John

[0:00] As the Lord shall 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.

[0:24] And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

[0:37] Chapter 1, the Gospel of John, and the 16th verse. The subject is one which has a deep in it which is unfathomable.

[1:04] The fullness of God. And godly John declares, and of his fullness have all we received.

[1:21] What a confession of faith that is. What a great declaration to drop from the lips of a poor sinner born again.

[1:34] Do you think that you could take up this language, and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth be speaking, and of his fullness have all we received?

[1:56] I do hope, dear friends, ere you die, every one of you will receive of it, receive the grace that makes the fullness to be what it really is, the fullness of grace, and of his fullness have all we received.

[2:23] I want, as the Lord should help me, to look at the subject from two or three viewpoints of it. And if grace is given to be simple in setting it forth, I would like you to remember that it is not the fullness of God that is the fullness of absolute God, because that is not communicable.

[2:59] The fullness referred to in our subject is the fullness of him who is the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

[3:15] the fullness of omnipotence incarnate. Do remember that. The word of God says in another place concerning this fullness, it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.

[3:44] There the Father is referring to the dear Son of God. And then in another scripture, which is tremendous in the consideration of it, if grace is given to do so, in him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

[4:11] Do prayerfully think about that viewpoint of truth. In him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

[4:23] And that is, the God shines gracious through the man. And thus you and I can receive of his fullness as it flows down to us through what was done on our behalf on Calvary's cross.

[4:46] And of his fullness have all we received. There is one God, one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

[4:57] God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. And in approaching the subject, I would look a little at the context.

[5:15] And this Gospel of John is the last book in the Holy Bible, book divine. And godly John lived to a great age.

[5:28] And he did not die a martyr's death. But God spared him to be a witness for him when error was beginning to assail the church of Christ following on the days of Pentecost when there was a great outpouring of the spirit of God.

[5:51] But it was not long afterwards ere Satan began to work not so much by persecuting the church as he had done in the early days of it, but as an angel of light in raising up specious men who began to proclaim erroneous doctrine seeking to undermine the eternal sonship of Christ and bringing in other errors.

[6:24] And godly John was inspired by the spirit of God to record the gospel given to his name wherein he sets forth what is true.

[6:41] In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. And then it says 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.

[7:10] Some of the Puritans make a kind of transposition of those two scriptures which is very instructive to ponder and meditate on.

[7:27] In the beginning was the word and the word was made flesh and the word was with God and dwelt among us and the word was God and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth.

[7:52] And it says all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made.

[8:04] What a great declaration that is. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not.

[8:17] The apostle Paul said to the godly Hebrews in his epistle to them by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

[8:44] Through faith that is to be known and not otherwise. Science cannot penetrate into that mystery how in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

[8:57] By the breath of the Lord were the heavens made and the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth. Yes. He spake and it was done.

[9:10] Did not take millions of years following on. He commanded and it stood fast. Six days. Hour days.

[9:22] Twenty-four hour days. And thus God did his work in six days and rested the seven. If you would like to argue about it or refute it, it will not do you any good because you must tell us when days began to be twenty-four hours in length as they are nowadays.

[9:45] It was like that from the beginning. And in six of those days God made the heavens and the earth and all that therein is. And now that is a foundation truth of our most holy faith.

[10:01] It is no use to try to delve into things, to explain it as the scientists seek to do and overturn the record in the word of God.

[10:13] No. Through faith we understand the worlds were framed so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

[10:25] What does that mean? Out of nothing. God said let this be and it was so. the world was made by him and the world knew him not.

[10:44] And now I want to look at this fullness show you as grace is given some characteristics of it and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace.

[11:02] And I might attempt to illustrate it first of all by saying it is a fullness as in a fountain. Sometimes you sing a fountain which will ever run with waters sweet and clear.

[11:21] and that is this fullness of God in our text. And you sang in the opening hymn about the river of God which is full of water.

[11:39] I like that word of the psalmist. The river of God which is full of water and although hundreds of millions of poor sinners born again have slaked their souls thirst at the streams running in that river of God.

[12:00] There has been no diminution of the water so that but little is left nowadays for poor sinners to drink. It is still this Sabbath Eve the river of God which is full of water.

[12:17] The fullness of God is in it. Yes. And I have thought that it is a fullness which is like to a root and Jesus Christ is declared to be the root of David.

[12:38] A root which is full of sap that invigorates the tree that the root is bearing the tree of life yes so that it is a blessed reality you read in the book of Revelation about it and oh that you might know the blessedness of it.

