Well, now to open your Bibles
to the letter of Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. As I read
through this chapter, I want you to look for the word, but. It's found three times. Let's
read through the chapter. And you hath he quickened who
were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prance
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation
in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children
of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
you are saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. Wherefore, remember that you
being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that
at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world. But now, in Christ
Jesus, you who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the
blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath
made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even
the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in
himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that he
might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you
which were far off and to them that were nigh, for through him
we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore
you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints and of the household of God. and are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in
whom you also are builted together for inhabitation of God through
the Spirit. The word but, as I said, it's
found three times and you noticed it as we read through the chapter.
It is in verse 4, verse 13, and verse 19. This word is one of
the words that may be used as a different part of speech. It
may be used as four different parts of speech. It may be a
conjunction. I think that's probably the way
it is most often used. It connects two clauses to form
one sentence. It may also be used as a preposition. And here's the point. When it
is used as a preposition, the meaning is accept. Accept. And it may be used as
an adverb. And then the meaning is most
often only. And it can be used as a noun. But notice how it is used here
in these three verses. In verse 4 we see that those
who according to verse 3, that's all men, all men as we come into
this world, We were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others. In other words, there was no
difference. We all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. And we deserve, we deserve by
our sins, because of our sins, we deserve the wrath of God.
By nature, the children of wrath, even as others, except God. except God shows mercy. Had it not been for God showing
mercy, we would have all remained dead in trespasses and sins meriting
the wrath of God. Now remember this, mercy deserved
is not mercy. Mercy deserved is not mercy. When we get what we deserve,
that's justice. And sometimes lost men, foolish
men, will make a statement something like this, I just want God to
give me what I deserve. How foolish. How blind. Because that's justice. Mercy
is undeserved. Someone one time said this, to
distinguish between mercy and grace, mercy Is God not giving
us what we deserve? And grace is giving us what we
don't deserve. But God. Accept God. And then in verse 13, if you
notice those who, according to verse 12, and this was all of
us, I know in this particular place, The context is speaking
of Gentiles, but it's true of all men, both Jew and Gentiles. We were all in this world without
Christ, having no hope. If we had a hope, it was a false
hope. Having no hope, no solid hope,
no good hope. And we were without God in this
world except God. except now in Christ Jesus we
are made nigh. And then the other place in verse
19, we see that those who were strangers and foreigners are
only, only fellow citizens and saints in the family of God. But this morning I want to speak
to us Concerning the truth that is found in verse 13, I want
us to look at the truth of being made nigh, nigh. But now, in Christ Jesus, you
who sometimes were far off, and that's all of us by nature, are
made nigh by the blood of Christ. Three points. First, in Christ
Jesus it is impossible to be more nigh. What am I saying? I'm saying that those of us who
are in Christ Jesus, it would be impossible for us to be made
more nigh. Now I'm going to use a material
object to illustrate this. If you were 10 miles from this
building, that would be nearer than 25 miles. Then if you were
brought to within a mile of this building, that would be nearer
than the 10 miles. But once you are in the building,
could you be nearer? Could you be nearer once you
are in the building? As long as you're outside, Yes,
we can understand, and I'm using material objects, I realize that,
to illustrate this, because I don't know of any other way. But if
you were 10 miles, well, if you were 5 miles, you would be near.
If you were 1 mile, you would be near. If you were 2 feet away,
you would be nearer than 5 miles, 1 mile, 10 miles. But my friends,
once you come into the building, how could you ever be nearer? it would be impossible, would
it not, to be near once you are in the building? And this is
what the apostle tells us. But now in Christ Jesus, you
who sometimes were far off or made nigh by the blood of Christ. When and how is a person put
in Christ? Well, if you look in chapter
1 and verse 4, we are told that Those of us who are in Christ,
those of us who are saved this morning, we were chosen in Him. This is the way a person is first
of all in Christ. That person is chosen in Christ. Look at that in Ephesians 1 and
verse 4. According as He hath chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world. It is God and God
alone, my friends, who puts a person in Christ. And he does so, first
of all, by his sovereign election, by his choice, by his choosing
certain ones in Christ. But then when and how does a
person come to know that he is in Christ? person chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world comes into this world.
