Lord, how we praise and thank Thee, because
it is Thy desire and Thy delight to
dwell among men.
Oh, how we praise and thank Thee, because
Thou art looking for Thy rest, and Thy
rest is in the man that Thou hast
created.
O Lord, it is also our deep desire
that we may be Thy rest.
O Lord, we ask Thee that Thou would
come into Thy rest in the midst of
Thy people.
How we praise and thank Thee for all
Thy provisions.
How we thank and praise Thee, Thou hast
indeed clothed us with gladness, Thou hast indeed
filled us with Thy joy.
Oh, we do come together to bless Thy
name, to praise and to worship Thee, and
to offer ourselves afresh to Thee for the
fulfillment of Thy purpose among us.
We do commit this morning into Thy hands.
We trust that Thou art with us, and
Lord, we ask Thee that Thou would speak
to us.
Speak, Lord, Thy servant heareth, in the name
of our Lord Jesus.
After the meeting yesterday morning, I was chided
by my brothers.
They thought that I should continue and forget
the time.
Since I was speaking on eternity, I shouldn't
be so conscious of time.
So this morning, as a punishment, I have
to continue on what I hadn't finished yesterday
morning.
I do hope that brothers and sisters will
bear with me.
We are considering together on a very important
subject which concerns every one of us.
It is not only in the heart of
God, but it ought to occupy a very
large place in the heart of all those
who love the Lord.
And our subject is, of course, the Church.
We desire to see the Church not from
the historical viewpoint, nor from the contemporary viewpoint,
but we believe that if we want to
know what the Church really is, we have
to see it from God's viewpoint.
In other words, we need to have an
eternal perspective.
And then we will see what the Church
is in the heart, in the mind, in
the eye of God.
We mentioned yesterday morning that the Church is
the mystery of the Christ, as we find
in Ephesians chapter 3.
It is a mystery because before the world's
foundation, it is conceived by God.
And this is hidden throughout the ages, waiting
for the time when that mystery is to
be opened up to be revealed to us.
And we do thank the Lord that this
is an open mystery now.
We know that this is the purpose of
God, which he purposed in Christ Jesus throughout
the ages.
I mentioned yesterday morning that there are four
key phrases which may help us to understand
the Church as the eternal purpose of God
in Christ Jesus.
And these four phrases can be found in
the first three chapters of Ephesians.
Now the first one is in chapter 1,
verse 5.
According to the good pleasure of his will.
The good pleasure of God's will.
God has a will.
God is the supreme will.
He can do anything that pleases him.
He does not need to answer to anyone.
He is God.
He is sovereign.
He has his pleasure.
He has his delight.
And it is the pleasure of God to
have the Church.
The Church is not something conceived by man.
It is not something according to the pleasure
of man.
But we must see that the Church of
God is according to the good pleasure of
God's will.
I think it will be very helpful if
you try to see through the Bible what
is it that God is pleased with.
What is the pleasure of God?
Now, of course, the pleasure of God, in
another sense, is God's will.
Because his pleasure is whatever he will, whatever
he wants.
Because God is good.
Therefore he is pleased only with that which
is good.
The pleasure of God is the good pleasure.
It is the good will.
Now, in Ephesians chapter 1 you will find
these words.
He has chosen us in him before the
world's foundation that we should be holy and
blameless before him in love.
What is the good pleasure of God's will?
The good pleasure of God's will is that
he has chosen us in Christ before the
foundation of the world that we might be
holy and blameless before him in love.
This is the good pleasure of God.
We are chosen not because we are worthy.
We are chosen not because we have done
anything.
We are chosen not because we will it
to be.
We are chosen according to the good pleasure
of God's will.
Oh dear brothers and sisters, we need to
see that today we are chosen.
We are chosen in Christ.
We are chosen before the foundation of the
world.
We are chosen before we exist physically.
We are chosen before we know anything.
We are chosen before we can will anything.
We can desire anything.
It is not our desire.
It is not our doing.
It is the good pleasure of God that
he has chosen us in Christ Jesus.
Very often we think that we are chosen.
It means that we are saved.
Now, of course, whom he has chosen, he
will call and whom he has called, he
will justify.
