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Three, and beginning with verse 14.
For this 'cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit and the inner man.
That Christ may dwell, dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the breath, and length, and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
The power that worketh in a unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Believe we commented on the last two verses of the first chapter, and put all things under his feet and gave him.
To be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all here I believe.
Christ, that blessed One who went into death, and thou has been exalted over all things. In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
That Blessed One is seen as our risen, exalted head in heaven.
But then the head needs the body, and so in that sense we find that we're the fullness of that one who fills all things.
The body of Christ.
We cannot be brought into a closer association with that Blessed One.
And it's not something to take place in a coming day.
It is now for love. On a coming day we will enjoy it in all its fullness, but even now we have been brought into that association with him.
Which is his body.
The fullness of him that filleth All in all.
Would you give us Brother Judd?
If you like some thoughts as to what it means to be, head over all things to the Church.
That's not exactly the same thing as being head of the church, is it? I wonder if you could give us some help on that. I'd certainly. You give it to his brother. Well, I was hoping to escape that. I would. I'd like to sit as a learner on this subject.
This thought has been in my mind, but.
Maybe. I do hope others will speak of it, but.
As far as I know, we've had very few, if any.
Presidents of the United States who have been bachelors.
Now those of you who have studied history may be able to help on this point, but.
In general, we think of the president of our country as having a wife.
Well, he's head over the country.
And to his wife, he's head over the country and she shares his place of of prominence with him.
He's head over the country to his wife.
And that's a different aspect than being the head of his wife.
And I thought about it that way. It's it's a bit on the simple side to explain it, but.
Those are thoughts that have been in my mind, maybe others can elaborate more. I agree with you brother and I think it's important to see.
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I'd like somebody to correct me if I'm wrong, but we find those individuals. Christ is our Lord.
But I do not believe you ever find in Scripture that He is called Lord.
When it's referring to the assembly.
He is the head of the body.
And I believe it expresses that thought that you have just given us.
That.
Well, with the Queen of England, she is my sovereign, my earthly sovereign here.
But I'm sure Prince Philip doesn't think of her as his sovereign. She is his wife.
And so with ourselves, Christ is our Lord individually.
But I think.
To the church He is the head. Is that right, Brother Brinkman? I thought that that the Lord is the first born of all creation, and the Lord has various positions, but no position is as precious and as wonderful to him than that position of head over the Church. Isn't it correct?
I'm sure it would be. The church is his most precious possession.
Visit your thought, brother Ronald, that this is larger than that. That is what has just been said I believe is true, but I gather that you feel that this is an even wider in its reach.
Ten over all things to the church because it says it doesn't say head of the church to the church head over all things. It seems to me it's well, it doesn't take anything away from what's just been said. It seems to be broader and wider and.
Bringing his wider glories, which we enjoy in that intimate position, he is our head and speaks of those not holding the head in a in a reprehensible way. It's a very serious thing not to hold the head.
You know, but it's nice to think of that larger.
Scope of his honor.
All the glories that are his in every way are associated with the one who is also the head of the Church, and that makes that had that much more glorious.
Right.
To the church, he controls all circumstances.
The world doesn't see him that way, but the Church recognizes that he controls all circumstances in Colossians.
One verse 18 there is, there are. The other thought is expressed where it says that he is the head of the body of the church.
What is in this verse I believe has a different as brother Vargas was just saying a broader context.
But he the Church recognizes him to be in control of all circumstances.
Is the thought too, that as head over all things through the church, that he shares all that he is one, as man he shares with his pride?
It is not true that in the Colossians we find there that.
In chapter one, verse 17, he is before all things, and by him all things subsist.
That He is, as has been generally expressed before, as the One who is over all. He is the Creator and over all.
But he has the church with him. It's his body. So when it comes to the relationship as we have it in in Ephesians.
Its head of the church.
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And we have it in Colossians that the wording there on the 18th verse, he is the head of the body, the church.
So as a as a man is the head of the wife.
But still there is. Is it being stressed that wider relationship with all things?
Maybe look at a few verses and as to the subject of Psalm, Psalm 8 verse 6.
Psalm 86.
Thou made us him.
To have dominion over the works of thy hands, Thou hast put all things under his feet, and then some. 110 Psalm 110, verse one.
The Lord said unto my Lord.
Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
1St Corinthians 15.
27.
