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Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things.
Those things, which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do,
and the God of peace shall be with you.
This final portion of this section on peace looks at the peace that we can experience with God himself.
In fact, peace with God is foundational to this entire discussion of peace in Philippians chapter 4.
Now, the internal peace that we studied in verses 4 through 7,
and the external peace that we studied in verses 2 and 3,
are actually impossible to achieve without first experiencing the peace of God,
and peace with God, that Paul now speaks of in verses 8 and 9.
There really could be some of us that are here today,
and the greatest issue or the greatest search of our life perhaps right now in this season
is that we would be at peace within,
that we would have this inner peace,
that this turmoil that is unrest in our hearts and in our minds,
and we're searching for that,
and we're looking for ways that we can just be at peace within.
Others of us may be looking for peace with others.
Maybe there's a measure of our life where we're looking to be at peace with our spouse,
or we're looking to be at peace with our neighbor or our coworkers,
and we're searching for peace in our lives.
But the whole discussion of internal peace and external peace
is worthless and vain unless we first are at peace with God.
And it's for this reason that Paul addresses this instruction in verses 8 and 9
to believers and not unbelievers.
Look with me at verse number 8.
Finally, brethren, he designates specifically who it is that he's addressing in this moment.
He's addressing Christians as he's done time and time throughout this book,
but it's just another reminder that what I'm about to tell you
is something that's going to apply specifically to those who are already at peace with God.
And the reason for that is because an unbeliever's attempt
at maintaining the life that is described in verses 8 and 9
is merely moralism.
And it in no way can actually bring you true peace with God.
Those who would attempt, apart from a relationship with God through Jesus,
to live in such a way as to be good enough in order to have peace with God
or to be moral enough to have peace with God,
will never actually achieve it.
It's just moralism.
It's ultimately vanity.
The Bible teaches that apart from a relationship with God through Christ,
a person wouldn't even desire to pursue this morality
or this biblically moral life.
Remember 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 14,
Paul wrote that the natural man, the unbeliever, the unsaved man,
does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,
for they are folly to him.
It's not only that an unbeliever does not pursue a biblically moral life,
but they would believe that morality to the extent
that God has instructed us in the Scriptures is actually foolish.
That to go so far as to say that we would live our lives in this way
and that this is what pleases the Lord,
to them is not only something that they're unwilling to pursue,
but they actually think the pursuit of it is foolish.
It's folly to them, he says.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God
for their folly to him,
and he is not able to understand them
because they're spiritually discerned.
Because there is this spiritual discernment,
in other words, something that comes directly from the Spirit of God,
it's impossible for an unbeliever to fully comprehend
and understand the need for the morality that the Bible teaches.
So Paul's objective here is not to instruct unbelievers to adopt a moral life.
He's instructing believers to live the way that God has told us in his word to live.
Those who have abandoned their moralism
and have trusted Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin
are given the capacity through the Holy Spirit of God
to actually live in faithful obedience,
to actually understand what faithful obedience even is.
Moral goodness does not bring peace with God,
though peace with God does bring moral goodness.
That is meant to be a demonstration of genuine faith and conversion.
So if my desire today is to be at peace with others
and my desire today is to be at peace within,
and I've come to understand that I can't achieve either one of those things
apart from being at peace with God,
how then is peace with God even made possible?
How can we truly be at peace with God?
Of course, there are certain prerequisites
for understanding this possibility of peace,
not the least of which is acknowledging God's existence
and then recognizing that it is his desire in love
to be at peace with you.
Peace with God is not something that the natural man seeks for.
So this whole possibility and design of peace
is not the idea of man.
It's not the search of man looking for God.
It's the idea of God making it possible because of his love
and his desire to be at peace with us.
Both of these truths are assumed in the creation account of Genesis 1 and 2.
The scriptures teach that God created man and woman in complete goodness.
In fact, at the end of creation,
he looked on what he had created just after creating Adam
and he looked on it and he said,
it is very good.
