The lesson this morning is summed
up in verse 21 of Ephesians chapter 3, where the Apostle says, unto
him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages,
world without end. I hope this morning to be able
to finish Chapter 3, or these last verses in Chapter 3, verses
10 through 21. And this that says, unto him,
I believe is directed to the Father. I believe that's what
Paul's saying. Most of the writers, or at least
some of them, talked as though this was unto the Godhead. I believe that it's directed
toward the Father whose eternal purpose of grace in Christ Jesus
is the theme of this letter. You remember I told you in the
beginning that that's what this was. This was to show our relationship
through the Son by the Father. But whenever we talk about one
of the persons of the Godhead, we're not excluding the other
two, because our God is one God. If we talk about Christ, we're
talking about God. No man knoweth the Father save
the Son, and He to whom the Son will reveal Him. Everything that
we know about the Father, we know through the Son. Everything
we know about the Spirit of God, we know through the Son of God.
the very character of God. We learn through the Son. So
it's impossible to do damage to the Godhead by talking about
one of the persons of the Godhead because to know one is to know
them all. It's to know them all. And we
worship one God in the Trinity of His persons, Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And the Father is set before
us. They went into all kinds of arguments. I remember studying the Trinity,
and they went into all kinds of arguments. And one fellow
said that men refused to believe in a Trinity because they couldn't
understand it. And his comment was that men
often believe in things and enjoy things that they don't understand,
just like the sunshine. We don't know a whole lot about
it. Don't know a whole lot about it. But we get up in the morning,
we expect to see it, and when it comes up, we rejoice in it,
and we all receive the benefits of it. And then I remember another
old writer saying this, he said, I don't understand how a brown
cow can eat green grass and give white milk that makes yellow
cheese. But he said, I drink the milk
and eat the cheese. So let's think about that in
our study this morning concerning the Father. The Father is set
before us in the Scriptures as the eternal author of all things,
decreeing all things. All the appointments are said
to be of the Father. The Father appointed the Son.
He sent the Son. He accepted the Son. He received
the Son, and He set the Son at His right hand. The Son of God
is the one mediator between God and men. He's the Word. He by
whom the Father and the Holy Spirit are known. He's the substitute
and Redeemer of the church, the surety and testator of God's
eternal will. The Holy Spirit is He who effectually
calls the redeemed. teaches us and reveals to us
the deep things of God and makes the written word preached in
the gospel to be the seed of regeneration forming Christ in
us, the hope of glory. The trinity of God is a great
mystery and I don't believe any mortal can fully enter into that
mystery. We believe it because it's in
the word of God. This is the declaration of God. God the Father is set before
us here as the fountain of all grace. Listen to what James says
over in James 1.17. He said, every good gift and
every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father
of lights. And you find this all the way
through. When Paul writes his epistles to the churches, he
says, grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. That's his mark. You can just
pretty much tell that this letter is a Paul because he begins them
all the same way. And then here in verses 14 and
15, it says here in Ephesians chapter 3, For this cause I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the
whole family in heaven and earth are named. They're His sons by
divine election. They're His sons by eternal predestination. And their names have been written
in the book of life and given to the Lamb of God to redeem
and to make righteous and present to Him in that great day without
spot and without blemish. Let me show you something over
here in Romans 8. Romans 8, verse 28, Paul tells
us that all things are working together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
Called. I want you to think on that word
for just a minute. Now listen to verse 29. For whom
He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called." Now, this calling is not the calling of
the Holy Spirit. This calling is the calling of
eternal predestination to be sons. And this word calling here,
if you look it up in your Strong's Concordance, is a totally different
number than the other callings that you see in Scripture. This
calling has to do with being named. Named of God. Whom He did predestinate, them
He also named. Don't you name your sons? Sure
you do. You name your sons. And God named
His. How else could He write their
names in the Lamb's Book of Life? He gave them them names before
the foundation of the world. He called them in eternal predestination