1St Corinthians 1527 For he hath put all things under his feet, But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is accepted which did put all things under him.
And the last one over in Hebrews.
Two.
And verse 8.
Hebrews 28 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, or in that He put all things all in subjection under him. He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
We can lavish too much praise upon many.
People and and persons, but you can't lavish too much praise on our blessed saviors. This is commitment. You don't have to worry that you've been using superlatives. It's just something that just rejoices your heart to think that you can just let go, shall I say, and you're proud. I speak very simply now. Just you can let go of your praises. There's everything to demand it.
Isn't that wonderful?
What I think that that one allowed spit upon?
Brown with orange peaks on that crown. Haunted if I'll be there twice from town across. And you could go on. Isn't it wonderful to think that there's no praise that's too high for him?
This 23rd verses has been mentioned brings us into this focus because we are one with Him and since all things he's ahead over all things to the Church, which is his body that makes US1 with him in this same association. And I was thinking how beautiful that is. When you think of it, we have a picture of it in a sense of the spirit.
To Christ in Genesis. It's the 24th chapter and I just have one thought there in 24.
Because this is the sovereign grace of God. And in verse 36 the servant says.
In verse 34 my master has become great, but in verse 36 he tells about his Son, and he says at the end of 36 unto him half the given all that he have, then we have at the very end.
Isaac lifting up his eyes and seeing Rebecca and at the very last verse 67, Isaac brought her and took Rebecca. She became his wife and he loved her and Isaac was comforted.
Notice the wonderful blessing there, but everything that the Father had.
He gave unto his son. That's beautiful. Rebecca by grace has brought into that blessing. But now you have it also in Ruth. And I was thinking in Ruth you've got a little different, because in Ruth you have the more bites.
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That speaks of us, of what we were. A more bites shall not come into the congregation of God for 10 generations forever. A little more than 10 generations forever.
And a Sinner could never get into heaven forever. And Ruth was in that position and you and I were. But notice that in the 4th chapter we have in verse 10 route the Mobitus have I purchased to be my wife. Who's that Boaz perfect type of Christ. They're a beautiful type of Christ, I should say. And in verse 13, so boys took Ruth and she was his wife.
Now she is one with him.
In everything that he has and Boaz was the one there that gives us that type of Christ so beautifully, but she couldn't have never been in the congregation of God apart from being his wife. So we're the we're the body. That's what we have here. We're the body. And we've seen in verse 21 and two how everything is put under him. He is over everything but brethren.
It's sovereign grace.
Like Rebecca and it humbles us when we think of the Moabites character we have.
And had when He brought us into this blessing.
We have in Genesis, in Adam, a picture of God created everything and then he created Adam and put him as head of this earthly creation, but Adam was alone.
You know, and you might say in that way, he was incomplete.
And he passed before Adam all the creatures, and there was no maid found for him.
No help made for Adam. And then God made Eve for Adam to share that position with Adam, and he called their name Adam. So really Adam was incomplete without a wife. So we reverently say the church is the complement to Christ, and we reverently say it is incomplete without.
The church, and this is an overwhelming thought, that the church is the fullness of him, that Phyllis, All in all.
And he and Ephesians we have what the churches to Christ in Colossians we have what Christ is through the church.
The owners of him and fill it All in all eyes. Never forget when that dawned on me for the first time.
You almost do not dare to accept it when you think of how wonderful and glorious this person is in the position of exaltation and glory that he has, and then have the church us referred to as the fullness of him that fill it. All in all, if the word of God would not say so, how would we dare? But that's here right in that verse, the fullness of him.
That's a precious consideration.
And it shows the limit to which grace has gone to make us, by his unspeakable grace, to be important to him. That's the limit to which grace is gone. And as our brother has just told us, you're just, well, you just wouldn't believe it unless it was in the word of God. How precious it is. We're important to Him.
In.
First Corinthians, chapter 12.
And verse 12.
We have this, whereas the body is one and as many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body. So also is, I believe the new translation says the Christ.
Christ and the Church. The Christ.
In Ephesians 5.
Few verses there there.
Bring before something of this precious thought we've been Speaking of.
Beginning at verse 27, Ephesians 5 and verse 27.
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That He might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So are men to love their wives as their own bodies. He and loved his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they too shall be one place. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife, even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
I wonder if we could have again stated for us what the difference in tone.
It is in the prayer in chapter 3.
