When he was just a young man,
C.H. Spurgeon came to the church at Horstendam in London, England,
where Benjamin Keech, John Rippon, John Gill had pastored before
him, and God greatly blessed his ministry. People in God's
good providence were thronging to hear the gospel of God's free
grace preached with fervency, preached with power. Soon, the
little chapel could not hold the crowds. And so they rented
a place called Exeter Music Hall, Exeter Gardens. I'm sorry, Exeter
Music Hall. And they met there while they
were undergoing an expansion of their building. And Spurgeon
preached to thousands, thousands, thousands of people. On one occasion,
I remember this is back in the early, mid-1800s, when he was
21 years old, he preached to an estimated 23,000 and some
people, and that's without any microphones. There's thousands
gathered to hear him. On this particular Sunday morning,
as he preached the gospel of free grace, something happened
that nearly destroyed it, mentally and emotionally. You see, a man
cannot preach free grace and not find many enemies. And the
more God is pleased to use him, the more his enemies will be.
While that thronging crowd, people standing in the aisles, standing
in the balconies, standing in just crowded, crowded, crowded,
crowded place, someone up in one of the galleries screamed, And you can imagine the panic.
People trampled over top of one another. A couple of folks were
killed. Many were injured. And Spurgeon
was devastated. He didn't preach that evening. He didn't preach the next week.
He didn't preach the next Sunday. And he didn't preach through
the next week. Finally, late on Saturday of
the second week afterwards, he began to meditate upon the exaltation
of Christ and the glory of Christ. And he found the sustenance and
strength and comfort his heart needed to go on with the work
God had given him. And on the next Sunday morning,
he preached, I guess, the best sermon I ever read. I sure would
like to have heard it. Christ exalted, Christ exalted. He began by saying, Christ exalted
is my song, hymned with all the blood bought throng. Now I want
you to know that God has exalted His Son. God has exalted His
Son. I want you to know Him, trust
Him, adore Him, Worship Him and love Him. And I'm real selfish
in this. I want to know Him. Trust Him. Adore Him. Worship Him and love
Him. I want each of us to be so overwhelmed
by His goodness, greatness, glory, and grace that we will be compelled
of God irresistibly and compelled of God constantly to consecrate
ourselves to Christ in the totality of our beings. Take my life and let it be consecrated
Lord to thee. Therefore, I'm endeavoring in
these messages this month to show you something of our Lord's
exaltation, glory, and preeminence. This I know. Christ is the most
beautiful diamond in all the ring of Holy Scripture. The Apostle
Paul said to the Colossians, Christ is all. He is all in eternity. He is all in time. He is all
in heaven's glory. He is all among all his people. And he is all for eternity to
come. In the purpose of Christ, or
in the purpose of God, Christ is the center of all. In the
creation of God, he's the maker and the possessor of all. In
the providence of God, are you listening now? He's the cause
of all. He's the ruler of all. He's the
disposer of all. And he's the end of all. He's
the cause of everything. He's the ruler of everything. He's the disposer of everything. And He's the end of everything. The more you think about Him,
the more you think of Him. Therefore, I want you to think
much of Him. Thomas Brooks, the Puritan, wrote,
Christ is lovely. Christ is very lovely. Christ
is most lovely. Christ is always lovely. No matter
how you see Him or where you see Him, Christ is lovely. Christ
is altogether lovely. Now with those things in mind,
turn with me again to Colossians chapter 1 and verse 18. This is my text this morning
and it will be Sunday morning and Sunday night at least through
the end of the year. Colossians chapter 1. I would
encourage you to read this first chapter of Colossians at least
once a week between now and the end of the year. You won't get
tired of it, I promise you. And he, the Lord Jesus Christ,
is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, that in all things That is, he's
the head of the body. He's the head of the church. He's the firstborn, the firstborn
of all things. That means he's the top-notch
one. He's the first thing considered.
The firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have
the preeminence. The title of my message this
morning is Christ preeminent in the purpose of God, in the
purpose of God. And I said to you last week twice,
I will repeat it today and probably tonight too, only one person,
only one thing can be preeminent. If there is something in this
room that is preeminent, nothing else is. If there is someone
in this room that is preeminent, nothing else is. Nothing else
is. We are going through this struggle
with the fiasco down in Florida, and we've got two men who are
dominating the news constantly, Mr. Bush and Mr. Gore. I sure
wish one of them would get ahead. I just wish one of them would
get ahead. But as it is, no one stands out. No one has possession of everything. No one has taken all the marbles. Would you listen to me? Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, has all the marbles. Everything is His. And He alone
is preeminent everywhere and in all things. In the next verse,
verse 19, we read that in order for the Lord Jesus Christ to
have this preeminence, it please. Now notice the next two words,
the Father. They're in italics. That means they were added by
the translators to make the text read more smoothly, and they've
given it the best sense they had of the text. But quite literally,
it is wrong to say, it pleased the Father, that in him should
all fullness dwell. That's quite wrong. It pleased
the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that in him should
all fullness dwell. It is the purpose of the triune
God that the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man mediator, in whom
the glory of God is revealed, by whom the people of God are
saved, in whom God makes himself known to men. It pleased the
triune God that in him should all the fullness of the Godhead,
all the fullness of grace, all the fullness of glory, all the
fullness of wisdom and knowledge should dwell in him. He's preeminent. In this passage of scripture,
the Holy Spirit declares to us that it is the purpose of the
triune God concerning the God-man, our Savior, that the Lord Jesus
Christ in all things might have preeminence. Now obviously, this
subject is a little bit bigger than I am. I'm not going to come
near exhausting it, we're just going to kindly tread some water
and skip along the surface of things and I hope that we will
find ourselves refreshed in our souls and our hearts prodded
to know more of Him and devote ourselves more to Him. But I
want us to see this morning that our Lord Jesus is preeminent
in the purpose of God in these three areas. Number one, in the
purpose of God. Number two, in the creation of
God. and number three, in the providence
of God. Here's the first thing. Jesus
Christ the Lord, our Savior, the God-man, is preeminent in
the purpose of the triune God. We will begin then at the beginning.
In the sovereign eternal purpose and decree of God, Christ the
God-man is preeminent. Now here's what that means. Everything
that God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, before the world
began, did and decreed to be done, was done and decreed to
be done, to give glory to the God-Man, Jesus Christ. To make Him stand out so you
can't miss Him. Make Him stand out so that everything
that is, has been, or shall hereafter be, will ultimately give praise
to Him. That's the purpose of God. Understand
this now, God Almighty, the God of the Bible, I'm not talking
about the little peanut God of this age that's nothing but an
idolatrous good luck charm. I'm not talking about a helpless,
frustrated, defeated, useless God. I'm talking about God Almighty,
the God of this book, the God of Holy Scripture, the God of
the Bible, the God who is God. Is God with a sovereign, unalterable,
eternal, absolute, immutable purpose. He does everything cause
he wants to. Either that or he's not God.
Just that simple. He does everything exactly the
way he wants to. And you do too. Either that or you're not God.
He's in control of everything. Absolutely. Has been from the
beginning. Nothing wiggles or moves without
His permission. Nothing wiggles or moves without
His decree. God always has His way. Now let's see if that's what
the book teaches. Turn with me if you will to Isaiah 46. Isaiah
46. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning of the world. Now, most people don't have much
problem with that. They say, well, we know God knows
everything. God knows everything. Well, what a compliment. What
a compliment. How do you reckon he knows everything?
Well, he's omniscient. Granted, he knows everything.
How can you know what you don't absolutely control before it
comes to pass? It would be nice if folks would
quit checking their brains at the door when they come to church,
wouldn't it? He knows the end from the beginning because he
has determined the end from the beginning. And he started doing
it. Alright? Read with me Isaiah 46 verse
9. The Lord God says, remember the former things of old, for
I am God, and there is none else. That is to say, this God who's
talking to you right now, he's the only one there is who's God.
There's none like me. Don't compare me to a Pepsi-Cola,
and don't compare me to a stump. There's none like me. Declaring
the end from the beginning. And from ancient times the things
that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand. But what
if the devil won't say otherwise? What about man's will? You mean God make folks do things?
Fuss and argue about it all you want to, you're going to have
to take it up with God. This is what He says. will do all my pleasure. Aren't you glad? Oh, that'll sail your little
boat. If ever you find out God, our
Father, does his pleasure everywhere with everybody. Turn to Ephesians
chapter 1 if you will. Ephesians first chapter. Folks
say well that's the old bible. I'll deal with that another time.
It's not the old bible. It's the old testament. It's the first
part of the whole bible. Here it is in the new. Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 11. And the apostle is describing
for us the great work of God in grace and redemption and salvation.