And as we have already read and emphasized by nature, we are
children of wrath even as others. How does a person come to know
that he is in Christ? Well, experimentally. It is only
when a person is made a new creation in Christ Jesus. You notice that
in verse 10. For we are His workmanship created
in Christ Jesus. Only God can create. Only God can create. And God
has created those that He chose in Christ before the foundation
of the world. We are His workmanship because
we were created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Now it is by
the power of the Holy Spirit and regeneration and conversion
and that is manifested in our lives by repentance and faith. There's no way that any person
can ever know that he is in Christ that does not believe in Christ,
that does not trust in Christ. And it is by the power of the
Holy Spirit, as I said, in regeneration. And you hath he quickened who
were dead in trespasses and sins. Now, this quickening, regenerating
power of the Spirit of God, Paul tells us in Ephesians 1, the
first chapter at the end, that the same power the same almighty
power that was put forth in the resurrection of the body of Jesus
Christ. After that body lay in the tomb
for three days, and on that Third day, when he came out of that
tomb, the power of God was manifested in his resurrection. And it takes
that same power in regenerating a person who is spiritually dead
and resurrecting that person to life, to believe, to trust
in Jesus Christ. How foolish, how foolish it is
for anyone to think that salvation is the work of man or is a cooperative
work of God and man. No, my friends, salvation is
of the Lord. It is of the Lord. Man doesn't
have this ability. He doesn't have this power that
is needed and necessary. in the regeneration of a soul. So a person in Christ is made
nigh. How is a person put in Christ?
Well, first of all, chosen in Christ. But then that is manifested. That election is manifested that
we are in Christ when we are made new creatures. A new creation
in Christ Jesus. Remember this verse in 2nd Corinthians
chapter 5 and verse 17. The Apostle Paul says, therefore,
2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new creation. All things have passed away. Behold, all things are become
new. Sometime when you have the time
and are of a mind to do it, just sit down and list for yourself
things that have passed away. Old things that have passed away
and new things that have come into being. I wrote down just
a few. First of all, the old way of
thinking that we can satisfy God. has passed away. It just passed away. In the new
creation, we are convinced and we come to realize that the work
that is needed for our salvation is beyond our ability. Somehow or other, when we are
born into this world, we all are born with this innate thought,
yes, there's something I can do. There's some work I can perform. There's some duty I can obey. There's some sacrifice I can
give that will make myself, that will put myself right with God. But when a person has made a
new creation in Christ Jesus, that old way of thinking is passed
away. Behold, all things are become
new and we are brought to rest. in the work, the person and work
of Jesus Christ. Isn't that wonderful? That old
thing passing away and this new, new creation. Another old thing
that passes away, the old way of carrying that burden of guilt. You remember that? Maybe you're
here this morning. You still have that burden on
your back. That burden of guilt that you
have carried. All things have passed away,
and behold, all things have become new. The new way of knowing that
for Christ's sake, my sins are gone. For Christ's sake, He has
finished the work which the Father gave Him to do. And I like to
remember John Bunyan's Allegory, don't you? When Pilgrim got to
the cross and looked up, oh, he had a burden on his back.
He really did. And he couldn't understand, I
don't think, why others didn't feel the same burden. But they
didn't. Other people lived in the city
of destruction just like he did. But they didn't have a burden.
And they didn't believe that the city was going to be destroyed.