No doubt about that.
But here you'll find God has chosen us
in Christ Jesus that we may be holy
and blameless in love before him.
We are chosen that we may be holy.
And of course, you know the word holy
means separated.
We are chosen to be separated from the
world.
We are chosen to be separated from ourselves.
We are chosen to be separated from everything
but unto God.
We are chosen for his son.
We are chosen that we may be given
to his son as God's exclusive gift to
his beloved.
Dear brothers and sisters, do you know that
we are very exclusive?
Non-exclusive in the sense that we restrict
our fellowship just to those who agree with
us.
Not at all.
In this respect, we must be very open.
As open as our Lord.
We must receive whomever the Lord receives.
But dear brothers and sisters, so far as
we are God's gift to his son is
concerned, we are most exclusive.
And because of that, you'll find God is
very jealous.
He is very jealous.
Why?
Because he has chosen us to be gift
to his only begotten.
And anything that may interfere with that, anything
that may distract that, he is very jealous
over all these things.
We are to be holy before him.
And not only holy, but blameless.
Or maybe in some version you'll find without
blemish.
How can we, who are full of spots
and blemishes, that we may be without blemish?
We may be without blame before God.
This is only possible through his great love
towards us.
It is God's love that has taken away
all our spots and all our blemishes.
It is love that has covered a multitude
of things.
It is love that has accepted us in
his well-beloved.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, this is what
the church is.
The church is a glorious church without spots
or wrinkles or any of such things.
To be presented to his son as the
bride.
And this is all according to the good
pleasure of his will.
Again, you'll find in verse 5, having mocked
us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ
to himself.
Again, according to the good pleasure of his
will.
We are mocked out.
God has mocked us out beforehand.
That is, before the foundation of the world.
For adoption through Christ Jesus to himself.
Now, of course, we know the word adoption
here means friendship.
It is just another way of putting it.
I often say that God does not adopt
children like we adopt today.
The way that God adopts is he begets
us to adopt us.
You'll find that he has begotten us and
he has adopted us.
He has taken us to himself.
Not only as children, but as grown-up
sons.
And this is the good pleasure of God's
will.
That is the reason why you'll find in
Hebrews, it is said, the church is called
the church of the firstborn.
Our Lord Jesus is the only begotten son.
Our Lord Jesus has become the firstborn of
all creation.
And now you'll find he has so taken
us unto himself.
He has so united us with himself that
the church is called the church of the
firstborn.
We are all sons in Christ Jesus, and
this is his good pleasure.
You remember Paul said, it pleases God to
reveal his son in me.
It is the good pleasure of God.
See, this is true.
Dear brothers and sisters, we have a very
great responsibility.
Since we are chosen, we are called, we
are marked out according to the good pleasure
of God's will.
So this is where we begin.
We begin in the good pleasure of God's
will.
Then we have a very great responsibility.
And our responsibility is that we may please
him in all things.
Dear brothers and sisters, is it our desire
that we may please Christ?
That we may please God in all things?
Do you remember the life of our Lord
Jesus?
When he was on earth, he said, the
Father always hears him.
Why?
Because he does everything that pleases the Father.
Our Lord Jesus has never done anything that
displeased the Father.
He does not live for his own pleasure.
He lives for the pleasure of his Heavenly
Father.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, you find that
as Christ lives for the pleasure of the
Father, we ought to live for the pleasure
of our Lord Jesus.
We are chosen according to his pleasure.
Therefore, we must live to please him.
We cannot live on this earth just seeking
our own will, doing our own pleasure.
This is not what we are called for.
This is not what we are chosen for.
We are here to please him.
We are here to be his pleasure and
his delight.
So this is the first phrase that we
find in connection with the Church as the
eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus.
Then you'll find the second phrase in verse
9, which he purposed in himself.
First, there is the pleasure of God's will.
Then, secondly, you'll find the purpose, which he
purposed in himself.
And then, in the third chapter, you'll find
he purposed that purpose in Christ Jesus.
We mentioned yesterday morning the pleasure is an
idea.
The pleasure is something that is within his
mind.