From the prayer that we had in chapter one, I thought this morning we had that brought out and it might be helpful for those that might not have been here this morning to have it stated again, what the difference in the prayer that is in chapter 3 is from the prayer in chapter one.
In chapter one and verse three, blessed be the God and Father.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And then in verse.
17.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. The prayer is addressed to God.
Because in chapter one, Christ as seen as man, the man of God's counsel, but he is seen as man, so is addressed to God. In chapter 3 we find.
Possibly more of the affections we find that it's to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because there Christ is seen as the sun.
Chapter 3 is see, as the sun goes through the follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter one he is seen as man, the man of God's councils. It's addressed to the God of our Lord, deep Christ.
'S.
Marvelous thought that's developed in chapter 3.
That.
This relationship into which we've been brought.
June Gentiles together into one body, the body of Christ, And this was in God's councils before the world began.
That the price should have a bride from amongst the children of men.
And.
Gentile together.
Be brought into one body, the body of Christ.
Marvelous thought, too. We might just turn to it for a moment, because we're Speaking of God's counsels first, Peter.
Chapter one and verse 20.
Speaking of Christ, who barely was 14 before the foundation of the world.
Always we think of it, the Christ was chosen as the Lamb of God before the found east of the world.
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The cost of Calvary. The need of Calvary had been foreseen, the cost of being foresee.
And Christ chosen as the Lamb of God before this world is founded, that God's eternal purposes might be carried out, that Christ should have a bride from amongst the children of man.
And then God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit went onward with that work of creation, that those councils might be carried up in fullness of time, that blessed One.
AIM is the Lamb of God and went to Calvary Cross that those councils might be fulfilled.
We have in the first chapter, we have more our position and position that God has brought us into and we have brought a relationship.
And the blessing and the desire that we.
Apprehend the extent of our blessing, the breath, the height and depth, breath and length of these things, and the Father and our intimate relationship with Him is connected with that, isn't it?
And we were considering his body at the end of the first chapter. We were getting into the sovereign praise thereof God. And we were also getting into the mercy of God when we remembered what we were. But I think there's one aspect coming out now that brings it even a more deeper thought. And that's that's the desire in the heart of our Lord himself of Jesus.
I was thinking of that.
In Genesis we have just a little thought there of this.
45.
At the end of earth one Joseph made himself known under his brethren.
And at the end of verse 3.
They were troubled at his presence.
And then in For Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you.
That lovely let his desire and we have then in the second chapter here of Ephesians verse 13.
But now in Christ Jesus we who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. And so we get into the beginnings of our chapter of portion. Here we have this in verse nine. First of all, it's Speaking of the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world has been hitting God who created all things by Jesus Christ.
To the intent that now, under the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.
That's come near to me, come near to me. That's really what we're brought into now.
So we can begin to get into the goodness of His heart toward us in love when we get into this new prayer now.
It's a realization in our hearts.
That we belong to him.
That he wants us, That he might share that scene of glory with us.
We are his bride.
And he wants to share all with us.
And marvelous thought too, in those verses that you read to the intent that now, under the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.
All here is now brought up.
God's purpose is counsel from that past eternity.
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That Christ would have from amongst the children of men are bright.
The closest of all relationships.
Christ wanted one with whom he could share the whole of the inheritance.
I've had a thought with regard to this 14th and 15th verses I'd like to express. I haven't heard it mentioned, I believe, but the thought had been in my heart for quite some time, and when the apostle considered it, it caused him to bow his knee to garden, to think that what was about to be revealed.
Was the purpose of God and had been from past eternity.
He speaks in the 15th version of whom the of whom? Every family is. Our brother read it and they read it correctly. I believe every family in heaven and earth is named.
There are families in heaven. There are families on earth.
We get different families of angels.
And.
We have. There's going to be different families.
Of their Saints in the glory.
But if we turn to John 14, we find there that the Lord tells His own. In my father's house are many abode. If it were not so, I would have told you.
Then he adds, I go to prepare a place for you. There's been no place in heaven, no family in heaven.
Are those who belong to Christ.
There's a wonderful thing that this is the mystery has been hid in God from all eternity.
That there was a going to be a company which would be in the glory. The Lord Himself was to go there to prepare the place that there might be such a company.
And as we have, as we have here, to whom every family in heaven and earth is named, they're all of God.
