But also underline whom the father has sanctified
and sent into the world That's the difference
that's only true of the unique son of
God And now we must go on because
the time is slipping and I do want
to give two more verses That are used
by the enemy of souls in an effort
to disprove the deity of Christ and one
of them is in Colossians chapter 1 and
verse 15 Colossians chapter 1 and verse I
think I'll begin in verse 14 It's speaking
about the Lord Jesus and it says in
whom we have redemption through his blood even
the forgiveness of sin Who is the image
of the invisible God the firstborn of every
creature and they pounce on that and they
say there it is The firstborn of every
creature sure we admit that he was the
first one Just a created being like all
the rest of us and you say well,
how do you answer that look like that
doesn't it?
Well, you can answer it from the chapter
itself by showing that the Lord Jesus is
the architect of creation He was the active
agent in creation and he's the object of
creation All things are made in him and
by him and to him But there's another
proof and the proof revolved around the word
firstborn What does the word firstborn mean it
has two distinct meanings in the Bible Sometimes
it means first as to time and Sometimes
it means first as to rank.
Let me give you a verse where it
means first as to time Matthew chapter 1
verse 25 says that Mary Brought forth her
firstborn child.
That means he was the first child she
had But then for a verse showing that
it means first in rank turn back to
Psalm 89 27 Psalm 89 27 and I
like this it says Speaking of David also,
I will make him my firstborn Higher than
the kings of the earth.
So this verse is self-explanatory It has
nothing to do with time at all David
wasn't firstborn son David was the lastborn son
of Jesse, but God said I will make
him my firstborn What does it mean means
higher than the kings of the earth?
It has to do with rank not as
to order in time And that's exactly what
the expression in Colossians chapter 1 means.
He's the firstborn Over all creation He holds
that rank the architect the ancient and the
object of all creation I think we have
the same thought in Romans chapter 8 and
verse 29 Romans chapter 8 and verse 29
it says For whom he did foreknow He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his son that he might be
the firstborn Among many brothers has nothing to
do with the order of birth in time
But it certainly has to do with rank
the Lord Jesus holds that unique type firstborn
Among many brethren and so in the margin
of my Bible, I think of that place.
I was put down 89 27 and Romans
829 for a ready record One final verse
used by the adversary to disprove the beauty
of Christ's revelation chapter 3 and verse 14
says And under the angel of the church
of the Laodiceans Right these things that the
Amen the faithful and true witness the beginning
of the creation of God And they like
that expression the beginning of the creation of
God As they say well part of the
creation of God is the created being that
beginning has another me He's the beginning of
the creation of God in the sense that
he originated it Not that he's a part
of it But that he's the one who
began it who brought it into being the
word is used in two other places in
The book of Revelation and in neither of
those does it mean what they say it
means Revelation chapter 21 and verses 6 and
7 And he said unto me it is
done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning
and the end What does that mean?
That mean what they say it means.
No, this is speaking of God I Am
elf of the Lord Jesus the beginning of
the end.
I will give unto him That is the
first of the fountain of the water of
life free And then it says in Revelation
chapter 22 and verse 13 I am Alpha
and Omega the beginning and the end the
first and the last he's the originator of
all and He's the object of all it
all fine It's heading up in him and
so in Revelation chapter 3 when it says
the beginning of the creation of God There's
no suggestion at all that the Lord Jesus
is a part of the creation of God
Who actually did bring it into being now,
this is most important what we've been going
over tonight is a Great importance for young
people especially going out with the gospel of
redeeming grace to the last world I want
to tell you if the truth of Who
he is?
Really grips our souls We will have a
true Caesarea Philippi and no matter how dark
the pathway ahead may be We'll know we're
on the winning side We'll know that his
cause can never fail if we go out
and our souls are resting in the truth
of who he is and What he has
done for us The pathway may lead to
fire and high water, but it won't make
a bit of difference We'll know that beyond
the fire and the high water Lies in
glory That's exactly what happened at Caesarea Philippi
He said to them who the men say
that you are and they said well, they
say that you're one of a series That's
what they say Just one of a series
and he said men will never die men
would never die for me under those circumstances
He said I want some people who live
and die for me Who do you say
that I am and it was a great
revelation I believe at that moment to the
soul of Peter and the others me that
I know who you are You're Christ the
son of the Living God and the Lord
Jesus has said my teaching ministry now with
you has reached its Have you really believe
it then no matter what the pathway ahead
may hold.
I'm going up to Jerusalem I'm going to
be delivered up to the priests and and
they're going to have me crucified and slain
I'm gonna rise again the third day and
I want to tell you he said there's
something you're standing here will not take Death
till they see the kingdom of God shortly
after that He took them up into a
high mountain and they saw Jesus Transfigured in
the glory of his coming kingdom That's the
secret difference an appreciation of who he is
Then the pathway ahead may be ever so
rugged but beyond the glory of Jesus It's
all worthwhile may the Spirit of God write
these truths on our hearts Give us a
deep appreciation of the loveliness and worthiness the
absolute beauty of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, it'll transform our lives.
It'll transfigure us and send us forth with
a blazing Chariot,
I wish with all my heart that those
books all
the time And
that's what I'd like to speak to you
about the fact and before we does
the assembly is
God's Assembly, this is what I'd really like
to think about with you The chapter in
Ephesians chapter 3 where
I was made him in
many ways the most privileged made
up of all And ultimately would
head up a Redeemed bride love something
wonderful.
They were really as marvelous when you stop
to think of it the center of the
over And I'd
like to suggest as
we read in verse Something that was never
known and I'd
like to suggest it
isn't taboo among us praise God I believe
not only the inspiration you're
not building with God and your marching They
were really enthusiastic about what
else does he say?
And There are
other books added Fortunately,
I read and say
how do they do that?
I often think of that little attempt wonderful
thing to see he
said upon
God's death I'll
break it in verse 20 a
bigger human.
I'm gonna just share that is
the fullness of Him and
marvelous grace that you and I all
in all I tell you I wouldn't believe
these things and
not only the body of Christ but Christ
also and
I try to the
weakest assembly Of God's people means more to
him than the greatest Empire in the world
He said oh brother our assemblies of four
weeks struggling.
Thank you.
I believe and
I mean Remember
the weakest the
elder doesn't have
more glamor to God and it's just about
his honor but I
really as I stand before you
in our service and organization, but
we have a Or an empire building up
now that brings me to say that we
live in a tremendous and
the books are coming Movement
towards the house, but
I'd like to suggest just a few things
to you and I
believe that we should Get away from this
Carol, but
in that sense