The fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] As the Lord should be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 15, and the 29th verse.

[0:20] And I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[0:37] Chapter 15, the Epistle to the Romans, and the 29th verse. This is a word which welled up in the Apostle Paul's breast, and it shows how the dear man was saturated with the gospel of Christ.

[1:02] And his great concern was to use every opportunity afforded him to preach it, that poor sinners might be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and enter into the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[1:25] I would, as the Lord should help me, look at the subject from two or three viewpoints of it. There is a great depth in it.

[1:39] Look how the words read as they run in the sacred page. The fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[1:50] Mark how that is worded. It is not only the fullness of the gospel of Christ. There is indeed in the gospel of Christ an infinite fullness to do for sinners good.

[2:06] But the Apostle Paul had that concern deep down in his heart, that when at length, he might be favored as he desired, to preach the gospel to the godly in Rome, that they might enter into the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[2:27] And now quite a few of you dear people know and appreciate and tasted the fullness there is in the gospel of Christ.

[2:44] And it is attractive to you. But as yet, it may be, you have not come into what is set forth as the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[2:59] God has given you an ear to hear it. And all that is to be prized. The Savior said to his disciples, Blessed are your ears, for they hear.

[3:13] Yes, and he has given you an heart to receive it. And glad you are when you can just realize a little of the power of the gospel of Christ.

[3:27] But the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ is when you see Jesus, and see in him all your salvation, and all your desire, and when you can climb up into that heavenly place in Christ Jesus, O my Jesus, thou art mine with all thy grace and power.

[3:55] I am now, and shall be thine, when time shall be no more. And now you find the apostle had a great concern to go to Rome, and it lodged in his heart for many, many months.

[4:18] And God told him on one occasion, Thou must see Rome also. And you find in the opening chapter of the epistle, that he uses rather strange, and also, I must say, strong language.

[4:44] God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.

[4:58] Make in request, do listen, Mark the words, if by any means.

[5:29] And now, as you all know, I need not take up time in going into details. The apostle Paul went on his missionary journeys here and there, as the cloud moved, to direct where he should go.

[5:45] And he had this great concern in his heart to meet the church at Rome. And remember, the church at Rome was already one that was established, not one built by the outcome of the apostle Paul's labors there.

[6:05] For as yet, he had not seen Rome. But God declared, thou must see Rome also. And how did he see it? You will all remember that he was made a prisoner in Jerusalem by the enemies of the cross of Christ, and that when his case was heard, being a Roman citizen by birth, he appealed to Caesar, which meant that his case must be transferred to Rome, and that Caesar must superintend the hearing of it there.

[6:53] And so, you have read many a time the shipwrecked chapter in the Acts of the Apostles, and all that was in the way how the apostle Paul was journeying to Rome, and he was delivered in that shipwreck experience, and at length he was found in Rome.

[7:20] If by any means, and you read in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

[7:48] His accusers did not arrive in Rome to do their fell work. How evident it is the hearts of all are in the hand of God, and in his sovereignty he can dispose of men so that they are made to do contrary to what is in their hearts to do, that the will of God might be done.

[8:16] And God ordained that the Apostle Paul should see Rome, and that he should labor there preaching the gospel.

[8:28] And there is no doubt whatever, when God makes up his last account, it will be found that quite a few were wrought upon by the Apostle Paul's labors when he dwelt a while in Rome as a prisoner, not so much the prisoner of Nero, no, I, Paul, the prisoner of the Lord, yes.

[8:58] And now that is the setting of the subject. The Apostle Paul is sure he has in his heart a solemn persuasion that when at length he should be found in Rome, God will be with him to enable him to come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ and help him to preach it.

[9:27] And so, I would look at the subject from two or three viewpoints of it. and I might say what a great honor was conferred on the Apostle Paul to be who he was, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

[9:46] And that was his great work that God ordained that he should do. Little did Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road as he was on his way there to do mischief against the Church of Christ realized what God had locked up in his own purposes that Saul of Tarsus should be as he journeyed on to the end of his life from the time he was cut down on that Damascus road and wrought on by the Spirit of God.

