Now, turn in your Bible to John
chapter 11 one more time. I'm taking the title for the
message from verse 52. Take your pencil or pen or marker
in the middle part of verse 52, It says, gathered together in
one. You see that? Gathered together
in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad. Gathered
together in Christ. Gathered together in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now that's the title of the message,
and I trust that the Lord will bless us together. Although Caiaphas,
This priest in Israel at this time did not fully understand
what great truth he had just spoken. He certainly declared
the gospel message of salvation by the death of the Lord Jesus
Christ as the sinner's substitute. Notice, if you will, verse 50
and 51, "...nor consider that it is expedient for us that one
man should die for the people, that the whole nation perish
not, But this spake he not of himself. Now he did declare,
he did utterly, he did utter these words rather, but being
the high priest that year, he prophesied that the Lord Jesus
Christ should die for somebody. So in essence his message was
substitution. that this one should die for
us, to spare us. Now he had no clue as to the
gospel of substitution and satisfaction in Christ Jesus, yet, yet somehow,
by God giving him these words, he declares the truth of the
gospel. Now let's go back just a little
bit and come back to this in a minute. When the Lord Jesus
Christ had raised Lazarus from the dead, there were many witnesses
around his grave that day and what a glorious sight that must
have been. You remember the Lord told those
people around there to remove the stone and then he called
Lazarus forth. What if he would have called
Lazarus forth and then had Lazarus lift the stone off? Some may
have speculated, well, maybe he really wasn't dead. Maybe
he was just kind of hiding out in there and when, at the appointed
time, then Lazarus threw the stone off. You see, there would
have been reason for some of them to doubt, wouldn't it? But
he told them to remove the stone, remember? And then permeated
out of that, the air was permeated with that smell of death. They
knew that there was a dead man in that grave. And these standing
around the grave, they knew beyond all doubt that Lazarus really
was dead. I mean, he was graveyard dead. He was dead and rotten. He was
smelly. He was awful. And they knew,
they also knew this. They also knew that the Lord,
by a command of His Word, commanded Lazarus to come forth, and he
that was dead came out. They saw this happen. They experienced this glorious
miracle. And yet it says in verse 45,
it says that many of the Jews that came to comfort Mary and
Martha, about the death of their brother. When they had seen these
things, and when they heard what the Lord said, they believed
on Him. But some of them, some of them
were just further hardened. They went their ways. They didn't
go His way. They went their way. Way of rebellion. Way of unbelief. They went to
the Pharisees and told them what things this man from Nazareth,
Jesus, had done. Now two things we see in verse
45 and verse 46. Many were given faith to believe. Now notice what it says here.
They believed on Him. Now sure they believed the miracle,
but Believing miracles is not saving faith. You see the difference? They believed on Him. On Him. Abraham believed God. It was counted to him for righteousness.
But notice, many believed on Him. Now, how many? You got any
idea? It doesn't say how many. I can tell you exactly how many.
Preacher, come on. I can tell you exactly how many.
In Acts 13.48 it says, "...as many as were ordained to eternal
life believed." That's the many. That's the many who believed.
"...as many as were ordained to eternal life, as many as God
was pleased to grant and give faith that day, faith that looks
to Christ." Look at John 17.2. John 17.2. quoted this in the Bible study
this morning, "...as thou hast given him power over all flesh."
He said, "...Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy Son, that
thy Son may also glorify thee, as thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as..." There it is again. as many as thou hast ordained
to eternal life." That's the many who believed that day. In Acts chapter 2 when Peter
declared the Lordship of Christ, this same Jesus whom you had
crucified, Lord and Christ. And they cried out, What shall
we do? And Peter said, Repent, and believe the gospel, and confess
Christ in believers' baptism. And then it says in the next
verse, Acts 2.39. Now, those folks forget, who
camp on 2.38, forget 2.39. as many as the Lord our God shall
call." He calls them out of darkness into God's marvelous light. You see, my friends, it is only
by a miracle of His sovereign grace that any sinner Old Testament,
New Testament. Any sinner, and it's only by
the miracle of God's saving sovereign grace, that any sinner is privileged
to believe the gospel of Christ. You see, faith is the sovereign
gift of God. God gives faith to whom He will.
