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Christ in You the Hope of Glory · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We'll read a few verses around that point in the chapter from verse 24.
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Colossians 1 at verse 24.
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Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions,
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for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
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which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you,
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to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations,
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but now revealed to his saints.
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To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery,
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which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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It's really significant to note during the early centuries of the New Testament church
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how some of the great statements of faith were in response to heresy.
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If you take the creeds of the church, for example, back in the first few centuries,
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such as the Nicene Creed in 325,
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where the church council came to formulate that great creed,
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along with others that you find in these early centuries,
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what you'll find is that they were in response to particular heresies, heresies of the time,
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whether it was to do with the Trinity or with the person of Christ or with the Holy Spirit.
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The response was that the church at the time,
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they came together in these councils and formulated these great statements of theology of faith
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to form the creeds that we have since then.
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And of course, that led on in later years to statements such as confessions of faith
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that you have in the Westminster Confession of Faith
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and other confessions of faith that came to be formulated as statements of the,
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or a summary of the truth of scripture itself in a more comprehensive way than the early creeds did.
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And you find the same thing in Paul's letters as well,
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because what we're looking at this evening as part of the letter to the Colossians
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is something that is Paul's response to the heresy or the false teaching
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that was current in his own day,
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because he was here encouraging or assuring the Colossians
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as they faced that false teaching,
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especially when they were facing the kind of ideas
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that taught that there were upper levels of Christian experience
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that they as Christians in Colossae had not yet reached,
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and that they would have to go through various degrees of advancement
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using certain rituals or whatever
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in order to come to a more full and comprehensive understanding of the truth
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and of Christian experience as well.
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So, of course, that's been something the church has faced
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down through the years since then as well.
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And what Paul is doing,
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knowing that these false teachers could very easily discourage
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and perplex and cause Christians in the church in Colossae,
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all these places, to defect or to just become wearied in the faith
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or be so perplexed with the false teaching
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that they would begin to fall in with what was taught there,
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Paul is emphasizing, especially in Colossians here,
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two things that are really important for ourselves.
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They're not going to be our two headings for the sermon tonight,
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but there are two things that run right through the letter to the Colossians.
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The first is the completeness of Christ.
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How Christ is complete as the Savior of sinners.
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Through all that he has done, through his person and work, he is complete.
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There is nothing required other than Christ has done.
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There is nothing to be taken back from what Christ has done.
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He is absolutely complete in addressing the needs
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and providing for the needs of lost sinners like ourselves.
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And the second thing alongside of that is the completeness of believers in Christ.
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That's to say that when we are in Christ,
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we are complete or made complete by God.
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Not that there isn't still a stage of redemption to be experienced,
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to be finalized in glory.
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But nevertheless, in terms of our acceptance with God,
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in terms of God treating us and regarding us as his people,
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we are complete in Christ.
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We don't need to work ourselves into any higher levels of acceptance with God.
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Everything is in Christ, and in Christ we are already complete as far as God is concerned.
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And that goes a great way towards countering the kind of false teaching
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that the Colossians faced, that the apostles faced,
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that you face in your own experience in this present day as well.
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Every time you meet with something that appears to be false teaching,
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different to what you find in the New Testament or in the Bible,
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ask yourself the question,
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is this presenting a complete Christ to me?
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Is this teaching, does it entail the sufficiency of Jesus Christ as my Savior?
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And as well as that, ask,
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well, is this actually saying to me I need something or need to be something
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other than what I am in Christ?
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Do I need to have something added to my identity in Christ
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as somebody that God has accepted and brought into sonship by adoption
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and become part of his believing family?
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These are the two great issues that we always need to confront,
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and you'll always come to Paul's letters especially,
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and you'll find the answer in the completeness of Christ
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and your completeness in Christ.
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So now he comes to assure these Christians in Colossae
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that this, in fact, is what is already true of them.
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He says,
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Well, there's,
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a whole lot of things woven together there,
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and there are so many things that you need to open up
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and would really bear study just to have
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a couple of these phrases themselves opened up.
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But let's try and keep them together.