[13:10] Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city and you will remember it was said to the church at Ephesus to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God the fullness of God as in a fountain ever flowing as in a river ever running as in a root ever functioning to keep the tree green and fruitful that it bears such as Jesus Christ Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever dear friends I turn aside to make a comment here which comes to my mind if there is this fullness and there is you dare not cannot will not deny it if it is the truth and you have sung about it many a time the fullness resides in 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 how is it that you and

[14:46] I so often in our soul's feelings have to say when we tell the truth my leanness my leanness and plead leave not my soul destitute make not my soul bare how is it that you and I know much more of what it is to thirst than to drink of the water that runs in the river of God which is full of water you might think these things over prayerfully because they are very searching you and I must examine ourselves let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord and now here is one explanation I name one when prayer is a burden and task no wonder I little receive oh Lord make me willing to ask since thou art so ready to give what did

[15:53] Jesus say in the great day of the feast Jesus cried and said if any man thirst let him come on to me and drink what did you say drink for the fountains open still drink for he says whoever will yes and of his fullness have all we received and now this fullness being the fullness of God it is a fullness of authority thus saith the Lord there is a lovely scripture in that holy of holies chapter John 17 where the saviour said as thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him

[16:59] Jesus Christ has that fullness of authority and he can declare I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy and he declares and this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent oh in Jesus Christ as the sinner's friend there is a fullness of authority you can believe what he says you can absolutely depend on it his truth shall stand yes his word prevail not one jot or tittle fail he has that fullness of authority never man spake like this man and he speaks as verily man verily God then

[18:01] Jesus Christ possesses a fullness of wisdom so that when you are in difficulties and how often you are in the preacher too when you find along life's way difficulties circumstances crooked things that you cannot make straight mountains you cannot level and you need a way made where you can see how no way can be made then to have recourse to God and draw from his fullness of wisdom if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and afraid it not and it shall be given him a fullness of wisdom that you that you and I might be enabled to draw from it as grace is given and handle life's matters wisely commit thy way unto the

[19:03] Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass there is also in Jesus Christ a fullness of power what did Jesus say after he rose from the dead it is a great declaration when he recommissioned his disciples to go out to preach the gospel go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature before he died when his disciples were sent out they had a limited commission go not to any save the lost sheep of the house of Israel but when Jesus rose from the dead then the fullness of his gospel was to be worldwide in the spread of it and what did he say all power in heaven and in earth is given unto me oh how that should quiet our minds how that should inspire us with hope in God when you look round the world with hell let loose in it and you wonder what is going to happen if civilization itself will collapse altogether oh do look up and 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 oh dear friends he has a fullness of power to display on behalf of his people and you with your crooked things your mountains to be leveled and your difficulties and your duties you can wait upon him and he will enable you to draw from his fullness is there anything too hard for the

[21:06] Lord his arm is not shortened that it cannot save neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear a fullness of power and of his fullness have all we received then there is also a fullness of ability how you read in the gospels he is able to save to the uttermost there you see a fullness of ability able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God in Jesus name he is able to deliver he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think you may say I do not question his ability what causes me misgiving and searching of heart is his willingness aye but he has a fullness of willingness thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power and do remember what you sing you forget it at least you do not reduce it to practice very often and you do sing this he is able he is willing doubt no more

[22:36] Jesus ready stands to save you the great thing is are you ready to be saved in the way that God has laid down where the axe is laid at the root of the great eye and the doings of it and where Jesus Christ gets all the glory to his name in saving a poor sinner are you willing to be saved on such terms salvation is of the Lord by grace are you saved through faith in that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast yes the fullness of willingness whenever did Jesus Christ send away empty any poor sinner who came seeking mercy in his great name the thing has never been heard of and it never never will be no sinner was ever yet empty sent back who came seeking mercy for

[23:44] Jesus sake a fullness of willingness and I might add a fullness of sympathy there is a beautiful word in Isaiah that sets that forth beautifully and it is a great word to plead in all their affliction them he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old whatever your sufferings may be Jesus Christ can sympathize with you therein in every detail he can succor them that are tempted he is ready to grant you grace to help in every time of need to the very utmost of your need because he has a fullness of sympathy and

[25:00] I might add this and it needs to be added in this fullness of God there is a fullness of love or to get right word to say something about it oh love thou bottomless abyss my sins are swallowed up in thee covered is my unrighteousness from condemnation I am free and Jesus blood through earth and skies mercy eternal mercy cries a fullness of love God was in Christ I told you reconciling the world unto himself God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life all the love of God in its height and depth and length and breadth the fullness of God God is love yes and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace and