[10:20] And now I said it is a great honor to preach the Gospel of Christ whoever it is.

[10:32] None of us can be apostles. But whoever it is ordained of God to preach whether it be in a small sphere or one that is larger still it is a great honor.

[10:48] and it is a tremendous responsibility especially when you come to think of what it is to stand before the ever living God and poor sinners with never dying souls.

[11:08] And if you keep in mind how that good Cornelius viewed what it was to listen to the Gospel in the preaching of it what did he say to Peter we are all here present before God to hear the things commanded thee of God to tell us.

[11:31] Oh you might well remember what is recorded by the Apostle Paul in his epistles brethren pray for us. And says the Apostle Paul and for me also that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak the Apostle Paul wherever he went had such a deep consciousness of his utter dependence on the Spirit of God to preach the Gospel he had been much helped in doing it year in year out he could see churches here and there which God had used them to be the means of building laying the foundation and seeing the church established but he still felt we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and every time a preacher goes up the pulpit stairs to preach the Gospel one ordained of God he is conscious of his utter dependence on

[12:52] God who sent him to labor upon Zion's walls to be unto him all that he needs that he might preach the Gospel and poor sinners get lasting good for their souls and the sinner's friend be glorified thereby yes and I am sure when I come unto you I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ and now I would look first of all at the Gospel of Christ and you all know the meaning of it good tidings of great joy do you know the Anglo-Saxon of it God's spell as it were speaking with great reverence what God has spelt out to mankind that he is indeed the sinner's friend and he delighteth in mercy you see that beautifully set for in that wonderful word in the introduction to the

[14:14] Hebrews epistle God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time passed unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son whom he hath appointed her of all things by whom also he made the world God's God's spell God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoso ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life well might the angels sing at Jesus' birth glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men and why unto you is born this day in the city of

[15:21] David a saviour Christ the Lord and now that is what you want made sure in your soul's experience unto you is born a saviour you want him to be born in your heart born in your soul's affections born in your esteem yes the gospel of Christ and now the gospel of Christ is the vehicle I will say the means which God has ordained yea he designed the gospel of Christ to be the means whereby poor sinners should be saved the apostle

[16:22] Paul speaks of it to the Corinthians through the foolishness of preaching but that is how God ordained it to be the gospel of Christ preached by men ordained of God raised up qualified given that measure of gift that he ordains for their usefulness where he designs their labours to be oh it is a wonderful privilege to preach the gospel and it is said to be the gospel of Christ and that means that Christ is the sum and substance of it Christ is the centre and the circumference of it the gospel of Christ and those of us who hope

[17:35] God has ordained to preach it how we do agree with John Berridge in what he says I try and try again to publish Jesus work fain I would but never can set half his riches forth or we do so fail in preaching the gospel of Christ but it is that which God is pleased to own in our labours knowing brethren beloved your election of God for our gospel came not unto you in word only as the preacher expounded it word only but also in power and it is in that power that you begin to enter into the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ you might hear the gospel of

[18:37] Christ from baby days on till you're old and grey headed and carried up to the churchyard and get no good at all because thy heart is not right with God regarding it oh it needs a miracle to be wrought the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped yes it needs this to be fulfilled in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book yes and now I said the gospel of Christ is the means that God is pleased to use down through the ages that the church of Christ shall be built up and continue till time shall be no more and the purposes of God come to full fruition and Jesus Christ can say before his father behold I and the children whom thou hast given me and the word of

[19:47] God do listen if you study the epistles of Paul and Peter alike the word of God does not allow any additions to preach in the gospel for the building up of the church of Christ nor any subtractions it is just the gospel of Christ declaring the good tidings of great joy and as the spirit of God owns it so there are signs following and the church of Christ is increased age by age and the Lord added unto the church daily such as should be saved do remember that it will help you to have a right viewpoint of truth it will help you to understand what is sound doctrine you find in this epistle to the

