[0:00] I'm going to sing from Psalm 107, Psalm 107, verse 8, down to verse 14.
[0:17] O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, and for his works of wonder done unto the sons of men. For he the soul that longing is doth fully sacrifice, with goodness he the hungry soul doth fill abundantly. Such as shut up in darkness deep, and in death's shade abide, whom strongly hath afflictions bound, and irons fast have tied, because against the words of God, they wrought rebelliously. And they the council did contemn of him that is most high. Their heart he did bring down with grief, they fell no help could have. In trouble then they cried to God, he then from straits did sail. He out of darkness did them bring, and from death's shade did take. These bands for which they had been bowed, asunder quite, they break, and so on. But to sing these verses, Psalm 107, from verse 8 to 14. O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then.
[1:31] O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, and for his works of wonder, O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, and for his works of wonder, for his works of wonder, unto the sons of men. For did a soul not know his God for his "'Sath ya sah jah thou fait sal repentance.' Paraβαlt staphybak sa'jaf jah thou sa'jaf as kin.
[2:34] O 죄송 of incidents at yah hai, og bleeding ha ha'jaf. Yah-u-K'il Abang-u-Li Sach-ya-sya Yah-u-K'il Dharklessly And 가능 minasya Bai Whom strongly had the vision bound and died on his past appetite.
[3:23] Because against the words of God they brought redemnously.
[3:43] And they the counsel did condemn on him the dismiss time.
[4:02] Their heart he did break down with greed.
[4:13] If I know how could I. They troubled and they tried to guard.
[4:32] He then promised it did. He had talked to our Gnostic and the brain.
[4:51] And from death shed they'll take. These bands wherewith they have been done.
[5:09] A soldier quite every. Just for a short time turn to Paul's epistle to the Ephesians chapter 3.
[5:31] And we can read that verse 7. We can take up the reading at verse 7.
[5:42] But take it from verse 6. It says that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
[5:55] Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. And to me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given.
[6:10] That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Do you ever get the impression at times as you read through the epistles of Paul.
[6:31] That there are many things that he has never got over. There are many things that he has experienced under the hand of God.
[6:47] That persist in surprising him. Or creating wonder in his heart and mind. I could be wrong.
[6:58] And sometimes there is a... You wonder... Paul presents to us the word of God.
[7:09] He is led by the Spirit so to do. But that doesn't separate him or... That doesn't remove from him any of his own thoughts or feelings or experiences.
[7:28] They are all under the hand of God. The means by which God conveys his truth to us. And behind him often as if you would say awestruck.
[7:45] Maybe that's taking it too far. But I don't think so. When he thinks of himself. What he was and what he has now become.
[7:58] Where he was. And where God has now taken. You couldn't expect somebody to have been what Paul was.
[8:09] In a state of ignorance. To what he became as God took unto himself. And maybe what we have in these words is something of that.
[8:27] I want us to look at the words of the verses that we read. And see first of all how Paul describes himself.
[8:43] Secondly how he describes the preaching that has been entrusted to him. Who he anticipates to be its recipients.
[8:54] And thirdly what is always the core element of the preaching that he delivers.
[9:08] You notice the chapter begins. I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. He is bound under the conviction that God has given to him.
[9:37] A word to proclaim to others. He is not able to lose himself from it. But there is a twofold description that he gives of himself.
[9:51] He says in verse 7. I was made a minister. Of Christ by the gospel. Christ by the gospel whereof I was made a minister.
[10:04] According to the gift of the grace of God. So you have two things there. The fact that he has been made a minister. And that he considers himself.
[10:20] Not for the first time and not for the last time. The less than the least of the saints. As he describes himself in verse 8.
[10:36] Can I begin with that description? It's a self-description. Less than the least of all saints. Less than the least of all saints.
[10:52] That's bad grammar. I'm not a scholar of language as such. But if something is the least.
[11:05] Then you can't get less than the least. And yet Paul says he is less than the least. But he's not a poor scholar himself.
[11:18] But he is wanting to convey a truth. That he is determined will be understood.
[11:29] I thought first of all that these words were hyperbole. Which is just a mode of expression.
[11:42] That is deliberately exaggerated. In order to convey a truth. But the Greek scholars tell us that what we have is a comparative piled on top of a superlative.
[11:56] A comparative piled on top of a superlative. I think that my own first opinion probably means exactly the same thing.
