Okay. Colossians chapter 3. Let's read that text one more
time. Let's read beginning at verse
9. It says, Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the
old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man. Now, this
is a work of grace. It's not something we do, but
it's something that God gives us grace in our heart to desire
things of God, spiritual things, put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.
You see, we are his workmanship. Believer is a workmanship created
of God, of him that created him. And in Christ, this new creature
in Christ, there is neither Greek nor Jew. There is neither circumcision
nor uncircumcision. There is no more barbarian, heathen,
or Scythian, the worst of the worst, bond nor free, but Christ
is all. In the Lord Jesus Christ we are
one with Him and Christ is all. Christ is all and He is in all.
Never were three words spoken which are more precious to a
believer and at the same time profound powerful as these three
words. Now you think about these three
words. Christ, He's the anointed prophet, priest, and king. Christ
is. I am that I am. How long has He been Christ? Eternally. He is God. The Lord
Jesus Christ, He is, and He is all. Now that's a big word, isn't
it? All. You know it's the word that
describes God? From everlasting to everlasting,
He is God. Christ is all and in all. Now, who is sufficient to expound
what this text says? Christ is all. I'm not. I confess
to you right now, I'm not sufficient to expound the meaning of what
God's Word says that Christ is all. He is, and He is all. Who is sufficient and able to
declare His greatness, the vastness of His majesty and His glory. I'm certainly not sufficient.
Who is sufficient to understand His glorious gospel? Paul, God's
servant, even said that, I know in part and preach in part, and
we see through a glass darkly, dimly, Who is sufficient to understand
the glorious gospel, to enter into the mystery of God's saving
grace? We do in part, but we don't know
the full extent of it. One day we will. One day we'll
know a whole lot more than we know now. The mystery of God's
providence, the glory of His person. We say with the Apostle
Paul that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything
of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. is of God. He's able to make us ministers
of his gospel. It is only by God's sovereign
revelation that we believe and understand anything of the gospel. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God. They're foolishness unto him,
neither can he know them, because they have to be spiritually revealed
unto us, and that by the power of God and the grace of God. Christ is all and in all. Four
things here. Christ is all in the purpose
of God. Christ is all in the purpose
of God. Did you notice chapter 1, verse
16? For by Him are all things created
that are in heaven and in the earth. Verse 17, He is before
all things and by Him all things consist. all things, verse 18. He is the head of the body, the
church who is beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that
in all things He might have the glory, the preeminence in all
things. Who's going to get the glory
and salvation? Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, He's all.
Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, is all in the eternal purpose
of God. God's eternal purpose is done
as far as salvation is concerned in Christ Jesus. The Father loveth
the Son, and giveth all things into his hand." All things. Christ,
the Lord Jesus, is all things in the purpose of God. All creation. He created all things by the
word of his power. And he upholds all things by
the word of his power. Why doesn't this universe just
float away? Well, it says there that by Him
all things consist. All things are held together
by His decree, by His power in creation, in providence. All
things in providence. Those things that God brings
to pass in our life are not accidents. I don't even like to use that
word accident. Sometimes we do. I don't like to use the word
luck, chance, or fate. In the life of God's people,
all things come to pass on purpose. On purpose. In Providence, in
Romans 11, 36, we read this, "...of him, and through him,
and to him are all things." He works all things after the counsel
of his own will. His own will. You see, in the
purpose of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the providence
of God, the creation of God, and in the salvation, all things
revolve around the Lord Jesus Christ. In Providence, in creation
and in salvation. In the purpose of God, Christ
is all and in all. Secondly, the Lord Jesus Christ
is all in Scripture. What is this book about? It's
a big book. Sixty-six different books. And what is it all about?
