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No.
Glory.
Thou won't hear you.
Start reading in Colossians at the end of verse 13 and pick up the expression his dear son and then go on from there. Would that be all right? Seems to provide the.
Proper antecedent for everything that follows after.
As delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.
Where by Him were all things created that are in the heaven, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, All things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
And he is the head of the body of the Church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead.
That in all things he might have the preeminence.
We're pleased the Father, that in Him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, unto Himself. By Him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven.
00:05:04
And you that were sometimes alienated in enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight, If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which he have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I Paul, and made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you.
And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh.
For his body's sake, which is the Church.
Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His Saints.
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles? Which is Christ in you the hope of glory?
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Wherein to I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
We might give a little try to give a little explanation about how the word Kingdom is used at different times.
We know that the Scripture speaks of the Kingdom of the Son of Man.
The Kingdom of the Father.
And.
The Kingdom of God.
And the Kingdom of God. The term is a generic or general term.
But then the Kingdom of the Son of Man.
Refers to that time when the Lord Jesus comes back to reign in power and glory.
And the Kingdom of the Father refers to that which will be eternally, according to First Corinthians 15.
We read that the Lord Jesus will turn the Kingdom over to the Father after the end of the Millennium. So that's the eternal aspect of the Kingdom. But the Kingdom of the Son, of his love has to do.
With a sphere into which we have inter been introduced.
It's a sphere that at one time could only be, and a relationship that could only be enjoyed by the Lord Jesus. But now we all have been introduced. But where had we been before? Under the power of darkness, Deliverance was necessary, but what a tremendous change.
From darkness into light, into the Kingdom of the Son of his love, that we can now enjoy the love of a father and be in that intimate relationship that we have now in Christ.
But we're looking forward for that Kingdom.
When He will come to reign in power and glory, we always tend to think of the blessed hope that He will come and take us home. But remember what the scripture says, looking for a blessed hope and the glorious appearing. Why should we look looking, be looking forward to that? It will be the day of His glory in the very place where He was rejected and despised, but here now the Kingdom of the Son, of His love.
Is not connected with a display of power by Him on earth that will take place in the coming days. But we are already in the Kingdom of the Son of His love and we are in that intimate relationship.
00:10:02
Did you say, Heinz that?
The Kingdom of the Son of Man would be more the earthly side of the Millennium, and the Kingdom of the Father more the heavenly side.
Speed, according to Matthew.
And then it is explained by the We shall shine in the Kingdom of the Father.
The heavenly side of things, the good seed is gathered there, and we will at the time of the rapture already be in that aspect, that heavenly aspect, while the Kingdom of the Son of Man goes on on earth. And but that will come to an end and he turns that over to the Father.
That the expression, the Kingdom of the son of his love is a unique expression referring to the present time. The son of his love were brought into the enjoyment of that love and he's the son of a father's love. And it's something that's specially for us too.
It seems that God would draw out our affections, doesn't it, before He brings before us the glories of His beloved Son. We said at the beginning of the meetings yesterday that the 1St chapter of Colossians brings before us the glories of Christ, the glories of the head, particularly in reference to Him and with reference to the Father, and with ourselves brought in just to complete the picture.
But then the second chapter brings in more of the side of our being brought in, and the fullness of the head in relationship to his own. But it seems here, doesn't it, that the affections of our hearts are drawn out by making us realize the love that exists between the Father and the Son? You get a little bit of the same thought I suggest in Acts 20 where the apostle talks about.
The church.
Which he hath purchased, and in our King James it says with his own blood, but it really should mean or read the blood of his own, meaning, the blood of his own Son. That is, the preciousness of the Church is related to the cost to God the Father in order to purchase them. And so here it seems that God would draw out our affections. And I just suggest the thought that.
It is good for us to remember this as we go into the rest of the chapter, because the glories of Christ are brought before us in a wonderful way. His headship over creation, and then His being head of the body, the church, the reconciliation, first of all of you and me, and then the reconciliation of all things, and then the ministry of the apostle Paul, the ministry of the gospel and the ministry of the church. All of those things are wonderfully precious truths.
But I suggest that God would first of all touch our affections and our hearts by bringing before us the relationship and love between the Father and the Son and how that redemption was accomplished. Through His Son, yes, but through the Son of His love.
There's 2 verses in John's gospel that perhaps expressed this. John 15 and verse 9.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
Continue ye in my love.
And then the 16th chapter.
In the 27th verse.
