Delivered on Lord's-day Morning, February 26th, 1871 by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness
dwell."–Colossians 1:19.
THE PREACHER IS UNDER NO DIFFICULTIES this morning as to the practical
object to be aimed at in his discourse. Every subject should be
considered with an object, every discourse should have a definite
spiritual aim; otherwise we do not so much preach as play at preaching.
The connection plainly indicates what our drift should be. Read the
words immediately preceding the text, and you find it declared that our
Lord Jesus is in all things to have the pre-eminence. We would seer; by
this text to yield honor and glory to the ever-blessed Redeemer, and
enthrone him in the highest seat in our hearts. O that we may all be in
an adoring frame of mind, and may give him the pre-eminence in our
thoughts, beyond all things or persons in heaven or earth. Blessed is
he who can do or think: the most to honor such a Lord as our Immanuel.
The verse which succeeds the text, shows us how we may best promote the
glory of Christ, for since he came into this world that he might
reconcile the things in heaven and the things in earth to himself, we
shall best glorify him by falling in with his great design of mercy. By
seeking to bring sinners into a state of reconciliation with God, we
are giving to the great Reconciler the pre-eminence. On gospel shall be
the gospel of reconciliation on this occasion. May the reconciling word
come home by the power of Christ's Spirit to many, so that hundreds of
souls may from this day forth glorify the great Ambassador who has made
peace by the blood of his cross.
The text is a great deep, we cannot explore it, but we will voyage over
its surface joyously, the Holy Spirit giving us a favorable wind. Here
are plenteous provisions far exceeding, those of Solomon, though at the
sight of that royal profusion, Sheba's queen felt that there was no
more spirit in her, and declared that the half had not been told to
her.
It may give some sort of order to our thoughts if they fall under four
heads. What is here spoken of–"all fullness." Where is it placed–"in
him," that is, in the Redeemer. We are told why, because "it pleased
the Father;" and we have also a note of time, or when, in the word
"dwell." "It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell."
Those catch words, what, where, why, and when, may help you to remember
the run of the sermon.
I. First, then, let us consider the subject before us, or WHAT–"It
pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Two mighty
words; "fullness a substantial, comprehensive, expressive word in
itself, and "all," a great little word including everything. When
combined in the expression, "all fullness," we have before us a
superlative wealth of meaning.
Blessed be God for those two words. Our hearts rejoice to think that
there is such a thing in the universe as "all fullness," for in the
most of mortal pursuits utter barrenness is found. "Vanity of vanity
all is vanity." Blessed be the Lord for ever that he has provided a
fullness for us, for in us by nature there is all emptiness and utter
vanity. "In me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." In
us there is a lack of all merit, an absence of all power to procure
any, and even an absence of will to procure it if we could. In these
respects human nature is a desert, empty, and void, and waste,
inhabited only by the dragon of sin, and the bittern of sorrow. Sinner,
saint, to you both alike these words, "all fullness," sound like a holy
hymn. The accents are sweet as those of the angel-messenger when he
sang, "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy." Are they not
stray notes from celestial sonnets? "All fullness." You, sinner, are
all emptiness and death, you, saint, would be so if it were not for the
"all fullness" of Christ of which you have received; therefore both to
saint and sinner the words are full of hope. There is joy in these
words to every soul conscious of its sad estate, and humbled before
God.
I will ring the silver bell again, "all fullness," and another note
charms us; it tells us that Christ is substance, and not shadow,
fullness, and not foretaste. This is good news for us, for nothing but
realities will meet our case. Types may instruct, but they cannot
actually save. The patterns of the things in the heavens are too weak
to serve our turn, we need the heavenly things themselves. No bleeding
bird nor slaughtered bullock, nor running stream, nor scarlet wool and
hyssop, can take away our sins.
"No outward forms can make me clean,
The leprosy lies deep within."
Ceremonies under the old dispensation were precious because they set
forth the realities yet to be revealed, but in Christ Jesus we deal
with the realities themselves, and this is a happy circumstance for us;
for both our sins and our sorrows are real, and only substantial
mercies can counteract them. In Jesus, we have the substance of all
that the symbols set forth. He is our sacrifice, our altar, our priest,
our incense, our tabernacle, our all in all. The law had "the shadow of
good things to come," but in Christ we have "the very image of the
things."Hebrews 10:1. What transport is this to those who so much feel
their emptiness that they could not be comforted by the mere
representation of a truth, or the pattern of a truth, or the symbol of
a truth, but must have the very substance itself! "The law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."John 1:16.
