Unsearchable Riches of Christ

[0:00] Let's turn in our Bibles to the chapter in God's Word which we read, Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 3 and let's read again verse 8.

[0:15] Ephesians chapter 3 verse 8. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

[0:37] And as God would help us, I would just like to concentrate on that last phrase, the unsearchable riches of Christ.

[0:52] What exactly does the word unsearchable mean? It's only twice, the original is only twice in the Bible.

[1:03] Once here, translated unsearchable, and once in your version of the Bible, the other time it is translated inscrutable.

[1:16] The older versions would have past finding out. The riches of Christ that are past finding out.

[1:30] Our dictionaries, modern day dictionaries, would use the word unfathenable, untraceable, inexplicable, inexhaustible, incalculable, and illimitable.

[1:53] That's how modern day thesaurus, that's the alternative words our English language would use today. But you know our Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is God.

[2:09] And therefore, his attributes are infinite and eternal. His riches are infinite and eternal.

[2:24] They are without limit and they're without end. Now, if you say, well, I can't get my head around that, that's the nearest you'll get to it.

[2:38] Because the finite, finite beings cannot grasp what's infinite. And we can't grasp it, but we must attempt to give the glory that is due to Christ and to God.

[2:57] So let's try and look at the riches which are Christ's. They're infinite and they're eternal. Now, let's start with his knowledge.

[3:12] Christ's knowledge. Jesus Christ knows everything there is to know about everything there is.

[3:27] I'll repeat that. Jesus Christ knows everything there is to know about everything there is.

[3:39] Now, that's staggering. Jesus Christ knows about every living cell in your body and in my body.

[3:52] I read that one cell, a cell is more complex than all the intricacies involved in the running of New York City.

[4:11] Every cell in our body is more intricate than all the intricacies of the running of New York City.

[4:24] I've read that. I can't remember was it a scientific journal or not. But do you know how many cells there are in the human body? many, ten thousand billion.

[4:40] Christ knows every single thing there is to know about every single cell in your body.

[4:51] the unsearchable knowledge of Christ Christ knows everything there is to know about history all the secrets of history all the unsolved murders all the false convictions all the occasions when you and I have had to say well we'll have to leave it until the next world until we know exactly what happened Christ knows every detail of history Christ knows everything there is to know about the future world events international affairs global Christ he knows all there is to know about the future he knows if there's going to be a referendum he knows what the result is going to be he knows all that's going on in the White House he knows how long

[6:32] President Trump will last everything there is to know Christ knows now if Christ only knew what I mentioned then his knowledge is not infinite it would be limited and it would be quantifiable if that's all he knew oh it's massive but it would be quantifiable you could measure it a massive amount but it could be measured the knowledge of Christ is infinite and eternal immeasurable you cannot say he has this much knowledge or you're limited to that there is no boundary to Christ's knowledge so my friend if you're here tonight and you're saying

[7:43] I wonder does Jesus know all that I'm going through that's bordering on blasphemy bordering on it Christ knows everything about everything there is that's the riches of his knowledge let's move on to his wisdom the bible speaks about the riches of his wisdom the first question he asks him what's the difference between wisdom and knowledge a wisdom is more than knowledge I like the definition it is the correct response to information the correct reaction to knowledge you're given information you're given knowledge but you might

[8:45] I remember one of this someone I loved he was actually a relative of mine I loved him very very clever very very smart person but he knows wisdom very clever very smart but he knows wisdom wisdom is the response the wise response to knowledge to information there's no one like Christ when it comes when it comes to that every event of providence is monitored by the wisdom of Christ from the sparrow falling from a tree we don't know exists to what goes on in the white house he

[9:45] Christ is monitoring every little detail every event let me tell you as he monitors the world as he orchestrates his agenda his agenda you see haven't we haven't we said what on earth is going on this is what's going on Christ is fulfilling his agenda as he monitors the events of providence nothing is out of sync nothing is behind schedule God never runs late God is never in a hurry oh he acts swiftly oh he acts speedily he's never rushed he's never pushed for time this is this is to create

