Colossians chapter 1, and we'll
be looking specifically at verse 12, down to verse 19, and then
we'll close by looking at verse 20, 21, 22. I'm taking the title
for the message from what is said in verse 19. It pleased
the Father. God Almighty, it pleased the
Father that in Him, that is the only begotten Son of God, in
the Lord Jesus Christ, that in Him should all fullness dwell. All the fullness of God. Look
down at right across the page, Colossians chapter 2 verse 9
and 10. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead in a body. And you are complete in Him,
which is the head of all principality and power. He is the head. He is Lord. Now I'm taking the
title or the message from those words. In verse 19, all fullness
dwells in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this is according to the
wise and eternal decree and purpose of Almighty God, that all the
fullness of the Godhead, all the fullness of Deity will reside
in that man, the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. All of salvation
is in Him and wrought by Him. All of redemption is in Him and
by Him. and totally accomplished by the
Lord Jesus Christ. By Him alone we do have salvation. If you look at chapter 3, verse
11, It says in regard to salvation and redemption that the Lord
Jesus Christ is all and in all. The Lord Jesus Christ is everything
God has for any sinner is found in Christ. That's why we count
all things but lost that we might win Christ and be found in Him.
You remember our message from a couple weeks ago. Now, by way
of introduction, again the Apostle Paul was in prison in Rome for
two years for the gospel's sake. And the Lord was pleased to give
him the six prison epistles. What was he doing those two years?
He was writing, by inspiration, what God gave him. The book of
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Timothy, and Philemon
are all epistles while Paul was in prison, writing them out to
God's people. And think about it, what he received
from God there in prison and wrote down has been preserved
for us, and you right now, you hold the Word of God in your
hand. What a blessing God has given
to us by the good and sovereign providence of God. We're blessed
to have the very Word of God. given to us, and we have the
privilege of reading it and studying it. Now, as far as we know, Paul
spent three years there in Ephesus, a neighboring city, to Colossae,
preaching the gospel, but he never actually, as far as we
know, written in the book of Acts, where it records their
preaching, he never actually was physically in the city of
Colossae and preaching the gospel there to them. That's why I read
there in chapter 2, he says, for as many as have not seen
my face in the flesh, but yet they heard the gospel. Either
somebody went there and preached to them, or many of them probably
came from Colossae in Laodicea, that Paul was in Ephesus for
three years, and they heard him preach the gospel. No doubt this
man is mentioned in verse 7, Ephraphus also learned the gospel
listening to the Apostle Paul while he was there in Ephesus
preaching, preaching the gospel. The hope, he said, which is laid
up for you in heaven, whereof you heard before in the word
the truth of the gospel, he says there in verse 5. Faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the word of the gospel, the word
of truth. I hope to be able to bring a
message in these next few weeks from each of these chapters like
we did in the book of Philippians 1, 2, 3, 4 and then in Colossians
1, 2, 3, 4. Later on, we'll do a study verse
by verse through Galatians and Ephesians, and after we do, finish
up with 2 Corinthians. Beginning at verse 9 in Colossians
chapter 1, all the way down through verse 17, is one complete sentence. One complete sentence, and it
consists of the Apostle Paul praying for them and giving thanks
to God for them being a believer, being a saint of God, believing
the gospel of God. Notice, he said, we pray for
you. Look at Colossians 1 verse 3. We give thanks to God and
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. Again, down in verse 9, he says,
for this cause also, since today we heard it, heard of your faith,
do not cease to pray for you. and to desire that you might
be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding, that you might walk worthy of the
Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God." So he prayed for them.
But he also says this, turn over here to chapter 4. Chapter 4,
Colossians chapter 4, look at verse 2. He said, continue in
prayer. and watching the same with thanksgiving,
continuing prayer. And then he said, pray for us,
pray for me. Praying also for us that God
would open unto us a door, an effectual door, a veteran to
speak the mystery of Christ for which I'm also in prison. I'm in prison because of the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great privilege the Lord
gives us to pray unto the Lord and to call out upon the name
of the Lord, and to cry unto Him. That's what true prayer
is. It's a sincere cry of the heart, laying out your request,
your need before God Almighty. Now, beginning at verse 12. We do as believers give thanks
unto our glorious God who is the originator and fountainhead
of all blessing. Notice verse 12, giving thanks. Prayer is not only making your
request to be made known, but it's also thanking God for the
mercies that we receive. Giving thanks unto the Father
who made us meet or fit or qualified to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that we know,
He taught us. He taught us everything we know.