[12:10] Paul means us to understand that he is experiencing a sense of deep self-abasement.
[12:24] He doesn't consider himself worthy. In his own heart and mind. What he has been tasked to do is something that he is unworthy of fulfilling.
[12:40] That's basically what he is saying. Now he is not exaggerating. He is not acting the hypocrite. He is not making a pretense of being something that he is not.
[12:57] He has never got over the fact that God spared him. And showed him mercy. Even though he was the most unlikely of recipients.
[13:12] The word grace features highly. And many believe that what is most in his mind is. The kind of person that he was.
[13:23] Before he experienced. The grace of God in Christ Jesus. He was a persecutor of the church. He was a murderer.
[13:34] Of the people of God. Maybe not. Literally. But he. Acquiesced in it. He. Said his amen to it. His soul and heart and mind were fully engaged in the persecution of the church.
[13:53] He is described as a hideous blasphemer. Because he denies the saviour. And he blasphemes his name.
[14:04] Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones. In his own comments says. He is not only called into the Christian life.
[14:15] Which was true of him. He experienced God's grace. Calling him from the life. That he lived as an unbeliever. But he is also called to be an apostle.
[14:27] Called. Called. Not only into the Christian life. But to be a testimony. To the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And to.
[14:39] Promote and propagate the gospel. In a very specific way. As it is intimated. As we said. To the Gentiles. That the Gentiles.
[14:50] Should be fellow heirs. And of the same body. And partakers of his promise. That is his role. That is his calling. And it is God. That called him to it.
[15:03] As we know. He often speaks of himself. As the least of the apostles. He speaks of himself. As the worst of sinners. He speaks of himself. As someone. Who is the slave of Christ.
[15:15] All of these things. Do not elevate him. But he wishes. Above all else. That Christ be elevated. That the grace of God.
[15:25] In Christ Jesus. In the salvation of sinners. Be the foremost. In the thinking. Of all that he. All that he encounters. And in order to do that.
[15:39] He is mindful of the fact. That God called him. Out of the pit. As the 40th Psalm. Has it.
[15:49] Paul could sing these words. He took him out of the pit. Out of the mighty clay. He set his feet. Upon the rock. And nothing. But the grace of God.
[16:00] In his experience. Could allow him. Have allowed him. To do that. And. It is always important. For every one of us.
[16:12] Who believe. In the name of the Lord. Jesus Christ. Never to lose sight of that. We may compare ourselves. To others. Who had a different path.
[16:23] To ours. Who may have come. Far. From the place. That God found us. Nevertheless. The same.
[16:35] Is true. Of everyone. Who experienced. God's grace. That that is what had to happen. As Lloyd-Jones.
[16:48] Puts it. Ministers. Are called. Primarily. As Paul was. He is called. To minister. To preach.
[16:58] The gospel. To make known. To others. The unsearchable. Riches of Christ. And as Jones. Puts it. Ministers. Are called. Primarily. To teach.
[17:10] Men and women. God's great revelation. Concerning himself. Concerning man. Concerning the only way. Of reconciliation. Concerning the kind of life.
[17:21] Mankind. Mankind. Is meant to live. And if you read. Roy Jones. He is very. Very. Insistent. That the ministry.
[17:34] Of the gospel. Takes priority. In the minister's life. The preaching. Of the word. Above. And before. Everything else.
[17:45] Whatever. Is required. To happen. In order. For that. To take place. That must. Take priority. And. Everything else. That.
[17:56] Necessarily. Comes. With. Being a minister. Must follow. And sometimes. In the kind of world. In which we live. Where the.
[18:06] Kind of demands. That are made. Upon. The gospel. Ministry. That there are other things. That intrude. Into that priority. But they shouldn't.
[18:17] Before. Paul. Could. Minister. He had to be called. To that ministry. And that order. Has to be followed. As well.
[18:28] It is a job. For some. But it is not. A job. As far as God. Is concerned. It is a calling. It is something. That God. Calls.
[18:39] A person. To. It is something. That Paul. That. Paul. Was. Called to. It was something. That. Paul. Paul. Was.
[18:49] Gifted. By God. Uses that language. He was. Gifted. The ministry. Of the gospel. Something. That God. Entrusted.
[19:00] Him. With. And something. That God. Required. Of him. To fulfill. I was reading.