How does that happen? Folks say, well, we recognize
God's in control of all the elements of the world, but now when it
comes to salvation, he leaves that up to man. He wouldn't interfere
with man's will. Verse 11, in whom? In whom? That is in Christ. Also, we have obtained. Not we're
going to get it. We've already got it. We have
obtained an inheritance. How's that? Being predestinated. What a horrible word. No, it's
a good word. If you ever get in on it, you'll
know how good it is. Good word. Being predestinated. Well, that means God's a monster. No, it means God's good. He took
us who were monsters and predestinated us according to the purpose of
Him, who worketh all things. after the counsel
of his own will. That means he doesn't talk to
you about it, he doesn't consult with you about it, he doesn't
beg your leave to give him permission to do something. God Almighty,
listen now, looks over the whole vast expanse of the universe
and this is what he writes over it. M-I-N-E exclamation point. Mine. I will do with it what
I will. According to the scriptures,
in all the purpose and decrees of God Almighty, the Lord Jesus
Christ is central, primary, and preeminent. In other words, everything
that God purposed to do, everything God does, He does for the glory
of Christ our Savior, the God-man. we read in Ephesians chapter
3 verse 11 according to the purpose of him the eternal purpose which
he purposed in Jesus Christ our Lord everything God purposed everything
everything God wills everything God decreed He has purchased,
He has willed, He has decreed for the glory of the God-man,
Jesus Christ our Lord. And if Isaiah chapter 42, turn
there if you will. Isaiah 42. Election began with
one person. Election began with one person.
The hymn writer said, Christ be my first elect. He said, then
chose us in Christ Jesus our head. Here in Isaiah 42 verse
1 is where Watts got those lines. Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
is the Father's first elect, chosen and set up by the Father's
decree from everlasting as our mediator. Behold my servant,
mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. There's never been but one man.
Listen to me now. There's never been but one man
in whom God Almighty delights. Absolutely. could never be but
one man in whom he delights. The Lord God never said concerning
Adam in the garden, that is a man in whom my soul delights. For
God Almighty could never find delight in a mere man. But he
says concerning the garden man before the world began, here
is the man in whom my soul delights. So who is it? Behold him on the
mouth of transfiguration as the Lord God speaks from heaven and
says to his disciples, this is my beloved son, not Moses, not
Elijah, but he, the God-man in whom I am well pleased. And I'm tickled to death, he
said, in whom? He could have said with whom.
He could have said by whom, but he said in whom. That means Skip
Gladfelter, if somehow in God's purpose, providence and grace,
you and I get in him, he's delighted with us too. He's well pleased
with us too. If he's well pleased in him,
if he's well pleased in him, he's well pleased with everybody
who's in him. Because he's made them well pleasing
to God. This same sovereign, eternal
decree of God caused a great multitude of sinners to be chosen
unto salvation according to the good pleasure of his will. Turn
to 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2. People argue and fuss and fight
about election. And I realize that folks often
misrepresent it. Sometimes people who claim to
believe it even misrepresent it. But election, election, wondrous,
glorious gospel doctrine. You see, all who are saved, if
anybody's saved, we're saved because of God's election. Nobody would ever be saved otherwise.
Is salvation God's work? Is it God's gift? Is it God's
prerogative? Is it something God alone has
the right to do? That means if anybody gets it,
God chose you to get it. Now you may not understand the
details concerning this, but God Almighty has the right to
save whom He will. And the only way any sinner can
ever get in on His grace is if God chose you. Look here in 2
Thessalonians 2 verse 13. But we are bound to give thanks
all the way to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because
God, look at it, hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. through sanctification of the
spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our
gospel, look at it now, to the obtaining of the glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't it wondrous around how
gloriously he speaks of Christ and of God's election, of God's
mercy, of God's grace? The Lord God purposed and resolved
to save us by the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ his son.
It was appointed and ordained of God that in the fullness of
time Christ would assume human nature. That he would assume
a real human body and a real human soul. And in that humanity
he would work out for us a perfect righteousness and by his holy
life of obedience unto God, render unto God what we could never
render to him, and that is perfect obedience. The Almighty God purposed
that our Lord Jesus Christ, that righteous representative, lay
down his life in our room instead at Calvary. And in the fullness
of time, he did. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, willingly, voluntarily, deliberately, purposefully, set
his face like a flint to go up to Jerusalem, resolve from eternity,
all hell couldn't stop it, he resolved from eternity to go
yonder and there to be nailed to the cursed tree, but there
in his own body to bear our sins under the wrath of God, to put
away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and he did. Not only
that, the purpose of God also included this. At the appointed
time of his love and mercy, the Lord God would send his spirit
to sanctify us, that is to regenerate us, to separate us from other
men. That's how sanctification begins
in the experience of it. It is the separating of men from
men. If Oscar Bailey were to go down
to his barn tomorrow, and while the cattle are feeding, he decides
that he's going to set one aside. He's going to set it in the stall
and fatten it up, because he has a good purpose as far as
he's concerned for it. He's going to put some meat on
his bones. And he's going to put some flavor in the meat.