I must return to the words of the text again, for I perceive more honey
dropping from the honeycomb. "All fullness" is a wide, far-reaching,
all-comprehending term, and in its abundant store it offers another
source of delight. What joy these words give to us when we remember
that our vast necessities demand a fullness, yea, "all fullness,"
before they can be supplied! A little help will be of no use to us, for
we are altogether without strength. A limited measure of mercy will
only mock our misery. A low degree of grace will never be enough to
bring us to heaven, defiled as we are with sin, beset with dangers,
encompassed with infirmities, assailed by temptations, molested with
afflictions, and all the while bearing about with us "the body of this
death." But "all fullness," ay, that will suit us. Here is exactly what
our desperate estate demands for its recovery. Had the Savior only put
out his finger to help our exertions, or had he only stretched out his
hand to perform a measure of salvation's work, while he left us to
complete it, our soul had for ever dwelt in darkness. In these words,
"all fullness," we hear the echo of his death-cry, "It is finished." We
are to bring nothing, but to find all in him, yea, the fullness of all
in him: we are simply to receive out of his fullness grace for grace.
We are not asked to contribute, nor required to make up deficiencies,
for there are none to make up–all, all is laid up in Christ. All that
we shall want between this place and heaven, all we could need between
the gates of hell, where we lay in our blood, to the gates of heaven,
where we shall find welcome admission, is treasured up for us in the
Lord Christ Jesus.
"Great God, the treasures of thy love
Are everlasting mines,
Deep as our helpless miseries are,
And boundless as our sins."
Did I not say well that the two words before us are a noble hymn? Let
them, I pray you, lodge in your souls for many days; they will be
blessed guests. Let these two wafers, made with honey, lie under your
tongue; let them satiate your souls, for they are heavenly bread. The
more you bemoan your emptiness the sweeter these words will be; the
more you feel that you must draw largely upon the bank of heaven, the
more will you rejoice that your drafts will never diminish the
boundless store, for still will it retain the name and the quality of
"all fullness."
The expression here used denotes that there is in Jesus Christ the
fullness of the Godhead; as it is written, "In him dwelleth all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily." When John saw the Son of Man in
Patmos, the marks of Deity were on him. "His head and his hairs were
white like wool, as white as snow"–here was his eternity; "His eyes
were as a flame of fire"–here was his omniscience; "Out of his mouth
went a sharp two-edged sword"–here was the omnipotence of his word;
"And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength"–here was
his unapproachable and infinite glory. He is the Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the last. Hence nothing is too
hard for him. Power, wisdom, truth, immutability, and all the
attributes of God are in him, and constitute a fullness inconceivable
and inexhaustible. The most enlarged intellect must necessarily fail to
compass the personal fullness of Christ as God; therefore we do no more
than quote again that noble text: "In him dwelleth all the fullness of
the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in him."
Fulness, moreover, dwells in our Lord not only intrinsically from his
nature, but as the result of his mediatorial world. He achieved by
suffering as well as possessed by nature a wondrous fullness. He
carried on his shoulders the load of our sin; he expiated by his death
our guilt, and now he has merit with the Father, infinite,
inconceivable, a fullness of desert. The Father has stored up in Christ
Jesus, as in a reservoir, for the use of all his people, his eternal
love and his unbounded grace, that it may come to us through Christ
Jesus, and that we may glorify him. All power is put into his hands,
and life, and light, and grace, are to the full at his disposal. "He
shutteth and no man openeth, he openeth and no man shutteth." He has
received gifts for men; yea, for the righteous also. Not only as the
Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, is he the possessor of heaven and
earth, and therefore filled with all fullness, but seeing that as the
Mediator he has finished our redemption, "he is made of God unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Glory
be to his name for this double fullness.