For the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came out from God.
He pointed out yesterday already. It's worth repeating that in Mr. Darby's rendering we don't have through his blood in verse 14.
And it is correct in Ephesians one verse 7.
There we have the means by which we have redemption, That is the blood.
But in Colossians it is not the means that is brought before us, but the person in whom we have it. That's why that shouldn't be there, and it isn't in the original. I'm told so.
00:15:13
People thought fault with Mr. Darby when he left out through his blood, but it's beautiful to see that in these following verses now the glorious Person is presented in whom we have redemption.
And that's the point in Colossians. That's why in his blood should not be there. Of course, that doesn't set aside what Ephesians one verse 7 teaches, but there is a different side brought out here in Colossians.
It is mentioned in verse 20 though, isn't it? Yes.
It's the person that gives weight to the work. We don't want to reduce the truth to secular history. But I suppose there were thousands and thousands of people who for one reason or another died on Roman crosses. Some died for their own crimes, like the two malefactors that were crucified with the Lord Jesus. Many later on died as martyrs for their faith.
But there was only one person who died on a Roman cross and shed his precious blood.
That was able to satisfy God as to the question of sin, only the Lord Jesus, that sinless victim, the one who was wholly harmless, undefiled, and suffered from sinners, that lamb that as Peter tells us, was foreordained before the foundation of the world. He was the only one that could die and satisfy God and the only one that could bring us into blessing. And so I believe has been pointed out that that's what Colossians brings before us. It's the person that gives weight to the work.
Yes, the blood of Christ is precious to the in the sight of God. That's what Peter brings before us, his precious blood. But Peter also brings before us the preciousness to the heart of God, of the one who accomplished the work and died there.
What is mentioned in verse 20 and is in connection with having made peace?
Reconciliation is the subject in these verses. And he will reconcile all things unto himself that future. But we don't have to wait till then. We are already reconciled and the blood is the basis for that's why the blood is mentioned in verse 20.
I think it's an interesting thing in Exodus 12 That it says in verse 13 and the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. It's often been mentioned that it's God seeing the blood that satisfies him. But yes, the blood is given to us for a token to show us the love of God and the righteousness of God. So.
Is in two directions there, isn't it?
Isn't it, Brother Ernie, to look beyond what the person of Christ and the blood of Christ means to us?
And see what it means to God. Maybe just take a minute and go to Peter first. Peter for a moment.
Because I'm thankful that my acceptance before God this morning doesn't depend on my appreciation of the person and work of Christ, but it does depend on God's appreciation. And just notice, we know that in first in Peter's epistles, the word precious is unique. In fact, it's used seven times. You can trace it out. Just notice verse 19, very familiar verse.
But with the precious blood.
Of Christ. Now whose value is this? Whose estimation of the blood of Christ is this? This is not so much our estimation or value, but this is God's estimation and value. God looks at the blood of Christ and he says it's precious. And it's just as precious to the heart of God this morning as when it was shed on Calvary's cross. And it will be precious to the heart of God for all eternity. Now just drop down.
To verse six of chapter 2.
Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion.
A chief cornerstone, a chief cornerstone elect precious. Now this is the person. The person of Christ is precious to the heart of God, has been precious and will be precious for all eternity. Again, this is not so much our estimation or value of the person of Christ, but it's God's value because as we said earlier, it's the person that gives weight to the work. But now notice our side in verse seven, chapter 2 and verse 7.
00:20:25
Unto you therefore, which believe he is precious, or the preciousness.
Now, brethren, having said what we have said, I trust that the person and work of Christ is precious to your heart and mind. Stop and consider your own, your own soul. Is the blood of Christ precious to you? Do you thrill when someone speaks of the of the blood of Christ? Is the person of Christ precious to you? Do you thrill when the name of Christ is mentioned? We ought to, He ought to be precious to us. But I say again.
Our acceptance before God for all eternity is not going to depend.
On our estimation, our value of the of the blood of Christ.
And the person of Christ will no doubt, when we get to the Father's house, have a deeper sense.
Of the preciousness of the blood of Christ, and of his person. But, brethren, how good to move beyond that, and to see what it means to the heart of God.
Could somebody explain? It says all things. It says the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things. So the blood reconciles all things. But in the the end of verse 21 it says yet now have to be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death. So there seems to be two distinct things there. The blood does all things, but it's through his death that we are reconciled.