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He's talking here about this mystery,
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the mystery hidden for ages,
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the mystery of the riches of the glory of this mystery,
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how great it is among the Gentiles.
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He's obviously concerned that these Gentiles,
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these non-Hebrew Christians who,
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in Colossae,
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came to know the gospel
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and to know Jesus through the gospel.
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They're not in any way behind
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those of Israel,
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those of the Jewish people
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who had come from a long history
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of God's revelation to them
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to actually come to now know Christ as the Messiah.
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But he's now saying these Colossian,
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former Colossian Gentiles,
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non-Jews,
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have exactly the same level of acceptance
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with God as the Jews did,
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as the Christian Jews did.
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And he talks here about this mystery.
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What does he mean by this mystery?
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The word Paul uses elsewhere as well.
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We use the word mystery nowadays
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in the ordinary sense of it
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to indicate something that is unknowable.
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It's a mystery.
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You just can't understand it.
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The word mystery has that meaning to it
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as we normally use it.
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But the word mystery in Paul's theology,
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in Paul's letters,
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the word mystery doesn't mean
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something unknowable,
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but something that was unrevealed,
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but has now been revealed in Christ.
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The mystery really essentially
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is God's saving purpose,
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God's plan of salvation,
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which incorporated the Gentiles.
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That's really so much an integral part
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of what Paul calls the mystery,
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the plan of God,
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that the Gentiles were always included in the plan.
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Though in the process of time,
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only after Christ
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and after the Holy Spirit
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had come into the church,
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only then were the Gentiles
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incorporated through the gospel,
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but it was always within God's plan.
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That is the mystery.
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That is the previously unknown,
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but now known
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and made known,
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revealed by God.
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In other words,
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Christ himself
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really is the center
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of that mystery,
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that now revealed plan
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of God.
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And you see,
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it's important
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that he says here
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that he chose
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to make known
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to the saints,
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the mystery hidden
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for ages,
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but now revealed
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to his saints.
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When you go back
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to the Old Testament
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and look at the book
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of Jonah,
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a great question there.
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Why did Jonah
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run away
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from God's command
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to go to Nineveh
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and preach repentance
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to them?
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Why did he turn away,
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find a ship
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going in the opposite direction?
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Why did he not obey
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that command of God
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there and then?
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Well,
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the answer to that
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really basically
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is that
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for Jonah
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at that time
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in God's revelation,
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way back
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in those times,
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Jonah could not
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get his head
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around the fact
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that these heathens
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in Nineveh
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were going to be part
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or could possibly be part
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of God's plan
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of salvation.
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How could they be?
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They were enemies
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of Israel.
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They weren't within
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the covenant
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that God made
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with Israel.
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How could it possibly
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be that he was
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being asked,
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that Jonah was being asked
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by this covenant
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God of Israel
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to go to Nineveh,
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the capital of Assyria,
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these cruel heathen people
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and preach repentance
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to them?
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But that's really
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the key to
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God's teaching
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of Jonah
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that the likes
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of Ninevites,
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heathen people,
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Gentile people,
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were also part
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of God's great plan
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of salvation.
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And as we come
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to Colossians,
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Paul is actually
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here saying
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it's to his saints
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that God
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has now revealed this.
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That's important.
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By saints,
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he doesn't mean,
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of course,
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as we've seen already
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different times,
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he doesn't mean
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perfect people,
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he doesn't mean
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unblemished Christians,
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he doesn't mean
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people who are just
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now at the point
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of going to glory
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and have been made
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perfect.
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By saints,
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he means those
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sanctified in Christ,
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those who are in Christ,
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therefore set apart
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to be God's people
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in him.
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and God
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has made known
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to them
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this mystery
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hidden for ages
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but now revealed
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to his saints.
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Why is he saying that?
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Because these false
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teachers are saying,
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you know,
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you're not yet
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amongst the elite.
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You haven't actually
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come to graduate
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into the kind
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of mysticism,
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the kind of mystical
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understanding
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that we have
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of what salvation is,
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of how we actually
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proceed into
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the knowledge
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of God.
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That's for
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a small elite group.
