His fulness (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 Gospel of John, chapter 1, and the 16th verse.

[0:18] And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

[0:30] The Gospel of John, chapter 1, and the 16th verse.

[0:40] I should be glad, beyond all words to describe, if I could as the pastor look round on all of you, and include everyone in this subject.

[1:01] Dare I do it? Let your consciences tell you whether it is the truth concerning you, and of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

[1:23] Are you here before God in the attitude of worship, and can you declare in his sight, by the grace of God, I am what I am?

[1:38] Is it not the truth? Alas, with some yet among us in the attitude of worship, that they are graceless, have not yet received it, and are not concerned to receive it.

[2:04] Content to live as they are born, and be after the flesh, the things of the flesh. If the question is put, what think ye of Christ, and they tell the truth as to the answer, we will not have this man to reign over us.

[2:25] Therefore, this word is addressed to sinners born again, and such characters alone, and it is a great subject to contemplate.

[2:45] And of his fullness of all we receive, and grace for grace.

[2:56] As the Lord shall help me, I want to look at it from three or four viewpoints of it. And first of all, to set forth as grace is given, what this fullness really is.

[3:16] It is the fullness of God. But this fullness in the text is a special fullness.

[3:27] One that is communicable. The fullness of God is the fullness of deity. And that is not communicable.

[3:43] He that cometh to God must believe that he is. He is what he is, and what he was, and what he ever shall be.

[3:59] And there, he is God. But, in our subject, the fullness that is referred to is one that is communicable.

[4:13] And now there, you and I need to take our shoes off our feet in a spiritual sense. For the place whereon we stand is holy ground.

[4:25] There are one or two parallel scriptures that will help you to understand this fullness.

[4:38] And that it is communicable to poor sinners like you and me. The word of God tells us, it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.

[4:54] And now that striking word to the church at Colossae. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.

[5:09] This is what I want you to think about. Does it please you? Are you concerned to partake of this fullness?

[5:23] And have matters made right between your soul and God? There is yet another word to the church at Colossae.

[5:33] And that is a most amazing word to contemplate. In him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

[5:48] And now that is, the God shines gracious through the man. And it is, in Jesus Christ as the sinner's friend, there is this fullness, treasured up, that is communicable.

[6:08] And that brings us to our starting point. There is one God, one mediator, between God and man, the man, Christ, Jesus.

[6:19] And Godly John speaks of him in this beautiful chapter where the subject is.

[6:34] And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

[6:52] And he says, For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

[7:03] When the law was given by Moses, it simply said, as a blessed, wonderful reflection of the character of him whose law it was, do this, do not do that.

[7:21] But it gave no help for it to be obeyed. It accepted no repentance.

[7:33] There was no grace afforded at the giving of the law to keep it. But it was, do this and live, disobey and perish.

[7:46] That is what the law saith to every sinner under it. Cursed is the man that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.

[8:00] Yes, so the law was given by Moses, but it says, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

[8:12] Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone which believeth. And Jesus Christ communicates the grace and he is the truth of all that the law set forth.

[8:32] For the law was a shadow of good things yet to come. I have told you sometimes about the beautiful furniture in the tabernacle and that while it was wondrously beautiful, its only value was in that which it stood for.

[8:55] It had got no other value. Each piece of furniture in the holy place and the holiest of all and the other furniture without.

[9:11] the brazen labor, the altar of burnt offering, had got no meaning only as it was related to Jesus Christ, him that was to come.

[9:27] And that is what the Apostle John is alluding to. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. The truth of all that was set forth in the law was to do with Jesus Christ when he would come down into this world to fulfill the law in every jot and tittle on behalf of poor sinners like you and me.

[10:00] Let us look at this subject then first of all as to his fullness. And oh that you might be helped to feel and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace.

[10:21] This fullness is difficult to illustrate. The subject is like an ocean with unfathomable depths but you can think of his fullness as of a fountain that never runs dry ever flowing ever free.

[10:51] the fountain or flows our woes to redress still more he bestows and grace upon grace.

[11:03] Then there is that beautiful illustration of a river. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.

[11:16] and this fullness treasured up in Jesus Christ has been flowing down through the ages for poor sinners to assuage their souls thirst and be made glad in good hope through grace.

[11:37] And remember this as often as you gather together this river is still running. Yes ever flowing ever free.

[11:50] And the Savior said if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. There is just another illustration that will help you to understand a little of this great subject.

[12:09] His fullness can be likened to a root and Jesus Christ is declared to be the root and offspring of David.

[12:21] But this is a root that is ever sending up living sap grace all sufficient that every branch on the tree every twig every leaf every bud shall be fed.

[12:41] and none fail a fountain a river a root and of his fullness have all we received.

[13:00] And now I want to show you some characteristics of this fullness and I should like to be helped to say something that will be a help to you.