[19:11] Just coincidentally. This morning. Just refreshing. Just a time. Of. Reading.
[19:23] A book. The. The men. Of. The far north. And it. It. It records. Men. From a different.
[19:33] Generation. Who were renowned. For their witness. For their testimony. In very. Testing times. For some of them. And one of the men.
[19:45] That was mentioned. And I read about. Just this morning. Was a. A man. By a name. By the name. Of George Mackay. He was an elder. In a secessionist.
[19:55] Congregation. And. He was. Quaint. I think. Most people. Would have considered. Him to be quaint. Or eccentric. And he would say.
[20:07] Things. And. People. Would wonder. What these saints. Met. Because. There was a. A very. Very.
[20:20] Strong. Meaning. At the heart. Of what was said. Uh. In the sense that. Some people. Might not. Fully. Comprehend. What he was getting at. But.
[20:32] In the congregation. I don't know. If they had a minister. Or if they were given. A loan. Of a young minister. Was there temporarily. And.
[20:44] He met with approval. In the congregation. And. The account. That. I read. Said that.
[20:55] Mackay. Was not at all. Impressed. By him. And. He. His comment.
[21:08] Was. And he was. His comment. Really was. Was in passing. To whoever. Would listen. I. And he. What he said was.
[21:18] Aye. Aye. Powder. But no short. Powder. But no short. And. The. And.
[21:29] The statement. Got back. To the ears. Of the minister. And he challenged him. And he said. For him. To stop. Speaking. In riddles. And. Be direct.
[21:40] And tell him. What he meant. By it. And he said. Do you want. The truth. He said. I have to. Say. That you. Can link.
[21:51] Passages. Of scripture. Together. Quite. Quite. Expertly. But he says. There is not. A drop. Of grace. In your veins.
[22:04] Or in your soul. You couldn't. Get directed. Than that. And remember. That was said. To. To a young minister. And whether that.
[22:15] Had the direct effect. On the minister. Or not. And I am sure. I wouldn't like you. To. To follow. That example. Unless you have. The same discernment. But.
[22:27] The minister. Didn't last long. In the ministry. He gave it up. And went back. To his. Worldly. Whatever activity. He had before there.
[22:41] But the thing is. This is what Paul. Is being. Saying. He is saying. About himself. His ministry. Is nullified. If he does not. Have the grace.
[22:51] Of God. In the first instance. That makes him. A believer. A genuine. All again. Believer. And take it from me. There has always been.
[23:02] And there always will be. Men who believe themselves. Called to the ministry. Who have no such calling. And who have no such experience. Of the Christ.
[23:13] Who is doing the calling. That's always the way it's been. From the time. Of the. The old testament. You always had prophets.
[23:23] That were not prophets. You had. Apostles. That were not apostles. You have. Presbyterian ministers. That have no right. To the name. And it will always be the case.
[23:35] But Paul. Emphasizes. Emphasizes. Here himself. This is. The Christ. By whom. The gospel. Came. To him. Whereof.
[23:46] I was made. A minister. According. To the gift. Of the grace. Of God. Given. To me. By the effectual. Working. Of his power. That's all important.
[24:01] If that doesn't happen. Whoever. Skillful. With words. We are. However. Educated. We may be. However. Attractive.
[24:11] Our presentation. Of the gospel. May be. If it is not. The call. Of God. That lies. At the heart. Of the person. Who feels.
[24:21] That call. If it is not. The call. Of God. That is. At the heart. Of the person's. Experience. Of being called. To present. Of the gospel. Then. You have.
[24:33] You have. Genuine. Cause. For concern. Always. Remember. That. I won't always. Be the minister. Here. Maybe. You've had. Cause.
[24:43] To question. My calling. Or my. Ability. Or whatever. But. That will soon. Be. At an end. One way or the other.
[24:55] But you will be. In a position. Where you will. Have to call. A minister. Over the congregation. And when that time. Comes. You must.
[25:06] Remember. That what you are doing. Is of the most. Important. Consequence. Because what you want. In a minister. Is that that person.
[25:17] Would first and foremost. Be converted. And that person. Be. Called. To the ministry. Of. The gospel. And then.
[25:28] Consider. If he is the one. Who is called. To minister. Amongst you. Because you are not. Just selfishly. Looking out. Your own interests. You're looking out. For the interests. Of others as well.