[20:59] Romans that the apostle Paul makes it very plain for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and as I was thinking on this subject a little hoping it was the right one to say a little to you upon

[22:03] I thought about when the saviour was on earth and the wording of the chapter I read to you in Mark's gospel is very striking the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God as it is written in the prophets behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord make his path straight John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river of

[23:05] Jordan confessing their sins and now that was the work of John the Baptist who was the forerunner of Jesus Christ and it was a great work that he was ordained to do God ordained it and there was a necessity that John the Baptist should do that great work but it is said to be the beginning of the gospel of Christ what does that mean I believe it means this that when a man designs to have a house built the plans are drawn up and accepted and when the builder begins to work what does he do first of all he digs deep to lay a foundation but that digging is needful for the building of the house but it is not the building of the house and now the work that

[24:18] John the Baptist had to do as the forerunner of Jesus Christ was all that digging work digging out the foundations that poor sinners might be wrought upon and stirred up awakened and brought to repentance so that when at length the gospel of Christ was preached they would appreciate it and I thought while I was in the pulpit there is just another illustration of that which will help you dear young people it may be to understand how God is pleased to work and now you find in that wonderful chapter in Ezekiel of the vision of the dry bones God put a question to Ezekiel son of man can these bones live and

[25:20] I answered O Lord God thou knowest and he said unto me prophesy upon these bones and say unto them all ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord and he goes on so I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a noise margin thundering and behold a shaking margin earthquake and the bones came together born to his bone and when I beheld lo the sinews in the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them no there you see that was equivalent to the preaching of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ as I have already set before you what was needed that matter should be brought and the purposes of

[26:27] God fulfilled and sinners be made manifest as belonging to Jesus Christ was this then said he unto me prophesy unto the wind prophesy son of man and say to the wind thus saith the Lord God come from the four winds all breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live so I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet and exceeding great army then he said unto me son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel behold they say our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts they just felt that they were lost sinners and they needed what the gospel alone had got to give them and if you go back

[27:35] I turn aside a moment to make this comment I say if you go back over church history and notice when there have been great revivals it has been when God has raised up men like Whitfield and Wesley and others and they have just preached the gospel in its homeliness and in its plainness and they have preached the gospel of Christ sovereign grace or sin abounding and the spirit of God has owned it and much good has been done in the church of Christ has been revived and built up by gracious additions and now this is the only way in which the church of Christ is to be built up not by any additions whatever it is just through the foolishness of preaching and men ordained of

[28:42] God to preach the gospel and out of the abundance of the heart for the mouth to speak I would like you to weigh that matter up and you will see that is what says the scriptures there is no other remedy for poor sinners than the gospel of Christ and it is to be preached and God down through the ages has ordained men to preach and pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest for the fields are white already unto harvest but the laborers are few and now to come back to the gospel of Christ what is the nature of it and now there are two illustrations in the word of God there may be others but

[29:43] I have not looked them up but there are two that in my judgment stand out one is the sheep that Peter saw let down from heaven in the vision when he was asleep let down from heaven and you know the description of it wherein were all manner of birds and beasts and creeping things innumerable and it was let down from heaven three times and taken up again significant of the salvation of God and what the gospel of Christ would do in accordance with eternal purposes the father the son the holy spirit are suggested in as much as the sheep was let down three times and taken up again none fell out of that sheep none were added to it there you see as many as were ordained to eternal life believed so it will ever be where the gospel of

[30:54] Christ is preached and I am sure in my own judgment that whenever God sends out a man to preach he has got some specific work for that man to do be it little or much as we view it he has a niche for him to fill in the covenant of grace as it were a work for him to do and he will live long enough to do that work God has ordained for him to do and there is a beautiful word to help those who go forth to preach as you read in the gospel of Luke I have looked at it many times after these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two before his face mark that word in before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come you see where