What is it all about? Turn to John chapter 5. You see,
in the Scripture, the Lord Jesus Christ, He's all. The Scripture
is all about Him. Notice, if you will, John chapter
5. John chapter 5, verse 39, he says, search the Scriptures,
for in them you think you have eternal life, but they are they
which testify of me. And you will not come to me that
you might have life. Now look down again, verse 45. John 5, 45. Do not think that
I will accuse you to the Father. There is one that accuses you,
even Moses, whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you
would have believed me. What did he write about? He wrote
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Now stay right in the Gospels
there and turn over to Luke 24. So Christ is all in creation,
providence, and salvation. Christ is all in the Scriptures.
This book is all about Him. His person and His work. In Luke
chapter 24, the risen Lord said to these two men in verse 25,
O fool, slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and enter into
his glory? And beginning of Moses and all
the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning," what does that say there? Himself. Now
stay right there in Luke 24 and look at verse 44. These are the
words which I have spake unto you while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled. which are written in the Law
of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning
Christ. In the Scripture, the Lord Jesus
Christ is not just some passing character. He is everything. This book is all about Him. All
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, Christ is all, and in
all, in salvation. Christ is all in salvation. Colossians
chapter 1, turn back over there. In verse 14 it says, in Colossians
1 verse 14, "...in whom we have received redemption." You see,
redemption and forgiveness of sin and salvation is in a person.
Christ is all. Through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. Christ is all in salvation. Neither is there salvation in
any other. There is no other name under
heaven. given among men, whereby we must be saved." Christ is
all in salvation. Now let me show you this Scripture.
Find 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1. Christ is all and in all. Now
notice this, if you will. Verse 30. 1 Corinthians 1.30. But of Him are you in Christ,
who of God is made unto us everything I need, wisdom, righteousness,
Sanctification and redemption. That according as it is written,
he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. You see, in salvation,
Christ is not something, not part, He's everything. Everything
in salvation. So Christ is all in the purpose
of God. Christ is all in the Scriptures.
Christ is all in salvation. And Christ is all in glory. What is glory about? You read
the Revelation. A lot of people like to read
the Revelation and get all taken up with those mysteries and all
those things that occur in there in that language. And it's symbolic
language. But did you ever notice the key
to that Revelation is the Lamb? Twenty-one times in that Revelation,
it's called the Revelation of Jesus Christ. You see, in glory,
Christ is all in all. We sing unto Him, and that day
unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sin and His own blood,
to Him be all the honor and glory both now and forever and ever. See, Christ is all in glory. He's all in salvation. He's all
in the Scripture. And He's all in the purpose of
God in creation, providence, and in salvation. One old writer
years ago said this, Christ is not valued at all unless He is
valued above all. That's right. He's not valued
at all unless He's valued above all. And that's what a believer
knows and believes, that Christ is everything. Everything. In the believer's heart, his
hope is Christ. Look at Colossians 1.27. Christ
is not part of our hope. He's all our hope. Colossians
1.27. To whom God would make known
what is the riches of His glory, the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
is valued above all to the believer. He is all and in all. In the
believer's heart, He's all our hope, He's all our happiness,
He's all our holiness, Christ is all and in all. Now notice,
if you will, Colossians 2, verse 9 and 10. For in Him dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete
in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. You
see, Christ is all. Christ is all and in all. Now,
someone might ask, well, is He enough? Is He enough? If He's all you've got, you've
got everything in salvation. Christ is all and in all. Now,
let me ask you this. To whom is this truth recognized
that Christ is all? To whom is this truth recognized?
Paul doesn't say that Christ is all to all men, but to only
those who have been made new creatures in Christ Jesus. Those
who have been renewed in the knowledge after the image of
Him. is Christ all and in all. Christ is not all to every man.
To many, the Lord Jesus Christ is nothing. To many. Now you
think about the Lord Jesus Christ. To many, He's nothing. Nothing. You remember that scripture in
Lamentation 112? Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? To many, His name serves as nothing
but a name to Cursed by. I hate to hear someone say that.
