Now returning to Ephesians chapter
2, let's read verse 19 and 20. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 19
and 20. Now therefore you are no more,
no longer are you strangers, no longer are you foreigners,
but rather fellow citizens, fellow citizens with the saints. We
have fellowship one with another with the saints and we are in
the household. We've been made by God's grace,
sons of God and of the household of God and we are built upon
the foundation. The foundation of the apostles,
beginning with Peter, James, John, the apostle Paul, they
all had one foundation. They all preached one message
and that one foundation and one message is Jesus Christ himself. You see that? That's the title
of the message, Jesus Christ himself. Not only the apostles,
but also the prophets. Isaiah's only hope of salvation
was Jesus Christ and him crucified. He wrote about that extensively
all through the book of Isaiah. To him give all the prophets
witness. Jeremiah's hope of righteousness
was the Lord our righteousness, Jesus Christ himself. Now, I wanna drive that home. I want you to remember. I want
you to remember this text and I want you to take it home with
you. Jesus Christ himself is salvation. Jesus Christ, salvation is a
person. Salvation is a person. Salvation is being found in him. Not belonging to the church,
not having ceremonies, not having anything else. Salvation is being
vitally united to a living Lord. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ Himself. He's the
Chief. He's Lord. And He's the Chief
Cornerstone. The cornerstone knits the building
together, cements and holds the building together. In whom all
the building, talking about the building that he has built upon
this foundation, the Lord said, I'll build my church and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It's fitly framed
together. And because it's his building,
built on his foundation, it is called a holy temple that grows
in the Lord. This building is growing as he
adds to it. In whom you also are builded
together. We are his workmanship. We read
that, didn't we? We are his workmanship created
in Christ Jesus. And God dwells in his church.
God dwells in the hearts of His people. He said, I'll never leave
you. I'll never forsake you. Lord, He said, Lo, I'm with you
always. Jesus Christ Himself. Because the Lord Jesus Christ,
in His glorious priestly work, and because of His perfect righteousness,
because of His perfect obedience in life and obedience unto death,
Because of His righteous sacrifice unto God, you know that death
and the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ is not offered unto
men. It's offered unto God. It's the blood on the altar before
the Lord. It's offered unto God. Believers
are reconciled unto God in one glorious body only by Christ. Look at verse 16, Ephesians 2.
that He might reconcile both Jew or Gentile, God has an elect
out of every nation, both unto God in one body, you see there's
one Lord, one faith, one church, one baptism, one body, one gospel,
by His death, by the cross. by the cross, having slain the
enmity thereby. He quenched the wrath of God
for us in our room and in our stead. There is therefore now
no condemnation to those who were in Christ. And because of
all this, we have free access. Look at verse 18. For through
him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Seeing
that we have a great high priest, you remember from our study in
Ephesians, or rather from Hebrews chapter 4, seeing that we have
a great high priest that ascended into the heavens, that is seated
at the right hand of God, who accomplished salvation for us,
He said, come boldly unto the throne of grace that you may
obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. We have
free access unto the Father by Christ and Him crucified. Free access unto the Father. Look at chapter 3. verse 11 and
12 according to the eternal purpose which he purpose in Christ Jesus
our Lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence and
watch this confidence by the faith of him his faithfulness
his righteousness we have access unto God now look back in chapter
2 verse 19 now therefore You are no more strangers, no more
foreigners, but rather you are fellow citizens. Fellow citizens with the saints,
one family, one household. He is the head, we're the body,
the household of God. The holy law of God being honored
both in precept and in penalty. Believers are no more Aliens
and strangers without God and without hope and without Christ.
Look back at chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12. Remember
he describes what we are by nature, children of wrath even as others.
Walking in time past, being dead in trespasses and in sin. That
at that time, verse 12, that you were without Christ. being
aliens, being idolaters from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers
from the covenant of promise, you see that? Having no hope,
not a good hope, no hope, not a real hope, without God, we
were in this world. But now, but now, Christ Jesus
you who sometimes were far off or made nigh by the blood of
Christ for he is our peace Look at verse 4 Ephesians 2 verse
4 But God who was rich in mercy for his great love were with
he loved us Even when we were dead in sin and quicken us together
With Christ we're saved by his grace now therefore in Christ
you're no longer and no more strangers Strangers to His covenant
love. Strangers to His mercy. Strangers
to His grace. Strangers to His power. We're
no longer estranged from those things. We have experienced those
things, haven't we? We've experienced His covenant
love. We've experienced His covenant mercy. Sovereign mercy. We've
experienced by His love and His grace the power of the gospel
in us. No longer strangers, but now
we're friends. Friends. Abraham was called a
friend of God. He considers us no longer strangers. Friends no longer foreigners
no longer aliens From his covenant promises of salvation in Christ,
but now we're partakers We are partakers of a divine nature
in Christ Jesus now therefore you're no more strangers no more
foreigners, but But your fellow citizens fellow citizen with the saints.