But he starts off, and I think maybe he went to Mount Sinai
first, didn't he? And that mountain's all aflame
with lightning and thunderings and the law of God. He didn't
get any relief there. His burden, if anything, was
increased. But then when he came to the
cross and he looked up, and he looked up into the eyes of that
man who was dying there on that tree, his burden came off. And it didn't only come off,
did it? Remember, it tumbled down the hill and it went into
that grave, that sepulchre. Christ, He was made to be sin
for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He took our sins And he bore
them in his own body on the tree, and he suffered, and bled, and
yes, paid, and satisfied God's justice. And he took them all
away. He carried them with him to the
tomb, but he left them there. Old things have passed away.
Behold, all things have become new. The old way of unrighteousness
has passed away, for the new way of the imputed righteousness
of Christ. So that's my first point this
morning, that in Christ Jesus it's impossible to be near. When a person is in Christ Jesus
it is impossible to be near. Well now notice second, it is
only by the blood of Christ. only by the blood of Christ that
we are made nigh. But now in Christ Jesus, you
who sometimes were far off, are made nigh. How? And never apart by the blood
of Christ. How far off were we? How far off were we? You who sometimes were far off. How far off were we? I don't know that it is possible
for us to fully realize. Now listen to me. I don't know. I really don't. I don't know. I don't believe it's possible
for you and I in our state as we are in today to fully, to
fully, recognize how far off we all were from God because
of our sin. How far off is darkness, absolute
darkness from infinite light? How far? How far off is absolute deadness
from life. Life. How far off is absolute depravity
from infinite holiness? How far off. Now when we use
the word far off, and I used this a minute ago in trying to
illustrate how we would be near we naturally think of distance,
of space. And God uses that. God uses that
to illustrate this distance, because in Isaiah 57 and verse
15, he said, for thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth
eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy
place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. So God uses this terminology,
doesn't He, of space to show the distance, but we know when
we think about being far off from God, we're not talking about
distance. Not really. Because God is everywhere. And no one is able to escape
the presence of God. God is omnipresent. God is everywhere
present at the same time. And not only present everywhere,
but knowing everything. Seeing everything. Remember when
Abraham's concubine was sent out there with a bottle of water
and her son. And the water was used and she
sat over on one side and put the son over here. She didn't
want to watch him die. And there was a whale there.
God showed her a whale. And she named that whale, Thou
God seest me. That's the name of our God, isn't
it? There's nowhere, nowhere where man may escape the presence
of Almighty God. So when we read here that we
are made nigh, we're not talking about being far off in distance,
but we're speaking about the fact that God is transcendent,
that He is Infinite, and we, after everything is said and
done, are finite creatures. If you illustrated the distance,
not in space, between a worm, a little old worm in the dirt
crawling around, and one of the highest archangels of God, there's
a great distance. Right? There's a great distance
between those two creatures. But after everything is said
and done, they are still finite creatures. But the distance between
an archangel and God Almighty, who is infinite, is much greater. How far off were we from God? I don't think it's possible.
