After listening to that hymn,
I think it's interesting how prayer is kind of a last resort.
That's really the first thing, the middle thing, and the only
thing. Turn back to Romans chapter 15. Tonight, I'm going to be speaking
on the 23rd Psalm. probably the most well-known
passage of Scripture in all the Word of God, read in just about
every funeral. What does the 23rd Psalm really
mean? Look at verse 29 once again, and I am sure that when I come
unto you, I shall come in, look at this phrase, the fullness
of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Now look at the confidence
Paul spake with. I'm sure of this. There's no
doubt about this. When I come to you, I'm sure
I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of
Christ. Now, it's my hope that by the
end of this message, we will understand why he had this confidence
and that you and I will have the precise same confidence. Now, some have implied that there
are greater blessings that we should enjoy and could enjoy
if we could reach the state of spirituality that Paul had reached
when he said, I'm sure that when I come, I'll come in the fullness
of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. This is something
that you and I should strive for. Now, while I believe we
do live below where we should live. You agree with that too? I believe that. Yet that is not
what Paul is talking about here when he makes this wondrous statement
regarding the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Beginning in verse 22, let's
see what led him to make this statement. In verse 22, for the
witch cause also I have been much hindered from coming to
you. I wanted to, but providence has
not allowed it. But now having no more place
in these parts, I preach the gospel everywhere here and having
a great desire these many years to come unto you. He'd never
met these people in the flesh. He'd never been to Rome. Whensoever
I take my journey into Spain, and we don't know that he ever
made that journey. It's not recorded anywhere, but
he speaks of that. Whensoever I take my journey
into Spain, I'll come to you. For I trust to see you in my
journey and to be brought on my way, in other words, by you.
At first I might be somewhat filled with your company, but
now I go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath
pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution
for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. And you can read
about this in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 where he talked about the churches
at Macedonia sending this relief to the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Verse 27, It hath pleased them verily, they were happy to do
this, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have
been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty
also is to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore
I perform this, and I've given them this gift, and have sealed
to them this fruit, I'll come by you into Spain, and I am sure
that when I come, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing
of the gospel of Christ. What are you going to say about
that? The first thing that I would
notice is the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. The gospel of God is the gospel
of Christ. Turn back to Romans chapter 1
for just a moment. Paul, verse 1, a servant of Jesus
Christ, called to be an apostle, separated under the gospel of
God, which he had promised to for by his prophets in the Holy
Scriptures concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. The gospel is concerning Christ. It's really not about you. It's
really not about me. The gospel is the gospel concerning
Christ. I heard recently about a little
boy that was at a birthday party. I might have already told this.
I can't remember a little. Let me know if I have. There was a little
boy at a birthday party, and he was upset because the one
who the party was for was getting all the gifts. And he was sitting
there thinking, nobody's paying attention to me. And he was upset. And somebody came up to him and
said, this is not about you. This is not your party. Well,
this is not about you. This is about the Lord Jesus
Christ. Turn with me to Colossians chapter
1. This is the gospel of Christ. Colossians chapter 1, verse 15. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ?
Who is the image of the invisible God? All you're ever going to
see of God is Jesus Christ. The firstborn of every creature,
for 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
and for him. And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist, and he is the head of the body,
the church, who is the beginning. the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence, for it pleased
the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." The Christ. I love his title. The Christ. God's anointed prophet. He is the Word of God. God's
anointed priest. If He brings you to the Father,
you must be accepted. God's anointed King. He's the
King of Kings. And He's the Lord of Lords. He's
the Christ. Whom say men that I, the Son
of Man, am? Well, they put you in some high cotton. Some say
you're John the Baptist. Some, Jeremiah. Others, one of
the prophets. But whom say ye that I am? Peter
answered, Thou art the Christ. the Son of the Living God. John said in 1 John 5 verse 1,
Whoso believeth that Jesus is the Christ. Do you believe that? Do you believe that Jesus is
God's Christ? God's prophet? God's priest? God's king? Do you believe that?
Whoso believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. That's what the Bible says. If
you really believe that Jesus is the Christ, and you know what
that means, it's not just saying, yeah, I believe Jesus is the
Christ, and not knowing what it means, that doesn't mean anything.