Turn the thought round again, and remember that all fullness dwells in
Christ towards God and towards men. All fullness towards God and–I
mean all that God requires of man; all that contents and delights the
eternal mind, so that once again with complacency he may look down on
his creature and pronounce him "very good." The Lord looked for grapes
in his vineyard, and it brought forth wild grapes, but now in Christ
Jesus the great Husbandman beholds the true vine which bringeth forth
much fruit. The Creator required obedience, and he beholds in Christ
Jesus the servant who has never failed to do the Master's will. Justice
demanded that the law should be kept, and, lo, Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Seeing that we had
broken the law, justice required the endurance of the righteous
penalty, and Jesus has borne it to the full, for he bowed his head to
death, even the death of the cross. When God made man a little lower
than the angels, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and
so made him immortal, he had a right to expect singular service from so
favored a being–a service perfect, joyful, continuous; and our Savior
has rendered unto the Father that which perfectly contents him; for he
cries, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." God is more
glorified in the person of his Son than he would have been by an
unfallen world. There shines out through the entire universe a display
of infinite mercy, justice, and wisdom, such as neither the majesty of
nature nor the excellence of providence could have revealed. His work
in God's esteem is honorable and precious; for his righteousness sake,
God is well pleased. The Eternal mind is satisfied with the Redeemer's
person, work, and sacrifice; for "unto the Son, he saith, Thy throne, O
God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of
thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;
therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of
gladness above thy fellows."Hebrews 1:8,9.
What unspeakable consolations arise from this truth, for, dear
brethren, if we had to render to God something by which we should be
accepted, we should be always in jeopardy; but now since we are
"accepted in the Beloved," we are safe beyond all hazard. And we to
find wherewithal we should appear before the Most High God, we might
still be asking, "Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with
calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" But now hear the voice which
saith, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein:" we hear the same
divine voice add, "Lo, I come to do thy will," and we rejoice as we
receive the witness of the Spirit, saying, "By the which will ye are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all," for henceforth is it said, "Their sins and iniquities will I
remember no more for ever."
The all-fullness of Christ is also man-ward, and that in respect of
both the sinner and the saint. There is a fullness in Christ Jesus
which the seeking sinner should behold with joyfulness. What dost thou
want, sinner? Thou wantest all things, but Christ is all. Thou wantest
power to believe in him–he giveth power to the faint. Thou wantest
repentance–he was exalted on high to give repentance as well as
remission of sin. Thou wantest a new heart: the covenant runs thus, "A
new heart also will I give them, and a right spirit will I put within
them." Thou wantest pardon–behold his streaming wounds wash thou and
be clean. Thou wantest healing: he is "the Lord that healeth thee."
Thou wantest clothing–his righteousness shall become thy dress. Thou
wantest preservation–thou shalt be preserved in him. Thou wantest
life, and he has said, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee life." He is come that we might have
life. Thou wantest–but indeed, the catalogue were much too long for us
to read it through at this present, yet be assured though thou pile up
thy necessities till they rise like Alps before thee, yet the
all-sufficient Savior can remove all thy needs. You may confidently
sing–
"Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
More than all in thee I find."
This is true also of the saint as well as the sinner. O child of God,
thou art now saved, but thy wants are not therefore removed. Are they
not as continuous as thy heart-beats? When are we not in want, my
brethren? The more alive we are to God, the more are we aware of our
spiritual necessities. He who is "blind and naked," thinks himself to
be "rich and increased in goods," but let the mind be truly
enlightened, and we feel that we are completely dependent upon the
charity of God. Let us be glad, then, as we learn that there is no
necessity in our spirit but what is abundantly provided for in the all
fullness of Jesus Christ. You seek for a higher platform of spiritual
attainments, you aim to conquer sin, you desire to be plentiful in
finis unto his glory, you are longing to be useful, you are anxious to
subdue the hearts of others unto Christ; behold the needful grace for
all this. In the sacred armoury of the Son of David behold your
battle-ax and your weapons of war; in the stores of him who is greater
than Aaron see the robes in which to fulfill your priesthood; in the
wounds of Jesus behold the power with which you may become a living
sacrifice. If you would glow like a seraph, and serve like an apostle,
behold the grace awaiting you in Jesus. If you would go from strength
to strength, climbing the loftiest summits of holiness, behold grace
upon grace prepared for you if you are straitened, it will not be in
Christ; if there be any bound to your holy attainments, it is set by
yourself. The infinite God himself gives himself to you in the person
of his dear Son, and he saith to you, "All things are yours." "The Lord
is the portion of your inheritance and of your cup." Infinity is ours.
Be who gave us his own Son has in that very deed given us all things.
Bath he not said, "I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the
land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it"?