Here's one way that we'll get some idea. We can get some idea
just how far off we were from God. Here's how we can do that. We were so far off from God because
of our sins that nothing, nothing but the blood of Jesus
Christ could bring us near. Nothing. You remember in the
garden when he prayed, oh my father, if it be possible, if
there could be another way, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. We were by nature so far off
from God that nothing less than the blood of the one who is both
God and man could make us, could bring us nigh. Nothing else. Nothing else. We were by nature
so far off that nothing less than Christ taking that cup and
draining it the very last drop Draining it dry, nothing less
but the blood, the precious blood of the infinite Son of God could
make us nigh. That's how far off we were. You follow me? Do you? I trust you do. That's how far
off we were, all of us. So far off. Scott Richardson,
he used to say something like this, we were so far off that
we couldn't find our way back. Well, that's true. We were so
far off that had not the Good Shepherd come seeking us, searching
for us, until he found us, we would have never come. My friends,
even more than that, we were so far off had not God gave His
only begotten Son. We could never have been made
nigh unto God. Here's the third point. We're given several analogies
in the scripture to consider as we think of the nearness of
being in Christ. I have three of them. How near
are the members of the body to the head? And this body in which
we live. How near are the members of the
body to the head? Remember Christ in Colossians
1 is called, He is the head of the body, the church. In our
bodies, which member is it? Now we see the nearness. Between
the members of the body and the head. Christ is the head. We
are members of his body, his mystical body. Now, which member
of our bodies makes decisions? Does the big toe make decisions? Not hardly. Does the knee, the
left knee, direct our steps? Not hardly. What is it? It's
the head. It's the head. And we have two
hands, but this hand may grab ahold of here, this hand may
be throwing something. Who directs the two hands to
work together to pick up this Bible? Who does that? The head. And the point I'm trying
to make here this morning is simply this. that we are to look
to Christ. We who are made nigh in Christ,
we are to look to Him as our head. He is to plan our lives. When we make our plans, we go
awry. When we do not, consult Him and
look to Him to plan our lives. When we try to guide our steps
and not look to Him, we go in the wrong direction. You know,
the Scripture says, Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. If there's
anything that we should learn, and I know we have learned it,
and we continue to learn it, But our ways are not God's ways,
and our thoughts are not God's thoughts. And that's just so. God declares it so, and we've
experienced that, haven't we? Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy
ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes,
Fear the Lord and depart from evil. We look to Christ. How near are members to the head? I don't see how they could be
any near. And we are near to Christ. We are in Christ. And
He is our head. And we must learn as we sang
that hymn just a few moments ago. And you hear this quite
a bit. And one reason we do is because
it's true. Day by day. And with each passing moment. We try to outline our lives for
years and years down the road and all of that. No. Look and
trust to the head. He knows what is best. Day by
day. Secondly, here's another analogy.
How near are the branches to the vine? Life is in the vine, and so the
branches in the vine have life. Severed from the vine, the branches
have no life. We do not try to produce a life
of our own. Christ is our life. He said,
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself except it abide in the vine. No more can you except
you abide in me. The fruit of the Spirit, don't
we all desire that? Love, joy, peace, temperance,
faith, all of those things that are named there in that one passage
and others as well. Don't we all desire those in
our lives, those of us who know Christ as our Lord and as our
Savior? Well, we must abide in Him. I put this in the bulletin recently,
but this was from Mr. Krumacher, a German pastor that
I have enjoyed reading a couple of his books. But this is what
he said about abiding in Christ. Have you ever wondered, what
does it mean to abide in Christ? It means that I forget myself
and behold myself in Christ and the evil conscience of sin is
lost in His merits. I consider myself as dead with
Him, risen with Him, and exalted with Him above the world, sin,
and death. I rejoice in His righteousness
as my own. His righteousness. I rejoice
in His righteousness as my own. Abide in Christ. We are to look to Him to think
of being in Christ. We are to look to Him who is
our life to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. And then thirdly and lastly,
how near is the husband and his wife? In the beginning God said,
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. How could
it be nearer than one flesh? We recognize that the Lord Jesus
Christ is our husband. We are married unto Him. We are
one with Him. When we think of being in Christ,
when I think of him, first of all, as a head, I think of him
as directing, guiding me. When I think of him, of being
in him as the branches in the vine, I think of the fruit that
he produces in me. But when I think of him as my
husband and being one with him, I think of his love. Husbands,
love your wives even as Christ loved the church and gave himself
for it. His love is so great, nothing
can sever us, nothing can sever one of God's children from the
love of God. Now one of the hymn writers wrote
these words, so nigh, so very nigh to God, I cannot near be,
for in the person of his Son I am as near as him." Those of us who were far off
are made nigh in Christ Jesus, are made nigh by the blood of
Jesus Christ. That's a wonderful position to
be in, isn't it? Can you rejoice in that today
to be made nigh, and you cannot be nearer to God
than you are in Christ. I pray that the Lord would bless
these words. I want to