He's hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed
them unto babes. Everything we know, He taught
us. We give thanks unto the Father. Everything we know, He educated
us. Everything we have, He gave it
to us. He says, I am what I am by the
grace of God. Everything we are or ever will
be is by His grace. Paul said, I am what I am by
the grace of God. In everything, we are to give
thanks. Turn just one book over. Find
1 Thessalonians chapter 5, look at verse 16. Our Lord said, men
ought always to pray. His people do. We have a constant
cry unto the Lord. Notice 1 Thessalonians chapter
5, verse 16. He says, rejoice evermore. But
we have a lot to rejoice about, don't we? Rejoice in the Lord
always and again I say rejoice. Pray without ceasing and in everything
give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. Pray without ceasing. What a
privilege God has given unto us to pray unto Him and to thank
Him. Now watch this. Look back at
verse 12. Colossians chapter 1 verse 12.
And these verses just, I love these verses as a preacher of
the gospel because they preach themselves. They just preach
themselves. All you got to do is read them
and just look at them and meditate upon them. We don't really need
to make any comment upon them. Giving thanks to the Father who
made us. And that word meet, M-E-E-T,
is the word fit, qualify. How would this center be fit
and qualified to stand before God in judgment and be accepted
of Him, only in the Beloved, being accepted in the Beloved,
giving thanks unto the Father who made us fit, qualified to
be a partaker, one who receives all things as the inheritance
of His grace. partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light which is Christ. He made us qualified
to have this good hope of salvation in Christ. Notice the hope we
have, verse 27, this hope of salvation is not just a wish,
Colossians 127, to whom God would make known what is the riches
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is
Christ in you. Christ in you. That is the hope
of glory. The hope we have is a good hope
through grace. In this first chapter, verses
4 and 5, it mentions those three blessed things that God gives
us. Since we heard of your faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ, verse 4, and the love you have to all
the saints, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Spirit, and for the hope that's laid up for you in
heaven. We have a good hope, what? We
have a good hope through the grace of God. The hope we have
is not a hope, a hope, a hope. It's not a shot in the dark.
It's a good hope through grace, the grace of God. By nature,
we are totally what? Unfit for His presence, aren't
we? There's none righteous, no not one. We're totally unfit
to dwell in His presence. But in the Lord Jesus Christ,
you know what He does for us? Look there again at verse 22.
He said, at one time you were enemies, verse 21, alienated
by wicked works, yet He now reconciled us in the body of His flesh through
death to present you holy, unblameable, unreprovable in His sight." He's
the only one that could make us meet, fit, and qualified for
His presence. You remember over in the book
of Jude where it says He's able to keep us from falling and to
present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding
joy. Through the only wise God, our
Savior, be glory and dominion both now and forever. So He made
us, look back at verse 12 again, He made us meet, fit, and qualified
to partake of this inheritance. Now, an inheritance is not something
a person earns. An inheritance is something a
person receives. And we have this inheritance
in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a heavenly inheritance. Now, let's read about it. Find
1 Peter 1. This inheritance we have being
heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter. Chapter 1, he said,
verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who had blessed us, who according to his abundant mercy had begotten
us again into a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead to an inheritance. incorruptible, undefiled, that
fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the
power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed
at the last time. So what we have is an eternal
inheritance, an eternal blessedness in Christ. Now, stay right there
in Peter and find 2 Peter chapter 1. 2nd Peter chapter 1, again he
talks about being a partaker of this divine nature. Verse
3, according as his divine power, this is 2nd Peter 1 verse 3,
according as his divine power has given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him
that hath called us to glory and virtue, whereby given to
us exceeding great and precious promises, that's the promises
of the gospel, that by these ye might be partakers of a divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. So we have in Christ an eternal
inheritance by His grace. He's made us to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in the Lord Jesus Christ. Been made an heir of God and
a joint heir with Christ. Now, look at verse 13. He not only made us meet, fit,
and qualified to partake of these blessings, who also, who had
delivered us, He blessed us as He had delivered us from the
power of darkness, and had translated us, transferred us into the kingdom
of His dear Son, or the Son of His love. Now, who delivered
who? We didn't deliver ourselves,
nor did we make ourselves fit to be a partaker of this inheritance.