We are also reconciled based upon the blood, but all things reconciliation is bringing into proper relationship, reestablishing an order. Now reconciliation as to all things is connected with what man has done to this creation. You know it's subject to vanity by man's sin, but he will reconcile things. You know that you read in Isaiah.
These wonderful pictures how the lion and the lamb or the wolf and the lamb and the lion and the calf, they are together in harmony. That's reconciliation, you might say, and and then order is established in connection with creation. All things and but we don't have to wait till then. We already are reconciled. We have been brought into.
A normal, peaceful relationship with God. But if that is true of our relationship with God, what about among us?
You know, when there is no peace and disharmony amongst God's people, we are really not living up to what the Lord has accomplished, bringing reconciliation, making peace not just between God and us. God never needed to be reconciled to us. We needed to be reconciled to Him. But there should be not disharmony and lack of peace among those who are reconciled. We're all brought into that relationship.
What you say is important because you never read of God, as you say, needing to be reconciled to us and justice. In connection with Ed's question, we know that sin brought in two things. It's separated from God. Your sins have separated between you and your God, your iniquities.
And not only that, but it brought in death. And so if we were going to be brought back to God, there must be the death of a sinless, innocent victim. That's what God taught in the Old Testament in the institution of those sacrifices. And so were reconciled by his death, because the wages of sin is death. Sin brought in death and separation as a result. And so it's based on the death of Christ and the.
Separation of the blood from the body was the proof of death.
And so when the soldier with a spear pierced his side, forthwith came there out blood and water. I say again, the separation of the blood from the body was the proof of death. And so we're reconciled by His death. There must be that because sins, debt must be paid, and the blood of Christ is the basis for it all. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
00:25:12
I just perhaps an illustration will help answer our brother's question. Supposing our brother Heinz had an apartment and I moved into it and I trashed that apt. I made a mess of it and I never paid the rent. And so he suffered an embarrassment and it his books have bad debts on it and his apartment is in a mess. And you brother, come and you say, brother Heinz, I'm going to take care of this. And so you pay sufficient money to pay the unpaid rent and to clean up the apartment.
Heights has now been satisfied that does not regulate the debt that I owe to Heinz, but it has brought everything back into order on Heinz's books and has brought his apartment back into order. And so there was a work that Christ did on God's behalf to bring this creation back into proper order with respect to God. That's reconciliation. Substitution is now that Heinz can come to me and say, Neil, provision has been made.
For me to forgive that debt to you, but that is quite a different issue. What took place between you and Heinz was really a matter that took place between you and Heinz and the embarrassment that he suffered because of my consequence, my conduct. But what takes place between us is really a matter that I need to be reconciled behind. So just say that because it helps understand the difference between propitiation and substitution is that a dishonor has been brought to him because of my conduct.
But also now I need to be brought into proper relationship with Him as to respect my past conduct. And so that's why we should never say that He bore the sins of all. He bore the sins of many, but really the damage done by all was really regulated by what the Lord did on the cross.
So this honor ever done to God, was taken care of by the death of the Lord Jesus.
But substitution is another subject. He bore the sins of many, not the sins of every man and woman. If that would be true, and that is a teaching in the Christian profession, even those who love the Lord that he bore the sins of many. God had stand no basis for judging anybody at the great White Throne judgment. Would he expect payment twice?
God is not unrighteous, you know. I knew a man that did that to his customers. You know, they paid, got a receipt. A year later he would come and say you didn't pay your bill. Oh yes, I did. Do you have a receipt? If he didn't have a receipt, he made him pay again. God is not that way, you know.
The price for our sins was paid and you have to understand the truth of election and predestination.
And we can say God knew my sin and 2000 years ago.
He put them upon the Lord Jesus, and he atoned for them.
And now that I believe I'm free, you know I come into the good of it.
But actually it was taken care of 2000 years ago. God who knew them, laid them on him and believing I am free to him, writer says.
2nd Corinthians 5.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead, and he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but in him which died for them, and rose Again, very careful distinctions, isn't it made in Scripture. He died for all, but that doesn't mean that all are going to be saved, or he.
That their sins are washed away unless there's personal faith. But he did die for all. What a marvelous truth.
That the work of Christ is available for all, and everyone could be saved because of that work. He died for all that they which live. That's us who believe should not henceforth live under ourselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again.
But he died for all. What is really reconciliation is to set things right.
According to God, to set things right, according to God, God needed to be propitiated. We needed to be reconciled. That's the difference between propitiation. God needed to have a work done which glorified him as to the whole question of sin and made it possible for everyone, anyone, to come and be saved. But not everyone does come.