[13:14] I might say that it is such a fullness that it will ratify every promise and every precept in the gospel that is made to the characters set forth therein.

[13:32] God who cannot lie has spoken he is faithful that promised and no sinner born again has ever yet been able to lament or complain that one of the promises failed nor has any precept failed regarding the counsel it gives as to how you should behave in living the life of the righteous and the help to believe the promises and the help to reduce to practice the precepts comes from this fullness that our text tells us about.

[14:19] Thus you read my grace is sufficient for thee and there has never been at any time and never will be any instance when it can be said that grace is insufficient because God has guaranteed my grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakness yes and of his fullness have all we received and now in this fullness first of all there is a fullness of authority never man spake like this man it is communicated thus saith the Lord and there is a guarantee which will never be broken done the

[15:25] Savior said all power in heaven and in earth is given unto me and that is a word you might think about nowadays you look round the world and you see the devil working overtime to do all the mischief he can and hell itself let loose and matters seem to go yet from bad to worse as you view the jarring nations of the earth and it all flows from this that man is at war with his maker and if you just look at things as they appear to be your heart may misgive you at what you see and you may have many fears and faintings as to what the future will unfold oh but if you remember the Lord reigneth in heaven and earth and air and seas he executes his firm decrees and though his methods are unknown judgment and truth support his throne he has a fullness of authority

[16:45] I like to think of this scripture and you think of it too in this was the son of God made manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil a fullness of authority and what did Jesus say speaking as verily man to his father in that holy of holies chapter in this gospel of John as thou hast given him power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him and he has a fullness of authority to do that he has been doing it down through the ages all the old testament saints went to heaven on the credit of him doing it and when he said on the cross it is finished then it was ratified that in him there dwells this fullness available for poor sinners like you and me a fullness of authority much might be said from that viewpoint of the subject but I can only give you hints because the subject is so vast and of his fullness have all we received and now

[18:35] Jesus Christ has a fullness of ability to save do believe that wherefore he is able to save them that come unto God by him to the utter most the utter most of whatever their cases may be and you see in the word of God some amazing instances you can ponder in your heart about Manasseh in Old Testament times Mary Magdalene Saul of Tarsus a dying thief and many more whose cases are hinted at in the word of God and the arm of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear is there anything too hard for the

[19:43] Lord blessed be his name he has a fullness of ability to save poor sinners though they be on the very brink of hell itself and their fears are that they would drop therein and remain forever and ever be able to save even then look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else do remember this dear friends regarding your own case because Satan will give you many fiery darts it may be regarding your own case that it is one that Jesus Christ will not regard he will not show you such a sinner as you mercy but the word of

[20:47] God says neither give place to the devil and you must not do it he tells us we are weak our hope is in vain the good that we seek we now shall obtain oh but you must remember he is a liar from the beginning who can tell but what God will be gracious unto you oh one says I'll to the gracious king approach who scepter pardon gives perhaps he will command my touch and then the suppliant lives oh if you are helped to venture before the throne of grace in that great name that ever prevails before God you will find his fullness is available for poor sinners like you he has indeed a fullness of ability and then it must also be believed and thankfully received as a blessed truth that he has a fullness of willingness to bless poor sinners and do them good you find sometimes people have varied searchings of heart and they will tell you that they believe

[22:23] Jesus Christ is able to save them but is he willing to do it and now you should not entertain thoughts like that and put those thoughts into words they are very unbecoming you and they are very dishonoring to God you must remember what you sing he is able he is willing doubt no more and what does the word of God tell us him that cometh unto me I will in nor ways cast out it is open for you poor sinner whatever your fears of faintings may be as to what a sinner you really feel to be before God it is open to you to put that word to the test I will in no wise however black you feel to be as regards your sinnership before

[23:30] God there is help in God there is hope in God sinner if thou were taught to see how great thy guilt thy misery in every thought and act impure the blood of Christ thy soul can cure you shall come inside this beautiful declaration and of his fullness have all we received yes all he has a fullness of willingness did Jesus die and not for me am I forbade to seek my God is there not pardon full and free proclaimed through Jesus precious blood oh the throne of grace is open still yes you are welcome to approach unto

[24:30] God in the name of Jesus and no denial take while you plead for Jesus say and of his fullness have all we received and now there is a fullness of wisdom and dear friends as you journey on through life especially as life gets more and more complicated as you journey on life's responsibilities become heavier and they every day increase for sometimes it seems every day new straits attend and now you find that you need help from God you need wisdom to handle life's matters wisely and in Jesus Christ there is a fullness of it and how often you have read that scripture how often you have heard preachers quote it if any man lack wisdom let him ask of