[11:04] Christ created all things the father the son and the holy spirit were all involved in creation Jesus in first Corinthians 1 31 I think it is is said to be the wisdom of God he is said to be the wisdom of God why is that because I speak reverently in a past eternity when the father the son and the holy spirit for lack of a better term were planning the world and what was going to take place when they planned salvation they had a problem reverently speaking they had a problem how could

[12:04] God say the soul that sins shall die and yet take sinners to heaven without breaking his own laws without breaking his own principles without God changing his mind that was the problem facing them he had said sin must be punished with death and then he wanted these sinners to be in heaven with him how does he do it without changing his mind that's why Christ is called the wisdom of God Christ is the answer Christ is the solution that's why as we mentioned in the morning we have to be in

[13:07] Christ Christ takes our punishment Christ takes our sin and we take Christ righteousness so God can look upon us and say truthfully truthfully I don't see one thing wrong with you I only see the righteousness of my son Christ is the wisdom of God now if that was the limit of Christ's wisdom then Christ would merely be the wisest man in the world merely that's all he would be but his wisdom is inscrutable unsearchable inexhaustible far far greater than that if you are here tonight and you are a

[14:20] Christian all that wisdom is working on your behalf all that wisdom is behind you whatever problem you get yourself into if you are a Christian Christ is the wisdom infinite wisdom and he can get you out of that predicament out of that hole but if you're not a Christian if you're here tonight and you're not a Christian all that wisdom is against you you'll never survive you'll never succeed you'll never get over it because Christ is the wisdom of God unsearchable inscrutable illimitable wisdom you can't put a boundary on it whatever boundary you put on it he exceeds it the unsearchable riches of

[15:34] Christ then let's take riches of his power his power as we indicated already he created everything simply by speaking we talk about energy today that's just for energy calling something into existence in the beginning God said let there be and there was God called matter into existence that's creation and the original word for create is never ever used in the Bible of anyone except God because only God can bring something out of nothing God's voice let's just speak about his voice and that's why we sang in

[16:39] Psalm 29 verse verse verse verse and verse verse 19 verse the flames of fire.

[17:07] In the first verse 9, God's voice does make the highest to come. God determines all these things. Every minute detail is determined by God.

[17:22] It's part of Christ's running of the world, as it were. He has been given the throne because he is the person of the Godhead who took the sins of his people.

[17:34] And he is on the throne now. Do you remember when he wasn't walking on earth? His voice calmed the storm.

[17:46] The winds and the sea. Not just the wind, but the wind and the sea. That's why, as we know, those who are worried about the ferry sailing, the wind can stop, but the sea is rough for 24 hours afterwards.

[18:02] Christ didn't just address the wind. He addressed the sea. He spoke. And the wind and the sea, our Bible tells us, was calm. His voice cast out demons.

[18:16] Do you remember when he raised the dead? Do you remember that funeral Christ attended?

[18:27] Lazarus? He went into the sepulcher. I'm sure he was facing the corpse, the body of Christ, of Lazarus.

[18:43] He didn't say, come forth. He said, Lazarus, come forth. Because there was so much power in his voice that everyone in the whole cemetery would have risen.

[18:57] The voices of Christ so powerful. We're talking about power. The power in the North Sea, down in these oil, the energy there. Who placed them there?

[19:09] Christ. And he hides it for two thousand, for thousands of years. He hides it from us. And then he reveals it to these researchers and archaeologists.

[19:22] There's energy down there. Who put them there? Christ put them there. He knows exactly the spots where the energy is. It's all his. You see, it is important.

[19:34] All power resides in Christ. Christ. He delegates power to people and to authorities.

[19:46] And isn't it amazing? He was crucified. Someone, one of the first four soldiers crucifying him.