[32:05] God ordains a man's engagements to preach made God willing it is whither he himself will come there is good to be done there are poor sinners to get help by the way either to be convinced of sin or comforted under the gospel or confirmed in their souls that the good work is indeed begun the gospel of Christ and there is this beautiful characteristic of it it is ever seasonable the gospel is ever seasonable I say oh what amazing words of grace are in the gospel found suited to every sinner's case who knows his soul's deep wound not only so the gospel of

[33:08] Christ is ever suitable you as a poor sinner if you search the word of God and look into the gospel or if you go and listen to those whom God has ordained to preach it you will find as you listen or as you read the word of God set in it for that it is eminently suitable to you being the poor sinner that you are and the gospel is just what you need to realize in your own soul's experience the blessing of the gospel of Christ in the fullness of it there is just another thought in the gospel of Christ although it has now been preached for many hundreds of years and tens of thousands hundreds of thousands have heard the gospel to purpose and profit and got good for their souls and gone to heaven in the strength of it there is still in the gospel of

[34:24] Christ a wondrous sufficiency the gospel of Christ in the preaching of it wherever it is preached is ever like the river of God which is full of water as the psalmist describes it yes seasonable suitable sufficient oh the gospel of Christ says to you poor sinner however low you are in your soul's feelings wondering if you can continue my grace is sufficient for thee and you will not be allowed to give up and go back if the gospel of Christ is made a reality in your soul's experience and now there is one other illustration of the gospel which in my judgment is very beautiful and one day if the

[35:24] Lord will help me I should like to try to preach from it you read in the songs of Solomon King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon he made the pillars thereof of silver the bottom thereof of gold the covering of it of purple the midst thereof being paid with love for the daughters of Jerusalem and now I have thought that wonderful chariot made by King Solomon and remember a greater than Solomon is here the gospel of Christ is just like that chariot and much more beautiful and blessed than ever Solomon's chariot which he made himself could ever be the pillars thereof of silver can set forth the beautiful doctrines of grace sovereign grace or sin abounding the bottom thereof of gold yes there you see the blessedness of eternal realities and that which is said to be durable riches and righteousness the covering of it of purple and that leads our thoughts to the blood of

[36:50] Jesus Christ God's Son which cleanseth us from all sin and the midst thereof being paved with love and when all is said and done the gospel of Christ is a gospel of love what does it tell what is the keystone of it as it were God is love and every poor sinner who is given an ear to hear the gospel trumpet and enter into it and desire to participate in the blessing of the gospel of Christ God will say to such a one sooner may it be sooner or later but he will say it I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee yes what a divine harmonious sound the gospel trumpet gives no music can with it compare the soul that knows it lives let us look at this viewpoint of the subject and

[38:07] I am sure that when I come unto you I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ I want to look at that word fullness and now you find it in the word of God concerning Jesus Christ it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell and you remember there is a word in John's gospel and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace grace today grace tomorrow grace all along life's way grace to live grace to die but there is another word and that is a most amazing word the words

[39:08] I have quoted are amazing but I know not what adjective to use about this other scripture in him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily oh do think on it dear friends young and old do prayerfully ponder it in your heart in him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily what does that mean the God shines gracious through the man and therefore the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ is communicable to poor sinners like you and me oh that word bodily leads our thoughts to this there is one God one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of

[40:21] Christ I can only give you hints there is in it a fullness of purposes because the gospel of Christ is said to be the everlasting gospel therefore it was formed before time was born or the world was built and it is linked up to the everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure so that everyone who enters at length into the blessing of the gospel of Christ is one who is shut up in the everlasting covenant a sinner saved by grace for fullness of purposes and now it is very helpful to think on a subject like this when you look round the world as it is at the present time when you wonder about the church of

[41:26] Christ professing and when the church of Christ possessing seems to be at such a low ebb as regards the things of God but God is still fulfilling his eternal purposes concerning the gospel of Christ and every day and everywhere the spirit of God is bringing to pass the fullness of purposes ordained in the gospel of Christ because this word is yet to be brought to pass he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied there is also in the gospel of Christ a fullness not only of purposes but of planning you think if you can and that will help you to understand this viewpoint of the subject think if you can where you were when you heard the gospel of