He created it in complete goodness
and his relationship with them
was characterized by perfect peace
and intimate communion.
Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord
by eating the fruit of the one tree
that God had said,
don't eat of it.
And we read about that in Genesis chapter 3.
Now the issue wasn't the fruit itself.
There was no poison in the fruit.
It wasn't that God instructed them to avoid it
because it in and of itself would be harmful to them.
The fruit of this tree was probably just like the fruit
of every other tree in the garden.
The issue wasn't the fruit.
The issue wasn't that they desired the fruit.
The issue was God said,
don't eat of it
and they disobeyed the word of God.
And that is the very definition of sin.
It's doing those things that go against what God has said.
It's not an issue of fruit.
It's an issue of obedience.
And God had warned them
that disobedience would result in death
and man's relationship to his creator
that at one time was characterized by perfect peace
would then be characterized by hostility and alienation.
And that's exactly what happened with the first sin
and it's exactly what has been perpetuated ever since then
in each and every one of our lives.
We are not by nature the friends of God.
We are by nature the enemies of God.
We are by nature in hostility with God.
We are by nature against him
and alienated from him.
And the tragedy is that there was no way
for Adam and Eve to restore that relationship.
There was nothing that Adam and Eve could do
to all of a sudden restore peace
between them and their creator.
No matter how much they wanted it,
there was nothing they could do to restore that peace.
Their only hope was that God in his grace
might intervene with a work of grace
that only he could perform.
And that's what's so amazing about the gospel message.
It's not that we recognize our wickedness
and we seek out a way to get to God.
It's that God recognizes our wickedness
and he has made a plan
and established it before the foundations of the earth
in order that he might restore peace with us
out of his love.
And then everything we read in the Bible
is ultimately about God's plan
to restore this peace,
this peace between himself and mankind,
his creation.
And in order for that reconciliation to take place,
a sacrifice had to be made
that was sufficient enough
to fully satisfy God's wrath against sin.
And this atonement could only be made sufficiently
by one being,
a perfect being that was not tainted by this disobedience.
And it had to be by God himself.
And so all of scripture speaks of this peace
and all of it culminates
as we get to the new covenant in the gospels
and we learn about this man, Jesus.
And we begin to understand exactly who he was,
that he was the only begotten son of God
and that not only was he the only begotten son of God,
but he's that second person of the Trinity.
He is God himself.
And he became that sacrifice that we desperately needed.
And he proved his divine power over the death
that we were destined for by raising from the dead.
Think back to Philippians chapter two.
In fact, your Bibles are probably open to it already.
Look at verse five.
Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Jesus Christ,
who being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
but made himself of no reputation
and took upon him the form of a servant
and was made in the likeness of men.
And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
Why?
So that God could have peace with man.
And then what has God done?
Verse 10 or verse nine,
wherefore God has highly exalted him
and has given him a name which is above every name.
What name is that?
Lord.
That at the name of Jesus,
every knee should bow of things in heaven
and of things in earth and of things under the earth
and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
That is who Jesus is.
That is Jesus's purpose.
He is God's plan to make a sufficient payment for our sin.
The only way to peace with God
is peace through Jesus Christ.
And his purpose in all of this
was the restoration of peace that we could not provide.
And he offers this eternal peace
to anyone who will trust Christ alone for salvation.
And he turns no true believer away.
That's the magnificence of God's love.
And the awesomeness of God's grace
is that anyone who will come to him
believing in Christ for salvation
will receive that salvation.
He turns no person away.
Jesus himself said in John 6, 37,
all that the father gives me will come to me.
And whoever comes to me,
I will in no wise cast out.
I will never cast away.
No person will ever call upon the name of Jesus
and be rejected.
All who come to him will be accepted in love and in grace.
And that's the prerequisite
to what Paul is instructing in verses 8 and 9.
His attention then is given to those
who are already at peace in salvation.
He's not teaching that salvation comes by works,
that if you achieve all the things in verses 8 and 9,
then the God of peace shall be with you.