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You have to work
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your way towards that.
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You have to graduate
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into this small group.
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No,
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Paul is saying,
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don't listen to that
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because every single
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Christian,
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everybody in Christ,
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all the saints
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of God,
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God has revealed
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this mystery
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to them.
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They're already
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incorporated
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into the church
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of God
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in this life
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and all those
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have the spirit
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of God,
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are the saints
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of God,
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they have this
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privilege.
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And then he moves
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on to speak about
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the mystery
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that's now revealed
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but he now goes
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on to speak about
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the riches
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of the glory
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of this revealed
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mystery and that's
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really adding
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another layer
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of teaching for us.
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Here he is
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and he's saying
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God has already
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revealed this
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to his saints.
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There are people
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who were Gentiles
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who did not belong
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to Israel
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but now have
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the same privileges
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and indeed now
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understand more fully
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than ever before
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the plan of God
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and how it involved
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Jew and Gentile alike.
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One church,
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one salvation,
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one God,
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one saviour.
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But what does he mean
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here by the glory
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of this mystery?
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He's not just saying
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he has revealed
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this mystery
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and he's saying
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to them God
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chose to make known
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how great
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among the Gentiles
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are the riches
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of the glory
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of this mystery
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which is Christ
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in you
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the hope
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of glory.
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Christ
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in you
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is the heart
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of this
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mystery,
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this revealed
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will and plan
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of God
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but there are
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riches to that,
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riches of the glory
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of this mystery,
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a glory
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to this mystery,
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there's a glory
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to it because
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Christ is central
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to it
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because it's the
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person of Jesus
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that stands
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absolutely foursquare
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in the middle
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of all of this,
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everything revolves
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around him,
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everything's based
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upon him
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but he's now saying
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the riches
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of this glory
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is Christ
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in you
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the hope
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of glory.
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Now Paul as you know
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more often
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than not uses
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to be in Christ
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is a more
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frequent phrase
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in his usage
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than for Christ
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to be in his people.
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To be in Christ
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is to be saved.
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But here he's talking
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about the other side
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of things,
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Christ
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in you.
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You go to the likes
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of Galatians,
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remember that wonderful
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passage
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where Paul
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deals similarly
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with Christ
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in you
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or Christ
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in him,
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Galatians 2
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and verse 20
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where he says
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there through the law
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I died to the law
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that I might live
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to God,
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I have been crucified
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with Christ,
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it is no longer
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I who live
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but Christ
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who lives
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in me
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and the life
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I now live
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in the flesh
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I live
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by the faith
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in the Son of God
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who loved me
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and gave himself for me.
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It's no longer
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I who lives
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but Christ
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who lives in me.
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whatever else
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that means,
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it means that the life,
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the spiritual life
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that Paul possesses
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that has come about
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through the knowledge
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of Christ,
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through Christ's blessing
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of him
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is now
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Christ
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in him
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is at the center
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of this
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spiritual life
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that he possesses.
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That's through everyone
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here tonight
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and it's an amazing thing,
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it's an astounding thing
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in itself.
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You'll find that Paul
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also prays
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for example
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to the Ephesians
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for the Ephesians
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rather
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in chapter 3
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verse 17
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of the letter
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to the Ephesians
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and it's
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praying that Christ
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may dwell
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in your hearts
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through faith
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that you being
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rooted and grounded
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in love
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may have strength
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to comprehend
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with all the saints
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what is the breadth
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and length
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and depth
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and height
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and to know
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the love of Christ
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that surpasses knowledge
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that you may be filled
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with all the fullness
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of God
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but you notice there
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he's saying
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that Christ
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may dwell
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in your hearts
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through faith.
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This is what he's
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praying for
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for these Ephesians
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same for the Colossians
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here he's saying
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this is the mystery
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this is the glory
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of this mystery
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how great among
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the Gentiles
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is
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are the riches
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of this glory
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which is Christ
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in you.