Every believer of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a
saint. We're sanctified by God, the
Holy Spirit. Having a blessed and sweet fellowship
around the glorious good news of the gospel, forgiveness and
pardon of sin, we have fellowship one with another in the Lord
Jesus Christ. We are citizens of a heavenly
country. The Apostle writes about it in
Philippians 3, for our conversation is, our citizenship is in heaven. From which we also look for the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Saints of God, who were sinners
by nature, are now by His grace, saints of God, set apart by divine
election. by divine calling and regeneration. Now hold your place there, find
a couple pages over to Colossians chapter one. Colossians chapter
1 that's why it says here in verse 12 giving thanks unto the
father Who had made us? Meet and the word there is fit
to be partakers of the inhabitants of the Saints in Christ in light
Who had delivered us from the power of darkness and had translated
us in the kingdom of God's dear son so we're fellow citizens
with the Saints and we're of the Household of God household
of God turn to 1st. John chapter 3 the household
of God Look at 1st. John chapter 3 1st. John chapter 3 We've been born into the family
of God the new birth from above and First John 3 1 behold what
manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should
be called sons of God Therefore the world knoweth us not because
it knew him not Beloved now are we sons of God and that does
not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall
appear We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
Beloved, now are we sons of God. By the glorious adoption of grace,
we've been made sons of God. By regenerating grace, by the
new birth, we're born into the family of God. Now, naturally
speaking, your children were born into your family. or adopted
into your family. But by naturally speaking, by
way of natural generation, we're born into the family. That is
true spiritually. We're born into the family of
God. Except a man be born again, he cannot see, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God. were born into the household
of God and the family of God. Believers share the fullness
of His grace on a richly clothed and provided for by our Heavenly
Father. My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory by the Lord Jesus Christ. Being fellow citizens in His
Kingdom being the saints of God by his grace being the children
of God sons of God in his household He provides richly for us everything
that we need According to the riches of his grace We have plenty
of provision of mercy. We've been made heirs of God
and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ Look right across
the page Ephesians chapter 3 verse 6 that the Gentiles should be
fellow heirs. We're not only fellow citizens,
but we're fellow heirs of the same body, partakers of the promise
in Christ by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heirs of God
and joint heirs, we have an inheritance that's incorruptible, undefiled,
that fades not away, that's reserved in heaven for you. Now look at
verse 20. And, he keeps adding here, doesn't
he? Keeps adding, fellow citizens,
saints of God, who are of the household of God, and the household
of God, and were built upon one solid foundation. Jesus Christ,
the solid foundation. And are built upon the foundation
of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself. Jesus Christ himself. All the
apostles, John, Peter, James, John, all the apostles, they
all directed every sinner to one foundation. And that one
foundation is Christ himself. Christ himself. All the apostles
said this, neither is there salvation in any other, for there's no
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved. The apostle writing to the church
at Corinth said, "...the other foundation can no man lay than
that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus the Lord. He is
the chief and only cornerstone, the only foundation, the Lord
Jesus Christ Himself." All the apostles of the past, All the
prophets of the past, to Him give all the prophets witness.
All the present preachers in this day, God's servants, all
preach this one foundation. The Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Now let me give you five things.
that we find in the Word of God about Jesus Christ Himself. Five things. You can jot these
down if you want to. I don't mind if you take notes.
But these messages are available on CD out there on the table
or you can find them on Sermon Audio for a download on Sermon
Audio. The first one is this. Jesus
Christ Himself is the theme and the message of all Scripture. Old Testament and New. From Genesis
to Revelation. The whole Bible declares one
message and you know what it is? Jesus Christ Himself. Now turn to Luke 24. I'll give you time to find these.
I want you to see this for yourselves. Luke chapter 24. The Risen Lord approached two men, in Luke 24,
and he declared unto them, in verse 25, Luke 24, verse 25,
O fools, slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken,
ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into
his glory? It must be. Christ must die. He must suffer in our stead.