00:30:27
Of course, of Romans, the righteousness of God is upon all.
Everyone in the world, every Sinner, it's a it's unto them I shouldn't have said upon, but it's upon them that believe, simply believing it applies to you and it can apply to any Sinner. I believe that's why they are all without excuse. God has made it possible for every Sinner you know there was a Doctor Who died.
And in a few months, his wife.
Found his record book of collections and debts and every here and there he had too poor to pay forgiven. And she took that book to the court and asked the judge to make those pay. They hadn't paid. And the judge said is this your husband's handwriting? She said yes it is. No court could make him pay when he forgave them. And that's the really what it is with us.
There isn't anyone who could make us pay because the price has been forgiven complete. Actually it's been paid, but that's a little different.
An expression that has been used. All may, none will, and some shall.
All may come, none will. The will is at work, but by the grace of God, some shall.
If its grace would work in our hearts, none of us would come. None.
But now, verse 15, we don't want to miss out on these verses, right?
This wonderful person is presented.
The Lord Jesus.
Who is the image of the invisible God first born of all creation? That should read. The Jehovah Witnesses used this verse to show that the Lord Jesus was the first creature. That's how they use it. But He is the first born of all creation. That does not apply to the time in which he appeared when he did come.
When he entered his own creation, because of who he was, of necessity he was given the place of the first born, and that is more than once in the Scripture, the case where one who is born according to time later takes the position of the first born. Solomon is one of them, you know, and so on. So here the first born of all creation, and the explanation is given.
Later he had. Now, because he is the creator, when he enters his own creation, because of who he is, of necessity he had to have the place of the first born, the place of exhortation, of preeminence. That's the title, isn't it? Yeah. It's not anything but a title. He has the preeminence, or he has.
The first place in all things. I think that's what it means, doesn't it?
Really is preeminence.
David is called the first born amongst the kings of the earth in the 89th Psalm. We know he was the 8th son, but he was the first born. It was a question of preeminence. And so when the Lord Jesus, as you say, came into the creation.
He was the preeminent 1.
They're heading up of man, all creation, you know he's the head of all creation, even the angelic world.
The force of the image of the invisible God.
Oh, Adam was created in the image and likeness of God. He was representing him down here as the head of this earthly creation. And when the Lord Jesus entered his own creation, became a man, He's called the image of the invisible God. Now we can see the invisible God in the person of a man, and it's wonderful.
00:35:12
And yet to think in all of that glory and of what you've said, that there could be a little child that was refused by the disciples, and he would in one expression he folded him in his arms. What a picture of the heart of God in all of the glory, if it was that.
Holy glory that shone out that man might be frightened, but there were mothers that delighted, wanted to bring their children to Jesus. There was a woman in the 7th of John, 7th of Luke that was not invited because she wasn't wanted, but she came anyway because the Lord drew her in and the the the box of ointment that the tears and so she wasn't afraid and yet there was that holy respect.
That each of us have today, and yet we can speak to Him, we can talk to him, we can cry, we can thank Him. And yet with all of the understanding of His divine character, holy, holy, holy. And to think of that combination, He became a man so that we would have access and have the joy of being a little child and feeling that His arms are around us.
There was really no one more accessible than the Lord Jesus was there. When you think of the great kings and leaders of this world in the past and the present, they're unapproachable. Would President Bush want to see me if I showed up at the White House in Washington, DC? Suppose I showed up at the gates of Buckingham Palace with the Queen of England? Give me an audience. Not a chance. They're not interested in me. They're not interested in my needs. But here's one of whom John could write.
Who wrote so beautifully of the glories of Christ? He said. Our hands have handled of the word of life.
Think of it, He was accessible, this One who came from the glory God manifest in the flesh. And yet here he was, as Brother Stan said, taking the children up in his arms, touching the leper as he was cleansed, putting his hand on the eyes of the blind and the ears of of the deaf. And isn't it tremendous to think rather than the One who not only created this world, but by Him? All things subsist as it ought to read in our chapter.
This is the one who came as a babe, grew up as a man, sat on sycars well weary with his journey. This is the one who allowed cruel men to take him and lead him from Pilate's judgment hall and nail his blessed hands and feet to a cross. Oh brethren, when we think of the glories of this person, and yet the depths to which he went, if that doesn't stir our hearts, I don't know what goes on within your heart. Where is the heart so hardened, and who is so vile as he?