He did it all. He did it all, who hath delivered
us from the power of darkness. He delivers us by the power of
the gospel. That's the power of God unto
us. Salvation. He delivered us. He delivered us. God who commands
the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give
us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn back to the book of Ephesians. The book of Ephesians. Chapter
4. Luke verse 17. This I say therefore
in testifying the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walked in the vanity of their mind, having understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them because of the blindness of the heart, who past feeling have given themselves
over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you've not so learned Christ.
We were by one time darkened, dead, alienated. Look at Ephesians
chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11.
Wherefore remember that you being in time past in the flesh were
called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision
in the flesh made by hand, that at that time you are without
Christ, being alien from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers
from the covenants, having no hope and without God, but now
in Christ Jesus. Few who are sometimes far off
are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Who delivered who? He delivered us from darkness
and ignorance by the power of God. He commands the light to
shine in our hearts. We might see the glory of God
that shines in the face of the Lord. Jesus Christ. Our Lord
said, I'm the light of the world. He that follows me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. We were and
are by nature spiritually blind. He gives us light that we might
see him. We are by nature spiritually
dead in trespasses and in sin. And He gives us life. You have
to be quickened who were dead. He quickened us by His grace,
by His power. Look at Colossians chapter 2
verse 13. Talking about how He's made us,
He's given us life and light. light and life. And you, Colossians
2 verse 13, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven
you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, he took it out
of the way, nailing it to his cross, Having spoiled all principalities
and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them himself. By himself, he purged our sin
and put away our sin. Now back to verse 13, Colossians
chapter 1. He made us fit, He's given us
an inheritance, He's delivered us from the power of darkness,
and then He translates us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
Now how'd you get from that kingdom of darkness into the kingdom
of God's dear Son? How'd that happen? It just wasn't
an accident. It happens by God's purpose and
grace. He put us in Christ according
to His good pleasure. The Lord put us in Him by His
electing grace. He chose those covenant people
in eternity. Paul writes about it when he
says, we're bound to give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God has, from the beginning, chosen you
to salvation. Turn to Ephesians chapter 1.
Let's read about it. But of him are you in Christ
Jesus? How did you get in Christ? He
put me in Christ. When did that happen? Let's read
about it. Ephesians chapter 1. Look at
verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father, Ephesians 1, 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had blessed us with all spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath
chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy without blame before Him in love, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath made us." You remember He made us
fit? He made us accepted in the Beloved,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sin, according to the riches of His grace. See, the point
is being made here that salvation is all of God. He chose us. He redeemed us. He delivered
us from the kingdom of darkness and He put us into the kingdom
of God's dear Son. It's all of His grace. All of
His grace. Look at verse 14, Colossians
chapter 1 verse 14. In whom we have, right now we
have in possession, right now we have redemption. What is redemption? Deliverance from all our sin.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. Now what does the sinner need?
He needs forgiveness of his sins. How is sin put away? Certainly
not by anything we do. Salvation is by the grace of
God and sin is put away only by the blood atonement of the
Lord Jesus Christ. only by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Call His name Jesus, He shall save His people from all their
sin, in whom we have redemption to His blood, the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of His grace. It says in Ephesians
1, 7. In whom we have redemption. You
see, everything that we have read right here, Everything we
have read gives God all the honor and glory for the salvation of
the Lord. It's all in Him and it's all
by His grace. In whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Now, how many sins have
you committed? How many sins have you committed? You can't even number them. The
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sin. Past, present, and future. We have complete redemption. So much so, you know how complete
and full the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus Christ really
is? God said their sin and their iniquity will I remember no more. He separated them as far as the
east is from the west. cast into the depths of the sea,
cast behind his back, blotted out as a thick cloud. That's
what the Scriptures teach. Now, who did all that? Look at
verse 15. Who did all that? Who is the
Lord Jesus Christ? Look at verse 15. Who is the
image? of the invisible God. Now who
can do such things as this? Deliver us and make us partakers
and make us fit and qualified. Who can put away sin? The blood
of bulls and goats cannot put away sin. By the deeds of the
law shall no flesh be justified. Who alone can put away sin? God
Almighty, who is the image of the invisible God, the exact
likeness of the invisible God. You remember the book of Hebrews?