and election, and he named them. So that Paul bows his knees to
the Father of whom the whole family in heaven and earth are
named. It was God the Father in the
covenant of grace who purposed redemption, chose a people, devised
the plan, decreed the means, and appointed the mediator to
accomplish what he had foreordained. Now I want to just briefly this
morning touch on six things in these closing verses of Ephesians
chapter 3 that causes the church to glorify the Father. Last week we talked about the
eternal purpose of God. This week I want to show you
how that purpose In the church glorifies God. What God has purposed
to do in the church, in turn, glorifies Him. It's kind of like
what our Lord said over in John 17. He bowed His head, preparing
to go to the cross, and said, Father, glorify Thy Son that
Thy Son also may glorify Thee. He wasn't talking about what
the Son was going to say. He was talking about what God
had purposed to do in the Son, and in the doing of it would
glorify Him in return. And that's what Paul's talking
about here. He's talking about what God has done in the church
that in turn brings glory back to His name. Here's the first thing I want
you to see. Six things that God did in Christ concerning the church
that glorifies His name. And here's the first thing I
want you to see, that the Father's eternal purpose is designed from
beginning to end. Everything you find in that purpose
written in the Scriptures, you'll find in relationship to His Church
and the redemption of it. You won't find a purpose over
here in creation that's apart from this purpose of grace. You'll
find that creation is for that redemption. You'll find the creation
of the universe, the stars, All of these things, they're all
in relation to redemption. You won't find any abstract purpose
apart from this purpose of redemption in his church. Everything that
God purposed is in connection with this. And therefore, Paul
can say with an understanding. He said, and we know. And it's
a comfort to know this, that everything. And he wasn't just
talking about the daily events, although those things are included,
but he goes all the way back in those next few verses and
shows you the eternal counsels of God all the way clear forward
to eternity future to that glorification. And he says all of these things
are working together for your good because you are the called
according to his purpose. Everything in the eternal counsels
of God and everything in creation, everything in providence, everything
in salvation, and everything even in the final judgment works
together for your good, if you're the called according to His purpose. Establishing the church to be
heirs of God and join heirs with Christ, Paul tells us in Romans
8, verse 18, that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory. Now that's what we're
talking about this morning. That shall be revealed in us. Now I told you that creation
did this. Listen to what he says next.
For this is itself the very earnest expectation of all creation. That word creature is creation.
which was made subject to vanity not willingly, but by reason
of him who has subjected the same in hope." You see the connection? All creation groaneth, he said,
and travaileth in pain, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our bodies. This is the great end by which
God is purposed to glorify his name. And the second thing I
want you to see is the faithfulness of God in providing us a Redeemer
and a representative man. If everything were hinged on
the first Adam, if anything was hinged on the
first Adam, not everything, but if anything was hinged on the
first Adam, All would be lost, wouldn't it? Because in Adam all die. They
all die. Men quibble and they argue over
the doctrine of particular redemption or universal atonement. This
argument has been going on since, I believe that's what, when they
came up to that first altar, Abel and Cain, I think that was
the problem right there. Particular redemption or universal
atonement? Election or universal choice? Predestination or circumstance
and free will? Men argue and quibble and argue
and quibble. The glory is that God appointed
one in the place of that first Adam.
Now that's the hope. That's what we want glory about.
That's what we want to focus on. Focusing on that, these other
things will become clear. They have become clear. This is the glory in God's faithfulness
to provide one through whom any man who believes can be saved. Think about that. In Christ shall all be made alive. Isn't that what it says? He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. And I challenge you to find anything
in the first Adam to contribute to or give any reason of hope
to any of his fallen sons. You can't find it. It ain't there.
It ain't there. You just keep finding things
like by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin. That's
what you learn in Adam. In Adam all die. The first man
was of the earth, earthy. You just go on and on and on.
Everything concerning that first Adam and his children is a negative. There's nothing in it. Nothing
in there to hope for. Nothing in there to look to.