And so he calls that one out. He just calls it out from all
the rest of the cattle. He separates it. That's the word
sanctify. For it means in its essence.
Now, God Almighty has some sheep whom he has called out of humanity
not to destroy them, but to give us the fatness of His grace and
the glory of His Son. And in the power of His Spirit,
He calls His sheep one by one and causes them, hearing the
word of truth, to believe in the Son of God and to be saved
by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, because they're
born of His Spirit. Now, if you believe, If today,
if today God Almighty gives you faith in Christ, if today He
turns your eyes to His Son, causes you to look on His Son and live,
if today the Lord God causes you to experience the power of
His grace, I'll tell you why He did it, because before the
world was, He loved He said, I'll be his and he'll be mine.
And he redeemed you with the blood of his son. And before
the world began, God Almighty arranged the universe. Are you
listening to me? He arranged who your parents
would be and who your grandparents would be. He arranged your parents
and your pedigree. Doesn't matter whether you came
from the upper muckety muck of society or you came from the
gutter. He arranged it. He arranged it. He arranged your
background. He arranged your genes. He arranged
the thinking of your mind. He arranged the passions of your
heart. Arranging everything from eternity and has ruled the nations
of the world to bring you right here today to hear His voice. And hear Him you will at the
appointed time of His love. Why? So that you might see the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Alright, number two. The Lord Jesus Christ is by God's
purpose and decree preeminent in the creation of God. Now I
presume you understand this fact. If you don't understand it, then
I suggest that you open your eyes. All this vast creation. All of
it. They discovered another planet
a while back I read. Outshining some of the others
they'd seen a long time before. They just didn't have a way to
see it. All this vast creation. Every star in the universe. Everything in the earth. All this vast creation is God's
work. God's work, Larry, through a
mediator. That's right. This is what the
book says. In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth. Turn back to Colossians chapter
1. In verses 16 and 17, read this. For by Him. By who? by Christ,
by the God-man, by the mediator, by the surety. Have you heard
what I've been trying to preach to you for the last 21 years?
God Almighty never does anything apart from His Son. God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit does not act except through the God-man
mediator, Jesus Christ the Lord. He does not act except through
the surety. For by him, Christ our surety,
this one who in time became a man but was from eternity, set up
as the second Adam, this one who is our savior, by him were
all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by him.
Look at it now, put a line under this one, put a star beside it,
and for him. And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. Christ is the creator of all
things. He's not a creature of God, he's God the creator. But
remember, this passage is specifically describing his preeminence as
our mediator. It is as our surety that the
apostle tells us all things were created by him and for him, and
he's before all things, and by him all things consist. Everything
that has been proclaims the wisdom and power of God the Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ. He who is our Savior is our God. All things were made by him,
and without him was not anything made that was made. Thou, Lord,
in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and
the heavens are the works of thy hands. Christ is the one
for whom everything was made. I haven't yet begun to get hold
of this yet, but I'm going to tell you something. The more
I get hold of it, the more it rejoices my heart. Everything
in God's creation, that includes Bill Raleigh and Don Fortner,
everything, was made specifically for Christ, for the glory of
Christ, for the revelation of God's goodness, grace, and glory
in Christ. Specifically, the whole world
was made and revolves around this axis. Now I'm not giving
you a lesson in biology, I'm giving you a lesson in theology.
The whole world was made and revolves around this axis, the
cross of Christ. Time turns upon this axis, the
cross of Christ. Time moves toward and flows for
the cross of Christ. This world was made to be, as
the ancient poet said, a stage. And we're all, in this sense,
puppets on the stage. This world was made to be a stage
for the unfolding drama of redemption, whereby God would show his glory. And that's what he's doing. That's
what he's doing. That's what he's doing. Jesus
Christ made the world. so that he might come into the
world to redeem the people by the sacrifice of himself and
the appointed time of God's mercy. He said, the hour is come. You
remember that? Over and over again, the Jews
tried to kill him. They took up stones to stone him. They tried
to push him off of a cliff. They would take him out and hang
him. They tried many ways to get him. But he kept saying,
my hour's not come. My hour's not come. His people
wanted to take him up and make him the king. He said, my hour's
not come. My hour's not come. My hour's not come. Then in John
chapter 12 he said the hour is come. What hour? The hour for which God said let
there be light and there was light. The hour for which the
world was made. Everything comes to that time,
that crucial time in history. And everything now works from
it. And in eternity, when the world
is burned to ashes and all things are made new, everything is going
to give glory to Him, the God-man, who died on that cursed tree
to redeem us from our sins. Now, one last thing. Christ is
preeminent in the providence of God. Providence. What is that? Well, that's the
unfolding of God's decrees. That's all. Providence is just God doing
what he said he was going to do. The lady mentioned this morning
about some cabinetry Rex is doing. And he said first, he draws up
his plans. And now he's just about finished
with the work. Well, what's been going on between time? Providence. What? Well, he'd been, yep. We
do this first, and then this, and then this, and then this,
and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this,
and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then
this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then
this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and
then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and
then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this,
and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and
then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then
this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then
this, and then this, and then this, and then this, and then
this, and then this, and then this That's what we all are,
little fellas, with no power and no sense. And if we could,
Merle, we'd mess this whole thing up. But God Almighty set His
purpose and said, this is what I'll do. And you're not going
to step in the way. Hell is not going to step in
the way. Providence is God. fulfilling the plan. That's what
it is. That's what it is. We know that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose. Now the whole
religious world quotes that and recites it like some kind of
a good luck spell, you know, like witches enchanting an incantation. But we know No matter how painful our experience,
no matter how heavy our hearts, no matter how difficult the times,
no matter how chaotic things seem to be, we know that all
things work. They don't just turn out that
way, buddy, they're working. together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose,
for whom He did foreordain and love from eternity. Then He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, how
could that in all things? that he might have the preeminence,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did foreknow, them he also justified. And whom he justified,
them he also sanctified. And whom he sanctified, them
he also glorified. But what will we say to this?