If you will find Hebrews chapter 1, Hebrews chapter 1 verse 2,
where it talks about God has spoken to our fathers by the
prophets. Verse 2 says, "...hath in these
last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of
all things, by whom also He made the worlds..." We'll talk about
that in a minute. He's the creator of all things.
"...who being the brightness of God's glory, the express image
of His person." Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He's God. Upholding
all things by the word of His power, when He by Himself purged
our sin, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."
You see what he's saying there? The text again, verse 15. He
was the image of the invisible God. We read in John chapter
1, the Word that was with God and the Word was God. All things
were made by Him. And the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. He thought it not robbery to
be equal with God. but took upon Himself the form
of a servant, became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross." It's who He is that gives efficacy and power to His
blood atonement. You remember from Acts chapter
20, when Paul is preaching to those elders at Ephesus, and
he said to them, feed the church of God which He purchased with
His own blood, Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He's God Almighty,
the eternal God, and He yet manifests in the flesh in the fullness
of time. Now, we have a description in
Colossians chapter 1, verse 15. We have a description of who
He is. He is the invisible God. He is
the image of the invisible God. God is Spirit, and He is the
firstborn of every creature. You see that? He is the firstborn
of every creature. What does that mean? That means
that He is Lord, firstborn. The firstborn Son is the heir
of everything the Father has. who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn, that is saying here and declaring the Lord Jesus
Christ is Lord over all. The Father loved the Son and
had given all things into His hand. He's the firstborn of every
creature. Now, here's what he's saying.
He's Lord of Lords, King of Kings. He's the Lord and King of every
creature. He is every man's Lord whether
they acknowledge it or not. One day they will. One day every
knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord to the glory of God the Father. But He is the Lord of
everything. Every creature and everything.
He's going to talk about that in the next verse. This same
Jesus, you remember Peter at Pentecost, this same Jesus whom
you crucified is both Lord and Christ. This is what we own as
believers and love and confess as believers. We bow and submit
to His Lordship, His sovereignty over all things. We love His
sovereignty because we love God who is sovereign over all things. Now look at verse 16. Being that He is the invisible God, that He is the
image of the invisible God, that He is King and Lord of all things. For by Him all things were created. All things were created. You
look at the creation. It's created by the Word of His
power. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. For
by Him are all things created that are in heaven, that are
in the earth, things visible, things invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities
or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him. Now that's an exhaustive list,
is it not? All things were created by Him
and for Him. Hold your place there and turn
back to Ephesians chapter 1 again. Ephesians chapter 1, he repeats
this All things were created by Him and they serve His purpose. Ephesians chapter 1 again, look
at verse 19. What is exceeding greatness of
His power to us were to believe according to the working of His
mighty power which He wrought in us, wrought
in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at
His own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality,
and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and
put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over
all things, the church, which is his body, the fullness of
him that filleth all in all." You see what he's saying here?
Look back at the text. For by Him were all things created. We read in John chapter 1, all
things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made that was made. All things were made by Him,
created by Him, and all things visible, invisible, thrones or
dominions, principalities or powers, all things were created
by Him and for Him. All things serve His purpose.
Look at verse 17. For by Him, for He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist. You ever notice the
order in this universe? The order is exact, is it not? How does all the universe, how
is it held together? How is it all in exact order?
The orbit of the earth and the orbit of the planets. And everything
happens morning, evening, Darkness, light, springtime, winter, summer,
fall, all these things are exact. How does all this happen? It's
not Mother Nature. It's not Mother Nature. It's
God Almighty. You see what it says there? He
is before all things and by Him all things consist. That word
consist means held together. He is the order of all things.