[19:59] One soldier must have held his hand on the rugged cross and got a nail and a mallet and a hammer. hammered the nail through his hands and his feet.

[20:13] Where did that soldier get the power and the energy to do that? You know where from? From Christ himself. You know, I speak reverently that Christ was, I speak reverently, running the show at the crucifixion.

[20:34] Do you remember on the cross? Or, John 19, I think it is, says, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, said, I thirst.

[20:52] Knowing that all things were now accomplished. What was going on in his mind how he was being crucified? All the prophecies, all the predictions that were made about his crucifixion in the Old Testament.

[21:04] And he was going along in his mind. That's fulfilled. That's fulfilled. That's fulfilled. That's fulfilled. That's fulfilled. That's fulfilled. Now, I don't know, but maybe from the cross he saw down there the sour wine, the vinegar.

[21:17] And he remembered a prophecy. It is written. They gave him vinegar to drink. And he, also on the cross there, saying, they're not fulfilling that prediction.

[21:34] I'll have to make them give me the vinegar to drink. That's why in John 19, I think it is, we have it. Knowing that all things were now accomplished, he said, I thirst.

[21:48] Oh, and he ran and got the vinegar and gave it to him. He was orchestrating it all from the cross. The riches of Christ.

[22:02] The power to run the agenda when he's been crucified. There's another term in the Bible, the riches of his goodness.

[22:20] Now, just think of a person with all that power, with all that knowledge, with all that wisdom.

[22:33] Just imagine if such a person was spiteful. What? You wouldn't like to meet him, would you?

[22:43] imagine such a person had a chip on his shoulder, as we say. Imagine such a person with all that power and intelligence and his prejudices.

[22:56] Well, here's the good news. Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, quite different from you and me.

[23:14] The riches of his goodness. Because he's holy, do you know this? He cannot overlook your sin because he's holy.

[23:31] If he overlooked your sin, he wouldn't be holy. if he said, well, I won't pretend this person didn't do that.

[23:43] That's not justice. That's not justice. That's not right. That's not holiness. He's holy. He cannot overlook your sin.

[23:58] He cannot pretend it didn't happen. But isn't it wonderful? He can forget it. He can take your sin, every sin you've ever committed, and he can place it on the head of Jesus Christ and Christ the sin.

[24:23] That's why Christ can say to you and me in the gospel tonight, just come to me. just come to me.

[24:34] The riches of his goodness, he can say to anyone, anywhere, just come to me, and all is forgiven.

[24:51] Forgiveness involves the full payment of the debt owed. forgiveness is not equivalent to writing off a debt.

[25:08] Writing off a debt is not justice. Christ paid the debt of sin with his own life, with his own blood, with his own flesh, his own suffering.

[25:28] Your sin has been paid for if you're a Christian. It's been paid for. It's not written off.

[25:38] It's been paid for. The gospel is wonderful. The riches of Christ's goodness. He can come to you and say, it doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter what you've done.

[25:52] Just come to me and all is forgiven. The past, the present, yes, and the future, all forgiven.

[26:09] Christ, the riches of his goodness. grace. But the Bible also speaks about the riches of his grace.

[26:23] Now, what's the difference? Where do you start? Well, let's, we have to, grace is actually a very, well, I shouldn't project onto you my own problems, my own weakness.

[26:46] It's a very difficult thing to grasp. God is under no obligation to forgive anyone.

[26:58] Understand that. If he is, then that's justice. Well, you should do it, well, that's justice. Grace is the opposite of justice.

[27:11] It's what you don't deserve. I find it very helpful to be told justice is getting what you deserve.

[27:24] That's justice, getting what you deserve. Okay? Mercy is not getting what you deserve. See?

[27:35] You deserve to be punished, but it's merciful of God that you're not punished. that's mercy. But we're not talking about mercy. We're talking about grace.

[27:47] What's grace? Grace is getting what you don't deserve. It's getting heaven as well. Salvation is not Christ coming to you and saying, look, you come to me and I'll wipe your slate clean.