No potential. Nothing there. It's all in the
second Adam. It's all in Christ. The entire
weight, and I mean every advantage and every reason And everything
stated in the Scriptures finds its reason in the Lord Jesus
Christ. The entire weight of everything
said in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 through 11, election, predestination,
redemption, effectual calling, all of those things, everything
stated, the entire weight of that whole thing is said in verse
12, that we should be to the praise of His glory who first
trusted in Christ. You see the faithfulness of God
in that? In appointing this one Redeemer,
this one Mediator, this one way, this one man, this one Mediator
between men and God, the man Christ Jesus. And it's the faithful
Father trusting into the hands of His beloved Son the full responsibility
of the redemption of the church that manifests His glory to all,
to angels in heaven, and to all that are in the earth. And then
thirdly, unto the Father be glory in the church, because He sent
and does now send the Holy Spirit to call us out of darkness, ignorance,
rebellion, and sin, and call us into the marvelous light of
Christ. In Ephesians 3.16, Paul says
that He, that is the Father, would grant unto you according
to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by
His Spirit in the inner man. You see that? Who sent that Spirit? Christ said, it's expedient for
you that I go away. If I don't go away, the Father
will not send the Spirit unto you. And I love this statement over
in John. He says, greater is he that is
in you than he that is in the world. In the world is the prince
of the power of the air. This is the spirit that now worketh,
he said, in the children of disobedience, transforming himself into an
angel of light and his ministers into ministers of righteousness,
filling the whole earth with his deceit and darkness and lies. hiding the gospel. Can you imagine
such a thing? And yet it was hidden from me
and it was hidden from you at one time, wasn't it? How was
it hidden? It's so plain, it's so clear,
it's on every page. God opened my eyes, I looked
in this book and here it is. It's everywhere. It's in all
the gospels, it's in all the epistles, it's in the book of
Acts, it's in the book of Revelation, it's all the way through the
prophets. What would hide such a thing that's so clear? The
God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe
not." That's how it is. The God of this world. You see
what He's saying there in John? Greater is He that's in you than
he that's in the world. This One who is in you, sent
by the Father, He clears up the mysteries. He unveils the deep
things of God. He marks out those things that
Satan does in this world. Now I'm telling you, this world
is so ignorant of the power and presence and intimidation of
Satan, and they serve him and don't even know they're serving
him. It says, it's in Ecclesiastes,
and I can't give you the chapter and verse, but it says, God has
set the world in their hearts. that they should not find out
what he's been doing from the beginning to the end. Greater is he that's in you.
Oh, help this doubting mind to grasp the power and wisdom of
him who dwells in us. He's the writer of the word of
God and so can teach it better than any other. He's the power behind the gospel
that makes men willing to receive it. The Holy Spirit of God. By His divine power, the chosen
sons of God are born again, given the right, like he says over
in John chapter 1, the right to become. To become. They were predestinated to be.
They were chosen to be. But through the power of God's
Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the gospel, they're given
the right and privilege to become sons of God. Sons of God. Listen to this, by His presence
and power, Paul says in Colossians 3, 9, that we're able to put
off the old man with his deeds. and put on the new man which
is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who hath chosen
him. Where there is neither Jew nor
Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or
free, but Christ is all and in all. And then fourthly, unto
the Father be glory in the church, because He's established a way
for sinners to live before Him in their present sinful state,
and yet be righteous and just in their walk. Sound like a contradiction,
don't it? And yet I know it's so. Turn
with me to Hebrews chapter 11. I don't know any area of the
scripture that gives men and women more trouble than this. And it's because the antichrist
religion of this world has brainwashed every one of its hearers into
believing that God can be pleased with something the sinner does.
Something the sinner does. And yet the scripture says over
and over, it's not of him that willeth, it's not of him that
runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. It's by grace through
faith alone and not the works of men. lest any man should boast. In 2 Timothy 1.9, Paul tells
us that our calling was not according to our works, but according to
God's own purpose and grace given us in Christ before the world
began. Here in Hebrews 11, Paul shows
us a man. He's talking about faith all
the way through this whole chapter. You want to learn something about
faith, read Hebrews chapter 11. He pulls out men of faith to
demonstrate each part of it. Each part of it. And it's so
clear once you see this illustrated in Hebrews chapter 11. And Paul
shows us how a man of faith walks before God and pleases God. Watch
this. Hebrews 11 verse 5. By faith
Enoch was translated. that he should not see death,
and was not found, because God had translated him. For before
his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God." He pleased God, John. Ain't that
what that says? Before God took him, before God
took him out of this world, caused him to disappear among the sons
of men, and translated him into heaven, this man pleased God,
and God said that he did. How on earth can he do it? How