And to whom He will, He hardens. You see, it takes a resurrection
power to really cause a sinner to come forth from the dead and
to believe the gospel. We believe, it says in Acts chapter
1, we believe according to the working of His mighty power,
which He wrought in us. And then you know what it says
next? It talks about the resurrection of Christ. What kind of power
did it take to raise the dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ
when He died for our sin? It took the power of God. What
kind of power does it take to raise a dead sinner to cause
him to believe the Gospel? The same power, the power of
God. The same power that brought forth Lazarus from the dead.
So, if you're sitting here this morning and you're a believer
in the gospel of God's grace, it's because God raised you from
the dead. That God gave you faith in Christ
Jesus. Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ, he is born of God, being raised from the dead. Some, many, many here believe
the gospel. But now, there's a second part
to this. Many, it says, some, many believed
and some of them, some of them went their way to the Pharisees.
Pharisees were the sworn enemies of the gospel of God's grace.
They hated the way of grace. They hated the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Lord said to those Pharisees, you are that bunch of people
that want to justify yourself before God. But He said, God
knows your heart. That which is highly esteemed
among men is nothing but abomination in God's sight. The Pharisees
hated the Lord Jesus Christ. They despised Him because He
exposed their refuge of lies. And they went, these who were
enemies of the gospel, they went to the Pharisees and told them
what thing this man named Jesus, this one from Nazareth, had done. These folks heard the same word
the Lord spake, they saw the same things that these others
did, yet they remained unmoved, and just further hardened in
their evil heart against the Lord, and went and told the enemies
of the Lord that this man from Nazareth, you know what he's
done now? He not only made the blind to see and the lame to
walk, but he raised up a dead man. Now what are you going to
do about it? Wow. Now here's the point. It is true yet today, when the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly set forth in the preaching
of the gospel, it has the same effect among people today. To some, it's a savor of life
unto life. To others, it's a savor of death
unto death. Let's see if we can find that.
I've quoted that several times, but let's see if we can read
that. Maybe you want to mark it in your Bible. It's 2 Corinthians
chapter 2. 2 Corinthians chapter 2. Verse 14, we'll start there.
2 Corinthians 2 verse 14, Now thanks be to God, which always
causes us to triumph in Christ, and make manifest the savour
of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Corinthians 2 verse
15, For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that
are saved, and in them that perish, to one we're a savour of death
unto death, to other a savour of life unto life. And who is
sufficient for these things? But we are not as many which
corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God
in the sight of God, speak we of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, what's gonna happen here? Back to the text, John 11, verse
47. Then gathered the chief priests,
the chief priests and the Pharisees and they had a council, a council. and said, What do we? For this
man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all
will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away
both our place and our nation." They feared for their livelihood.
They feared for their position. Instead of this miracle having
a great and profound influence upon them to break their hard
heart, and their rebellion against God, it had the opposite effect. It only aggravated them, didn't
it? I mean it aggravated them. They were spitting, raging mad. It only intensified their hatred
against the true and living God. And it is true, the carnal mind
is enmity against God. The carnal mind cannot receive
the things of God. The carnal mind, the old fleshly,
Adam nature, is enraged against the true and living God. Notice
this carefully. And note this carefully. You'll
never truly convict and convince sinners and bring them to the
Lord Jesus Christ, bring them to saving faith in Christ by
trying to prove the miracles of the Bible are true. Now a
lot of people go to great lengths to try to prove the miracles
of the Bible, and they think if they can prove the facts of
the Bible and the figures of the Bible, they think they will
convince people to believe. For example, for example, Many
try to find Noah's Ark, don't they? Noah's Ark on Mount, that
Mount that it, and some even think they have pictures of it.
And why do they do that? They think if they can find enough
real evidence that the Bible is true and the words of the
Bible are true that they'll cause people to believe because it'll
prove the miracle somehow. Let me show you an interesting
scripture, just over one page. John 12, 37. You see, true saving
faith is not born of physical evidence. Now get a hold of that. True saving faith is not born
of physical evidence. These folks watched the Lord
Jesus raise a dead man, and yet they remained hardened in their
heart. Look at John 12, 37, "...but
though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed
not on him." that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be
fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who had believed our report?
To whom had the arm of the Lord revealed? Therefore they could
not believe, because Isaiah also said, He had blinded the eyes
and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their
eye, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and
I should heal them." You see, God hardens some. That same sun
that shines, it melts the wax, it hardens the clay. And that
same gospel, it melts the hearts of God's people and yet it hardens
those who were rebels against God Almighty. So, true saving
faith is not born of physical evidence. Those who truly believe
the gospel are born of God by the Spirit of God, and those
who are truly born of God by the Spirit of God, we don't need
visual aids, do we? We don't need physical evidence,
do we? To foster our faith or to grow
in faith? To have our faith increased?