[26:13] I might say there is also in Jesus Christ a fullness of righteousness whereby every sinner saved can be clothed in it the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ a role for all that number which no man can number wherein they are made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light a fullness of righteousness and another thought comes to my mind and I say just a word about that and I look at the subject from another viewpoint and now there is a fullness of providence providence needs to be much more understood than it often is because it is nothing to do with chance or uphazard the fictitious fowl of chance and fortune

[27:16] I defy my life's minutest circumstance is subject to God's eye providence what is it it is the will of God concerning you as you journey on through life where you shall live how you shall live how long you shall live and a sure guarantee that every day you live you shall find provision made for you along life's way bread shall be given water shall be sure and if you should come low enough to scrape the bottom of the barrel and find only a handful of meal when you have scraped it hard enough you will see inscribed in the bottom the Lord will provide yes who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord if you would understand providence in the fullness of it as it is revealed in the fullness of God this will help you to think about it thee we own a perfect saviour only source of all that's good and every grace and every favour flows to us through

[28:38] Jesus blood if you receive your daily bread whereby you live and journey on through life as coming to you through what was done for you on Calvary's cross it will be very sweet eating bread which strengtheneth a man's heart yes I am the bread of life he that eateth of this bread he shall live forever much might be said under that heading and of his fullness have all we received and now in Jesus Christ if I can make this plain as God shall help me in Jesus Christ there is a fullness to ratify every one of the exceeding great and precious promises whenever they are pleaded before the throne of grace because

[29:39] Jesus Christ is the promiser he has ratified every promise by his own blood faithful is he that promiseeth the word of God tells us and you have proved it to be so and you will the exceeding great and precious promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus and all that those promises promise can be fulfilled in every jot and tittle to everyone who is the character set forth in whatever the promise is remember that and of his fullness have all we received I go back a moment or two to that scripture which says it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell and I ask you a question does it please you oh if you are a sinner born again it will please you it is a wonderful mercy when you can come as grace is given empty and receive of his fullness then you realize regarding your soul salvation all the glory all the glory all the glory

[31:14] Lord is thine neither is the salvation in any other there is given unto heaven among men another name whereby we can be saved oh what a wondrous fullness it is but then everything hinges on this and of his fullness have all we received oh dear friends have you received a little of it are you here before God as a poor sinner empty according to your soul's feelings have you got as far as this in the life divine nothing in my hand I bring oh that is a great attainment I can tell you dear friends there is that about us which is ever looking for a little bit of something to bring in our hand but God will have none of it and you must come to this as having nothing and when you get there and yet possessing all things because you receive our peace fullness in every particular whereby you need it for your soul's welfare in time and eternity too do remember that but I must come along to the amen and of his fullness have all we received and says godly john grace for grace and now at the first reading this seems a little mysterious to contemplate what does godly john mean grace for grace

[33:06] I judge the meaning is this that you are given more grace in your felt need of it and ever since you were called by grace you have been asking god to give you more grace and it says he giveth more grace he gives you grace to ask for more and then he grants it and by that grace you ask for yet more but there is an opening up of this truth although I have no time to work it out in detail only to set you thinking about it and of his fullness of all we received and grace for grace and now if god grants you all that he may the grace of repentance for that grace in its exercise he will grant you the grace of remission of sins grace for grace if he should grant you grace to mourn over what you are within he will grant you grace to comfort you lesser are they that mourn for they should be comforted there is the grace that enables you to mourn and then for that grace there is the grace of comfort and if you should be given which you will be the grace of supplication whereby you are helped to pray for that grace you will be granted the grace of praise prayer will be turned to praise and if you should be given grace of separation from the world then for that grace you will receive the grace of sanctification to live your life henceforth for God grace for grace if you are given grace to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God in his dealings with you then you will be given grace of submission to his will and do it willingly much might be said along that line of thought if he gives you grace to ask then he will give you grace to receive and if you have grace given whereby you sow in tears then you will be given grace whereby you reap in joy and thus

[35:49] I understand that viewpoint of the subject and of his fullness of all we received and grace for grace and then there is just another thought and do keep this thought uppermost in your minds all who are taught of God have to learn as they journey on through life that they are to be receivers God delights to do the giving you must learn to receive what God delights to give and receive it aright and remember that it comes to you through what was done for you on Calvary's cross when Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and of his fullness of all we received and grace for grace and when you are favoured to receive this grace whatever the characteristic of it oh how desirable it is that in receiving it you should say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift and of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace and now if you and I have received somewhat of this grace then as we journey on through life we have got before us a sweet blessed prospect of arriving at the fountainhead from whence it flows there shall we see his face and never never sin and from the rivers of his grace drink endless pleasures in may that religion be yours dear friends and mine amen i têm you and not you