But if you understand that Jesus is God's Christ, you've been
born of God. I'm sure that when I come, I'll
come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. the good news of Christ. Let me say this first. The gospel
is not good news to many people. Let me repeat that. The gospel is not good news to
many people. They hear the gospel and they
say, I don't believe that. I don't like that. That's not
fair. That's not right. You talk about
God electing a people and Christ only dying to the elect and God
the Holy Spirit giving life only to those God elected and Christ
died for. Why that's not fair. What about everybody? God doesn't
give everybody a chance and they don't find the gospel good news. But somebody does. Somebody does. And I can tell
you who finds the gospel to be good news. Sinners. Sinners. Paul said in 1 Timothy
1.15, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am the chief. Do you know that all other religions
are self-help religions. The gospel, I like saying this,
the gospel is essentially and primarily a sinner's religion. Let me repeat that. The gospel
is essentially and primarily a sinner's religion. All who believe the gospel believe
themselves to be essentially and fundamentally bad and evil. Somebody says, well, he's a good
Christian person. That's an oxymoron. If you're a Christian, you know
you're not a good person. You know you're an evil person.
You know you're a sinful person. You know your only hope is Christ
himself. You have no hope in yourself.
Good Christian. If you're a Christian, you know
one thing about yourself. You're not good. Christ is your
goodness before God. Christ is your righteousness
before God. Do you really believe that? Every believer believes even
their own righteousness is nothing less than filthy rags. That's
what the Bible says. Isaiah 64, 6, our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags. Listen to this scripture. Romans
chapter 5, verse 6 says, For when we were yet without strength
in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Who's that good
news to? Folks who are without strength.
and folks who are ungodly. Would that describe you? Without
strength and ungodly, then the gospel is good news to you. The fullness of the blessing
of the gospel, the good news of Christ. Now the next word
I want to consider in this statement is blessing. I am sure that when
I come to you I'll come in the fullness of the blessing of the
gospel of Christ. Now what is blessing? You know people say bless you
to me sometimes and I can't help but think oh you can do that?
I mean, I'm thankful for your concern and so on, and I don't
want to, but there's only one who can bless. God is the one who blesses. His blessing is what He does
for you that you can't do for yourself. Turn with me for a
moment to Ephesians chapter 1. The fullness of the blessing.
of the Gospel of Christ. I want to read this third verse
in Ephesians chapter 1, and there's two words I want you to pay very
careful attention to. The word hath and the word all. Verse 3, Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath, who hath, not who will
if, but who hath blessed us with all, all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ. And do you hear that? If you're
a believer, God has blessed you. with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places, in Christ. And he goes on to enumerate those
spiritual blessings. Now, most people, when they think
of blessings, they think of material blessings. Got a lot of money
in the bank. I'm healthy. No problems. Well, I'm happy for you. That may be a curse. Maybe a
curse. It may be that you never even
give a thought to the salvation of your soul because everything
is going so well. Most people, when they think of blessings,
they think of physical blessings, material blessings. But look
at the blessings he mentions in verse 4. According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the question. Is divine election a blessing
to you? Do you love election? The fact that God freely chose
who would be saved before time began? I'm not asking you if
you see that the Bible teaches it. If you've got eyes to see,
you can see the Bible teaches it. I just read it. Do you count this? What a blessing. Election doesn't keep anybody
out of heaven. It brings people in who would
have been damned. Thank God for election. The elect love election. Every one of them do. Without
any exceptions to that statement. Every one of them do. It's a
blessing. It's a doctrine of thanksgiving.
We're bound to thank God always for you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. Go on reading. According as he
hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him. What a blessing to be holy, to
be without blame. Now, what that's talking about
is the new nature, holy, and justification, without blame.
What a blessing to be holy. Now, if God has chosen me to
be holy, you know what? I'm holy. I am holy. Somebody says, I don't feel very
holy. Well, I didn't ask you how you felt. If I'm in Christ, I'm
holy. I've got a holy nature. Not only
that, there's nothing to blame me for. I stand before God justified,
without guilt, perfect in His sight. What it says next, remember this
is the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. in love
having predestinated us unto the adoption of children. What
a blessing to be predestinated to be a child by Jesus Christ
to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. What a
blessing to have him willing my salvation. I'd rather have
him willing it than me willing it, wouldn't you? I mean to have
Him will my salvation. What a blessing! God's will is
always there and it can't be thwarted. I've been predestinated
to be a child of God, an adopted child, a born-again child, all
because of the good pleasure of His will. 2 and verse 6, to
the praise of the glory of His grace. I love this. I'm going
to be a trophy of His grace. I am a trophy of His grace. And
I know this, when I stand in glory in heaven, I'm going to
be somebody that's the greatest example of just how much of salvation
is really by grace. That fella, that's it. He's the one. He's the one. Wherein he hath made us accepted
in the beloved. What a blessing to be accepted
by God. You know, don't ever say, won't
you accept Jesus? That's foolishness. Y'all don't
use language like that. Nobody should. The issue is not,