That's not what he's teaching at all.
He's addressing those who are already at peace.
And he's instructing them to live lives of holiness.
So clearly, the daily benefit then
of experiencing the peace that comes from God
is affected by the way in which we live.
Our judicial standing before God as believers
is secure for all of eternity.
But our daily fellowship with God
can be hindered by sinful behavior.
The peace of God doesn't exist in a vacuum.
It's felt in all its fullness
as we willfully walk in faith and obedience to Christ.
And Paul's purpose here is to instruct and encourage us
on how to continue with that peace.
You say, I'm a Christian.
I know that I've been made at peace with God
through salvation, but I still have this peace,
this lack of inner peace within.
And I still have this lack of peace with others.
And it feels like my life has just contention
and conflict all around.
Could it be that you have not chosen as a believer
to live faithfully to the description of verses 8 and 9?
But rather, even beyond your conversion,
I've chosen to live a life of sinfulness
and a mindset that is not indicative of one
that is pleasing to Christ.
Well, Paul gives us this instruction and encouragement.
And he says, first of all, in verse 8,
that it is a matter of thought.
It's a matter of thought.
Look with me at verse 8.
Finally, brethren, and he goes through this list.
Look at the last phrase.
Think on these things.
There's no less than five different Greek words
used in the New Testament
that are translated in English as think.
The word that Paul uses right here in verse number 8
is actually a mathematical term.
It's logizmi is what it's called.
And it's the same word that we get our English word logarithm.
It means to calculate or to reckon objective facts
in order that we might draw specific conclusions.
In other words, Paul is instructing these believers
to meditate on these truths,
to meditate on these things
in the same way that a mathematician
meditates on an equation
and contemplates an equation.
It's not a passing thought
that kind of rolls around in his head
and then he moves on.
No, it's intense.
It is intentional.
And he focuses in on the problem that's at hand
and he draws specific conclusions
that are based on objective facts,
in his case as a mathematician, numbers.
Paul is saying that believers
are to look at the description in verse 8,
see them as objective facts
that come from the truth of God
and they are to meditate on those things.
And of course, the truth is
that you are what you think.
You are what you think.
The Bible tells us that.
Proverbs chapter 23 and verse 7,
for as he thinketh in his heart,
so is he, Solomon wrote.
Jesus said in Mark chapter 7,
what comes out of a person
is what defiles him.
For from within, out of the heart of man
come evil thoughts,
sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality,
envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
All these evil things, Jesus said,
come from within
and they defile a person.
What you are is what you think
and what you think
is influenced by your meditation.
The things that you give your attention to
and your affection to,
these are the things that influence your mind
and they shape your heart.
In other words,
what we allow to be the meditation
of our minds will shape our hearts
and eventually be reflected in our behavior.
And the believer's meditation,
according to Paul in verse 8,
is to be on the things that are acceptable to God,
the good things,
the true things,
as he goes through the list.
And we're reminded of David in Psalm 19
as he wrote,
let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight.
Oh Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 119.97,
the psalmist says there,
oh how I love your law.
It is my meditation
all the day.
So let's look at what Paul wrote
was to be the focus of our thoughts.
He gives us six individual words
and then he gives two summary statements.
Look with me at verse number eight.
Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true
is the first thing
that is to bring the focus of our thought.
Truth is something
that many people no longer believe in.
But it's significant
that Paul begins his list with it
because every other item in this list
flows out of truth.
Everything else comes out
of this first dynamic of truth.
If you don't have the focus of truth,
it's not even possible
for you to have the focus
of the other things.
Focus on truth,
Paul says.
Well, what is truth?
Some would say that it's relative,
that it depends on who you are
and the circumstances
in which you find yourself
is what determines truth.
Others would say
truth doesn't actually exist at all,
at least in any absolute sense.
But Christianity understands
and believes truth
to be that which comes
from the perfect character of God,
namely,
his word.