No, those who are born of God, by the Spirit of God, they believe
God, because God has given to them life, and the fruit of that
life is faith in Christ. And they believe the whole record
of Scripture. What do believers believe? The
whole record of Scripture. That's right. The whole record of Scripture.
Listen to this. We're going to read. You see
the foundation of faith. The foundation of faith is what?
Not feelings, not emotion, not experience. The foundation of
faith is the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God. Faith, we're going to study this
in Hebrews 11. Faith is a substance of things
hoped for. Faith is the evidence of things
not seen. And faith is a gift of God. If
God's given you faith, you believe everything. I didn't say I understood
everything in God's Word, but I believe it. I can't explain
how God can inhabit a body of a man, how eternity can inhabit... how God who inhabits eternity
can inhabit a body of a man. God incarnated in human flesh.
I can't understand that in the sense to explain it, in the sense
that God understands it, but I believe it to be so. Faith
believes God. Faith believes the record of
God. Now, look at verse 48. If we
thus let him alone, all, and leave out the word men, because
it's been added, all will believe on him, and this is what they
feared. They feared they'd lose their following. They feared
that the collection plate would dry up. They feared that the
Jewish synagogue would be shut down. And the Romans shall come,
remember they were under Roman occupation, and take away our
place in our nation. Here's what they feared. They
feared. Pharisees feared losing their
position, their paycheck. They feared losing their religion. They feared losing temple. Ceremony,
they feared losing what they gained by intimidation. They
feared losing what they gained by religious pressure upon the
people. They feared the Romans would
come and destroy them. One thing they did not fear,
they did not fear God. There is no fear of God before
their eyes, as the description of Romans chapter 3 says. You
see, men who truly fear God, Men who truly fear God don't
fear men, for if we preach only to please men, we're not the
servants of Christ. Now look at verse 49, and one
of them, and one of them, his name, boy, his name is given. God exposes this man, Caiaphas,
being the high priest. Now you talk about someone who
should have really been promoting the gospel. Here's the high priest.
Here's the high priest who said he represented God. That same
year said unto the people, you guys are ignorant. You know nothing
at all, nor consider it expedient for us that one man should die
for the people, that the whole nation perish not. Now, Caiaphas
thought the only real solution to this, and I put this in quotation,
Jesus problem that they had, The only real solution to the
problem that they had, the only final solution to this problem,
was to put this man completely out of the ministry. Talking about the ministry of
Christ. To put him out of business and to do so by killing him. Now this is not the first time
they plotted to do this, but perhaps this is the first time
the high priest was in on it. Turn to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew
chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12. Remember
when the Lord healed that man who had the withered hand? And
He did it on the Sabbath day? Remember they were enraged? He
says in Matthew 12 verse 13, Then said He to the man, Stretch
forth thine hand, And he stretched it forth, and it was restored
whole, black as the other. And it says here that he did
this on the Sabbath day. Then, verse 14 of Matthew 12,
then the Pharisees went out and held a council against him, as
they might destroy this man. You see, he upset the apple cart.
He upset their Sabbath day. And we've seen in the book of
John how he'd done this several times. The blind man that he
was healed, the man that was crippled at the Pool of Bethesda,
he healed both of them on the Sabbath day on purpose. Look back at John chapter 8.
We see when the Lord declared His deity unto these Jews, John
8, 58, verily, verily, the Lord says, I say unto you, before
Abraham was, I am. You see it, John 8, 58. Then
took they up stones that cast at him. But Jesus hid himself
and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and
so passed by. And then again in John chapter 10, when the
Lord declared, verse 30, I and my Father are one, then the Jews
took up stones again. Boy, they're repeat offenders,
aren't they? I mean, they're career criminals, aren't they?
So are you, so am I. They took up stones again, the
stoning. Why'd they do this? Man by nature, man by nature
is an enemy, a hater of God. Now, not the God they whittle
out, they love Him. They put Him over here, they
control Him, they manipulate Him. But the God you cannot manipulate,
the God who reigns, who is sovereign over all, the God who's on the
throne, men by nature, when exposed to that God, it's not one of,
oh, I love Jesus. It's one of rage and hatred.