At the Savior suffer and saith it is nothing.
To me, oh, to think of who he was and who he is, and to think of what he became so that we could be reconciled to God.
Either I'm sorry.
Philip say to Christ, show us the Father, and he said he that has seen me has seen the Father. You will never get more knowledge of the Father than you could have today when you get to glory, because he perfectly manifested God the Father. He said I and the Father are one.
So you've seen me, you've seen the Father, and the more you know of Him, the more you know of your Father in glory. Very beautiful, isn't it? No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. So what a grace that God became a man.
You know, and that he was God manifested in the flesh even as a babe in Bethlehem's Manger. That's why he's an object of worship even then, you know?
Was he upholding the universe at that time? Yes. I can't understand that. People will say, well, how can a baby that depends on his mother and father to take care of it? How can he uphold the universe?
Well, we have to remember who He is. He's God manifested in the flesh, and he has declared, the Father has already said, and we have come to know God in him and know Him in fullness.
00:40:10
As he was never known before.
There were other revelations of God in the Old Testament. They knew God, but it was partial, wasn't it? In law there was a glorious manifestation of God's glory, but it was a partial. In creation, there's a revelation of God's eternal power and Godhead, but it is in the Lord Jesus come as a man. So very close.
That the apostles could say, our hands have handled him wonderful to think about it. And it should really be a joy to our hearts, brethren, to go back through the Gospels and contemplating as he walked through this world, complete perfection and say as we contemplate him and enjoy it, this is our God. This is our God.
Wonderful to think about.
For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death He might destroy or know the power of him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to *******. For verily He took not on him the nature of angels, but He took on him the seed of Abraham.
Wherefore in all things 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 for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, is able to suffer them that are tempted. I was particularly impressed with what our brother said about the the partial revelation. Well, it took the Lord coming into this world and going to the cross and deliver them who through fear of death.
Were all their lifetimes subject to *******? You think of that that.
It says and deliver thou who through fear of death and think of No Fear of death for us isn't there. And to think of the of the ******* that has been lifted, forgetting what 7th of Romans means, but separate *******. But to think of that ******* to think of the liberty that we've been brought into because of the person and work and love of God's beloved Son.
Correct the rendering of that verse that you quoted.
It is the propitiation for the sins of the people, not the reconciliation.
These are fine points of doctrine that we do well to recognize. He made propitiation for the sin of the people, and how wonderful that he has accomplished that.
Beautiful how it goes back and forth in verse 14 in whom we have redemption. While that was in the man, the one that became a man and and accomplished that work on the cross, who is the image of the invisible God as a man. He is that image and as the first born of of every creature, all creation that's in his manhood as he enters the creation. And then we get in verse 16.
His deity, by him, in virtue of the power that is his, were all things created. Well, He didn't create everything as a man, He created everything as God. So we have his manhood and we have His deity. And you get that in John's writings over often times, John's Thistle especially, you don't know who he's talking about. Is he talking about the Son or the Father? And that's often times mixed because they are one.
Not one person, but one in deity and in power and in glory. And so here we have him now as the creator in verse 16 and there's three prepositions. You don't see that in our King James, for by him that's that's the same preposition in each person. So the creation exists as brought into existence in virtue of the power that is his. And then the second buy is through him by means of him. He was the instrumental means. He was the essential power that brought it into existence. And then he was the instrumental means.
00:45:10
By whom it came. And then the last preposition, ice for him. It was all created for him. If you read Mr. Darby's note on that passage, it is very, very precious, these three prepositions. You don't see that in our King James, but they're there. And it's it, it sets before us in such a full and rich way the glory of this person who became a man.
And who He was from all eternity and what he became. And He'll remain a man for all eternity. He will never relinquish His manhood. And that to me is as tremendous a truth. He didn't just become a man to accomplish redemption, to put away our sins. And once that's all done, then just go back into deity and lay aside his manhood. No, He's going to be man forever.
That is just so awesome and so tremendous. You'll never relinquish that. And and yet he's of course God over all, blessed forever. But now he is. The mystery of his person is that He is very God and very man both, and that will never change. He'll always be God and man in one person. That's the mystery. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God became a man.
And then the last part of that verse, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, received, believed down in the world, received up into glory. So God came down, became a man, and now man has gone up into the very presence of God as man tremendous, and he'll never relinquish that.
Name shall be called Emmanuel. God with us. Isn't that beautiful? Hard to understand.