So Paul's instruction here
is an instruction
to meditate
on the Bible.
As again,
the psalmist wrote
in Psalm 119.11,
thy word have I hid in my heart
that I might not what?
Sin against thee.
The pathway to holiness,
the pathway to experiencing
the peace that comes from God
is the pathway of the word of God.
It is to focus on the truth of God.
What is truth?
Truth is God.
Truth is the Bible.
Truth is Jesus.
Truth is the gospel.
Think on these things.
Meditate on them,
Paul says.
Jesus said in John 17
in his high priestly prayer,
sanctify them in truth.
Your word is truth,
he prayed to the Father.
In Psalm 19,
we read,
the law of the Lord
is perfect,
restoring the soul.
The testimony of the Lord
is sure,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord
are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord
is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord
is clean,
enduring forever.
The judgments of the Lord
are true.
They are righteous
all together.
And in Titus chapter one,
Paul wrote to Titus,
a faithful pastor,
in the hope of eternal life,
which God,
who cannot lie,
promised long ago
at the proper time
manifesting even his word
and the proclamation
with which I was entrusted
according to the commandment
of God.
What is truth?
God's word is truth.
The gospel is truth.
Let that be your meditation.
And if you will meditate
on that which is true,
the rest of this list
will naturally fall into place
exactly where it needs to be.
Focus on the truth.
Think on these things,
Paul says.
Then he says,
secondly,
whatsoever things are honest.
The intention of this word
is to communicate
that which is venerable
or honorable.
We're to set our minds
on things that are dignified
and respectable.
There's a certain dignity
and respectability
that is to come along
and be indicated
in the life of a believer.
Because they have set
their focus on the truth,
there is a certain dignity
with which they live their lives.
It's the outflow
of our meditation on truth.
Paul says,
think on these things.
Think on the things
that are honorable.
Thirdly, he says,
whatsoever is just.
This is what is righteous.
Equity.
It means doing the right thing.
And it brings into view
a pursuit of godly wisdom.
And in his grace,
God has given us
entire books of the Bible
dedicated to making us wise.
Proverbs.
Ecclesiastes.
Job.
The full intention
of those books
is God's way of saying,
this is how to think wisely.
This is how to live
in godly wisdom.
Think on these things,
Paul says.
My dad had a practice
when I was growing up
and still does it to this day
that I've tried to adopt
even as my own personal practice
of reading a chapter
in Proverbs every day.
Every morning,
it's the first part
of my devotions
is to read a chapter
in Proverbs.
Why?
Because it's full
of God's wisdom
and I want to live
in wisdom.
James says we're to pray
for wisdom
and that any that lacks it,
if you pray,
that God will give it
generously to him
and will not abrade him
but will generously
give that wisdom.
Well, God has already
provided the truth
of wisdom in the Bible.
Read the book
of Proverbs.
Read Ecclesiastes
about the vanity
of life
and how to enjoy
and obey the Lord
in the midst
of the chaos
that is life.
Read the book
of Job
and learn about
the goodness
of God
even in the midst
of intense suffering.
Learn to be wise
because it's an overflow
of the truth of God.
Then he says,
whatsoever things
are pure.
This refers to that
which is chaste
and modest
and innocent.
it's the antithesis
of the sensuality
that is pervasive
in our culture.
Then he says,
whatsoever things
are lovely.
These are things
that are acceptable
and pleasing
both morally
and aesthetically.
I think God's intention
is that we set
our minds
on beauty.
One of the ways
that we bear
the image of God
is in beauty,
recognizing the beauty
of creation,
mimicking that beauty
in the way
that we carry ourselves,
in the way
that we approach
our work,
doing things,
setting our minds
on things
that are lovely,
acceptable,
pleasing.
And then the sixth one
he says,
is whatsoever things
are of a good report.
That which is reputable,
spoken well of.
It's the opposite
of conniving
and questionable ethics.
And then we immediately
figure out
that Paul could have
gone on and on and on.