And beginning at Moses, that's Genesis chapter 1, and all the prophets, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, all the prophets, he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures the things concerning, what's that
word? Himself. Himself. Our Lord said to those Jews,
you are they that search the scriptures, but they are they
that testify of me. Had you believed Moses, you would
have believed me, for Moses wrote about Christ, his person and
his work. Jesus Christ himself is the theme
of all scripture. Luke 24 again, verse 44. These are the words which I spake
unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, which are written not only in the law of Moses,
not only in all the prophets, but also in the Psalms, 150 Psalms,
are all about the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning, he said,
me. Concerning me. Because the Lord
Jesus Christ is the theme and message of this book, He must
be the only subject of our preaching. The only subject of our preaching
must be the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Now, let's
find 2 Corinthians chapter 4. The Apostle writes in 1 Corinthians
chapter 2, 2 Corinthians 4, you turn there, Paul said, I'm determined
to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Because we take the Word of God and preach the Gospel from the
Word of God and the Word of God is all taken up with one message,
taken up with one message, Christ and Him crucified, therefore
we're left to one conclusion that we must, if we preach, we
must preach Him. That's what the Apostle Paul
here says in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 and 5, in whom the God of this
world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves for your sake, for
Jesus' sake. And ourselves, your servant for
Jesus' sake, for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
has shined in our heart to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Our message
here is Christ and Him crucified. The Lord Jesus Christ. That's
the message of this book, therefore it is the subject of our preaching.
One preacher of the past said this, A sermon without the Lord
Jesus Christ is a mistake in its conception and a crime in
it being preached. It is of no eternal value to
your soul. We must preach Christ and Him
crucified, His person and His work. Now if you look back over
in chapter 3 of Ephesians, notice what the Apostle Paul here says
in verse 7. Ephesians 3 verse 7. Wherefore,
I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God,
given unto me by the effectual working of his power, unto me
who am the last and the least of all the saints is this grace
given, that I should preach among the Gentile the unsearchable
riches of Christ, the unsearchable riches of his person, the unsearchable
richness of his love, having loved his own, he loved them
to the end, the unsearchable riches of his grace." You see,
we preach Christ. A sermon without the Lord Jesus
Christ is like a well with no water, a stove with no fire,
cupboards with no bread, and a house with no light. It's just
not worth anything. You see, our message is Jesus
Christ Himself. That's the theme of the book.
Secondly, the Lord Jesus Christ himself is all our redemption. Jesus Christ Himself is all our
redemption, our deliverance from sin by His blood. Now, let me
show you that right here in Ephesians. Look at chapter 5, verse 1. Jesus Christ Himself is all our
redemption. It's His blood that justifies
us from all our sin. In chapter 5 of Ephesians, verse
1, Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and
walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given
himself, he gave himself, for us, an offering and sacrifice
to God, that's satisfying to God. It's a sweet-smelling savor
unto God. Christ crucified. What did he
give? He could have given a gold mine,
a diamond mine. He could have given the universe.
What did He give? He gave Himself. He gave Himself. God bought the church with His
own blood. He's all of our redemption. Now
look at Ephesians chapter 5. Look at verse 24. Therefore as
the church is subject unto Christ, So let the wives be to their
own husbands and everything. Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church, and he gave himself for it. What did he give? The great high
priest did not bring the typical animal sacrifice of blood of
bulls and goats, but he obtained eternal redemption for us with
his own blood. He gave himself for it, that
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word, that he might present it to himself, a glorious church,
not having spot, no wrinkle, or any such thing, but it should
be holy without blemish. You see, the redeeming blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ justifies and cleanses us from all our
sin. What was the price that God's
law demanded for our redemption? His death. His blood. For we read in scripture, we
are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold. We're not redeemed with our vain
conversation, but we are redeemed with the precious blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ. The precious blood. And you know
the blood that He shed, and the putting away of our sin, the
purging away of our sin, is something that He did Himself. By Himself, with Himself. Find Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1. Now the Lord
Jesus Christ did not simply die to make salvation a possibility
or to put us in a savable state if we would meet certain conditions.
Because we read just a moment ago we were dead in sin. The Lord Jesus Christ actually
obtained eternal redemption for His people. He actually saved
them by His grace. Actually justified them by His
death. And He did this by Himself with
absolutely no cooperation from us. You see, redemption works
not because of what we bring to it. We don't add anything
to it. Redemption only works because
of what He accomplished for us. He said at Calvary it is finished.