Let me remark that this is not only true of saints on earth, but it is
true also of saints in heaven, for all the fullness of the church
triumphant is in Christ as well as that of the church militant. They
are nothing even in heaven without him. The pure river of the water of
life of which they drink, proceedeth out of the throne of God and of
the Lamb. He hath made them priests and kings, and in his power they
reign. Those snowy robes were washed and made white in his blood. The
Lamb is the temple of heaven (Revelation 21:22), the light of heaven
(Revelation 21:23), his marriage is the joy of heaven (Revelation
19:7), and the Song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the
Lamb, is the song of heaven (Revelation 15:3). Not all the harps above
could make a heavenly place if Christ were gone; for he is the heaven
of heaven, and filleth all in all. It pleased the Father that for all
saints and sinners all fullness should be treasured up in Christ Jesus.
I feel that my text overwhelms me. Men may sail round the world, but
who can circumnavigate so vast a subject as this? As far as the east is
from the west so wide is its reach of blessings.
"Philosophers have measured mountains,
Fathomed the depths of seas, of states, and kings,
Walked with a staff to Heaven, and traced fountains:
But there are two vast spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them: Grace and Love."
Who is he that shall be able to express all that is meant by our text?
for here we have "all" and "fullness"–and in fullness and a fullness
in all. The words are both exclusive and inclusive. They deny that
there is any fullness elsewhere, for they claim all for Christ. They
shut out all others. "It pleased the Father that in him should all
fullness dwell." Not in you, ye pretended successors of the apostles,
can anything dwell that I need. I can do well enough without you; nay,
I would not insult my Savior by trading with, you, for since "all
fullness" is in him, what call there be in you that I can require? Go
to your dupes who know not Christ, but those who possess the exceeding
riches of Christ's grace bow not to you. We are "complete in Christ"
without you, O hierarchy of bishops; without you, ye conclave of
cardinals; and without you, O fallible infallible, unholy Holiness of
Rome. He who has all in Christ would be insane indeed if he looked for
more, or having fullness craved for emptiness. This text drives us from
all confidence in men, ay, or even in angels, by making us see that
everything is treasured up in Jesus Christ. Brethren, if there be any
good in what is called catholicism, or in ritualism, or in the modern
philosophical novelties, let religionists have what they find there; we
shall not envy them, for they can find nothing worth having in their
forms of worship or belief but what we must have already in the person
of the all-sufficient Savior. What if their candles burn brightly, the
sun itself is ours! What if they are successors of the apostles, we
follow the Lamb himself whithersoever he goeth! What if they be
exceeding wise, we dwell with the Incarnate Wisdom himself! Let them go
to their cisterns, we will abide by the fountain of living water. But
indeed there is no light in their luminaries, they do but increase the
darkness; they are blind leaders of the blind. They put their sounding
emptinesses into competition with the all-fullness of Jesus, and preach
another gospel which is not another. The imprecation of the apostle be
upon them. They add unto the words of God, and he shall add to them its
plagues.
While the text is exclusive it is also inclusive. It shuts in
everything that is required for time and for eternity for all the
blood-bought. It is an ark containing all good things conceivable, yea,
and many that are as yet inconceivable; for by reason of our weakness
we have not yet conceived the fullness of Christ. Things which ye yet
have not asked nor even thought, he is able to give you abundantly. If
you should arrive at the consecration of martyrs, the piety of
apostles, the purity of angels, yet should you never have seen or be
able to think of anything pure, lovely, and of good report, that was
not already treasured up in Christ Jesus. All the rivers flow into this
sea, for from this sea they, came. As the atmosphere surrounds all the
earth, and all things live in that sea of air, so all good things are
contained in the blessed person of our dear Redeemer. Let us join to
praise him. Let us extol him with heart and voice, and let sinners be
reconciled unto God by him. If all the good things are in him which a
sinner can require to make him accountable with God, then let the
sinner come at once through Such a mediator. Let doubts and fears
vanish at the sight of the mediatorial fullness. Jesus must be able to
save to the uttermost, since all fullness dwells in him. Come, sinner;
come and receive him. Believe thou in him and thou shalt find thyself
made perfect in Christ Jesus.
"The moment a sinner believes,
And trusts in his crucified God,
His pardon at once he receives,
Redemption in full through his blood."