But it's wonderful to believe, and you know, for those that don't quite grasp the high things we're getting right now, you can get Incarnation.
So beautifully expressed in Luke 246. I think probably it's one of the nicest beautiful ways of expressing it. 46 His parents found him after three days search. Where was he? In the temple?
In the midst of the doctors, he was hearing them and asking them questions. You know what that is? The Son of man. He was interested in the things of God that were brought out there as a 12 year old. But look at the next and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. That's the Son of God.
So deity was there in the temple, but he was seen as a man, but he was perceived as God. It's beautiful. They didn't see him really as the Savior or the Lord, but they had to admit his answers were God like.
Says when he says how is it that she sought me, wished he not that I must be about my.
Father's business while who could say that he was God was his Father?
Why? He made himself equal with God when he said that, and that's exactly what it meant. It's interesting to see how careful scripture is and how exact it is in speaking about such an important truth. His person.
You mentioned earlier, Chuck, how man in the beginning was created in the image and likeness of God. The Lord Jesus is the image of the.
Invisible God.
But never does it say he was the likeness of God. To say that would be to deny his deity. But if he turned back to Philippians chapter 2, it says something.
That is so beautiful to think about. Meditate on. In the seventh verse it says he was made in the likeness of men.
So Scripture is very clear and very exact as to who he is and how important, brethren, to get clear the truth of His person. The church is built on this rock and it's very important. It's fundamental. It is vital that we understand who Jesus is because that is where.
00:50:20
We rest in our faith.
We see in this, don't we, brethren, looking at verses 18 and 19, just what has been said. And He is the head of the body, the Church which is the beginning, the first born from the dead, this expression that in all things He might have the preeminence for it please the Father, that in Him should all fullness dwell. And I would just suggest that from verse 14 through verse 19.
Do we have an especial way of this subject of the preeminence of the blessed Lord Jesus?
Back in verse 13.
It begins with the 1St of his glories. There are 7 here. Beloved brethren. I think perhaps we've reviewed them before in the past.
Verse 13 is the 1St.
Our deliverer.
Who have delivered us from the power of darkness.
Verse 14.
He is the Redeemer in whom we have redemption.
Through his blood.
Verse 15 He is the revealer.
He is the.
The one who has revealed God to our hearts. He is God the Son. God manifests in the flesh. Verse 16 For by him were all things created. He is the Creator.
In the most direct sense, he created all things John. Chapter one.
Verse 17 He is the sustainer.
He is before all things, and by all him all things subsist. It should be perhaps, or are held together, the sustainer of all things.
Verse 18 He conquered death. Our brother Stan referred to that in Hebrews chapter 2.
That's number six, the Conqueror. The mighty conqueror.
And then, of course, we have most wondrously brought before us verse 20. He is the reconciler. He is reconciled all things unto Himself. And beloved brethren, we gaze upon this glorious 1.
We are with unveiled faces, as in Second Corinthians chapter 3, verse 17, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord. You know, it's wonderful to learn truth. It's wonderful to understand doctrine and without it, and of course, pertaining to the doctrine of the person, we can't really come in at the fullness of the enjoyment of him in communion with him.
But it is enjoying him, gazing upon Him. We had him to Him, object supreme of all, by all adored. That's going to be our eternal occupation, beloved brethren, gazing upon Him. But now in this scene we all with unveiled face, behold the glory of the Lord, and are changed into His image.
From glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. So it's learning is wonderful to know doctrine and to understand the truth but to gaze upon this one Stephen did I think her brother Bill yesterday read about Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. That is what the Spirit of God does within our hearts. Beloved brethren, when there is.
He doesn't have to occupy us with a fault or a failure and a problem in our life. He seeks, by the grace of God, to occupy us with Him who is the only object for our hearts, the one that will occupy us and will be that object supreme for all eternity. I think it's good, Dave, to realize that this is the proper food of Canaan. This is the old corn of the land.
The food that was.
The food of the land that we are called to, and it is for us to feed on this, to meditate on it. There is a man in the glory of God we're talking about this morning. This is something of his glories.
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To let it sink down into our souls. We're living in a difficult world, but with him there, brethren, how can we give up?
How can we get discouraged? We have this person there for us in the glory. This is our food and this is what it means to meditate. The illustration is given in the Old Testament of the clean beasts where those that chewed the cud take it in, enjoy it in your soul, let it sink down in. It will feed you and it's important to be fed in this way.
To think of the glories of this person. This is our food, dear brother.