Hebrews chapter 1 Look at verse 3, "...who being
the brightness of his glory," of God's glory, "...the express
image of his person." Now, who is the Lord Jesus Christ? It
says in Acts 20, verse 28, that God bought us with His own blood.
He's the express image of His person. He's God manifest in
the flesh, upholding all things by the word of His power. When
He had by with Him and His friends, That's what it says. I'm adding
to the Word. When He had by Himself... I can't overemphasize this. Especially
in this day when this is being denied. By Himself He purged
our sins and because He got the job done completely, He ascended
to glory and He sat down. Why did He sit down? Work was
done, finished. Now Hebrews 9, turn over there,
Hebrews 9. I know this is familiar ground
to some of you, most of you, but it's good to repeat it. Hebrews 9, saying that we have
a great high priest, verse 11, of good things to come, Hebrews
9, 11, by greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hand,
that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats
and of calves, but by His own blood." You see, it's who He
is that gives eternal merit and power to what He did. He entered
in once into the holy place, in heaven itself, having obtained
eternal redemption for us. In Ephesians chapter 1 verse
6 it says, in whom we have, in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace. I'm
saying as clearly as I can, look at Hebrews 9 26, the Lord Jesus
Christ is all our redemption. Hebrews 9.26, it says in the
middle part of the verse, but now once in the end of the world,
the end of the age, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. Now because the Lord Jesus Christ,
because God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for
us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? That's Romans 8.32. How shall
He not freely give us all things? Because of Christ in Him crucified. You got the first two? What is
the theme of all Scripture? Jesus Christ, His person and
His work. What is all of our redemption
or who is all of our redemption? The Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Thirdly, the Lord Jesus Christ himself is all our righteousness
before God. Jesus Christ Himself. Now, I
not only need to be redeemed, delivered from my sin, but I
also must have a justifying righteousness before God. Now, how can this
sinner have a justifying righteousness before God? The Lord Jesus Christ
Himself is my righteousness. Now let me show you that scripture.
I can make good on that. I want you to see this. Turn
to the book of Romans. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself
is all this sinner's righteousness before God. All of it. Not some
of it. All of it. He's all my righteousness
and He gives that freely unto us. Now Romans 3 verse 20 It says in the preceding verses
that in and of ourselves we have no righteousness of our own.
There's none righteous, no not one. You see that in verses 9
down through verse 12. But it says in verse 20 of Romans
3, Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified
in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin, but
now the righteousness of God. Now here's the righteousness
that you must have. Not your own. Not something you
do. Do you produce a righteousness
before God? Let's see you do it. Do it. Just do it. You can't. But now the righteousness of
God, without the law, is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even, verse 22, look at it carefully, even the
righteousness of God, this means this righteousness comes from
God, He's the author of it, by faith of Jesus Christ. By the faith of who? By the faith
of Jesus Christ. unto all and upon all them that
believe there is no different for all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ now
turn to Roman chapter 4 I'm saying that the Lord Jesus Christ himself
is all my righteousness before God You know, He's called in
Scripture, the Lord our righteousness. And then in Jeremiah 33, He calls
the church by that name, She shall be called the Lord our
righteousness. That's my name. Look at Romans
chapter 4, look at verse 3, For what sayeth the Scripture, Romans
4 verse 3, Abraham believed God, and it was counted on him for
righteousness. Now to him that worketh is reward,
not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh
not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith
is counted for righteousness. even as David also describeth
the blessedness of the man, unto whom God," now look at this,
underscore these three words, "...God imputeth righteousness." You ask the religious, church-going
man this day, try this on the job tomorrow, try this in your
neighborhood, ask, have you ever heard of imputed righteousness? You just ask that. Just ask that
question. And see what the... Huh? Huh? What are you talking about? Huh?
Imputed righteousness without work. That means God puts to
your account a justifying righteousness by something you did not do.
How can that be? That's grace. That's the good
news of the gospel. Without works. God imputeth,
imputeth, imputeth, reckons, charges to your account righteousness
without works. Saying, blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is
the man to whom the Lord imputeth, blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin. Now, they write in the book of
Romans here for a moment, look at verse 19 in chapter 5. For
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of another shall many be made righteous." Now who's
he talking about here? He's talking about what happened
in the garden and what happened on the cross. By one man's disobedience
we were made sinners and Adam all died, so by the obedience
of another shall many, thee many, be made righteous in Christ.