II. Having thus spoken of what, we now turn to consider WHERE.
"It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Where
else could all fullness have been placed? There was wanted a vast
capacity to contain "all fullness." Where dwells there a being with
nature capacious enough to compass within himself all fullness? As well
might we ask, "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the
earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills
in a balance?" To him only could it belong to contain "all fullness,"
for he must be equal with God, the Infinite. How suitable was the Son
of the Highest, who "was by him, as one brought up with him," to become
the grand storehouse of all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge and
grace, and salvation. Moreover, there was wanted not only capacity to
contain, but immutability to retain the fullness, for the text says,
"It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell" that is,
abide, and remain, for ever. Now if any kind of fullness could be put
into us mutable creatures, yet by reason of our frailty we should prove
but broken cisterns that can hold no water. The Redeemer is Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever: therefore was it meet
that all fullness should be placed in him. "The Son abideth ever." "He
is a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." "Being made
perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto all they that
obey him." "His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued
as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall
call him blessed."
Perhaps the sweetest thought is, that the "all fullness" is fitly
placed in Christ Jesus, because in him there is a suitability to
distribute it, so that we may obtain it from him. How could we come to
God himself for grace? for "even our God is a consuming fire." But
Jesus Christ while God is also man like ourselves, truly man, of a meek
lowly spirit, and therefore easily approachable. They who know him,
delight in nearness to him. Is it not sweet that all fullness should be
treasured up in him who was the friend of publicans and sinners: and
who came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost? The
Man who took the child up on his knee and said, "Suffer the little
children to come unto me," the Man who was tempted in all points like
as we are, the Man who touched the sick, nay, who "bore their
sicknesses," the Man who gave his hands to the nails, and his heart to
the spear; that blessed Man, into the print of whose nails his disciple
Thomas put his finger, and into whose side he thrust his hand; it is
he, the incarnate God, in whom all fullness dwells. Come, then, and
receive of him, you who are the weakest, the most mean, and most sinful
of men. Come at once, O sinner, and fear not.
"Why art thou afraid to come,
And tell him all thy ease?
He will not pronounce thy doom,
Nor frown thee from his face.
Wilt thou fear Immanuel?
Or dread the Lamb of (God,
Who, to save thy soul from hell,
Has shed his precious blood?"
Let it be noted here, however, very carefully, that while fullness is
treasured up in Christ, it is not said to be treasured up in the
doctrines of Christ; though they are full and complete, and we need no
other teachings when the Spirit reveals the Son in us; nor is it said
to be treasured up in the commands of Christ, although they are amply
sufficient for our guidance; but it is said, "It pleased the Father
that in him," in his person, "should all fullness dwell." In him, as
God incarnate dwelleth in all the fullness of the godhead bodily;" not
as a myth, a dream, a thought, a fiction, but as a living, real
personality. We must lay hold of this. I know that the fullness dwells
in him officially as Prophet, Priest, and King–but the fullness lies
not in the prophetic mantle, nor in the priestly ephod, nor in the
royal vesture, but in the person that wears all these. "It pleased the
Father that in him should all fullness dwell." You must get to the very
Christ in your faith and rest alone in him, or else you have not
reached the treasury wherein all fullness is stored up. All fullness is
in him radically; if there be fullness in his work, or his gifts, or
his promises, all is derived from his person, which gives weight and
value to all. All the promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. The
merit of his death lies mainly in his person, because he was God who
gave himself for us, and his own self bare our sins in his own body on
the tree. The excellence of his person gave fullness to his
sacrifice.Hebrews 1:3. His power to save at this very day lies in his
person, for "he is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto
God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." I
desire you to see this, and feel it; for when your soul clasps the
pierced feet of Jesus, and looks up into the face more marred than that
of any man, even if you cannot understand all his works and offices,
yet if you believe in him, you have reached the place wherein all
fullness dwells, and of his fullness you shall receive.
Beloved, remember our practical aim. Praise his person, ye saints! Be
ye reconciled to God through his person, ye sinners! Ye angels, lead us
in the song! Ye spirits redeemed by blood, sing, "Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain," and our hearts shall keep tune with yours, for we owe
the same debt to him. Glory be unto the person of the blessed Lamb.
"Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and
power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever." Would God we
could see him face to face, and adore him as we would. O sinners, will
you not be reconciled to God through him, since all fullness is in him,
and he stoops to your weakness, and holds forth his pierced hands to
greet you? See him stretching out both his hands to receive you, while
he sweetly woos you to come to God through him. Come unto him. O come
with hasty steps, ye penitents; come at once, ye guilty ones! Who would
not be reconciled unto God by such a one as this, in whom all fullness
of grace is made to dwell?