But there's been there's a place now prepared for another family.
That which is going to be there and we're going to be with Christ forever.
So, brother, what we would tend to be concerned about is that we would lay hold of what the portion of the family is to which we belong, while we clearly see from the Scriptures even the portion that others have who are not strictly belonging to the same family. And we ought to distinguish these things because we don't want to reach out for that which.
Belongs to them. You know, we have much more precious things. So he's bringing out the fact that there are various families, but we belong to the.
Most blessed family, if I may put it that way, none of the families that ever were brought to God in other dispensations were blessed like you and I or we are today in Christ. Yes, there's, you're going to be the bride there. There are going to be the friends of the bridegroom.
There will be the various families of angels. They all have their responsibilities and.
The angels in that day are going to offer their praise and worship too.
We find it in Revelation Chapter 5.
I think that the one family that has had no place there is a one that Christ is put in love upon.
Our relationship to the Lord Jesus is that we are members of His body.
Our relationship to the Father is that we are his children and that line of things is not fully developed in this chapter like it is in John's ministry, but nevertheless it's mentioned and this is just an added blessedness that we have. And in verse 14 and 15 of our chapter, we see the Father and we see the Word family occurring.
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I've often noticed.
In fact, just last week I was talking to a man that does some work for me in relation to our printing efforts and I asked him about his family. I said.
What effect has your little baby brought into your house?
He just couldn't get over talking about the joy that he had found in the coming into his home of a little baby boy.
Why he just didn't want to quit talking about it. It had meant so much to him and brethren, we have been enjoying the relationship we have to Christ were important to him as his bride. But in this line of things we have now in chapter 3, it's as though God would say to us, don't forget that you're also my children and I love you so much and we have a a place of importance to God the Father.
Because we're part of his family, and what a wonderful consideration. And that leads us right to his heart. And it has been spoken earlier today that part of the Council of God is that there should be a church composed of Jew and Gentile. But I believe that also part of God's counsel in eternity was that he would have a family composed of people like you and me. And that really was something that was in his heart.
And it seemed like that's what that's what this prayer leads us to the very heart of God that enjoys his family and he wants us to have a share in what's in in his heart. Is that not correct?
That's right, we should we should keep remembering, however, the 10th verse by the Church.
How wonderful. That is what we think about it.
All the instructions.
To the servant, which is the type of the spirit in Genesis 24.
Were were keyed in, there's only one thought a wife for my son. That's it. I for Christ, that's it. Nothing else was important. That was the mission and that is in the eternal purposes of God. And we have this thought in in Luke, I believe it's.
Chapter 7 I was just thinking this thought. Verse 28 For I say unto you, among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.
Closest to the Lord his Son. Closest to the Son of God the Bride.
And brethren will have to remember this blessed truth that this is the the thing that was in the purposes of God, the mystery before the foundation of this world. So when God finally got jobs here and he said, gird up thy loins like a man Job, I'm going to ask and demand of you, you answer me. He gave him 40 questions. One of those questions.
Job, I think is a 39th chapter. Just one question brings in this focus, I think.
These questions are of course all wisdom, but in chapter 39.
Verse 31 Just the first part. Can't thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades?
It's got volumes, but we're Speaking of it now in Ephesians where we are.
You can't bind the sweet influences of Pleiades. No one can.
No power can, nothing can. It goes on for eternity.
Speaks of the Seven Sisters.
Seven is the heavenly number of perfection. Sisters would speak of the Bride and I believe the Pleiades is the sweet influences that permeates everything in creation. It's God's purposes before the foundation of the world. What a lovely thought. They can't keep out goes on and on.
If we could just look back a moment at verse 10. I just like to make this comment. I believe that the principalities and powers see the one what it's referred to here is the wonderful councils and purposes of God and its broad reach it it just must be marvelous to the heavenly.
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Principalities and powers to see the unfolding of God's wonderful councils. But I just like to make this expression.
Doesn't this really suggest though that?
This should have an effect on our.
Our ways.
And what we Because if the heavenly hosts are looking down and seeing God's counsel, what a shame it would be.
And well, the picture, I just feel that there's a certain.
Responsibility that suggested here.
We're things are going on now are not just of interest to us and nephew that know I'm down here. They're of interest to the principalities and powers and heavenly purposes. So even how things go in the church is a solid thing, isn't it? Now I know all of his purposes are going to be carried out and we're going to be presented spotless. That other side isn't it? It suggests a responsibility.