He could have written
an entire book
just listing all the things
that we're to think on.
So he helps us
by giving us
two summary statements
at the end.
What does he say?
If there be any virtue
and if there be any praise,
if there's any moral excellence,
and if there's anything
that's worthy
of commendation,
think on these things.
What does that have to do
with being at peace
with God?
To meditate
on these things
is to exemplify
those qualities
in the way
that we live.
And this holy life
brings the peace
of pure,
intimate communion
with God.
If my meditation
has been taken off
of the sinful distractions
of the world,
and it has been primarily
placed on the truth
of God's word,
the natural result
and overflow
of that
is an intimacy
with God
like you will never
experience in anything else.
And what does intimacy
with communion
with God bring?
Peace despite circumstance.
Peace despite conflict.
Peace in every area
of life,
both inward peace
and external peace.
If sinful thinking
and behavior
is what separated
man from God
in the beginning,
we can't expect
that God would be pleased
to supply us
with his blessed peace
if we follow
after sin
after we're converted.
At some point
along the way,
there is this
antinomianism
that has
pervaded
Christian churches
that says
that once I settle
things as far
as my faith
is concerned,
then I'm
at liberty
to live
however it is
that I want to live.
And they expect
to have God's blessing
on their life
despite living
a life
that is completely
antithetical
to what God
has said
to live
in his word.
And you may be here today
and you've got
this inner conflict.
Maybe you constantly
are doubting
your salvation
and you can't
figure out
why you have
these feelings
of doubt
in your life
and you trace back
well what is it
that I believe
and you believe
all the things
about the gospel.
Maybe the problem
is not your belief.
Maybe the problem
is that your life
has been spent
focused
and meditating
on the things
of this world.
How could you
possibly expect
to sense
the security
and assurance
of your salvation
when your life
is lived
as an enemy
of God?
How could you
possibly expect
to have inner peace
when your life
and the way
that you live
is not indicative
of anything
that God
has told you
to do
and what he
has told you
to be?
Paul emphasized
the positive here
but it is helpful
for us to consider
the negative
the inverse.
Consider reading
it like this
whatsoever
is false
dishonorable
unrighteous
impure
unlovely
without excellence
and unworthy
of praise
do not think
on these things.
You said
Paul's command
calls for a life
of conscious negation
thinking as we
ought to
demands
the discipline
of refusal.
It's impossible
to think purely
when your meditation
is filled
with suggestive material
and pornographic
images.
It's impossible
to think honorably
when our
playlists
are replete
with music
that exalts
drunkenness
and sensuality
and rebellion.
it's impossible
to think
on truth
when our
meditation
is set
on the
perspectives
and strategies
of the ungodly.
The peace
of God
comes through
holiness
and holiness
is first
a matter
of the mind
and the way
that we think.
You say
what do I do?
Whatever you
have to do.
Whatever you
have to do.
Jesus said
in Matthew 5
if thy right
eye offend
thee
pluck it out.
If your right
hand offend
thee
cut it off.
He's speaking
in hyperbole
to reference
the severity
of sinful
behavior.
What must
you do
to set
your meditation
right?
Maybe it means
getting rid
of the TV
for a little
while.
Maybe it means
using the
smart phones
to give us
that indication
that once
we've spent
half an hour
on social media
for the day
we're done.
Do whatever
you have to do
to set your
meditation
on what is right
and to refuse
the things
that will lead
to sin
and complacency.
Cut out
the things
that shape
your heart
and sin
and embrace
wholly
the Bible
prayer
relationships
and media
that shapes
your heart
in righteousness.
So Paul says
it's first
a matter of
thought.
Much more
quickly than that
he says
it's a matter
of practice.
It's a matter
of practice.
Look at verse
nine.
Those things
what things?
The things
in verse
eight that he
just said.
Those things
do
do them
he says.
The descriptions
in verse
eight are not
meant to be
abstract ideas
to consider
but characteristics
to be practiced
in daily living.