Use his name in a vain way. God has highly exalted him and
given him a name above every name. We ought to speak his name
with reverence. I don't like to use just Jesus. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. And speak with reverence and
worship. He is God Almighty. But to many,
his name is nothing but a name to curse by. Sad. Sad. You see, to them, Christ is not
all, He's nothing. Nothing. To the self-righteous
religious person, to the religious self-righteous, He's nothing
more but a doormat that they just take out when they're in
trouble and wipe their feet upon Him. They use Him as a fire escape
or an insurance policy when they get in trouble. They want to
run to Him. But really, to them, He's nothing. He's not all in all, is He? To
you who make the Lord Jesus Christ nothing, I say to you, bow to
Him and kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from
the way when His wrath is kindled but a little." You see, to the
believer, Christ is everything. Everything. There are many others
in this world to whom Christ is something, but not everything. They think of Him only to make
up some of the small deficiencies in their character or in their
salvation. They think of Him as coming to
help them save themselves. They view Him as only a part-time
Savior who will divide the work and glory of His salvation with
the sinner. You see, to them, He's something,
but He's not everything. Those who would joke the Savior
and sinner together as each doing a part in salvation, certainly
they robbed Christ of His glory. In salvation, He must have all
the honor and all the glory. You see, salvation was accomplished
by Christ Himself. In Isaiah 63, we read, He tread
the winepress of the wrath of God alone, and of the people
there was none with Him. Salvation is accomplished by
Christ Himself. It's not me and Him. It's Christ. He accomplished all of salvation
Himself. In the accomplishment of salvation,
He stands alone. We say with Jonah that salvation
is of the Lord. If Christ is not all to you,
He's nothing at all. He will never be your co-pilot
or partner in salvation. It's all or nothing. I hate to
see that bumper sticker. God is my co-pilot. That's blasphemy. He's not my co-pilot. He's the
captain of my salvation. He's everything in salvation.
Our Lord said, I've glorified thee on the earth. I've finished
the work that you gave me to do. You see, it's not a partnership. He's Lord in salvation. He accomplished salvation by
Himself, with Himself, for His own glory. To the believer. You see, to some, he's nothing.
To others, he's something, but not everything. But how about
to the believer? Huh? How about to those who believe
the Lord Jesus Christ? To the believer, the Lord Jesus
Christ is not something. He's everything. He's everything. He's all and in all. The Lord
Jesus Christ is not almost all, but He's always All and in all. All that sinners are is emptiness. Man in his best state is vanity.
Christ alone is our fullness. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. We have the fullness of forgiveness
of sin, the fullness of pardon. The sinner at his best is filthiness. There is none righteous, no,
not one. You had that on the broadcast this morning. There's
none righteous. Jew and Gentile, they're all
under sin. They've all gone out of the way.
There's none that do us good. No, not one. Sinners at their
best state are filthy rags, and unrighteousness are filthy rags.
But the Lord Jesus Christ alone is all our cleansing. Now, I
confess I'm a sinner. How about you? What's my cleansing? In my cleansing, I confess Christ
is all and in all. He's all my cleansing. The blood
of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. All that we are by nature
is ignorance. At that time, Paul said we were
without Christ, without hope, and without God in this world.
Christ alone is all our wisdom before God. Look right across
the page in Colossians 2. Look what it says in verse 3.
"...in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." He
is made unto us. We read that a moment ago. He
is our wisdom. I'm an ignorant fool, but Christ
is my wisdom. He is my wisdom. He is the wisdom
of how God can be a just God and Savior in Christ. How God
can love me and not compromise His holy character and save me
justly. Be a holy God and a loving Father
and a just God and Savior in Christ Jesus. He is my wisdom.
We are guilty. The law had said, let every mouth
be stopped and all the world guilty before God. The Lord Jesus
Christ is our pardon. In whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of
His grace. To the believer, the Lord Jesus Christ, it says in
Peter, He is precious. He is altogether lovely. He is
highly esteemed and valued above everything. He is not almost
all. He is all. Christ to you who believe, He's
not something, He's everything. He's everything to the believer. And we stand complete in Him. Complete in Him. Now, what does
this truth include? Jesus Christ is all before God. Now, you think with me. What
does this truth include? The Lord Jesus Christ is all
before God. There is nothing that God will
accept Now, you think with me now. There is nothing that God
will accept but what He has provided in Christ. You see, we're accepted
in the Beloved. Remember when Abraham and Isaac
went to worship, and God told Abraham to sacrifice his son,
and Isaac said, we have the fire, the wood, the knife, where is
the lamb? Remember what Abraham said? God
will provide Himself a sacrifice. God will provide Himself a Lamb.