I was enjoying that line of talks too.
In regards to chapter one.
Question. That was great. I would ask my reverend about this consideration.
In verse 21, the Lord has been said above all principality. Well, we are not a principality.
And all power. We're not a power, and we're not a might, nor are we a dominion.
And has been mentioned. We don't even have a name. He called their name Adam and so also into Christ.
So we only bear the name of Christ.
And then I'm not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
And ask with all things, well, in a certain way this is that's not what we are. We're not a thing. We're none of these things under his feet. And in a certain way the church and you might say is not put under the feet of the Lord Jesus.
But what is our place You give Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body. Well, the Church has a very peculiar relationship to Christ, is that?
Of being his body and established we have in Genesis, when it says about.
Atoms or we should say man when he was created it says male and female created to them and he said to him over all of the creation.
So the Church of God, you might say, doesn't find its place under the feet of the Lord Jesus, but rather as his body.
The fullness of Him that fills All in all we share and display His glory. Well, in the first chapter of Ephesians this is going to be made manifested in the dispensation that's to come, the dispensation of the fullness of time.
But in our chapter it now should be displayed in that list of other referred to and displayed.
And there's a brother referred to in verse 10 to the intent that now unto the principle of his empowers in the heavenly places might be made known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God to be displayed now to those heavenly principalities and powers, this wisdom of God. And so you see that Paul uses this motive, I believe in relating to the.
The sisters in the coloring of their heads, the angels, behold that and other things that the Church in her conduct displays what is to be to the glory of Christ.
All of creation will see this display of glory in the in the age that's become. But those principalities in heaven now should see us in us in us now. The angels are watching us.
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Today, our principalities and powers in the heavenlies, today they're watching us. And all might be the Church.
Display his glory. I was thinking too, and in the book of Esther, what's that Vashti, the queen of God, was that she refused to display her beauty for the glory of the king.
Well into the exercise of soonness that we might be.
What we are, and we will be in the coming day, but it's our privilege to be that now. We we are His body, the fullness of Him to fill us all.
Wondering if in chapter one and you were mentioning the whole principality of verse 21.
So forth.
Does indeed include.
All you might say the.
Principalities that are.
Good and and the Evil Chapter 3 and verse.
And the more.
The good powers in the heavenly place this end after 6th and verse 12.
Something of that which is the enemies opposition.
And I was thinking also of Acts chapter 27, chapter 26.
There's 15.
And I said to art thou Lord? He said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutors.
But rise, stand upon thy feet, where I have appeared unto thee for this purpose.
Minister And a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, those those things in which they will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and return them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them, which are sanctified by faith that is in need.
This citing the Apostle Paul.
Possibly an example here that.
You get a member of the body.
As you might see it, what we can see is delivered from.
That which God was through with, that he might be in this world as a as a member of the body functioning.
For the Lord's glory.
He has set many members.
But there's 11 body.
And as these principalities and powers that are that are real and opposed to God's blessing.
It is needed that we have a man in the glory who has.
Who has been in the place of death and is now set?
At at the right hand of God, and he's above all these things that we might fear as powers against us, He says to the apostle, delivering thee from the Gentiles.
And.
Forgot the exact words again, but those.
From the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, was mentioned this morning.
In Corinthians 6.
To come out from a Monday and then be separate and touch not the unclean thing. And so there it's mentioned the Lord Almighty.
Believe it's to encourage the faint hearted to take that step and see God in their behalf, the Lord Almighty to deliver that they might stand. And really I was thinking that the body which is His fullness.
00:50:05
Is is to bring each member.
His function intelligently for His glory.
Delivered from that which is power against him.
And I was thinking in in verse 13 of chapter 3.
Perhaps think not.
Is the.
Directly answered by the end of verse 16. Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.
That each one of us might be.
Encouraged at knowing the man that's in the glory for us at the Father's right hand and but we might function.
So that it is displayed.
The manifold system of God.
To those good powers in the heavenlies, and as brother John is bringing out the.
Taking the land, placing our feet upon it. I think more of the thought of chapter 6.
Where there are opposing powers.
I thought too better that the Spirit strengthening by the Spirit is what is necessary for every one of us. We need to be strengthened by the Spirit. We have in these verses different things mentioned of what is necessary in order to.