I want to make some comments on the expression and it's in chapter 2, verse 19, not holding the head from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered and knit together increases with the increase of God in our first chapter, verse 18, He is the head of the body, the church. Now what you see in the religious systems that exist in Christendom.
The Romish system, for instance. They have a head at Rome, the Pope. He's their head.
And others have their heads in different parts of the world. Church of England ahead is over there and so on. Where is our head? Our head isn't here on earth. Our head is in heaven. And what Paul says is very, very similar. And I'll read it in Revelation 3 to Philadelphia. He says, Behold, I come quickly. Hold that fast which thou hast.
That no man take thy crown while holding fast. All the truth that Philadelphia represents, that that came into being through the the work of the Spirit of God in the 1800s, and all those truths to hold it fast. How do you hold the head? What's the opposite of holding it fast? Letting it go, Letting it go? When you hold something, you grasp it and hold on to it. To whom shall we go?
The Lord Jesus said to his disciples when some were going away, when he gave the ministry, that they was more than they could handle. And Peter says, To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. To whom shall we go when we have problems and difficulties collectively? Do we get on the phone and call up brother X or Y or something like this? Or do we go to the head? Are we holding the head? Are we grasping firmly on Him? We're members of His body.
Do we recognize he's the one that's in control? He's the one that knows everything about every circumstance, the very thoughts and intents of the heart. He's the one we ought to go to. He's the one that we should hold on to as members of his body. And hold fast. Now, I asked the brother just recently between meetings, what does it mean to hold the head? It means to realize that he has the answers.
That he has the power and before he went to heaven as man, he said, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth. He's the one and the only one that can change hearts, that can change thoughts in in my in myself, in yourself, in our brethren. I remember going to a brothers meeting once and I said, we're going to have a big problem here because I knew there were different views at that brothers meeting. And it was so beautiful. I've never seen I've never seen anything like it. This was in in Addison.
That at the end of the brothers meeting we were all.
Of one mind. Now what did that mean? Someone had to change?
And the one that changed one of them was myself. I had to give up thoughts I had, and we were of one mind now who could do that?
You couldn't do it, You couldn't make me change my mind, but Christ could the head. Do we look to him? Do we really do this? Do we realize He's the head of the church? And it says there in the end of Ephesians 3 and excuse me, in Ephesians chapter one, let me just read it. At the end of the first chapter it says and you have put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head.
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Over all things to the Church. He is to the church as head. He is the head of the church, but He is head over all things and the church can go to Him. We can go to Him, brethren, when we have these problems and He's the one that can change hearts. He's the one that can affect reconciliation amongst us. Set things right according to God by the Word. We don't go to an individual, we don't go to a man.
Go to Him, He's the head that's hold the head. Hold the head and He will answer our prayers.
Way later, Sia sought that the people were the head, that the body was the head, and you pointed that out yesterday, that it really means the rights or traditions of the people. And so man looks to consensus for guidance and direction. But holding the head is really recognizing who is the one who has the right to make decisions. And oftentimes people are puzzled as to what decision to make when there is no decision to be made at all.
And at a practical and individual way, a young man may pray about marrying somebody who's not a believer and saying I can't decide what to do. Until he realizes he has no right making that decision at all. He's never going to get direction from the head. He's head of the body and he's head of the assembly. The assembly has no right to decide whether or not to put out a fornicator or a blasphemer. It has no right to decide that. It can decide whether to have prayer meeting on Tuesday night or Wednesday night, but it cannot decide to receive a blasphemy.
Fornicator and so people talk about making a decision when there is no decision to be made and I just that is what it means to hold the head. Sarah looked upon Abraham as Lord she called him Lord within herself. Now I realized that he's head of the church, not Lord of the church and Sarah did not he's Lord of us as individuals, but he's head over all things to the church and but she said within herself, my Lord, she thought of Abraham in that way and when we get.
Looking to the head and getting the decisions and the direction coming from the head, we are going to be delivered from this confusion of man and confusion of faces. And so he is, in a practical way, it's a very broad thing when we realize as the assembly that he's head over all things. He's head over President Bush, he's head over Prime Minister, he's head over the governments of this earth. He's head over the weather, he's head over all things to the church.
And so we look to him. And so when we have a conference, we look to him about the weather and we look to him about these things because he's in control of these things. And we've seen it so many times. So many times we've been up there at Hammer Bay at the conference in the in the fall. And we sit there in the rain at the breaking of bread. And the meeting is not enough for people to eat in. And by the time it's time to go out and eat lunch in the picnic tables, the sun has come out and dried the picnic tables off. He's in control of the weather.