[25:45] God who giveth to all men liberally mark that word liberally free and full and flow in oar and upraideth not and it shall be given him oh you do need wisdom to live aright it is not in man that walk it to direct his own steps every step you take you have to plead guide me oh thou great jehovah pilgrim through this barren land and if you are helped to wait on God like that you will receive of his fullness regarding those matters that you have to deal with in your everyday life and it is a sweet blessed experience to see crooked things made straight and rough places plain as you wait on

[26:47] God to see his hand upon you for good therein and of his fullness have all we received and now in Jesus Christ there is a fullness of sympathy you see that Jesus Christ as verily man as he went about doing love's redeeming work as he came in touch with poor sinners in their need of divine aid sinners with incurable cases all out kind was Jesus Christ in his dealings with poor sinners what sympathy he delighted to show and he is said to be a saviour of quick understanding and that is only just a phrase put into the sacred pages to help you to understand that in

[27:54] Jesus Christ is a fullness of sympathy being who he is verily God verily man he does indeed understand every jot and tittle to do with you and yours and he delighteth in mercy and he can sympathize with you whatever your case may be whatever your circumstances are he can communicate from his fullness that which will help you to be still and know that he is God and that in all his dealings with you he is too wise to err and too good to be unkind a fullness of sympathy and it matters not what your case is or what your circumstances are Jesus Christ as the sinner's friend can enter into it in every jot and tittle of whatever you may feel therein of his fullness have all we receive what do you sing this physician understandeth all disorders of the soul and no payment he demanded when he makes the wounded whole oh how wonderful is his fullness and then it must be said that this fullness is a fullness of love what was it brought

[29:41] Jesus Christ down to this poor sin cursed earth you will say it was to do love's redeeming work yes love's redeeming work it was to do untold good eternal good to a number which no man can number but it was love that brought him down to do it a fullness of love and all the while Jesus Christ was doing love's redeeming work as verily man verily God it was that sweet blessed power within that as it were buoyed him up to do it so that he set his face steadfastly to go up to Jerusalem knowing that which awaited him there which was to go up to Calvary's cross and die in the stead of poor sinners like you and me but love enabled him to do it lo glad

[30:53] I come I delight to do thy will oh my God yes God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and Jesus Christ in that love that filled his heart came down to do love's redeeming work and of his fullness have all we receive and this fullness of love is revealed at times in the dealings of God with you whom the Lord loveth he correcteth he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth when

[31:53] Jesus Christ says to his disciples and remember you read it in the sacred pages that he said it to eleven mark what the preacher says eleven he said it to eleven follow me and they followed him and now he says that to every disciple who is a disciple indeed follow me and that sums up what it is to endure unto the end in our profession of Jesus name what it is to live aright the life of the righteous one is your master even Christ and he can grant you from his fullness such love to him that you will feel everything that's dear to him to me is also dear and he can grant you a gracious humble willingness to go through floods and fires with this feeling within it is enough for the disciple that he be as his

[33:15] Lord yes and of his fullness have all we received there is also a fullness of righteousness and that is when Jesus Christ lived his life on earth made of a woman made under the law he kept it as I have hinted at already in every jot and tittle of all its divine enactments and in doing that he wrought out righteousness for every one of that vast host on whose behalf he came down into the world to seek and save so that every one of them is made fit to be the guest of God clothed at length in that righteousness which is of

[34:17] God by faith in Jesus Christ made meat for the inheritance of the saints in life oh there is a fullness of righteousness available for that number which no man can number and it is available for you if you have got that feeling naked I come to thee for dress helpless look to thee for grace you shall know and of his fullness of all we received and grace for grace there is just another thought here I touch on then I look at the subject from another viewpoint and of his fullness have all we receive and now there is a fullness of providence which you receive as you journey on through life it is opened up unfolded the word of

[35:36] God is fulfilled I will make all my goodness to pass before thee in the way you may say oh but then ordinary people have providence yes general providence but I am referring to a specific providence a special providence and I ask you once more to remember what you sing thee we own a perfect savior only source of all that's good and every grace and every favor flows to us through Jesus blood there you see the fullness of providence as it comes to you they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing and remember as you are helped to look on like Manoah and his wife and see the angel doing wondrously for you in providence how do you feel as you look on you have got somewhat of the spirit the psalmist was the subject of when he said whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the

[37:04] Lord yes thus you learn the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him and of his fullness have all we received and now ere I look at the other viewpoint of the subject I'm bound to put a question or two to you and the answer is you must make before God as grace is given to you have we received of his fullness have we learned in journeying on through life about his authority his ability his willingness his wisdom his power his sympathy his love his righteousness his providence all that he is as the sinner's friend have we realized the fullness resides in

[38:13] Jesus our head and ever abides to answer our need the father's good pleasure hath laid up in store a plentiful treasure to give to the poor have we received it you say I should like to have more evidence than I possess as yet that I have received!