And my friend, He provided Himself as the Lamb and fulfilled that
in Christ Jesus. That which God provides, now
you stay with me, that which God provides is only that which
God will accept in Christ. Now, we're accepted in the Beloved.
God said, this is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
Jesus Christ is all before God. All of His provision for us is
in Christ. Now, you think with me. We need
a mediator to stand between us and God. Oh, we have a great
mediator. There is one God. There is one
God and one mediator between God and men, and that's the God-man,
the Lord Jesus Christ. I need a glorious advocate, someone
to plead for me before God who is holy, and plead for me upon
His merit, my salvation. And that's what we have in Christ.
Oh, what a mediator we have. He's able to save to the uttermost
all that come to God by Him, seeing that He ever lives to
intercede for us. John says, my little children,
these things I write unto you that you sin not, but when you
do, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous. He's all my advocate before God. Don't need any other. You see, He's my mediator. We
need a high priest to offer sacrifice for sin unto God. I need a sacrifice
because I'm a sinner. No other sacrifice. There's no more offering for
sin but the Lord Jesus Christ. We need a high priest to offer
a sacrifice for sin unto God for us. And in that sacrifice
before God, Christ is all. And that sacrifice is unto God. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ
is not offered unto men. It wasn't an offering unto men.
It was an offering unto God. Offering unto God is the blood
on the altar before the Lord. Now turn to Hebrews chapter 2. Look at this here, Hebrews 2.
About this high priest, I need a mediator, Christ. I need that sacrifice that God
has provided. I need a high priest to present
me before God. And this high priest I need,
Christ is all and in all. Now notice, if you will, Hebrews
chapter 2. Let's read a few verses here. In Hebrews chapter 2, verse
17, Verse 17, Hebrews 2, it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation, and that word there is atonement
for the sins of thee people. We have a merciful and faithful
high priest in things pertaining to God. Turn over here to Hebrews
chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4. Let's look at verse 14. Seeing
then, verse 14, that we have a great high priest that is passed
into the heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need. Upon his merit, upon his priesthood,
upon his sacrifice, we come to God and at the throne of grace
because of what Christ has done for us. You see, we need this
high priest. Christ is all before God. Now
turn over to Hebrews 9. Look at this. Hebrews 9, still
talking about we need a high priest to offer sacrifice for
sin unto God for us, and Christ is all our sacrifice before God. Look what it says in Hebrews
9, verse 11, but Christ being come a high priest, good things
to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this building, needed by the
blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for
us with his own blood." That's the high priest we have, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Turn over to Hebrews 10. Look at verse 11. Every priest
standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same
sacrifices which can never take away sin. But this man, this
high priest, after he offered one sacrifice for sin forever,
sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering,
he perfected forever them that are sanctified, them that are
set apart unto that offering." You see, we need a high priest.
My friend, we've got one in Christ. He is all and in all. We need
a spotless Lamb of God to satisfy God's holy justice, and certainly
the Lord Jesus Christ is that. You see, He's all before God.
And He's made all to us. We need a Kingdom and Redeemer
to identify with our desperate condition. And the Lord Jesus
Christ did that. Turn to Romans chapter 8. He
identified with our humanity 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. Romans chapter 8. We need a kinsman
redeemer. One to come and do for me what
I cannot do for myself that is near kin, that is related to
me, who can act on my behalf. And that's what the Lord Jesus
Christ said, He's my redeemer. Look what it says here in Hebrews
8 verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those
who are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh." We're not seeking
acceptance by the flesh, by the deeds of the flesh, or the law,
but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do, and it was weak through
the flesh. Nothing wrong with God's law.