When it rains, He brings the rain. When there's a wind, He's
the cause of the wind. When there is a tornado or a
hurricane or an earthquake, He's the first cause of all things. He is before all things and by
Him all things consist. All things were created by the
Word of His power. He's the heir of all things by
whom the world were made. All things were created by Him
and for Him. You cannot be a believer and
believe in evolution. You cannot be a believer and
believe in evolution. My friend, many of you know John
Chapman, he said this, he said, the reason that fallen men like
to think they believe in evolution. He said it's easier for a fallen
sinner, a fallen man, to look at a monkey and say, look how
far we've come. rather than a fallen sinner to
look at God and say, look how far we have fallen. You see the
difference? To look at a monkey and say,
boy, we're making great progress, rather than look at God Almighty
with holy, eternal sovereign and say, look how far we have
fallen. That's true. That's true. Thou
art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. Thou
hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are created. That's Revelation 4, verse 11. He is before all things, and
by Him all things consist. He is the head, verse 18. He
is the head of the body. Every body needs a head, right? What does your body have? Your
body has a head. If your body doesn't have a head,
your body is dead. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
living head. And the only reason our body,
the church, has life is because of the living head. You see what
he says there? He is the head, that is the Lord
Jesus Christ is the head of the body, the church, You see, what's
through the head is through the body. Where the head is, that's
where the body is. That word church means called
out. We're the called out. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
head of the body, who is the beginning, in the beginning God. He's the firstborn. He's the
Lord of every creature. He's the firstborn from the dead
that in all things, all things, He might have the preeminence. God is so designed and fixed
everything that He must have the preeminence. That word preeminence,
it means simply the first place, the chief He placed all the honor
and glory. God has so fixed creation, providence,
and salvation all to His glory. Now, look at verse 19. For it pleased the Father that
in Him all things should dwell. The Lord put all of salvation,
God the Father put all of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. I read
again Colossians 2 verse 9 and 10. For in Him dwelleth all the
fullness of a Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him.
which is ahead of all principality and power. Believers are complete
in Christ. Now that means out of Christ,
I'm incomplete. That means in Christ, I'm complete. Of His fullness have we all received
grace for grace. That's what we read a moment
ago. Verse 19, For it pleased the Father that in Him should
all fullness dwell, verse 20, having made peace. He made peace
for us. to the blood of his cross, by
him to reconcile all things unto himself. By him, I say, whether
they be things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were
sometimes alienated enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death
to present you holy, unblameable, unapprovable in his sight. Saving
faith always continues in the faith. If you continue in the
faith, grounded and settled, don't be moved away from the
hope of the gospel, which you've heard, which is preached to every
creature which is under heaven. Now, I want to close by reading
this, and I want you to turn and read this with me. He reconciled
us unto God. Find 2 Corinthians chapter 5,
and I'll let you go with this. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, you
take this home with you and think about these things, where it
says that we were enemies by our wicked works, yet He made
peace for us, He reconciled us to God. Let's read about it.
2 Corinthians chapter 5. Look at verse 18. All things
are of God. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 18. Who has reconciled us to Himself
by Jesus Christ. And has given to us this ministry
of reconciliation. Now what is reconciliation? It's
the opposite of separation. Our sin has separated us from
God. How are we going to be reconciled? He reconciled us unto God. He
brought us together. But what it says, all things
are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, namely,
that God was in Christ. He reconciled the world unto
himself. Now he's talking about the world
of his people, his elect, not imputing their trespasses unto
them. Our sin was imputed to Christ,
and has committed to us this word, this message of reconciliation. Now then, verse 20, we are ambassadors
for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you
in Christ's stead, now be you reconciled. God's reconciled. As my pastor used to say, now
lay down your shotgun. Submit, bow to the sovereignty
of God. Look at verse 21. Boy, this is
a tremendous verse. For God made Him to be sin for
us. God made Christ to be sin for
us, who knew no sin. He knew no sin. He was a sinless
God-man. God made our sin to meet on Him,
that we might be made, who knew no sin, God made Him sin for
us, He knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him. Now how righteous do you need
to stand? How righteous do you need to
be to stand before God? As righteous as God. How can
that be? Only as you win Christ and be
found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith. Philippians 3, 9. Aren't those
great verses?