[38:37] it oh but is there deep down in your heart a want of it do you ask the Lord for it do you say something like this we humbly for thy coming wait seeking to know thee as thou art we bow with sinners at thy feet and bid thee welcome to our heart oh the Lord bless you and remember blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled and of his fullness have all we received and I might say this as your help to receive of his fullness you will be made well aware of one deep down truth in your soul's experience and that is your emptiness and now this subject tells us from the other viewpoint of it and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace and now that is a very striking word grace for grace what does it really mean the meaning as I view it is very simple it simply means this grace for today grace for tomorrow grace for the day coming after that grace for everyday life grace all sufficient grace for grace yes it means that once you are called by grace be sure about that oh the

[40:40] Lord help you to be sure about that and once you are called by grace then that grace will be maintained you may be brought to a very low level you may even say sometimes marks of grace I cannot show all polluted is my breast yet I weary am I know and the weary long for rest but once that grace is communicated however much it seems to die down it will be a reality and you will find grace will be all sufficient for you to live right and at the last to die right the great thing is to be able to say with the apostle Paul and he called me by his grace and make this confession of faith by the grace of

[41:40] God I am what I am grace for grace and remember you have had many thoughts many searchings of heart some of you especially those of you who have been long following on to know the Lord regarding grace and one of your chief petitions has been for more grace and yet you never seem to have that grace that you would like to be the subject of no and you never will have any surplus grace no it is as thy days so shall thy strength be thus you and I must learn to live and obtain grace to help in time of need but then I look at this grace for grace from yet another interpretation of it and you will find it works out in the dealings of

[42:51] God with you if you are indeed one who is called by grace you find in the exceeding great and precious promises that there is an opening up of this scripture grace for grace from this viewpoint blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted and now you see if you have grace given to you to mourn mourn over what you are by nature as a sinner and mourn after God and godliness for that grace you will ultimately get the grace to be comforted by him who is the God of all comfort if you are favored all that you may be with the grace of prayer and supplication and that is in exercise then for that grace you will find coming following on the grace of praise!

[44:09] if you find grace in exercise to be separated from the world then you will find following that grace is sanctification which means that you are set apart for God if you find grace is given you to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God in all his dealings with you then for that grace do remember this I can speak very feelingly about it for that grace of humbling!

[44:47] yourselves under the mighty hand of God you will get the grace of submission to the will of God and that is very sweet to receive I can tell you Lord I would indeed submit gladly yield my all to thee what thy wisdom sees most fit must be surely best for me grace for grace you see there are characteristics in grace there is grace whereby you seek and blessed be God there is also grace whereby you find one is answerable to the other seek and ye shall find ask and ye shall receive knock and it shall be opened unto you grace for grace thus it is worked out in our everyday lives and there is this viewpoint of it they that sow in tears and now you need grace to do that but then there is a grace to follow it they that sow in tears shall reap in joy yes and so it means this coming along to the amen and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace it means that all who are taught of

[46:24] God do listen all who are taught of God have to learn always to be only receivers God does the giving you and I have got to seek grace to receive what God is pleased to give that thou givest them they gather do remember that it is the essence of living the life of the righteous yes freely ye have received and freely give which is to say from that viewpoint give your time give your talents give your thoughts to that which is of God that you may bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of

[47:26] Christ hoard up the sacred word and feed thereon and grow go on to seek to know the Lord and practice what you know and there is one thing you will think about if you do think about the sermons after the amen are making no reflections on you and of his fullness of all we received and grace for grace and now you will say my trouble is I seem to have so little grace and sometimes I have been afraid none at all but then there is this fullness available and it is a reality and if you think of Elijah when he was at

[48:29] Mount Carmel when there was coming a crisis in the affairs of Israel in Elijah's day he said to his servant go up to the top of Carmel and tell me what you can see and he returned and said there is nothing and he did that six times brought back the same answer there is nothing and he said go again and then he said on his return I see a cloud as big as a man's hand and that was the token for good that Elijah desired from the Lord is God and now that is not just a little piece of history recorded interesting to read as it is in the Old Testament it is linked up to a scripture in the

[49:30] New Testament whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort in the scriptures might have hope it means that you poor as you feel to be as regards grace hardly know whether you are called by grace or no what are you to do are you to sit down and view things with a fatalistic eye and give up all hope that you will ever know what this fullness is in the text no no let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need and think of Jonah though I am cast out of thy sight I will look again toward thy holy temple see a poor sinner dearest lord whose soul encouraged by thy word at mercy's foot to a wood remain and there would look and look again if you were helped to behave like that you will come inside this beautiful scripture and be able to feel you have a part and lot therein and of this fullness have all we received and grace for grace amen