Unless God changes your heart and gives you a new nature to
love Him, to believe Him. Perhaps, back in our text here
in John 11, perhaps for the first time, where it says the high
priest here is involved in this idea of killing the Lord Jesus,
perhaps for the first time the high priest here was convinced
that the only way for us to save our job, to save our religion,
at the same time to satisfy Rome and Caesar and to finally get
rid of this Nazarene was to kill him. Let's put him to death. Look at verse 51 now and verse
52. Here's where I want to try to
get to. And this he spake, verse 50,
nor consider that it is expedient, he said, it is expedient for
us that one man should die for the people. The whole nation
perish not. This he spake, not of himself,
but being high priest that year, he prophesied. that Jesus should
die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that
also he should gather together in one the children of God that
were scattered abroad." Caiaphas spoke out of the wickedness of
his own evil heart, didn't he? I mean, he did. But God the Holy Spirit gave
him the words to say. He used this evil man, God did,
to speak absolute gospel truth. God will use whom He will. I'll
give you two examples of that. Balaam, a false prophet, yet
he spoke God's Word. King Saul did the same thing
by the Spirit of God, saying, the Lord has wrought this salvation. God will use whom he will to
declare his truth. Even Balaam's jackass spoke the
truth of God. God will use whom he will. We
have this treasure of the gospel in an earthen vessel that he
might receive all the honor and the glory in all things. Here's my outline, here's my
message, three things. I've wore you out already, haven't
I? But you want to hear these three things, don't you? Okay,
I knew you did. Okay, okay. I did all that to
set the table. That's what Brother Mahan used
to call setting the table. Now we set the table, now we're
going to eat. Okay? Now here's three points. Several things, three things.
Notice verse 50. He says, by the Spirit of God,
it is expedient for us that one man die. This word expedient
means it's good and profitable that the Lord Jesus Christ should
die. Now why? Caiaphas didn't know. Caiaphas didn't understand, but
his people do. Believers do. We know why. It's
expedient for the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us. It's necessary,
and it was necessary, that the Lord Jesus Christ die for His
sheep. Remember, He said, I must lay
down my life. I must go to Jerusalem. I must
die. And then He says, I must, the
Good Shepherd must lay down His life for the sheep. And then
He said in John 10, no man takes my life from me. I lay it down
by the commandment of God, by the power of God, and I take
it up again. You see, it's expedient for us.
Why? No other way for God to be just
and holy and righteous and to justify the ungodly. Is there
any other way that He can be just and the justifier of the
ungodly? No other way. Substitution is
the only way. Satisfaction is the only way.
And the Lord Jesus Christ is the only substitute. The Lord
Jesus Christ is the only Savior of sinners. Call His name Jesus. He shall save His people from
their sin. There is no other way for God
to be just and holy. There's no other way where mercy
and truth can meet together, where righteousness and peace
can kiss each other but at the cross. Justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, He had to die for us. It's expedient for us. If He
doesn't die to put away our sin, Sin will never be put away. We'll
forever endure the wrath of God and never satisfying His holy
justice. That's why hell is eternal. He
must die for us. Thank God we have a substitute.
Thank God we have a Savior. Thank God we have a Mediator,
the Lord Jesus Christ, to put away our sin. You see, it is
expedient for us that Christ die. for us. That's substitution,
isn't it? God made him sin for us, who
knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him. Secondly, it's expedient that
the Lord Jesus Christ die for us, that he says here in the
text, that the whole nation perish not. It's expedient that the
Lord Jesus Christ die for us, that we don't perish in our sin. Now, this question, for whom
does the Lord Jesus Christ die? Now, many in religion, they carelessly
and falsely say, well, He died for all the sins of all men without
exception. That's just not so. That's just
not true. And to say that and to promote
that is to call God Almighty a liar. He said plainly in John
10, we studied it, I lay down my life for my sheep that they
do not perish. For whom did the Lord Jesus Christ
die? He died for his people. Christ
died a particular death for his chosen people. Called here the
whole nation, called here that nation, called here the children
of God. Now why make this an issue? particular
redemption, death and atonement. Why make that an issue? Because
God makes it an issue to say or to infer that the Lord Jesus
Christ died for all the sins of all men and some of those
men die in hell anyway and they say Christ paid their debt, then
the death of the Lord Jesus Christ has got nothing to do with salvation. Is that right? If you go that
universal route, then what really makes the difference? It's what
you do with it. Oh, I see. Then salvation depends
really then upon you, not God. You see what's inferred there?