He's got over all things to the church and we go looking to men making petitions to government, getting involved in politics and so on.
You're not going high enough in the order of command because he has had over. Whose heart is is it? Whose hand is President Bushes heart? Is it in the ballot box or is it in the Lords hand?
We also should comment on who is the beginning.
The first ball from among the dead.
He is not.
Head of the believers in incarnation, the Colonel Okwe had to fall into the ground and die. If it didn't die, it would remain alone in resurrection. He links his own with himself when he does breathe on them and says receive Holy Spirit, but then in glory.
He becomes the head of the body. He now, as the one in glory, is the head of the body. He is the first from among the dead, you know, and He now is head. The basis for it all is the work of Calvary's cross. But we have to remember the disciples were not one with Him when He was walking with them here on earth.
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They are now, and we all are one with Him, our head in heaven.
Since He is exalted and glorified, He is that beginning, the first born from among the dead, and He has to have in all places, in all ways, He always the preeminence. He is the head. But, and then remember I already mentioned that and try to put it to memory. Verse 19 is poorly rendered.
At least the Father, Mr. Darby, surrendering is in him. The fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell. The Triune God was pleased to reveal himself in the person of the Lord Jesus. To read it the way it reads in the King James.
Falls far short.
It's not the Father that decided that the triune God decided to dwell in that man Christ Jesus as we have it, I think verse nine of chapter 2. For in Him dwelleth all the folders of the Godhead bodily. The triune God was pleased to reveal himself in that way. So.
It's very helpful to have Mr. Darby's translation. I've related that before and it's worth to repeat. We had a Bible study with a Catholic couple and trying to make the Bible study they were unsafe acceptable to them. We were looking for a Catholic translation and there are good Catholic translations available to confraternity.
And so we look for a Bible in a Christian bookstore and they had a brief comment on all the translations available at that time. So I was interesting. Interested to see what they said about G and DS translation.
And remember, that was written not by brethren. That was written by scholars who knew the original. They said it was the most accurate critical rendering available. Those who didn't sympathize with Mr. Darby's teaching, but they were honest enough to admit that it is the best translation available. Young people, use it, and you will find that while the King James is not a bad translation.
But it helps many times to get a more accurate.
Thought conveyed in the way he renders it in his translation. And this is one in him. The fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell.
To add a couple thoughts on this verse that says in.
Verse 18. He is the head of the body of the church, who is the beginning.
The first born from the dead, that doesn't refer to Genesis one. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. It doesn't mean like the Jehovah's Witnesses would teach that he was the beginning of God's creation and the first created one. But it's it's the same thought that you get in Revelation 3 verse 14 where you have the address to Laodicea and I'll read it unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, right. These things saith the Amen.
He was the confirmation of all the promises of God.
In His Word, He was the faithful and true witness when He was down here and lived that perfect life. And He was the beginning of the creation of God as risen from the dead, the new creation. That refers to the new creation, not the old, not the original creation, but there's a new creation. And as the head of that new creation in John 20, He breathes on His disciples the breath of His resurrection life.
Genesis 2 when he created man, he breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life. He became a living soul. That was natural life. But now he, as the risen man in John 20, he breathes into his disciples the breath of his resurrection life. So they, they now are part of that new creation. And that's what you have here in Colossians One, He is the beginning, the first born from the dead. So the beginning of what? Of a new creation has risen from the dead. And that's so important to see that.
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It doesn't make a creature out of him. He's never called a creature, though. He is a man who is a creature.
He came into the creature place, but he never is called a creature because he is the creator.
And that's what Colossians one presents him as the creator. But he entered his creation and then he went into death and he rose from the dead. And as such, he's the beginning of that new creation. That's the meaning of the passage, isn't it? It is so important to see that the he's the head of the new creation and he's the one we go to. He's the one that we bring all our problems to. He's the one that has all the answers.
And he not only has the answers, he has the power to change hearts if necessary and bring about peace and blessing down here.
The time is up, but let me just comment. There is another beginning in first John one verse one, and that has been denied publicly among us one time at a conference. That is the incarnation, that which is from the beginning.
Is the incarnation and that is first John one verse one.
Pardon me 327.
Ascended now in gory, bright life, giving head to heart, nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor height. Thy Saints and Deacon, Part 327.
Lord.
Jesus.