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which is the greater
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privilege do you think
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that we should be found
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in Christ
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or that Christ
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should live
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in us
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well they're both
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I would think
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on the same level
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the one's
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impossible
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without the other
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isn't it
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it can't be
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in Christ
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without
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through the Holy Spirit
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Christ taking up
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residence
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in us
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in his heart
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in each of us
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believing
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people
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not just
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amongst his people
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as a gathered group
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or as a church
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this is talking about
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Christ in us
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Christ in each one of us
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Christ actually
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occupying
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the life of his people
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the soul
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of his people
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that's the astounding
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truth that's set
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before us
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similar to the way
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that
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Jesus himself
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taught in John 14
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that
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the father
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and himself
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would come
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and take up
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residence
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or make their
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abode
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with the person
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who believed
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in Christ
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who kept
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his word
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and that's
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one of the things
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I for one
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fail really
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so often
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even to think
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about properly
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to dwell my mind
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upon properly
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the great
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privilege
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that it is
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both to be
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found in Christ
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and to have
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Christ in us
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to have Jesus
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occupying
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your own life
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as a place
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in which he dwells
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as a home
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that he has made
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for himself
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that's really
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what he's saying
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to these Colossians
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you know he's saying
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don't feel
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in any way
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inferior
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to the false
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teachers
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don't feel inferior
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or as if something
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is absent
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from your life
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when they say
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you've not yet
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quite made it
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however much
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you feel
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about yourself
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however much
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you're still aware
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of your sins
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how much
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you're aware
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of your failings
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how much
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you're aware
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of how far
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you have to go
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as far as you
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can see
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in terms of
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your holiness
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of life
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Paul is saying
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to you
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think about this
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from the moment
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that you're in Christ
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by faith
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Christ in you
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is the hope
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of glory
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his home
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is in your heart
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you're not inferior
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to any false
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teacher
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or any heretic
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that's out there
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that suggests
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you haven't yet
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made it
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you're complete
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in him
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and the complete
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Jesus
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is in you
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it's so important
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to hang on to that
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against all
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that would tend
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to contradict
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it or want
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to contradict
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it in your own
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experience as well
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and you know
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he's saying here
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the riches
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of the glory
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of this mystery
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well this mystery
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this plan
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of salvation
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has a glory
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to it
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and a glory
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of course
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is Christ himself
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Christ in you
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the hope of glory
19:17
Christ himself
19:18
is central
19:19
to the glory
19:19
of this salvation
19:21
as something glorious
19:22
and something
19:23
in which glory
19:24
has such a basic part
19:26
the Old Testament
19:29
you remember
19:30
had its own
19:32
presence of God
19:34