[42:37] Christ for the first time and found it to be a reality to you and your ear was intent to it to hear what God the Lord had to say to you as you listen to it and you will find there was an over ruling providence that brought it about that you should be where you were at that time and so there is in the gospel of Christ there is this preacher or that to be engaged to preach here or there or yonder and there are those whom God ordains to bless whose steps will be directed to be where those preachers are and the purposes of God will be fulfilled and his plans will be seen yes and you will realize it is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes and

[43:40] I might say this in the gospel of Christ there is a fullness of preparation a fullness of provision for the gospel of Christ to be made a reality as it is and as it is known and felt in the proclamation of it when its power is realized within what word had to be fulfilled an amazing scripture as you read in the Psalms a prophetical Psalm a body hast thou prepared me and there you see in the Hebrews epistle lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O God and you find that holy thing which was born of Mary was indeed the son of

[44:42] God verily man verily God there was the fullness of preparation being made manifest Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and he lived his life and every jot and tittle of it was that the gospel of Christ might be made valid in our soul's experience as we come into varied circumstances and that it might be known and felt as the power of God unto salvation and when the saviour died on Calvary's cross and sent forth that wondrous proclamation it is finished that set forth the essence of the gospel of Christ love's redeeming work is done fought the fight the battle won yes hands and now he is returned to the realms of bliss and he reigns at

[45:52] God the father's right hand and he is there to intercede for poor sinners like you and me he lives he lives the great redeemer lives what joy the blessed assurance gives and now before his father God pleads the full merit of his blood oh that is the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ there is also in it a fullness of provision inasmuch as there is not only a fountain open for sin and for uncleanness but there is the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ all that poor sinners need to help them along life's way the goodness of God passing before them in things providential and the salvation of their never dying souls all in the gospel of Christ are provided guaranteed because in the gospel of Christ there is a fullness of exceeding great and precious promises and no promise has yet been proved to be broken and never will be because they are recorded in the gospel of Christ by God who cannot lie much might be said along that line of thought

[47:32] I might say and it needs to be said there is also in the gospel of Christ a fullness of precepts so that you shall ever know what is right to do before God as you journey on through life to help you so to live and at the end of life's journey have this epitaph and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and the gospel of Christ will show you the fullness of precepts to meet every care every concern every problem along life's way there is wisdom to be had from above and it is to be had for the asking yes just another thought as I come to the amen the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ and now there is in it a fullness of power

[48:34] God is never short of men to preach the gospel you and I look round the church of Christ and think there is a scarcity but God is at no loss and what did he say when he recommissioned his disciples it is said to poor sinners whom God ordains to preach the gospel nowadays not to the disciples alone and Jesus came and spake unto them saying all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world that is the commission given to every man whom God ordains to preach the gospel nowadays and remember there is this fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ and that means what the fullness of the blessing is through this man there is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and when God makes that a sweet reality in your soul's experience when you hear

[50:13] Jesus Christ saying thy sins which are many are all forgiven I will be merciful to your own righteousness and your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more that is the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ as it is to be known ere you reach the fountainhead of the love of God from whence it flows down to poor sinners like you and me and do remember this the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ will have in it as you enter into the reality of it I said it will have in it I ought to say it should have in it I hope it will have in it a fullness of praise then you will want to humble yourself before God with whom you have to do and seek to praise God from whom all blessings flow the blessings which you have tasted handled and felt as the gospel of Christ has been made a reality to you and there is this thought too in preaching the gospel in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ as our subject tells us sometimes as you listen to it especially as you go down into life's evening time you get a glimpse that there is a fullness of prospect in the gospel of Christ which means

[52:10] I am but a stranger here heaven is my home earth is but a desert drear heaven is my home danger and sorrow stand round me on every hand but heaven is my fatherland and heaven is my home amen