[25:40] Those who are believers. And those who are yet. To believe. And that is. An onerous responsibility. For any one of us.
[25:54] Paul is here. Speaking about. His own calling. And he is. Dare I say it. He is. Always. Immensely.
[26:08] Impressed. By the thought. Of God. Calling him. To this task. The gracious. Gift. Gift. Of God.
[26:19] To him. Is what he is saying. This is how. He describes. What he is. Called. To preach. The. First of all. The gracious. Gift.
[26:29] Gift. Of God. To him. A gift. To him. To be a preacher. A privilege. A privilege. And many. A preacher. Do not.
[26:39] Feel that privilege. They do not. They are so. Taken up. With the challenges. That confront them. That privilege.
[26:49] Is not the first word. That they would use. But it is. An opportunity. Given by God. To present. The gospel. Of Christ.
[27:00] To sinners. In need of a salvation. It is a great. Privilege. And we should never.
[27:11] Ignore. The fact. That God. Has endowed. Us. As a generation. With. Preachers. Called. By himself. To this ministry. To labor.
[27:23] Amongst us. As islanders. And as communities. How long. For. That is in God's hands. But don't ever. Treat it as something. That you have.
[27:33] By right. You don't. That quotation. That came. From. From. The. Men. Of the far north.
[27:46] Do read that book. If you get a chance. And you find. In that book. The names. Of all the congregations. That are there. You find them.
[27:58] They're just names. The congregations. Don't exist. The places. That. Once. At pulpits. And preachers. Are known.
[28:09] Inexistent. Barely. Half a dozen. In the whole. Of the north. Of Scotland. Have an. Evangelical. Ministry. Why.
[28:21] That is. After such. A godly. Witness. That's. God's. Wisdom. Not ours. A privilege. A privilege.
[28:31] To others. Of having. A faithful. Minister. Of the caliber. Of Paul. To bring the gospel. To them. Notice what is at the end. Of verse seven. The power. Of God.
[28:42] Enabling. And ennobling. The ministry. That. The preaching. That he comes with. Paul.
[28:55] Preaches. This gospel. And it is. The gospel. Of Christ. That he preaches. They will not be saved. However. Because it is Paul.
[29:06] That preaches. That's not where. The salvation. Likes. And we get this wrong. So often. Let us hear. The names. Let us hear.
[29:17] Those who have. Reputations. Let us hear. Those who have. Have. Come from. From. Places.
[29:27] That. That have. Prospered. If it was the men. That prospered. Who would betide. The future. Salvation.
[29:39] Salvation. Was not. Because. Of Paul. But because. Of the power. Of the spirit. Of God. Endowing Paul. As he preached. The gospel. That's what he looked to.
[29:49] That's what he depended. Upon. They heard. Paul. But they heard. The Lord. Through Paul. And remember that. What did Paul.
[30:01] Preach. Well. Paul. Preached. The unsearchable. Riches. Of Christ. What are. What are they? I'm sure. Every one of you.
[30:12] May have some idea. Of what the riches. Of Christ are. What are the jewels. That you see. That Christ. Possesses.
[30:22] That. Catch your eye. And as you think. On these things. You say. Well. These are the. The jewels. These are the. The precious.
[30:33] Riches. Elements. That. That Paul. Presents. The late. Moldo. Macaulay. Simply. Divided them. Into two.
[30:44] The riches. That he. Possesses. And belong. To the sphere. Of his glory. Or. The riches. He bestows.
[30:56] Which belong. To the sphere. Of his grace. And I think. That's a good summary. A good summary. Is there.
[31:08] Not. Ample. Scope. For many. A sermon. For the preacher. Whoever that preacher. May be. To think. Of. The. These.
[31:20] Unsearchable. Riches. Where would we go? Where would we go? Where should the preacher. Take you? Take you. Into glory. Before the world was. Take you into.
[31:31] The dialogue. That took place. Within the trinity. Take you into. The purposes of God. As he has disclosed them. In his word. But which were initiated. In the heavens.
[31:44] As God determined. Along with his son. To save. Men and women. That would be fallen. Who are yet to be created. Is there not a mystery there?
[31:58] The conversation. That could take place. Between the triune God. But only what is known to us. Only what is disclosed to us. Can be truly considered.
[32:09] But. There are so many things. That we can speak of. The election of God. The foreordination of God. The purposes of God.