[28:05] You'll be forgiven everything you've done. But then you're left on your own. Then you're left on your own. I'll be mercy. Oh, that will be mercy.

[28:18] But the gospel is your past, your present, your future, you're all atone for, and you get heaven into the bargain. It's not just you're not punished in a lost eternity.

[28:31] it's that you also get heaven which you don't deserve. Grace is different, so different from justice.

[28:48] There's a story told, now I can't tell you if it's true, but it certainly was told to me it's true. I can't remember, did I read it or did I hear it, but it's a wonderful illustration.

[29:00] Apparently Napoleon, on one occasion, there was a soldier that was condemned to death for treason and the soldier's mother made a long, long journey to meet Napoleon and to plead with him.

[29:20] She got an audience with Napoleon and he said, please, please, show my son mercy.

[29:33] And Napoleon said, why should I? He doesn't deserve it. Oh, she said, if he deserved it, I'd be asking for justice. But I'm asking for mercy.

[29:45] I'm asking for grace as well. See the difference? God is under no obligation to show mercy, except that he promised he would.

[29:56] he promised he'd show mercy to those who ask for it. Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that glorious? Isn't that grace?

[30:08] Isn't it wonderful that simply by believing on Jesus Christ, even at the end of our days, at the end of our lives, we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

[30:23] We are made more perfect through believing on Jesus, we're made more perfect, than if we kept God's law perfectly all our lives.

[30:40] You say, that's not fair. No, it's grace. It's grace. It's what you don't deserve. Isn't that wonderful? Put your trust in Jesus, trust.

[30:54] And in God's sight, you're more perfect, than if you kept God's law perfectly throughout your whole life. My friend, that's the only way we're going to get to heaven.

[31:10] There is no other way we're going to make it. But isn't it wonderful? We can make it in one moment, through faith, by trusting Christ, in one moment, we can be made perfect.

[31:28] How's that for a challenge? How's that for the gospel? How's that for grace? Isn't it wonderful? Well, our time's up.

[31:43] Just two things in conclusion. If you are not a Christian, remember this, one day you have to meet Jesus Christ and you'll have to tell him why you weren't interested in him.

[32:10] We've tried to mention two or three of his riches. if you're not interested, that's pretty serious.

[32:25] That's pretty serious. You'll have to meet him one day and explain to his face why you're not interested in what he did at the place called Calvary.

[32:41] But why would we end on a negative note? here's the last thing. The Bible says in Romans 10 verse 12 that Christ, this man, this God man who has been trying to speak about it, listen carefully, he bestows his riches on all that call upon him.

[33:14] Doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter what you've done, doesn't matter what condition you're in, call upon him and all his riches will be at your disposal, will be bestowed upon you.

[33:34] Romans 10 verse 12, that's the gospel. the unsearchable riches of Christ, the riches of his grace in one moment by faith can belong to you.

[33:56] May God the Holy Spirit make his word effectual to every one of us. Let's pray.

[34:09] Our gracious Father in heaven, we bow our heads now and ask that you might be pleased to take the things of Christ and to make them ours, to bestow his riches upon us because we call upon him.

[34:35] We remember what your word says, whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Oh Lord, number us among those who call upon your name.

[34:55] Hear us in mercy, answer us in peace, because we pray only in Christ's name. Amen.

[35:13] We'll conclude our service of worship by singing again from the Scottish Psalter Psalm 21 on page 225 of the praise book.

[35:24] Page 225 Psalm 21 and we sing verses marked 5 to 8. Psalm 21 verse 5.

[35:35] 第一個 10 18 18 18 19 19 19 19 10 19 19 19 19 20 20 Psalm 21, verses 5 to 8.

[36:33] Psalm 21, verses 5 to 9.

[37:03] Psalm 21, verses 5 to 9.

[37:33] Psalm 21, verses 5 to 9.

[38:03] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and forevermore.

[38:35] Amen.