He died for His covenant people that they shall not perish. He said in John chapter 6, All
that the Father giveth to me, they will come to me. And those
that come to me, He said, I'll never cast them out. Those that
come to me, those that the Father hath given to me, I will justify
them. I will put away their sin. I
will raise them up from the dead. I will not lose not even one
of those sheep. You see, His honor is at stake.
His glory is at stake. I like what he said in Hebrews
chapter 2, I pointed this out before, where the Lord Jesus
Christ said, Behold, I and the children that you've given me,
he presents us thoughtless before the presence of God's glory with
exceeding joy. What if one of them is missing?
What if he loses one of them? His glory is at stake. He cannot
lose one of his sheep, one of his elect. It's utter blasphemy
to even suggest that there's some in hell for whom the Lord
Jesus Christ died. That cannot be. Turn over here
to 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter 2. I brought a message this morning
on the radio from verse 7 and following. In 1 Peter chapter
2, and I'm not going to repeat the radio message, but I'll point
out this to you. Unto you therefore which believe,
he is precious. Unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builder disallowed. The same is made the head of
the corner, a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense. Even them
that stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they
were appointed. But, verse 9, there's that glorious
big word, B-U-T, but you are a chosen generation. You are
a royal priesthood. This is a description of those
same people that Christ said, I give my sheep eternal life
and they shall never perish. A holy royal priesthood, a holy
nation. Now how can we be holy? In Christ,
He's our holiness. He is our sanctification. Peculiar
people. And notice that word. Peculiar
means they purchase people. He's going to have those He bought. that you should show forth the
praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous
light, which in time past were not a people, but now are the
people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now you have."
Notice it says, it doesn't say you have attained mercy. It's not something we build ourself
up to. We don't attain it by our works.
We've obtained mercy by His grace. not by works of righteousness
which we had done, but according to His mercy He saved us. You see, it's expedient for Him
to die that we do not and we cannot perish. Thirdly, last
point, it's expedient that Christ die for us that, look at the
text, verse 52, it's expedient that the Lord Jesus Christ die
for us that He should gather together in one the children
of God that were scattered. Scattered. What scattered us? Sin separated us from God. Scattered. Scattered us. Now here's the
point I want to try to get across. It's expedient that the Lord
Jesus Christ die for his covenant people, his sheep, that we might
be gathered unto him, and this is the reason he gathers us,
because Christ died for us. It is only through the Lord Jesus
Christ crucified, now think with me, it is only through the Lord
Jesus Christ crucified that he gathers us unto himself, right? It's only through the Lord Jesus
Christ in that reconciliation, in that peace that he made for
us unto God, it's only by the blood of his cross that he gathers
us unto himself. You see what I'm saying? That's
what he's saying here. He gathers together in one by
Christ Jesus. By nature we were scattered abroad,
separated from God by our sin. All we like sheep have gone astray.
How does he gather us? Through Christ and Christ crucified. The Good Shepherd, the Great
Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd through the blood of the everlasting
covenant came to undo what sin had brought in. Sin had brought
in guilt. Sin had brought in death and
Adam all died. Sin brought in judgment. But
in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a
woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the
law. Christ redeemed us from the curse
of the law being made a curse for us. Where sin abounded, grace
does much more abound. Grace reigns through righteousness
unto eternal life only by the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Only through His glorious and
complete and eternal atonement for sin, whereby Christ made
full payment for sin and brought in everlasting righteousness
for us, does God draw us to Himself through the person and work of
the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through Christ crucified
that we are gathered unto Him. Now let me show you some Scripture
here, and I'll let you go. Turn to John 10 verse 15. That's why Paul said, I'm determined
not to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
That's why Paul again said, God forbid I should glory save in
the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now in John 10, look at verse
15, As the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father, and
I lay down my life for the sheep. Other sheep, now he's talking
about what? He's talking about his substitutionary
death. I lay down my life for the sheep,
that's substitution. And other sheep I have which
are not of this fold, them also I... Now watch this, I must bring. Why must he bring them? Because he put away their sin.