Thinking right
is useless
if it isn't
worked out
into practical
behavior.
Not only are we
to refuse
wicked things
but we're
to practice
the good things.
this word
do
is that
very word.
It's the
word for
repetition.
The word
for practice
like an
athlete
who works
hard at
his craft
repetitiously
taking the
shots
repetitiously
doing whatever
he has to do
in order
to be the
best that he
can be
at his
position.
We're to
repetitiously
incorporate
holy living
into our
daily lives
in a pursuit
of being
conformed
to the
image of
Christ.
He says
all these
things in
verse number
eight
practice
them
repetitiously
in your
life
practice
them
yeah
you're
going to
fail
and you're
going to
fall
and there's
going to be
some times
that you
fumble
through
the keys
but just
keep
practicing
and just
keep
practicing
and even
when you
fall
just get
right back
up
and keep
doing it
again
and keep
doing it
again
and what
you'll
find
is that
God
in his
power
and through
the Holy
Spirit
begins to
shape our
hearts in
that way
as we
focus on
those things
so that we
can live
lives of
true holiness
and true
righteousness
that's pleasing
to him
and that
brings his
peace and
communion
and then he
says right
in the middle
of this
those things
which you
have both
learned
and received
and heard
and seen
in me
do
he basically
leaves these
believers without
an excuse
they couldn't
plead ignorance
in this
well we just
didn't know
what we were
supposed to
do
we didn't
know we
were supposed
to live
that way
we didn't
know we
were supposed
to do
those things
they couldn't
possibly plead
ignorance
learned and
received our
references to
instruction
heard and
seen our
references to
example
in other words
the Philippians
had everything
that they needed
in the word
of God
and in the
spiritual leaders
that God
had given
them
and so
do we
Christian you
cannot plead
ignorance in
this
we are more
blessed
than any
Christian
in the history
of the world
to be able to
have such
great access
to the word
of God
and not only
the word
but good
translations
that help us
and in various
languages that help
us understand it
and we have
access to great
writers and
theologians
through history
that God has
blessed us with
their minds
and helping us
to understand
the word of God
he's blessed us
with spiritual
leaders historically
spiritual leaders
presently that
serve as wonderful
examples there is
no way that you
can plead ignorance
in this if you
are living a life
of disobedience
it's only because
you have chosen
to it's not because
you don't know
what to do
so think on
these things
and the things
that you've been
instructed in
and the examples
that have been
given to you
follow them
then he says
finally and
most encouragingly
it's a matter
of promise
it's a matter
of thought
it's a matter
of practice
and it's a matter
of promise
look at the
last phrase
in verse 9
and the God
of peace
shall be with you
and the God
of peace
shall be with you
now I want you
to look at
verse 7
remember the promise
that we studied
last week
that the peace
of God
shall keep
your hearts
and minds
through Jesus
Christ
in that
we're promised
the peace
that comes
from God
we're promised
something
that God
gives to us
in verse 9
we're not promised
the peace
of God
we're promised
the God
of peace
you see the difference
on one hand
we're promised
the blessings
that only can come
from God's hand
on the other hand
we are promised
God himself
intimate communion
intimate fellowship
intimate relationship
with our creator
Paul didn't mean
this to be
a conditional promise
that was contingent
on our ability
to earn God's presence
that's not what
he's saying
he's not saying
that if you think
on these things
if you practice
these things
the God of peace
will be with you
that's not what