[32:19] What took place in heaven. Before the fall of man. With the fall of the angels. These things. They are mysteries. They are unsearchable.
[32:32] They cannot be penetrated. With the puny minds. That we possess. But they are there. And they are there. To be preached on. Where God discloses. The sufficient truth.
[32:44] For us to dwell on these things. But maybe you prefer to hear. About the.
[32:55] The wonder of his grace. How you came to experience it. How you experienced it. Even though you were in the land.
[33:06] Far distant. And God found you. And God took you to himself. And God penetrated your darkness. And quickened. Your.
[33:17] Your sin. Gripped mind. And you think of all the things. That were true. Of that experience. And you wonder.
[33:30] At the. Unsearchable riches. How often. Did any one of us. Put our hand up. And he said. No I don't want that. I don't want it now.
[33:40] I don't want it at any cost. You are no different. To those who said. Take him away. Away with him.
[33:52] We do not want this man to. To be. Our king. To be lording over us. You said it. I said it. And yet in his grace.
[34:04] He persevered. And presented you. With a gospel. That gripped your mind. And captivated your heart. And brought you to your knees. And caused you to cry out to him. Lord be merciful to me a sinner.
[34:16] Can you not think of these things. That's what Paul wants to preach. Who can fathom. The fullness.
[34:27] Of the mystery. Of God's wisdom. Charles Hodge. The divine says. The fullness. Of the Godhood. The plenitude.
[34:38] Of all divine glories. And perfection. And perfection. Which dwells in him. The fullness of grace. To pardon. To sanctify.
[34:49] And to save. Is there anything. That a preacher preaches. That satisfies your soul. As much.
[35:03] If at all. Do you think. Do you think about that. Do you wonder. Well. Before I go out. To hear. The preaching of the word. This is what I want to hear.
[35:14] This is what I need to hear. This is what God. Must come with. And sometimes. If you're earnest. In your desire. God will come. With what you want. Or sometimes.
[35:26] Even he might come. With what you need. Not what you want. But it's an act. Of his grace. And it's out of the. Unsearchable. Reaches of Christ.
[35:37] That he presents you. With that. Just think of the love. Of Christ. As reading through. This passage.
[35:48] I was reminded. Of the love of Christ. And Robert Murray. McJane. Put it like this. It has a breath. Without a bound. Length.
[35:58] Without end. Height. Without top. Depth. Without bottom. As he not. Somebody. Who understood. The love of Christ.
[36:10] As apostle. To the Gentiles. This is his calling. To them. But not just to them. But always. With the gospel. Always. With the riches.
[36:21] Of the. Christ. Who is the savior. Riches. That cannot. Be measured. Or. Or. Fully.
[36:33] Comprehended. By way of price. I'll ask yourself. A question. Do you think. Paul. Was ever. Someone.
[36:44] Who got over. The fact that. God. Called him. To himself. In mercy. God. God. Called him. To make his.
[36:55] Mercy. Known to others. God. Called him. And equipped him. To allow. His ministry. To be. So far.
[37:06] And widespread. That's what we need. To pray for. In our own day. And generation. All the things. That are pressing in. Upon us.
[37:16] We need. The gospel. We need. The gospel. Preachers. We need. The spirit. Of God. To fill. Our mouth.
[37:27] From on high. That whatever. We preach. We preach. What is needed. As God. Determines. That need. May it bless. To us. These few thoughts.
[37:37] Let us pray. O Lord. O God. We give thanks. For the preachers. That touched our lives. In our youth. In our growing up. To adulthood.
[37:48] And subsequent. To that. We give thanks. For the gospel. Of your. Free grace. That speaks to us. Of. Unsearchable. Riches.
[37:58] Riches. Without. Measure. And without. Equal. Guide us. In the truth. That we may be led. To these things. And forgive us. Every shortcoming.
[38:09] Jesus name. Amen. Our closing psalm. Is Psalm 68. Singing in Galic.
[38:20] From verse 18. Psalm 68. At verse 18. Is. How you sue us. That in the dark. Who preach. Right. Is. To value. For. To.
[38:31] To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To. To.
[38:58] To. To. To. Thank you.
[39:36] Thank you.
[40:06] Thank you.
[40:36] Thank you.
[41:06] Thank you.
[41:36] Thank you.
[42:06] Amen.