I lay down my life for the sheep, the fruit of that is, I must
bring them. And they shall hear my voice, they shall be one fold
and one shepherd, therefore does my Father love me, because I
lay down my life that I might take it again. One more verse,
no man takes it from me, I lay it down in myself. I have power
to lay it down. I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received in my father. He dies by the
decree of God. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. You remember? You have taken
him by wicked hands, have crucified the Lord of glory, but God raised
him from the dead. It's through his bloody death,
it's through his substitution and through his satisfaction
that he draws us and gathers us unto God. You see that? Christ
must die. It is expedient, absolutely necessary. There's no other way that God
can be just and justify the ungodly. Now turn to John chapter 12.
John chapter 12. A couple more references here.
Now, he's talking here about his departure by death in John
12, verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world.
Now shall the prince of this world be cast out, and I, if
I be lifted up from the earth. Now here he's talking about his
crucifixion. What is the fruit of that? Since
I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me. Now, preacher, you left out a
word. Did I? Yes, I did. On purpose. Because notice that
word, M-E-N, it's been supplied. He's talking about here, if I
be lifted up, I'll draw all unto me. Who's he talking about? Those
for whom He died. His sheep. He's longsuffering
to usward, not willing that any should perish, but all should
come to repentance. So it's through His death, through
Him being lifted up, that He draws us to Himself. You see,
that's clear isn't it? Turn to 1 Peter now, 1 Peter
chapter 3. So it's only through His atonement,
through Christ our substitute, Redeemer and Savior making satisfaction,
and we say this all the time, but it's not a meaningless phrase,
the law of God has to be honored. In penalty and precept. Justice
has to be satisfied. God cannot save sinners at the
expense of His holiness. He must both satisfy His justice,
satisfy His holiness, at the same time show mercy and love.
How can that be? One way. And that's Christ and
Him crucified. Now look what it says here, 1
Peter 3. Peter 3 that's why I said no man can come into me except
my father which sent me draw him first Peter 3 look at verse
18 carefully verse 18 For Christ also has once suffered for sins
He's the just one He died for the unjust. He died for the ungodly. He didn't come to save the righteous,
but caused sinners to repent. Now notice, the just for the
unjust, that He might, well, He's going to try to save all
men everywhere. Or maybe if they let Him, if
they let Him save, well, you know, God's trying, but they
won't let Him. That's not what it says, is it? Now I'm making
fun on purpose. These preachers need to be made
fun of, who are not God's servants. He that He might bring us to
God. You see, He suffered for our
sin, that we might be brought unto God, being put to death
in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. There's no other
way God can bring us, but the just one dying for the unjust.
You see that? Now, one more reference, Ephesians
Turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 2. I might read one more
in Colossians. With your patience. Ephesians
chapter 2. Now he describes what we are
in verse 12. Ephesians 2. That at that time
we are without Christ, being aliens, idolaters from the commonwealth
of Israel, strangers, from the covenants of promise, having
no hope without God in the world. Our sin separated us from God,
we're alienated from God. But now, in Christ Jesus, you
who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. You see that? We're made, gathered
together in one house, by the blood of Christ. How does He
bring us? How does He draw us? By the blood of Christ. For He
is our peace, who hath made both one, and broken down the middle
wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh
the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinance, for to
make in himself of two one new man, so making peace, that he
might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby, and came in peace to you where far
off, and to them which are nigh. Now watch it, verse 18. For through
Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. You see
how that's tied together? Christ crucified and the gathering
together unto God through that one atonement for sin. Now I'll
let you go with this one, I promise. Colossians chapter 1. One more,
Colossians chapter 1. It says in verse 13, He was delivered
for our offenses, who delivered us from the power of darkness,
Colossians 1.13. Translated us into the kingdom
of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood,
even the forgiveness of sin, tells us who the Lord Jesus Christ
is, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.
For by Him are all things created that are in heaven and earth,
under the earth, visible, invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities,
and powers. All things were created by Him
and for Him. He is before all things, and
by Him all things are held together. He is the head of the body, the
church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
Verse 19, Verse 18, that in all things he might have the preeminence,
the first place, for it pleased the Father that in him should
all fullness dwell, now watch it, verse 20, having made peace
through the blood of his cross. There it is, you can't get away
from that. You cannot get away from salvation apart from Christ
crucified. It's expedient for us through
the 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. Now watch it, to present you.
to present you holy, unblameable, unreprovable in His sight, seeing
that believers do continue, they do continue by the one offering
He has perfected forever, them that are sanctified.