The problem is our flesh. Sinful. Look what it says. God sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, or by sacrifice for
sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of God,
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Good news. We need a kinsman-redeemer to
identify with us, and certainly the Lord Jesus Christ is made
to us everything. in salvation. You see, He's all
before God. Something else. The Lord Jesus
Christ is all for us. For us. He's the surety of that
covenant of grace. He's the substitute who stood
in our room and in our stead to bear our guilt. The just for
the unjust that He might bring us unto God. God made Him sin
for us. Who knew no sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. You see, the Lord
Jesus Christ is all for His people. He said, I, the Good Shepherd,
the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for the sheep. He is
the One, the Righteous One, who came to fulfill all things for
us, and to bless us, and to give us all salvation in Christ. Turn over here to Romans 10 this
time. You see, He is all before God,
and He is all for us. He is my righteousness before
God. Look what it says here in Romans
10. Romans 10. All that God requires us to be,
Christ is that for us. Romans 10. Look at verse 1. Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. These old
Jews, they had much religion, but they didn't have Christ.
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according
to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's
righteousness, His holy character, and their going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God." That's the righteousness provided in
the gospel. Look at verse 4. For Christ is
the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone that believeth. All that God requires of us,
Christ is made unto us all things. Blessed is the man to whom God
would give righteousness, salvation without works. I want you to
turn over to the book of Philippians and read this scripture with
me. Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4. Ephesians,
Philippians. Colossians. Philippians chapter
4, look at verse 19. Philippians 4, 19. But my God shall supply all your... Have you ever noticed that word?
Often times this is quoted in the plural. Needs. But it's singular,
isn't it? But my God shall supply all your
need. It's all wrapped up in Christ. He's all. He's all I need. He's
all I need. according to His riches in glory
by Christ Jesus. Christ is all and in all. That's what he's saying here.
Christ is all as a means of blessing to His people. All spiritual
blessings are given through Christ Jesus. All the love and mercy
and grace and forgiveness that God has for any guilty sinner
flows to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to turn
and read this Scripture in Acts chapter 13. Acts chapter 13. We receive no blessings apart
from Christ, and these blessings are received by faith. Acts chapter
13. Acts chapter 13. Christ is the sum and substance
of all spiritual blessings. Notice Acts 13, verse 38. Be it known unto you therefore,
men and brethren, that through this man This is the God-man,
the one who died for our sins according to Scripture, the one
that God raised from the dead again to see no more corruption.
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through
this man, this God-man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins,
and by him all that believe are justified from all things which
could not be justified by the law of Moses. Christ is all as
a means of blessing to His people. Find Ephesians 1. Turn over there. Ephesians 1. And read this with
me. All love, mercy, grace, forgiveness
flows to the guilty through the merit of Christ and in Christ. Ephesians 1. Look at verse 3. Ephesians 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly things or places in Christ." It's in
Him. "...according as He chose 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 accepted in the
Beloved." Verse 7, "...in whom we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His
grace." All blessings come from God to us through Christ, through
the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the pledge of all to
us. And He is the sum and substance
of all spiritual blessings that God is determined to give us
through Christ Jesus. This Scripture here in Romans
8, don't turn, let me just quote it to you, He that spared not
His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not
with Him also freely give us all things, all spiritual blessings,
everything I need? You see, Christ is all and in
all. How about you? What is the Lord
Jesus Christ to you? Is He something, or is He everything? Everything in salvation. Your
life. Remember we read back over here,
He said, you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. To you who believe, the Lord
Jesus Christ is not something, He's everything. He's everything
for us. Everything. Christ. Now, can
you remember that three-word sermon? Christ is all. He's all. All my hope. I have
a good hope through grace, but my hope is Christ. The Lord Jesus
Christ. All my hope. Forgiveness. He's all my forgiveness. Redemption?
He's my Redeemer. Righteousness? You talk about
righteousness? I need one. He is the Lord, our righteousness.
That's the good news of the gospel. Christ is all, all and in all. Christ is all and in all.