III. The third question is, WHY? "It pleased the Father." That is
answer enough. He is a sovereign, let him do as he wills. Ask the
reason for election, you shall receive no other than this, "Even so,
Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." That one answer may reply
to ten thousand questions, "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him
good." Once "it pleased the Father to bruise him," and now "it pleased
the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Sovereignty may
answer the question sufficiently, but hearken! I hear justice speak,
should not be silent. Justice saith there was no person in heaven or
under heaven so meet to contain the fullness of grace as Jesus.
None so meet to be glorified as the Savior, who "made himself of no
reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant, and being
found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient to
death, even the death of the cross." It is but justice that the grace
which he has brought to us should be treasured up in him. And while
justice speaks wisdom will not withhold her voice. Wise art thou, O
Jehovah, to treasure up grace in Christ, for to him men can come; and
to him coming, as unto a living stone, chosen of God and precious, men
find him precious also to their souls. The Lord has laid our hell, in
the right place, for he has laid it upon one that is mighty, and who is
as loving as he is mighty, as ready as he is able to save. Moreover, in
the fitness of things the Father's pleasure is the first point to be
considered, for all things ought to be to the good pleasure of God. It
is a great underlying rule of the universe that all things were created
for God's pleasure. God is the source and fountain of eternal love, and
it is but meet that he should convey it to us by what channel he may
elect. Bowing, therefore, in lowly worship at his throne, we are glad
that in this matter the fullness dwells where it perpetually satisfies
the decree of heaven. It is well that "it pleased the Father."
Now, brethren, if it pleased the Father to place all grace in Christ,
let us praise the elect Savior. What pleases God pleases us. Where
would you desire to have grace placed, my brethren, but in the
Well-beloved? The whole church of God is unanimous about this. If I
could save myself I would not; I would think salvation to be no
salvation if it did not glorify Jesus. This is the very crown and glory
of being saved, that our being saved will bring honor to Christ. It is
delightful to think that Christ will have the glory of all God's grace;
it were shocking if it were not so. Who could bear to see Jesus robbed
of his reward? We are indignant that any should usurp his place, and
ashamed of ourselves that we do not glorify him more. No joy ever
visits my soul like that of knowing that Jesus is highly exalted, and
that to him "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." A sister in Christ, in
her kindness and gratitude, used language to me the other day which
brought a blush to my cheek, for I felt ashamed to be so undeserving of
the praise. She said, "Your ministry profits me because you glorify
Christ so much." Ah, I thought, if you knew how I would glorify him if
I could, and how far I fall below what I fain would do for him, You
would not commend me. I could weep over the best sermons I have ever
preached because I cannot extol my Lord enough, and my conceptions are
so low, and my words so poor. Oh, if one could but attain really to
honor him, and put another crown upon his head, it were heaven indeed!
We are in this agreed with the Father, for if it pleases him to glorify
his Son, we sincerely feel that it pleases us.
Ought not those who are yet unrenewed, to hasten to be reconciled to
God by such a Redeemer? If it pleases the Father to put all grace in
Christ, O sinner, does it not please you to come and receive it through
Christ? Christ is the meeting-place for a sinner and his God. God is in
Christ, and when you come to Christ, God meets you, and a treaty of
peace is made between you and the Most High. Are you not agreed with
God in this–that Christ shall be glorified? Do you not say, "I would
glorify him by accepting this morning all his grace, love, and mercy"?
Well, if you are willing to receive Jesus, God has made you willing,
and therein proved his willingness to save you. He is pleased with
Christ. Are you pleased with Christ? If so, there is already peace
between you and God, for Jesus "is our peace."
IV. We must close by dwelling upon the WHEN. When is all fullness in
Jesus? It is there in all time, past, present, and to come. "It pleased
the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Fulness, then, was
in Christ of old, is in Christ to-day, will be in Christ for ever.
Perpetuity is here indicated; all fullness was, is, shall be in the
person of Jesus Christ. Every saint saved under the old dispensation
found the fullness of his salvation in the coming Redeemer, every saint
saved since the advent is saved through the selfsame fullness. From the
streaming fount of the wounds of Christ on Calvary, redemption flows
evermore; and as long as there is a sinner to be saved, or one elect
soul to be ingathered, Christ's blood shall never lose its power, the
fullness of merit and grace shall abide the same.
While the expression "dwell" indicates perpetuity, does not it indicate
constancy and accessibility? A man who dwells in a house is always to
be found there, it is his home. The text seems to me to say that this
fullness of grace is always to be found in Christ, ever abiding in him.