he's saying
that as
you think
on these things
and as
you practice
these things
God will
be with you
why
because you
belong to him
the awesomeness
of this promise
is that it stands
even when we
fail
the greatness
of God's grace
and salvation
is that we
couldn't restore
that peace
only Jesus
could restore
that peace
God views you
not on the basis
of who you are
and what you've
done
he views you
as a believer
on the basis
of what Christ
has done
for you
therefore
even when you
fall beyond
your conversion
he does not
take away
his presence
from you
that is yours
forever
and ever
for all of
eternity
so revel
in the promise
of God
that he is
with you
and think
on these things
to live a life
that is pleasing
to him
so that you
can possibly
experience the
blessings
that come
from his
hand
the natural
consequences
of righteousness
rather than
the natural
consequences
of sin
what a wonderful
truth
that his presence
is on the basis
of what Christ
has done
not what we
have done
all who receive
this reconciliation
through Christ
will enjoy
peace
peace with
God
forever
and I want
to close
this morning
by referencing
Spurgeon
once again
the 1800s
when he was
preaching on
Philippians chapter
4
the third
point of his
message
was focused
in on this
phrase in
verse 9
the God
of peace
and the
heading of
this third
point was
the triune
God
its author
the triune
God
its author
and he took
time to
expose
each role
that the
person of
the Trinity
has
in salvation
and providing
true peace
with God
first he said
God the
Father
is the
planner
he's the
giver of
the son
in fact
flip just a
couple of
pages
before
to the
left
and turn
to Ephesians
chapter 1
God the
Father
is the
planner
this was
his idea
not our
idea
he did
this
look with
me at
Ephesians
1
look at
verse 3
blessed
be the
God
and
Father
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
who
hath
blessed
us
with
all
spiritual
blessings
in
heavenly
places
in
Christ
listen
to
this
according
as he
hath
chosen
us
in
him
before
the
foundation
of
the
world
this
was
his
plan
that
we
should
be
holy
and
without
blame
before
him
in
love
having
predestinated
us
unto
the
adoption
of
children
by
Jesus
Christ
to
himself
it
was
his
plan
it
was
his
goal
it
was
his
work
according
to
the
good
pleasure
of
his
will
it
was
all
his
idea
he's
the
planner
he's
the
giver
of
the
son
to
the
!
What a
wonderful
truth
who is
this
God
of
peace
he's
first
the
father
the
planner
the
giver
of
the
son
secondly
he's
God
the
son
God
the
son
Spurgeon
said
was
the
procurer
he
was
the
covenant
fulfiller
and
covenant
sustainer
flip
to the
right
just a
few
pages
to
the
book
of
Colossians
and
look
with
me
at
Colossians
chapter
1
just
probably
a
couple
of
pages
to
the
right
from
where
you
were
in
Ephesians
Colossians
chapter
1
look
first
with
me
at
verse
14
speaking
of
Jesus
in
whom
we
have
redemption
through
his
blood
even
the
forgiveness
of
sins
who
is
the
image
of
the
invisible
God
the
firstborn
of
every
creature
for
by
him
were
all
things
created
that
are
in
heaven
he's
speaking
of
his
deity
and
that
are
in
earth
visible
and
invisible
whether
they
be
thrones
or
dominions
or
principalities
or
powers
all
things
were
created
by
Jesus
and
for
Jesus
and
he
is
before
all
things
and
by
him
all
things
are
held
together
and
he
is
the
head
of
the
body
the
church
who
is
the
beginning
the
firstborn
from
the
dead
that
in
all
things
he
might
have
the
preeminence
made
peace
through
the
blood
of
his
cross
by
him
to
reconcile
all
things
unto
himself
by
him
I
say
whether
they
be
things
in
earth
or
things
in
heaven
and
you
that
were
sometime
alienated
and
enemies
in
your
mind
by
wicked
works
yet
now
hath
he
reconciled
in
the
body
of
his
flesh
!
He's
the
procurer!
He's
the
one
that
achieves
the
peace!