Apprehend with all things, and so on.
We find first of all, in verse 16 that we have to be strengthened.
With might by his spirit it is not.
In the energy of the flesh that we can lay hold of these things, then Christ must dwell in our hearts by faith. We cannot enter into these things and enjoy them apart from being in communion with the one who has blessed us and in whom we are blessed. So it is a necessity that we have Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, and that we rooted and grounded in love.
You know that love is operative in US, and also part of that is that we can only apprehend these things with all the Saints. You know if we have any thoughts that are narrower than the truth of.
The body of Christ, if we have sectarian thoughts, you know, if we do not include in our Love's affections all the people of God we can never really enter into.
God's thoughts concerning the church. So to me, to make it simple, these things are pointed out to show us if we want to apprehend these things, this is what has to be found in us. That has to be true of us, that the Spirit is the one that strengthened us in the inner man. We could never merely intellectually really enter into these things. The Spirit of God has to enlighten us and give us understanding.
And we have to be in communion with Christ, and love has to be operative in US. And it manifests itself that we include all God's people in God's councils, you know, Otherwise we have no true apprehension of what the Church of God is. If you only think of this narrow circle of those with whom we walk, That's not the Church of God, I hope.
And trust it is a true expression of the Church of God.
But the Church of God is larger than just a small circle with whom we walk.
Mentioned the word apprehend. I believe that's the 18th verse rather than comprehend. They're both all right, but the fullness is apprehend. Is that where you have the thought we may be able to apprehend, lay, hold, make it good to our own souls with All Saints. I believe that 18th verse brings in really all we have in Christ. It's so wonderful that 19th verse brings in the love of Christ for us.
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And of course that passes knowledge, the love of Christ for us.
In the 17th verse, there's another little change in Mr. Darby's translation.
That the Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts, being rooted and founded, not founded, but founded in love. The foundation of all this blessing, the love that is in the heart of Christ toward you and toward me.
Toward his bride, his journey.
That is the fondest of it all.
We can only measure that love by what it has cost him to have us brought so near to him.
In order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the things, what is the breadth and length and depth and height.
Overall, another is said. It's just as if we were inside a cube, looking out in every direction.
Over all the glory of God.
There we are in the center of it all, but in case we should.
Feel out of place there that one whom we have come to know in such closer relationship is there with us. Christ is there with us in the center of all that glory, and we associated with Himself.
Looking out on all the fullness of the glory of God.
Looking out in every direction and we see that bar length and breadth and depth and height.
Then that 19th verse brought right back to the love of that one that we know.
So the breadth and length and height and depth is not the love of Christ. No, there is a distinction between that.
And that says in verse 19, to know the love of Christ, you know that him which we so much enjoy. It passes knowledge that be a love of thine. The hymn writer has not, it does not express the correct thought there. There are two distinct things, and we should certainly lay hold of the love of Christ.
An illustration has been used supposing I was suddenly transported.
Into the midst of the royal family in Buckingham Palace, I would feel entirely out of place because I'm not used to all that.
Wonderful display, but if the Queen.
Had been my own intimate friends there and then I would be perfectly at home for the one that I would know was an intimate friend was there. Well, here we are transported into this marvelous scene of glory and we find there is one there that we know and we know that he loves us and we love him and so.
We're home in that scene of Florida.
To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. I do trust everyone here knows the love of Christ. We love because He first loved us. It's the love of Christ and we've tasted, but you'll never, never know it fully, not even in eternity.
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It passes all knowledge and I love that. It's like the little example of the.
Man in mid America who walked all the way because he wanted to see the ocean. He got there and spent a little time at the shore, marbled at the ocean. When he went back, he told everybody he saw the ocean, but he didn't. He did it. Of course. You're kind, exhausted, you'll never seek it fully. And we've tasted the love of Christ, We know it. How wonderful it is.
But for all eternity, we are going to be learning more of the love of Christ. It passes knowledge. And I think that's a wonderful thought for that wonderful lesson we're going to have right away when we get there.
He's going to gird himself and set us down to meet, and He's going to come forth and serve us. And brethren, you're going to be able to enter into a little more of the love of Christ and it'll go on forever. And the more you'll learn the grander appraisal. Grow up there. We're never going to reach the crescendo 'cause it passes knowledge.