Knock at this door by prayer, and you shall find it at home. If a
sinner anywhere is saving, "God be merciful to me!" mercy has not gone
out on travel, it dwells in Christ both night and day; it is there now
at this moment. There is life in a look at the crucified One, not at
certain canonical hours, but at any hour, in any place, by any man who
looks. "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart
is overwhelmed," and my prayer shall not be rejected. There is fullness
of mercy in Christ to be had at any time, at any season, from any
place. It pleased the Father that all fullness should permanently abide
in him as in a house whose door is never shut.
Above all, we see here immutability. All fullness dwells in
Christ–that is to say, it is never exhausted nor diminished. On the
last day wherein this world shall stand before it is given up to be
devoured with fervent heat, there shall be found as much fullness in
Christ as in the hour when the first sinner looked unto him and was
lightened. O sinner, the bath that cleanses is as efficacious to take
out spots to-day as it was when the dying thief washed therein. O thou
despairing sinner, there is as much consolation in Christ to-day as
when he said to the woman, "Thy sins are forgiven thee, go in peace."
His grace has not diminished. He is to-day as great a Savior as when
Magdalen was delivered from seven devils. Till time shall be no more he
will exercise the same infinite power to forgive, to renew, to deliver,
to sanctify, to perfectly save souls.
Shall not all this make us praise Christ, since all fullness is
permanent in him? Let our praises abide where the fullness abides. "All
thy works praise thee, O God, but thy saints shall bless thee;" yea,
they shall never cease their worship, because thou shalt never abate
thy fullness This is a topic upon which we who love Christ, are all
agreed. We can dispute about doctrines, and we have different views
upon ordinances; but we have all one view concerning our Lord Jesus.
Let him sit on a glorious high throne. When shall the day dawn that he
shall ride through our streets in triumph? When shall England and
Scotland, and all the nations become truly the dominions of the great
King? Our prayer is that he may hasten the spread of the gospel, and
his own coming as seemeth good in his sight. O that he were glorious in
the eyes of men!
And surely if all fullness abides perpetually in Christ, there is good
reason why the unreconciled should this morning, avail themselves of
it. May the blessed Spirit show thee, O sinner, that there is enough in
Jesus Christ to meet thy wants, that thy, weakness need not keep thee
back, nor even the hardness of thy heart, nor the inveteracy of thy
will; for Christ is able even to subdue all things to himself. If you
seek him he will be found of you. Seek him while he may be found. Leave
not the seat until your soul is bowed at his feet. I think I see him;
cannot your hearts picture him, glorious to-day, but yet the same
Savior who was nailed like a felon to the cross for guilty ones? Reach
forth thy hand and touch the silver scepter of mercy which he holds out
to thee, for those who touch it live. Look into that dear face where
tears once made their furrows, and grief its lines; look, I say, and
live. Look at that brow radiant with many a glittering gem, it once
wore a crown of thorns; let his love melt you to repentance. Throw
yourself into his arms now feeling, "If I perish I will perish there.
He shall be my only hope." As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand,
there shall never be a soul of you lost who will come and trust in
Jesus. Heaven and earth shall pass away but this word of God shall
never pass away. "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved."
God has said it; will he not do it? He has declared it, it must stand
fast. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have
everlasting life." O trust ye him! I implore you by the mercy of God,
and by the fullness of Jesus, trust him now, this day! God grant you
may, for Christ's sake. Amen.
PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON–Colossians 1.
The attention of all our friends is earnestly directed to the SERIES OF
SPECIAL SERVICES AT THE TABERNACLE. In order that London friends may
unite with us we publish the meetings week by week, and at the same
time our country friends will join with us in spirit:–
Lord's-day, March 5th.–A deputation will address Mrs. Bartlett's class
and the senior classes of the Sabbath School; as also Mrs. Bartlett's
children's meeting at the Almshouses.
Monday, March 6th.–Prayer-meeting for females only, at six. For young
people at the same time. Special prayer-meetings at seven for the
various agencies of the church. Meetings for enquirers at half-past
eight.
Tuesday, March 7th.–The Pastor and others will meet the parents of the
Sabbath School to tea, and speak with them upon heavenly things.
Wednesday, March 8th.–Annual Meeting of Mrs. Bartlett's class.
Thursday, March 9th.–Closing gathering. May our hearts be filled with
adoring praise. We shall meet to commemorate our Lord's death. Members
will please show their tickets. Spectators will find room in the
gallery.