if
you want to understand it all it's Christ he upholds all things
by the word of his power he holds all things in him all things
consist he is sovereign God manifested in this creation and he's in
special relationship with his people verse 18 he's the head
in union with his body. For you to live, your head's
no good without your body, your body's no good without the head.
In a way, Christ needs his church to make up his completeness,
and his church undoubtedly needs its head. There's that union
there, that completion. He is the head of the body, the
church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
He's the blueprint of the resurrection that all his people will experience
and enjoy, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah came down
to speak with the transfigured Lord Jesus Christ, Peter, James,
and John were there, terrified, and Peter, in his fear, said,
oh, this is great, let's build three booths here, one for you,
one for Moses, one for Elijah, and the voice came from heaven,
and the cloud overshadowed them and said, this is my beloved
son, hear ye him. He's not on the same level as
them. he's on a level of his own for
it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell
there it is all fullness look at verses nine and ten of chapter
two for in him dwelleth all in this one dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily and ye are complete in him which is
the head of all principality and power Christ is the fulfilling
of the law. He's the fulfilling of God's
purposes of grace. Fullness, all fullness. He's
the fullness of all the Old Testament types and worship. He is the
key that opens all the scripture. For these are they that speak
of him, he said. In him alone is the fullness
of reconciliation. We haven't time, but read about
it in verses 20 to 23. Reconciliation of a sinner with
God, the fullness of it is in him. Oh, repeating, oh that I
may know him. that I may know Him, that I might
be determined to know nothing other, that if I preach Him I
have preached the whole counsel of God. As the hymn writer said,
Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find. If I am conscious of my mortality
and of my death, He is life. For he said, He who believes
in me has everlasting life. If I am conscious of my sin and
my defilement that will keep me from heaven, he is the Lord
my righteousness, the fullness of it. If I am conscious that
before the gaze and the judgment of God I lie there naked in my
shame, He is my covering. He is my robe of righteousness.
If I'm hungry for spiritual bread, He is the bread from heaven.
If I'm thirsty for spiritual water, He is that life-giving
water. If I'm dirty, He is my cleansing. If I'm blind, And in darkness,
He is my light and my sight, for in the face of Jesus Christ
we see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. If I am
weary, He will give me rest, the fullness of it. If I am a
debtor to the law, He is my ransom paid in full. If I am helpless,
He is my strength. If I am a captive, He is my liberty. If I am condemned, He is my release
from condemnation if I'm empty in all the vanity of this fleshly
life. He is my fullness of the knowledge
of God. This fullness is not in any other
man, not in anything that calls itself a church, not in any church's
ritual. The things they go through, don't
you see the blindness of people who go through these things?
these religious experiences, and it leaves them bankrupt,
because it never satisfies. No, Psalm 115 verse 1, Not unto
us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for
thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. What do I pray for you,
and for myself, for that matter? Filling with the knowledge of
Christ, because then everything else will fall into God's perfect
place. I know you know this illustration,
you've heard it before, but I'll remind you of it, it's a good
story. in america in the nineteen sixties there was a very wealthy
man and his son his son who was about twenty years old who were
keen art collectors and they had the wealth with which to
do it and they collected some great works of art and in their
big house in america they had these beautiful pictures these
these marvelous works of art that the world really values
hung around their house and the son went off to Vietnam to fight
in the Vietnam War and I'll cut the story short it can be embellished
greatly but this son did an act of extreme bravery one day when
his platoon came under fire and he rescued several of his friends
and as he was rescuing the last one of them who was injured he
was shot through the heart and it killed him stone dead instantly
but the one he was rescuing got out and the one who he was rescuing
was an amateur artist, wasn't very good but he could paint
a bit and when he got back and he recovered from his injuries
he painted a picture of the young man who rescued him, the brave
young man who rescued him he captured his likeness in oil
paints because he had his stuff with him and when he came back
from the Vietnam War in time he looked up the father of the
young man that rescued him and he went to his house and he told
him who he was and the father, the wealthy man, welcomed him
in and he was delighted to see him and he gave him a present
and he gave him the picture that he painted a day or two after
he'd been rescued and he said your son rescued me and I captured
his likenesses I know I'm not very good but there it is to
the father that was the best painting he had he hung it in
pride of place on the wall above the mantelpiece so all the other
works of art these valuable pieces were scattered around the house
and a few months later the old man died and there was an auction
and he'd adjusted his will but anyway it came to the day of
the auction and all the art collectors were there with their money thinking
hey we've got some valuable acquisitions to make here these paintings
are going to be worth a bit and so the auctioneer said we come
to the first work of art on the list today this is a picture
by an unknown artist and it's a picture of the man's son Now,
who will start the bidding for this? Oh, we don't want that.
Can we get on to the Picasso and the Rembrandt and the Van
Gogh? No, we don't want that. No, sorry,
I have to do what it says on the order. This is the first
painting to be sold. Now, who will bid me $10 for
this painting? No, no. Nobody's going to give me anything
whatsoever. And the old gardener that had been at the house all
his working life and had been the gardener, he said, I'll give
you $10 for the picture of the sun. And the auctioneer said,
thank you, sold to that man there. Right, that's the end of the
auction. They all said, what? What about all the other paintings?
What about the Van Goghs and the Rembrandts? What about all
of those? Oh, he said, no, I couldn't tell
you this beforehand. But the owner stipulated whoever
has the son has everything. And the gardener bought the picture
of the son and he got the lot. Now how true it is I don't know
but you know that you can see what it's saying can't you? Everything
else that you might value in this life if you have the Lord
Jesus Christ you have everything. You have everything. You are
rich beyond measure. Let's pray for one another. for
our fellow believers. Let's pray for one another. We
should do. Pray for ourselves, one another
practically. But above all else, that we would
have the son and know him more. Amen.