Now turn to Romans 10. I'm saying that the Lord Jesus
Christ is all of our redemption. He's all of our righteousness
before God. Look at Romans 10 verse 1. Brethren,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel. Talk about
national Israel. Paul's talking about his kinfolk,
that they might be saved. He's saying that they're lost
by nature. For I bear them record, they have a zeal of God, they
have a religious zeal, but not according to knowledge. For they
being ignorant of God's righteousness. God's holy character, they're
ignorant of God's holy character. Going about, therefore, to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God. Now you see there's two different
righteousnesses there, righteousness mentioned there. The righteousness,
God's righteousness, and then the righteousness that's provided
or given of God. For Christ is the end of the
law. for righteousness to everyone
that believeth. Believers are no longer going
about to establish a righteousness by the doing of their hand, but
rather they're resting in the Lord our righteousness. I'm saying
as clear as I know how. Jesus Christ himself is all our
righteousness. He's freely given, imputed, and
reckoned unto us. So much so that God says, but
of him are you in Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. You see, if you're
found in Christ, that's why the Apostle Paul said, I count everything
else, dung, ruin, loss, that I might be found in Christ. Be
found in him, that I might win Christ, and be found in him,
not having a righteousness which is of the law, but that which
is through the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ
himself is all our righteousness. God made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him. Here's number four. Jesus Christ
himself, turned to the book of Hebrews again, chapter 12, Jesus
Christ himself is the only object of saving faith. The only object
of saving faith. Now, saving faith has to have
an object. And the object of saving faith
is a person. Jesus Christ himself. Look at Hebrews chapter 12. Let us run with patience the
race set before us, verse 1, verse 2, looking unto Jesus,
who is the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Saving
faith fixes its eye upon the victorious, risen, exalted, enthroned
Lord Jesus Christ. That's where saving faith looks. It doesn't look in here. Saving
faith doesn't look back to my feelings or to my experience. Well preacher, don't you feel
saved? No. Salvation is not my feelings.
Most of the time, I go around feeling very guilty because that's
what I am, very ungodly. Once in a while, God grants faith
that calls me to rest in Christ, to look unto Him. The Lord Jesus
Christ Himself is the only object of saving faith. Looking unto
Christ alone, not to the past, not to my feelings. What was
it Martin Luther said about feelings? feelings come and feelings go
and feelings are deceiving my warrant is the Word of God nothing
else is worth believing right Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God. Saving faith is always looking
unto the Lord Jesus Christ as he's revealed in the Word of
God. The faith of God's elect acknowledges
the truth. That's why we read from the prophet
Isaiah, the Lord says through him, look unto me and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth, I am God, there's no other. Where
are you looking right now? You looking back to an experience,
a feeling, a time, a place? Don't look there. Don't look
there. Look to Jesus Christ himself. He's the author and the finisher
of all saving things. Here's the fifth thing. Jesus
Christ himself is the only source of true joy, comfort, hope, and
peace. I'll show you that. Find 2 Thessalonians,
2 Thessalonians chapter 2. I'm saying that Jesus Christ
himself is the only source of all true joy, comfort, hope,
and peace. Being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Matter of
fact, the scripture said the Lord Jesus Christ is our hope. He is our hope. Our hope is the
person. Now 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Let's begin reading at verse
13. And I'll let you go with this
reading here. Jesus Christ himself is all our
hope, but he says in verse 13 2nd Thessalonians 2 13 We are
bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved
of the Lord Because God had from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through Sanctification of the Spirit that's the new verse that's
regeneration which leads to belief of the truth and where unto he
called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the
Lord Jesus Christ. You see, it all gets back to
Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast,
hold the traditions, and that word there is truth, which you've
been taught, whether by word, by preaching, or by epistle. Now, verse 16, our Lord Jesus
Christ, now our Lord Jesus Christ himself. You see that? and God,
even our Father, who has loved us and has given us an everlasting
consolation and a good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, establish
you in every good word and every good work. The Lord Jesus Christ
Himself is all our hope. He is all our peace. All our peace. Now, take that
home with you. And ask the Lord to reveal Him
unto you. Lord, let me see Christ. Let
me see Him. I want to know Him. I don't want
to just simply be religious. I want to know Him whom to know
is eternal life. This is eternal life, John said,
that they might know Thee. The only true God, the only true
God, Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Christ Himself. May the
Lord bless His Word.