above the mercy seat
19:36
within the Holy of Holies
19:39
in the tabernacle
19:40
in the sanctuary
19:42
in the temple
19:44
then afterwards
19:45
and
19:47
the privilege
19:49
was given
19:49
to the high priest
19:50
alone
19:51
to go into
19:52
the Holy of Holies
19:53
once a year
19:54
the folks
19:56
on the outside
19:56
couldn't see
19:57
the cloud
19:58
the shekinah cloud
20:00
the glory cloud
20:01
above
20:01
the mercy seat
20:02
in the Holy of Holies
20:04
they knew
20:05
it was there
20:05
they were meant
20:07
to value
20:08
that presence
20:09
as the very indication
20:11
of God
20:11
being amongst them
20:12
God
20:13
in you
20:14
you might say
20:15
in the Old Testament
20:16
the hope of glory
20:17
the hope
20:18
anticipating the coming
20:19
of the Lord
20:20
well here it is
20:21
it is Christ in you
20:22
the hope of glory
20:24
the one who came
20:25
and tabernacled
20:26
among us
20:27
and we beheld
20:28
as glorious
20:28
John said
20:29
the glory
20:30
of the only begotten
20:31
of the Father
20:31
full of grace
20:33
and truth
20:33
that's the glory
20:34
that's the glory
20:36
centrally
20:36
in the New Testament
20:38
church
20:38
that's the glory
20:39
centrally
20:40
in the plan
20:41
and the scheme
20:42
of God's salvation
20:43
but you see
20:45
it's in you
20:45
it is in you
20:48
this Christ
20:50
is in you
20:50
and as Christ
20:52
is in you
20:52
so in you
20:54
is the hope
20:55
of glory
20:56
and I think
20:57
Paul is
20:57
counteracting
20:58
an idea
21:00
that may have been
21:01
we can't be sure
21:02
exactly what the form
21:04
of this false teaching
21:04
was but
21:05
it looks as if
21:06
there was some
21:07
kind of perfectionism
21:08
about it
21:09
that they've already
21:10
made it
21:11
and we're saying
21:11
to these
21:12
genuine Christians
21:13
in Colossae
21:14
you really haven't
21:15
quite made it yet
21:16
you're not like us
21:16
but Paul is saying
21:19
well
21:19
it's not yet glory
21:22
for those
21:24
who are in Christ
21:25
yes they are
21:26
complete in him
21:28
they're accepted
21:29
in him
21:29
but it's not yet
21:31
glory for them
21:32
glory is still
21:34
to come
21:35
and it doesn't
21:36
belong to this
21:37
world
21:37
belongs to the
21:39
state of glory
21:40
to the next
21:41
world
21:41
to heaven
21:43
and Paul is
21:44
saying
21:45
the hope
21:47
of that
21:47
the hope
21:49
of glory
21:50
is Christ
21:51
in you
21:52
and the Christ
21:53
in you
21:54
is the one
21:55
in whom
21:55
all the riches
21:57
of God's
21:58
salvation
21:59
already dwell
22:00
and he's in you
22:01
he's in your heart
22:02
he's in your soul
22:03
you have him
22:04
he resides
22:05
there
22:05
no one can
22:06
take him
22:07
from you
22:07
how rich
22:11
are Christians
22:13
how rich
22:16
is your
22:17
very special
22:19
salvation
22:19
how rich
22:21
are you
22:22
in Christ
22:23
well
22:23
you are as rich
22:24
as Paul is saying
22:25
here
22:26
the riches
22:26
of the glory
22:27
of this mystery
22:28
which is Christ
22:29
in you
22:29
the hope
22:30
of glory
22:31
it's not yet
22:32
possession
22:33
of glory
22:34
but it very much
22:35
is a promise
22:37
of it
22:38
that's secure
22:39
because as Christ
22:41
is already
22:42
in the hearts
22:43
of his people
22:44
so that itself
22:46
is the guarantee
22:46
that his people
22:48
will yet be
22:49
fully with him
22:50
glorified
22:52
together with him
22:53
but you see
22:55
thirdly
22:55
I want to just
22:56
mention this
22:57
before we finish
22:58
it's not just
22:59
the mystery
23:00
that's now
23:00
revealed
23:01
that had been
23:02
hidden
23:02
and it's not
23:03
just the riches
23:04
of the glory
23:05
of this mystery
23:06
which is Christ
23:07
in you
23:07
the hope
23:08
of glory
23:09
he also talks
23:11
about this
23:11
glory
23:12
being presently
23:13
active
23:14
in our present
23:15
sufferings
23:16
because all the
23:17
way through
23:18
here
23:18
in this
23:19
epistle
23:20
he talks
23:21
about
23:21
the sufferings
23:22
that are being
23:23
endured
23:23
by those
23:24
Christians
23:25
in Colossae
23:25
and
23:27
it's important
23:29
that that
23:29
hope
23:30
that we
23:31
possess
23:31
the hope
23:32
of glory
23:33
Christ
23:34
in us
23:34
is active
23:36
now
23:37
in this
23:38
world
23:38
in which
23:39
we face
23:39
tribulations
23:40
and it's
23:41
right to say
23:42
that
23:42
the sufferings
23:44
of God's
23:45
people
23:45
of the saints
23:46
of God
23:47
are unique
23:48
now that
23:49
doesn't mean
23:50
that other
23:51
people don't
23:51
go through
23:52
the same
23:52
kind
23:53
of sufferings
23:54
but it
23:56
does mean
23:56
no other
23:57
people have
23:58
these sufferings
23:59
given such
24:01
a place
24:01
in their
24:01
experience
24:02
as God
24:03
gives to
24:03
them
24:04
because he
24:05
uses them
24:05
towards their
24:06
final glory
24:07
and that's
24:08
not true
24:09
of anyone
24:10
that isn't
24:10
a saint
24:11
in Christ
24:12
and a
24:13
saved
24:14
sinner
24:14
in Christ
24:15
and that's
24:17
why Paul
24:17
is saying
24:17
that he's
24:18
rejoicing in
24:19
my sufferings
24:20
for your
24:20
sake
24:21
and
24:22
in verse
24:23
24
24:24
we already
24:26
saw in
24:26
Philippians
24:27
for example
24:27
how Paul
24:28
can rejoice
24:28
even in
24:30
prison
24:30
as he's
24:31
writing to
24:32
the Philippians
24:33
you have
24:33
the same
24:33
here
24:33
in the
24:35
epistle
24:36
to the
24:36
Colossians
24:37
as well
24:37
how can
24:38
he say
24:38
he's
24:39
rejoicing
24:39
what does
24:40
