The Father

Our Salvation Glorifies Jesus

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Father 5 Comments

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight. – Colossians 1:21, 22

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. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm

God is the Source and Fountain of Eternal Love

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Father 1 Comment

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. – Colossians 1:19,20

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 sins 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?  ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm

The Grand Storehouse

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Father Leave a comment

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell – Colossians 1:19

“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…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, forever. 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 forever: 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 forever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed.

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? ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm

All Things Are Yours

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Father Leave a comment

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours…And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. – 1 Corinthians 3:21,23

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. He who gave us His own Son has in that very deed given us all things. Hath 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”? ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm

A Fullness Inconceivable and Inexhaustible

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For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. – Colossians 2:9,10

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 that 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.

Fullness 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. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm

All is Laid Up in Christ

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For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. – Colossians 1:19, 20

“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 forever 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. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm

All Fullness

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, The Father Leave a comment

For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell… – Colossians 1:19

“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 vanities, all is vanity.” Blessed be the Lord forever 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. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0978.cfm