That's what this verse says to me, the love of Christ. I hope you all know it. I hope you're all in Christ and you know it, but you're never going to know it fully. That's something we're going to do forever. It's so grand.
In his video 47, I just like to read a verse or two.
And he measured this is verse four, think of 47 verse four. And he measured 1000 and caused me to pass through the waters were to the loins. And he measured 1000. It was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters were risen waters to swimming.
A river that could not be passed through couldn't help but think of this wonderful picture here in in the procratic scriptures of what we've come into. It's a river that the waters where you have to swim and you can't pass through the waters. We're touching on what is boundless celebrity wonderful and I couldn't help but think of these wonderful words of the prophet that give you a sense of it, what we've come into.
But I wonder for when you can get to the knees, then to the loins and then swim.
Fullness of his love has began to be taken in, but you'll never pass over. As you say, Never.
It keeps on getting deeper all the time.
We're into something so mighty precious in this nineteen first brethren.
Who? When he found one Pearl of great price, he sold all that he had and bought it. That's the love we're talking about.
That's just the that's just the shoreline, brethren.
Christ also loved the church and gave him Southport. Beloved, as we begin to realize that we have cost Christ everything. Now if I go to buy something in a store, I'll pay what I think that thing is worth to me.
Christ has given everything for the Church. This is the measure of.
Our worth to him. He has given everything for us. He went and sold all that he had and bought it. He who is rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be raped.
We had referred to earlier 1St Corinthians 15 verses 27 and 28.
Maybe we could just read?
1St 28 again.
1St Corinthians 15 and 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him.
Then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be All in all.
Now God placed man on this earth and put him in charge, and man promptly believed Satan's lie instead of God, and sold God's glory into the hand of the enemy.
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Now Christ as man has come and made good everything that the 1St man failed in. Everything has been placed into Christ hands as man. And Christ here we find, brings everything back into that condition in which God can again take pleasure in US.
And when that has been done, all his hand and back to God, and Christ remains a man in the glory forever, that he might have us there with himself, that he might enjoy our coming and we might enjoy him we have there in Exodus 21. He shall serve him forever. Christ remains a man of the glory forever.
That we might be with him.
In our chapter it seems like.
It's been presented to us that there's more than enough to fill our hearts, and I wonder if someone would give us some practical instruction on how we can make this all happen.
Will it happen automatically to everyone of us, or is there something that we could be exercised in so that we could make this become a reality in our hearts? It was the prayer of the apostle. Let it become a reality. And what would you say as to how we can allow this to happen?
We're really in the days described by Jude and I'd suggest just diverse or two there.
In Jude.
We had that verse 20 read, but he beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. You'll have the four anchors there and we need them all.
Faith like precious faith, your most holy faith, Prayer in the Holy Ghost, the love of God.
And the hope that we have, how precious it is. But now notice it says keep yourselves in the love of God. I would refer you to the 24th verse. Now unto him that is able to keep you under him. That's the way our 20th verse starts in our chapter. Now unto him that is a brethren, you can't keep yourselves in the love of God. You have Christ in your hearts and you'll be in the love of God. You'll be occupied with the one we've been reading about.
He'll keep you in the love of God. It's a wonderful thing, but we do have that responsibility to look up. Be occupied with that one, but notice the rest. He's able to keep you from falling. Present you faultless, blameless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy at the church. That's His bride. Blameless, Faultless without, blemish without.
Thought just like him.
Where one with him were his body. Yes, I think the exercise should be. Brethren, more and more. Let's look unto Him, looking off steadfastly unto him. Hebrews 12. There is no other way.
There are four more anchors mentioned in Acts 242.
And one has found it to be.
Very precious and practical.
It's this verse that the Lord used by His Holy Spirit to separate me from Christmas is there in 1938.
The heart of Africa.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostle doctrine.
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And fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayer, there are the four anchors. And I noticed that the fellowship is based on the doctrine. If the doctrine isn't right, there can't be fellowship, they continued. In the apostle God, we didn't learn much of that.
But we find it in God's word is mentioned very important. Chris Dunn doesn't seem to know much about the apostle doctors.
And there's no no effort put forth to continue it. They continued as the first church.
Steadfastly, not just plasmodically, but steadfastly, faithfully dedicated in the apostle doctrine. And then there was fellowship.
And then there was a precious privilege, the highest privilege under the sun, worshipping the Lord and the breaking of the bread and in prayers.