If God be for us, who can be against us? Now they say one
picture's worth a thousand words. I've said a thousand words, let
me give you one picture. Turn to Revelation chapter 5.
Verse 1. And I saw in the right hand of
him that sat on the throne a book written within and without, on
the back side Sealed with seven seals. What's that talking about? What's that talking about? A
book written. Within, without. Written on the back side, sealed
with seven seals. Here's a book. Written right out to the edges
on every page. Written on the back side. Sealed, bound together. Bound up. John said, I wept because
no man was found worthy to open the book. Verse six. And I beheld,
and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in
the midst of the elders, that is, in the midst of God's chosen
church and people, stood a lamb. They seemed to just stand up
right out of the midst of the throne. That's exactly what John
meant for you to understand. This lamb is God himself. stood
a lamb as it had been slain, having seven hoards, absolute
power, and seven eyes, absolute knowledge, which are the seven
spirits of our God, sent forth into all the earth, power and
knowledge of everything. And he came, look at it now,
he didn't beg for the book, he didn't ask for the book. He didn't
plead for the book. He came and took the book. He
took the book by right. He took the book out of the right
hand of Him that sat upon the throne. What's that talking about? Go to chapter 10. See the same
book again. The same Lamb again. The same
God again. And I saw another mighty angel. come down from heaven, clothed
with a cloud and a rainbow upon his head, the bow of God's covenant,
God's purpose, God's decree. And his face was as it were the
sun, the sun of righteousness risen with healing in his wings.
And his feet were pillars of fire, tried in the furnace and
proved. And he had in his hand, look
at it now, a little book. So I thought there's a big book,
but it's in his hands. Little book, little book. He
had in his hand a little book open. And he set his right foot
upon the sea. And he set his left foot on the
earth. The Jews and the Gentile nations. And what did he do? He cried
with a loud voices when the lion roared and when he cried the
seven thunders uttered their voices. That's what it is. That's
it. Do you see how easy I'm standing
here with my right foot planted here and my left foot planted
here and turning these pages? You see how easy I'm doing that?
Just that easily Christ who has all preeminence rules this world
absolutely accomplishing what was written in the book of God's
decrees before the world began for the glory of God in the saving
of his people. And that's enough. That's enough. Isaac Watts put it this way.
Keep silence, all created things, and wait your maker's nod. My
soul stands trembling while she sings the honors of her God. Life, death, and hell, and worlds
unknown hang on his firm decree. He sits on no precarious throne,
nor borrows leave to be. Chained to His throne of volume
lies, with all the fates of men, with every angel's form and size,
drawn by the eternal pen. His providence unfolds the book
and makes His counsel shine. What did God purpose from eternity?
Hang on. I read last night's paper. I
know what He purposed for yesterday. His providence unfolds the book. and makes his counsel shine.
Each opening leaf and every stroke fulfills his bright design. Here he exalts neglected worms,
we call them kings and presidents, to sectors and to crown. And then the following page he
turns and treads the monarch down. Not Gabriel asks the reason
why, nor God the reason gives, nor dares the favored angel pry
between the folded leaves. My God, I would not long to see
my fate with curious eyes, what gloomy lines are writ for me,
or what bright scenes may rise. In thy fair book of life and
grace, may I but find my name recorded by electing grace beneath
my Lord the Lamb. Amen.