can he do it? Verse 6, without faith, it is
impossible to please God. Huh? Ain't that what they said? Our walk before Him is a walk
in faith, faith in Christ, faith in accomplished redemption, faith
in imputed righteousness. We walk in His righteousness. We walk by reason of that atonement. Without faith, it's impossible
to please Him. For He that cometh to God must
believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him. That is that God approves of
how they come and rewards them with Christ. He approves of it. That God actually approves of
them for Christ's sake and by virtue of his work which is charged
to their account and of which they receive by faith and in
which they walk before him. Do I actually believe that a
person, that the person and work of Christ alone is sufficient
to give me access to God. Huh? Do I believe that? Do you
believe that? That's what it takes. You
must believe that He is and is a rewarder. He's not going to
reward you. He's going to reward you on the
basis of Christ. So do I believe that? to appease
God concerning my sin? I believe God is appeased. I tell you, there's a whole lot
more sins that we've committed and it's a whole lot deeper than
your mind's able to go. Your mind just goes so far and
usually it's just the things. And some people, I've known people
in my lifetime that just have things. They've had this one
thing where they went past the point. and they're just not able
to forgive themselves for this one thing, and they can't see
how on earth God could. Well, that one thing is nothing
compared to what you really are. There's no difference between
you and the vilest devil out of hell, except for Christ. There it is. Our righteousnesses,
I'm talking about I'm talking about the best thought you ever
had, the best prayer you ever prayed, the best sacrifice you
ever gave is filthy rags in His sight. Do I really believe that
God has put my sins away, appeased the Father in Christ, and now
He accepts me as righteous? Do I believe that? That's what
they're talking about, Hebrews chapter 11. This is the only
way a sinner can please God in his walk. Unto the Father be
glory in the church, because He has established Christ in
our hearts by faith. John 17, 8, I have given unto
them the words which Thou gavest Me, and they have received them. And they have known surely that
I come out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst
send Me. Fifthly, unto the Father be glory in the church, because
of his everlasting love for chosen sinners. Ephesians 3.17, it says
that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being
rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all
the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height
and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that
you might be filled with all the fullness of God." Think about
that. They're not a subject in the
Scriptures that leaves the sinner more astounded than the eternal
love of the Father. How could God love me? How can that be, John? He doesn't
say that He loved me in Christ. It said He loved me and sent
His Son. He loved me and provided His
Son. Appointed for me His Son. There's
nothing, nothing that astounds a sinner saved by the grace of
God than the eternal love of the Father. How could He love
me? I think I see myself in the prodigal
son standing on the road, my little speech all prepared that
I'm going to give to the father when he comes out. And I'm going
to tell him I was wrong, and tell him I was sorry, and tell
him. And here comes the father, and I can't get a word out because
he's hugging on me and kissing on me. And before I can open
my mouth, he's got the ring out. He's got the cash called for.
He's got the friends invited. Don't you think that boy stood
there and said, how in tears, flowing from his eyes, how on
earth could he love me? But he always loved him. He loved
him when he gave him the inheritance. And he loved him when he squandered
it. And he loved him when he called him by his grace. And
he loved him when he come to him. Oh, what a subject. Oh, the love
that drew salvation's plan. Oh, the grace that brought it
down to man. Oh, the mighty gulf that God
did span at Calvary. Almost every writer agrees that
there is an improper break between Ephesians 1.4 and Ephesians 1.5,
so that it ought to read this way, in love, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children. And I cannot imagine a scripture
that declares God's everlasting love for sinners, nor any man
more fitting than the Apostle John to pen these words, John
3, 16. For God so loved the world, not
the righteous. Not the righteous. That's why
he used that word world there in John 3, 6, 10. Not the righteous. Not those that paraded around
in their broad phylacteries. Not the religious who went about
trying to establish their own righteousness. Not the doctors
of the law who gloated in their knowledge and justified their
arrogance. But the world. God so loved the
world. the Gentile, heathen, sinners, that He gave His only begotten
Son. My, what love, what love. All right, fifthly, and I'll
try to hurry up. I'm already over my time. Unto the Father
be glory in the church, because He loved the unlovable. And then
lastly, unto the Father be glory in the church, because He alone
is able to do all that He promised He would do. Paul wrote to the
Philippian church and here's what he said, I'm confident of
this very thing that He which hath begun a good work in you,
I will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. That was it. He didn't have no confidence
in the Philippians. He had confidence in God who
began the work in With the mind of Christ and the heart of love,
he said, let every man work out his own salvation in fear and
trembling, for it's God which worketh in you, both to will
and to do of his good pleasure. Ephesians 3.20. Now unto him
that's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.