He's
the
covenant
fulfiller
you're
in
Colossians
1
look
at
Colossians
2
look
at
these
two
verses
verse
13
and
14
and
you
who
were
once
dead
in
your
sins
and
the
uncircumcision
of
your
flesh
hath
he
made
alive
together
with
him
having
forgiven
you
all
trespasses
listen
to
verse
14
I
love
this
verse
blotting
out
the
handwriting
of
ordinances
that
was
against
us
which
was
contrary
to
us
and
took
it
out
of
the
way
nailing
it
to
his
cross
what
a
wonderful
truth
of
God
the
son
it's
a
scene
of
it's
a
judicial
scene
it's
a
courtroom
scene
where
there's
God
the
father
who
is
the
judge
and
it
is
us
who
have
come
to
answer
for
our
sins
and
on
one
hand
there's
a
board
that
has
listed
the
handwriting
of
ordinances
that
was
against
us
all
the
things
of
God
that
we
disobeyed
all
the
law
of
God
that
we
went
against
and
on
one
hand
is
the
great
accuser
Satan
the
devil
himself
going
to
the
judge
and
saying
look
here's
Bob
and
here's
Brian
and
here's
Julie
and
here's
all
the
things
that
they
did
to
break
your
law
cast
them
into
eternal
punishment
and
then
for
those
that
have
trusted
Christ
alone
is
our
out
the
transgressions
that
were
written
against
them
having
nailed
them
to
my
cross
and
he
presents
his
own
blood
as
a
sufficient
payment
for
the
sins
that
we
have
committed
not
because
we're
good
but
because
he
is
good
and
God
the
son
becomes
the
procurer
of
our
peace
with
God
and
then
we
hear
those
great
words
that
we
long
to
hear
as
believers
well
done
my
good
and
faithful
servant
enter
thou
into
the
joy
of
the
Lord
not
because
you're
actually
good
but
because
Christ
is
good
on
your
behalf
all
those
who
come
to
him
in
faith
I
will
never
cast
out
so
there's
God
the
father
who's
the
planner
the
giver
of
the
son
he
set
this
all
in
motion
then
there's
God
the
son
the
procurer
he's
the
covenant
fulfiller
the
covenant
sustainer
and
then
thirdly
there's
God
the
spirit
he's
the
executor
in
our
soul
flip
back
to
Ephesians
chapter
one
Ephesians
chapter
one
I won't
make you
turn
anymore
Ephesians
one
verse
13
in
whom
speaking
of
Christ
you
trusted
for
salvation
after
you
heard
the
word
of
truth
the
gospel
of
your
salvation
in
whom
also
after
you
believed
were
sealed
with
the
holy
spirit
of
promise
which
is
the
earnest
of
our
inheritance
!
unto
the
redemption
of
the
purchased
possession
unto
the
praise
of
his
glory
he's
the
executor
of
our
soul
who
is
this
God
of
peace
that
we
desire
to
be
in
relationship
with
he's
God
the
father
the
one
that
planned
the
peace
because
we
couldn't
he's
God
the
son
who
procured
the
peace
would
be
enough
he's
God
the
spirit
who's
the
executor
in
our
soul
who
actually
gives
us
the
peace
and
makes
that
reconciliation
with
God
and
again
God
says
whoever
will
come
to
me
having
abandoned
your
moralism
having
abandoned
your
best
possible
pursuit
of doing
what you
want
to
do
and
living
the
way
that
you
want
to
live
no
matter
how
bad
you
are
no
matter
how
much
you
have
denied
even
the
very
existence
of
God
no
matter
how
much
you
have
blasphemed
him
if
you
will
come
to
him
he
will
never
cast
you
out
and
if
you
come
to
him
you'll
receive
that
salvation
and
then
beyond
that
salvation
Christian
think
on
these
things
!
them
repetitiously
believing
in the
promise
of
God
and
what
will
come
to
pass
a
communion
that
experiences
true
peace
not
just
in
its
standing
judicially
with
God
but
in
the
actual
experience
of
peace
in
this
life
even
when
things
around
us
are
awful
you
want
peace
within
and
peace
without
starts
with
peace
with
God
and
it's
sustained
by
peace
with
God
and
the
holy
life
that
we
live
let's
pray
together
thank
you
for
listening
to
this
sermon
made
available
by
Lakeside
Bible
Church
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free
to
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it
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please
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Church
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