will you accept him? The issue is, will he accept
you? Every believer has been accepted, made accepted in the
beloved. God accepts me. God embraces
me in the beloved. Is that a blessing? Verse 7. In whom? In the Lord Jesus Christ. In whom we have redemption through
his blood. And here's what that issue's
in. The forgiveness of sins. All my sins are forgiven according
to the riches of his grace. That's a blessing, isn't it? I'm sure that when I come, I'll
come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. And notice this word, I'm sure
when I come, I'll come in the what? Fullness. The fullness of the blessing
of the gospel of Christ. These are not small narrow and
stingy. They're not partial, barren,
and incomplete. We're speaking of the fullness,
the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. When
something is full, nothing can be added to it. Not a drop can
be added to it to make it better. Fullness is nothing lacking,
complete. Colossians 2, 9, and 10 says,
In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead in the body, and
you are complete. Nothing can be added to you. However complete Christ is, that
is how complete you are right now. Does he lack anything? Is there anything that could
possibly make it better for Him? Can anything be added to Him
that He would have more glory? Is there anything that could
possibly make Him better? When the Father looks upon Him,
does He see one who is altogether lovely, who can't become any
more lovely? Who can't become any more perfect or holy or beautiful
or glorious? All of the fullness, all of the
completeness of God is in him and you are complete. Now, I love thinking of that
because I don't feel complete. Do you? I feel woefully lacking
in so many different ways. But whether I feel that way or
not, God's Word tells me, and I believe God's Word, that I
am complete in Him as He is. 1 John 4, 17. As He is, so are we in this world. Matter of fact, I want you to
see this with your own eyes rather than just hearing my voice. Turn
to 1 John chapter 4. 1 John chapter 4. Verse 17, herein is our love
made perfect that we may have boldness, boldness in the day
of judgment. Now can you imagine standing
before God in judgment with boldness? How can that be? Well here's
how that can be, because as He is, so are we. in this world. Now that's where that boldness
and judgment comes from. That's complete. That's the fullness
of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Now this fullness
of the blessing of the gospel of Christ is not some higher
state that we're striving for. And that's the way just about
everybody I read dealt with this passage of Scripture. I mean,
this is what you can have. This is what every believer could
have if they just live up to their privileges and do what
they should and believe what they should and live the way
they should. They could have this fullness of the blessing
of the gospel of Christ. You're kind of living a defeating
Christian life right now, but if you would, you could enjoy
the same things Paul did, the fullness of the blessing of the
gospel of Christ. Now, is this something we're
striving for? Or is this something we have?
Let's let the scriptures answer that question. Turn with me to
John chapter 1. John chapter 1, verse 16. And of his fullness have those
who have reached this status received. No. No. Of his fullness have who? All. All we received. This is the promise of God to
every believer. Of his fullness have All we received,
every believer of His fullness. Now there is a fullness of deity and a fullness of perfect humanity
in Him. Just think about that for a moment.
All the fullness of the Godhead And who knows how to describe
that? All that God is, all of the fullness of the Godhead dwells
in His body. Of His fullness have we all received. There is a fullness of atoning
efficacy in His blood. so that I stand before God, everybody
who's received His fullness, which is every believer, all
of God's elect, there is a fullness of saving efficacy in His blood,
so that every believer stands before God, literally, right
now, without sin. You know all those sins that
you feel guilty about, you confess, and you ask the Lord to deliver
you from? Guess what, believer? They've been blotted out. Are
you saying it's okay to sin now? Of course I'm not saying that.
Of course I'm not saying that, but every sin, sins I haven't
yet committed, you know what? They've been blotted out, cast
away, cast behind God's back. I do not bear them. They are
not. In Him is no sin. Now, that's the fullness of the
power and the saving efficacy of His atoning death, His bloody
death on the cross. He actually put away sin to where
it is no more. And when God looks at me, He
doesn't simply look at me as forgiven. He looks at me as without
sin. He says, Thou art all fair, my
love. There is no spot in thee. There is a fullness of justifying
righteousness. Not only do I stand before God
without sin, I stand before God with a righteousness that is
not like His, or equal to his, but his. His righteousness is
my righteousness, so that I am the very righteousness of God
in Christ. That almost sounds blasphemous,
doesn't it? For a man to say, I'm the righteousness
of God. But the Bible says it. 2 Corinthians
5, verse 21, For he hath made him to be sin for us who know
no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Now you want to talk about a
fullness of justifying righteousness. There is a fullness to this righteousness
so that we can say who shall lay anything to the charge of
God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who is he that can condemn? Christ
that died, yea, rather that's risen again, who's even at the
right hand of God. Now, is there fullness in that?
You know, there's a fullness in His intercession. Now, His
intercession right now, while I'm trying to preach, and while
you're trying to hear, if we believe, there is a man in glory
right now interceding for us. representing us. You know, this
preaching that I'm trying to preach, if God gave me what I
deserve for it, he'd send me to hell right now. I've not spoken
with the proper reverence, with the proper belief, with the proper
enthusiasm, with the proper... Go on and on. If God gave me
what I deserved for this sermon that I'm preaching, he'd send
me to hell. Somebody says, you ought not be so hard on yourself.