Now, when that good pleasure is precipitated, it
becomes a purpose.
Sometimes you may have some idea, but you
do not come to the point of making
a determination or a decision.
Sometimes beautiful ideas float through your mind, they
come and they go, and they just fade,
fade away.
Nothing is accomplished.
It is almost like a dream that passes.
But not so with God.
When God has an idea, when God has
a thought, when God has a good pleasure,
when God delights in something, you'll find that
he comes down to a purpose.
Purpose is the essence of good pleasure.
There, the good pleasure is being precipitated into
a purpose.
God is a God of purpose.
God never does anything by chance.
God is never forced into anything.
You know, that's how we live.
We often do things by chance.
And very often we are just forced into
doing something.
But you can never force God to do
anything.
He is never directed by external forces.
He is the God of purpose.
Before he undertakes anything, he has a desire.
He has a decision.
He has a determination.
He purposes in himself.
You know, if the Church of God is
left to our purpose, then you'll find it
is very dangerous.
Why?
Because to us, the Church of God doesn't
seem to be very appealing at times.
Sometimes, if you really know the Church, it
is just a little bit too much for
the flesh.
But we do praise and thank God that
the Church is the purpose of God.
God has purposed it.
God has decided.
And God is determined to have it.
And this purpose, he purposed in Christ Jesus.
It means that this purpose concerns Christ Jesus.
This purpose is made for Christ Jesus.
Do not think that we are the purpose
of God.
Of course.
You remember Romans chapter 8?
There's a verse that we often use, especially
when any brother and sister is sick, or
any brother and sister is afflicted with something
that you do not know how to explain
and how to comfort.
We always say, well, all things work together
for good to those who love the Lord.
Now, so long as you love the Lord,
everything will be all right.
Everything will turn out all right.
Because the word of God says, all things
work together for good to those who love
the Lord.
Sometimes I feel these words when they are
spoken.
Just like Job told his friends, these are
proverbs of ashes.
All things work together for good to those
who love the Lord.
Now, that's the verse we often quote.
But we often misquote.
Because the word of God does not stop
there.
You'll find the word of God continues and
says, all things work together for good to
those who love the Lord, who are called
according to His purpose.
Dear brothers and sisters, we are called according
to God's purpose.
Now, what is that purpose?
Of course, that purpose includes you and me.
We are included in that purpose.
But what is that purpose?
That purpose is that we may be conformed
to the image of His Son.
In other words, His Son is the center
of that purpose.
And we are to be conformed to the
image of God's Son.
The purpose is concerning His Son.
And this purpose is to be realized in,
by and through His Son.
This purpose of God is not to be
realized by us.
This purpose of God is not to be
accomplished by our efforts.
You'll find that this purpose is purpose in
Christ Jesus.
And that is, it shall be realized through
Christ.
And because of that, it is most sure
He cannot fail.
Once God has made His purpose, He will
see it through, through Christ Jesus, His Son.
And that is the reason why that our
Lord Jesus came to this world.
That is the reason why He went to
the cross.
And there you'll find at the cross He
cried out, It is finished!
The purpose is being realized.
Out of His death and resurrection, the Church
is born.
The purpose of God, that He has purpose
in His Son and for His Son, is
being realized.
It is all His doing.
Marvelous is His way.
And then thirdly, you'll find the third phrase,
it says, verse 11, according to the counsel
of His own will, that we shall be
to the praise of His glory.
First the pleasure, then the purpose, and then
you'll come the counsel.
After God has made a purpose, and then
He begins to plan.
He begins to lay down a plan.
Probably you remember in Proverbs it is said,
Without counsel, purpose cannot be fulfilled.
You need counsel in order to have your
purpose realized.
Oh, many people have very good determination, but
they never have counsel.
That is to say, they want this, they
want that, but they have never laid down
a plan as to how to arrive at
that point.
God has made a purpose, and now He
lays the plan.
In saying this, I remember especially these verses
in Romans chapter 11.
It says, O depth of riches, both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable
His judgment, and untraceable His way, for who
has known the mind of the Lord, or
who has been His counselor, or who has
first given to Him, and it shall be
rendered to Him.