Such such procedure continues.
Gives great joy.
Well, then you have that verse 44, all that believe we're together right now. We had mentioned verse 10 that the angels are looking down and watching, and I was thinking we had mentioned likewise in chapter 4, the word that we should walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we're called.
That's the divine summons, everyone of us, the purpose of Our Calling. And you know what it is? It's verse three of the fourth chapter, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, brethren, in the bond of peace. That is the testimony of the oneness of the body of Christ, and that's what the angels delight to see.
That were his. We belonged to him and were together. I was thinking in Psalms 133.
Behold how good and how blessed it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Brethren, that's it, That's our testimony. That's the expression of the pride, the body of Christ.
That's Our Calling. That's the divine summit.
Like to draw attention there in Acts 2 The verse 46.
And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house.
To eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. A singleness of heart. Oh, we have a single eye for Christ.
And his glory.
What a difference it would make so often, something of our desires.
And what we would like in truth. But here they had a single eye, a single purpose. If the eye be single, the whole body shall be full of light.
May we indeed have that single eye. And I was thinking of a verse in John 1323 also what you were saying, Ron, in regards to.
Having these things in reality now there was leaning on Jesus bosom, one of his disciples.
So I think if we are leaning on his bosom.
In that close communion, and like John, we can know quite a bit of his love and he expresses it throughout.
The the Gospel of John and also in the Epistle.
Brother Ron, I wonder if the answer to your question is clearly found in the closing chapters of this epistle, and I think if we were to have been able to go on for the next chapter, we would see practically.
Follow these as well in our heart and produce truthfulness in our lives.
There's practical instruction there that would preserve us from quenching the operation of the Spirit of God and developing the extrusion of truthfulness. And I, in fact, I was thinking in this morning's reading, you know, when the Lord and soul proceed, it was all the same seed, but some fell on Stony ground, and some by the wayside, and some in red ground.
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Well, it wasn't. There was no fault with proceeds.
In the precious screws that are being ministered in the reading meetings today. And there's nothing wrong with the sea, but that doesn't mean fruitfulness is going to come and it must fall on good ground. And I think in the remaining chapters of decisions, taking heed to the expectations in those chapters, which are very basic and very simple.
Would produce good ground in which the seed that we've been had dropped into our hearts, you might say in these two reading meetings. The ground would be good if they would produce through. So I I do think that it all does answer your question in the next speech after, I would think it would be well to read the first print in chapter one on verse 10.
We find that the Holy Spirit is oftentimes grieved and quenched.
And here we have a very strong admonition. I beseech First Corinthians chapter one, verse 10. I beseech you now, I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
And then in Acts chapter 4, this is the precious fruit that this produces.
And the 32nd verse. Acts 432.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed with his own, but they had all things common. And here's the truth. And with great power gave the apostles witness, and of the resurrection, and of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
Great power and great grace.
And the devil likes to come in.
Bring about situations that are otherwise.
And that that destroys the unity of the Spirit and grieves the Holy Spirit and quenches the Holy Spirit. And so then there's there's that which cannot bring forth fruit of the Spirit, because there's too much of the flesh in operation.
By divisions and heresies of all parts. But it might need not be so.
May I add something to this? We've had some wonderful thoughts expressed. I'd like to refer to the Philippians chapter 3.
All on the way to Damascus had had a wonderful vision.
Of the Lord in glory.
But you never forgot and which is always very real to him.
And in Philippians chapter 3.
He desired to know.
Christ better, but may may I read?
From the 14th verse.
I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore as many as be perfect. Be thus minded, and if anything, if you otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, wait till we have already attained, but hath walked by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. I believe that to be Christ Himself.
Brethren.
These followers together of me and mark them which walks those ye have us for an ensemble.
Then down in the 20th verse where our conversation or a manner of life is in heaven.
From whence on should we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who should change our wild body, that it may be in fashion like unto His glorious body, according to the work, and whereby is able even to subdue all things unto Himself?
I believe rather than nothing can preserve us.
Like having our eyes on friends.
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Seems like we've reached the crescendo on on this portion, and I have it on my heart to read the last two verses plus two others. And if I have a feeling it'd be well if we stood while they're red. If you are with my brethren.
Worth plenty now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, ages of ages. Amen. And then our thinking in Jude. Just to conclude.
Again in verse 24 and five.
Now under Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
Anyway.