Now, if you think that, you just don't know yourself. You don't
know yourself. Yeah, I ought to be that hard
on myself, but the fact of the matter is, I've got an intercessor
though. I've got one who represents me before the Father, and he
shows the Father his hands and feet, and the Father says, no
more questions. He's justified. Nothing else
needs to be said. Wherefore, he is able to save
them to the uttermost, who come unto God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for thee. Peter, I prayed for you,
that your faith fail not. Now, you know what happened?
Peter's faith didn't fail not. He failed. He failed. He needed
to, but his faith didn't fail because Christ prayed for it.
The Lord said regarding his elect, I pray for them. I pray not for
the world, but for them which you've given me, for they are
thine. And if I have Christ ever living
to make intercession for me, He'll never die. He's always
before the Father. His blood is always powerful.
It's always fresh. I love to think of His intercession.
He doesn't say, oh, He did it again, I know, but forgive Him
this time. No! He just stands before the Father,
and that's all that needs to be said. I'm in Him. Father, forgive them. They know
not what they do. Everybody He prayed for was forgiven. There's a fullness in his intercession. There's a fullness of victory
in his death. You know, I hear people talk
about defeated Christians. There ain't no such thing. There's
no defeated Christian. We're more than conquerors through
him that loved us. I love what Paul said. I've already
quoted it once. Who is he that condemneth? It's
Christ that died. I need no other argument. I need
no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died
and that he died for me. What victory there is in his
death. There's a fullness of saving
efficacy in his resurrection from the dead. When he was raised
from the dead, I was too. All of his people were raised.
He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. There's a fullness of grace in
him. And I mean fullness. The world
was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. The
glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
full of truth. Now listen to me. He's so full
of grace that he'll give you the fullness of his grace. Ask Him. He's never turned anybody
down. Lord, give me the fullness of
Your grace. He'll do it. And you know what? It won't replete
His stocks. It won't replete His grace. He never runs out.
He's got a fullness of grace to give you faith, to give you
a new heart to believe, to give you true and genuine repentance,
to give you love to Himself. He's full of grace, pulling out
this grace Everybody He's gracious toward. Oh, the fullness of His
grace. He is grace. Oh, the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The law was given by Moses, but
grace and truth came by Jesus of Christ. And there's fullness
of grace for everyone who needs grace. Now, if you have a free
will, and good works, and ability, and all that kind of stuff. You
don't need grace. But I know who needs grace. I need grace. Now, John Newton made this statement.
I've never read this before, but let me give it to you. Who needs grace? People who don't
have anything. He said young believers, young
believers, young Christians think themselves to be little. Growing Christians think themselves
to be nothing. Mature Christians think themselves
to be less than nothing. Paul called himself less than
the least of all the saints. It wouldn't mock humility on
his part. He really believed it. He said, I am the chief of
sinners. Now, what hope there is in this
gospel, the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ? What
hope there is in the gospel for sinners? Do you really believe that you
cannot be righteous before God? Righteousness is His gift. Can you not believe? He gives
faith. Is your heart utterly unclean? He gives a clean heart, a new
heart, a light heart. What satisfaction there is here! Heard this numerous times, after
someone hears what we believe, they say, well, there's got to
be more than that. Nope. I find complete satisfaction
in being saved by His fullness. I'm not looking for anything
else. I really am satisfied. What's that song, I still haven't
found what I'm looking for? I have. By His grace, I have. And I'm not looking for anything
else. I have complete satisfaction in this. He's made into us wisdom
and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. What else do
you need? Complete satisfaction. Now, I'm not worried about coming
up short on Judgment Day. Why? Because I, as every other
believer has, I have the fullness of the blessing of the gospel
of Christ. And I find such satisfaction
in being nothing and Christ being everything in my salvation. Oh, I wish I could express the
satisfaction I have in that. Thank God for the fullness of
the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you and praise
you. For the fullness. of the blessing
of the gospel of Christ. Lord, would you create faith
in each heart here so that we find satisfaction in simply resting
in thy Son. Lord, give us the grace to see
the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. And
Lord, to cause us to present our bodies a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to Thee, which is our reasonable service. Accept our thanksgiving and accept
our persons in Thy blessed Son. In His name we pray. Amen. We
got Dwayne. 228, we'll stand and sing. 228. My faith has found a resting
place, not in device nor creed. I trust the Ever-Living One. His wounds for me shall bleed. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died,
and that He died for me. Enough for me that Jesus saves,
listens my fear and doubt.