rejoicing
24:41
mean in
24:42
those
24:42
circumstances
24:42
well it
24:44
does mean
24:44
an element
24:45
of gladness
24:46
or happiness
24:47
if you like
24:48
but you
24:48
must never
24:49
leave it
24:49
at that
24:49
level
24:50
because
24:50
when Paul
24:51
uses this
24:51
word
24:52
rejoicing
24:52
as he
24:53
is here
24:53
there is
24:54
built into
24:55
it an
24:55
element
24:56
of
24:56
confidence
24:57
an element
24:59
of a
25:00
sense of
25:01
security
25:01
in Christ
25:02
if you
25:03
like
25:03
I rejoice
25:05
in my
25:05
suffering
25:06
for you
25:06
sake
25:07
he's
25:08
able to
25:08
say
25:08
I
25:09
have a
25:10
sense
25:10
of
25:11
security
25:11
through
25:11
these
25:12
sufferings
25:12
because
25:13
they're
25:13
part
25:14
of
25:14
the
25:14
sufferings
25:15
of
25:15
God's
25:16
people
25:16
and as
25:17
I belong
25:18
to that
25:18
group of
25:20
God's
25:20
people
25:20
I understand
25:21
he's saying
25:21
that my
25:22
sufferings
25:23
and your
25:23
sufferings
25:24
are not
25:25
different
25:26
in many
25:26
respects to
25:27
what God's
25:28
people have
25:28
always gone
25:29
through
25:29
and you
25:33
see this
25:33
amazing
25:34
phrase
25:34
he's
25:34
using
25:34
I
25:35
rejoice
25:36
in my
25:36
sufferings
25:37
I have
25:38
confidence
25:38
in my
25:40
sufferings
25:40
and in
25:42
my flesh
25:42
I'm
25:42
filling up
25:43
what is
25:43
lacking
25:44
in
25:45
Christ's
25:45
afflictions
25:46
for the
25:47
sake of
25:47
his body
25:48
that is
25:48
the church
25:49
now how
25:50
can he
25:50
say I
25:51
am
25:51
filling up
25:52
what is
25:52
lacking
25:53
in
25:54
Christ's
25:54
afflictions
25:55
what is
25:57
lacking
25:58
in
25:59
Christ's
25:59
affliction
26:00
how can
26:00
he mean
26:00
something
26:01
is lacking
26:02
when he's
26:02
talking about
26:03
the afflictions
26:04
the suffering
26:04
of Jesus
26:05
himself
26:06
but you
26:07
see he's
26:07
saying here
26:08
he's taking
26:10
Christ
26:11
and the
26:12
church to
26:13
be one
26:13
entity
26:14
his body
26:15
he's the
26:16
head
26:16
his people
26:17
are his
26:17
body
26:18
spiritually
26:18
and what
26:20
he's saying
26:20
here is
26:21
that that
26:22
one
26:23
entity
26:23
that one
26:24
a body
26:27
and a
26:28
head
26:28
together
26:29
have
26:31
if you
26:31
like
26:32
a
26:33
totality
26:33
of
26:34
suffering
26:34
allocated
26:35
to them
26:36
over the
26:37
course of
26:37
time
26:37
in other
26:38
words you
26:39
can't take
26:39
the
26:40
sufferings
26:40
of Christ
26:41
out of
26:42
the
26:43
sufferings
26:43
of his
26:44
people
26:44
altogether
26:45
neither
26:46
can you
26:46
take the
26:46
suffering
26:47
of his
26:47
people
26:47
as detached
26:48
from the
26:49
sufferings
26:49
of Jesus
26:50
so what
26:51
he's saying
26:52
is there
26:52
are still
26:53
some
26:53
afflictions
26:54
and will
26:54
be to
26:55
the end
26:55
of time
26:56
that will
26:57
be added
26:58
to what
26:58
the church
26:59
along with
26:59
Christ
27:00
the head
27:00
has already
27:01
suffered
27:02
and experienced
27:03
and when
27:05
that totality
27:06
is complete
27:07
the sufferings
27:09
of Christ
27:11
and his
27:11
people
27:11
together
27:12
the sufferings
27:12
of
27:13
what is
27:14
lacking
27:15
in Christ's
27:15
affliction
27:16
that is to
27:17
say the
27:18
church
27:18
will be
27:19
complete
27:19
in other
27:20
words
27:20
Paul is
27:22
using the
27:22
word
27:22
Christ
27:23
really
27:23
essentially
27:23
for the
27:25
church
27:25
itself
27:26
as
27:26
connected
27:27
to
27:27
Jesus
27:27
and all
27:30
through the
27:30
course of
27:31
time
27:31
there are
27:33
certain
27:33
afflictions
27:34
that belong
27:34
to the
27:36
church
27:36
as united
27:37
to Christ
27:38
joined to
27:39
his afflictions
27:40
as well
27:40
and Paul
27:42
is saying
27:42
that's why
27:43
I rejoice
27:43
in my
27:44
sufferings
27:45
for your
27:45
sake
27:46
because I
27:47
recognize
27:47
this is
27:48
what the
27:49
sufferings
27:49
belong
27:50
to
27:50
this is
27:52
the entity
27:52
that these
27:53
sufferings
27:54
are part
27:54
of
27:55
and therefore
27:56
I can
27:56
say
27:57
that I
27:58
rejoice
27:58
in them
27:59
that I'm
27:59
confident
28:00
that they
28:01
belong to
28:02
the saved
28:02
people of
28:03
God
28:03
so there's
28:05
the mystery
28:06
it's been
28:07
revealed
28:07
we know
28:08
what it
28:09
is
28:09
it is
28:11
that
28:11
the
28:12
Gentiles
28:12
along with
28:13
Jews
28:13
make up
28:14
the church
28:15
of God
28:15
it's not
28:16
the church
28:16
of the
28:17
Jews
28:17
and the
28:18
church
28:18
of the
28:19
Gentiles
28:19
it's
28:20
God's
28:21
church
28:22
of Jew
28:22
and Gentile
28:23
together
28:23
Ephesians
28:24
2
28:25
has that
28:26
even more
28:26
graphically
28:27
portrayed
28:28
but the
28:29
riches
28:30
of the
28:31
glory
28:31
of this
28:32
mystery
28:32
the
28:33
wonderful
28:34
riches
28:35
that belong
28:35
to being
28:36
in Christ
28:37
to being
28:38
the people
28:39
of God
28:39
and how
28:41
that is
28:42
experienced
28:42
presently
28:43
in our
28:45
present
28:45
sufferings
28:46
and through
28:46
them
28:46
we
28:48
come
28:48
to
28:48
rejoice
28:49
to
28:49
have
28:49
confidence
28:50
that as
28:51
far as
28:51
God is
28:52
concerned
28:52
and what
28:53
God is
28:54
doing
28:54
it's all
28:55
part
28:55
of his
28:56
great
28:56
plan
28:57
of
28:58
redemption
28:58
God bless
29:00
these
29:00
thoughts
29:00
on his
29:01
word
29:01
now let's
29:02
conclude
29:03
this evening
29:04
we're
29:04
singing