For of Him, and through Him, and for
Him are all things.
To Him be glory forever.
Amen.
You'll find that the counsel of God is
marvelous.
How in the counsel of God He has
decided beforehand to send His Son to this
world, and how according to the full knowledge
of God and the counsel of God that
Christ shall be crucified by the hand of
the lawless, and how He prepared Abraham as
the father of the Jewish nation, preparing a
pure race out of which Christ shall be
born, and how salvation shall be first to
the Jews and then to the Gentiles, and
then neither Jews nor Gentiles, and here you'll
find we become all one in Christ Jesus.
This is the counsel of His will.
If we know anything of His counsel, you'll
find that truly no one has been His
counselor.
He has laid out His plan all by
Himself, and wonderful and marvelous are His ways.
The counsel of His will.
And then lastly, the fourth one, which you
will find also in verse 11, according to
the purpose of Him who works all things
according to the counsel of His own will,
and then verse 19, according to the working
of the might of His strength.
The pleasure, the purpose, the counsel, and then
the working.
The working, according to working, the working of
the might of His strength.
God is the one who conceives the idea
of the church.
Nobody else has the right to conceive any
idea about the church.
Nobody has the right to manufacture anything according
to His pleasure, because the church is according
to the pleasure of God's will.
It is according to the purpose of God,
purpose in Christ Jesus.
It is according to the counsel of His
will.
It will be according to the blueprint that
He has laid down.
And finally, it is according to the working
of the might of His strength.
In other words, it is not by our
working.
It is not being the energy of the
flesh.
It is the working of the might of
His strength.
God said, I will do it.
You remember the Lord Jesus said, I will
build my church.
And the gate of Hades shall not prevail
against me.
What is this working of God?
You read Ephesians chapter 1 and chapter 2
and you'll find it.
You'll find at first that working of the
might of His strength works in Christ Jesus,
in raising Christ from among the dead.
First you'll find Christ came to this world.
He went to the cross.
He was buried in the tomb and people
thought now that's the end.
But here you'll find the working of the
strength of His might in raising up Christ
from among the dead.
And He set Him down at His right
hand in the heavenlies.
The might of His strength raising Him from
the dead.
Not only from the dead but out of
the earth.
Set Him high up at His right hand
above every principality and authority, power and dominion
and every name, not only in this age
but also in that to come and has
put all things under His feet.
This is the might of His strength.
He has already done it.
We have seen Christ being raised from the
dead.
Death cannot hold Him.
We have seen Christ being taken up to
heaven.
The earth cannot hold Him.
We have seen Him seated at the right
hand of God because the Holy Spirit is
poured out and we know that He is
above all things.
God has put all things under His feet
that He may be the head over all
things to the church which is His body,
the fullness of Him who fills all and
in all.
This is the working of the strength of
His might.
Now this same working works in us because
you read Ephesians chapter 2 and you'll find
the same thing.
What has been demonstrated in Christ Jesus the
head is now being worked out in the
body which is the complement of the head.
There you'll find we who are dead in
sins and transgressions, we who are hopeless and
helpless, and you'll find how He has quickened
us with Christ Jesus, how He has raised
us up together, how He has made us
sit down together in the heavenly in Christ
Jesus that He might display in the coming
ages the surpassing riches of His grace and
kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.
Here you'll find the same working that has
been demonstrated in Christ is now working in
us that is in the church.
And this is how the counsel of God
is carried out.
This is how the purpose of God is
realized.
This is how the good pleasure of God
is being fulfilled.
Dear brothers and sisters, do we need to
have any doubt?
Need we be in fear?
Lest God cannot get what He desires?
We worry too much.
We worry for God.
We don't need to.
You'll find that it is all His doing.
He will do it.
God cannot fail.
He will get what He wants.
He will give the church, a glorious church,
without fault and wrinkle or any of such
things as His gift to His beloved son,
that His son may find satisfaction and pleasure
in that.
Dear brothers and sisters, this is the church
from the eternal perspective.
And because of that, we know it is
from eternity, passing through time, back to eternity.
And it is all unto the praise of
His glory.
I'll stop here and give my brother a
few more minutes.