Preached by Chris Broom, 4/15/2007

Can you sing of Christ’s riches?

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The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, part 2 - Outline

You can have access to God’s riches. No, we’re not talking about bling-bling, but about a relationship with the most powerful being there is: God. So what do you pray to God about? Is there power present? If you are seeking the unsearchable riches of Christ, you will see God’s power.

Ephesians 1:17-23 Paul prays for the disciples (us). . .
- To know God better
- To know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance
- To know his great power, that he used to raise Jesus from the dead and appoint him to be the head over everything for the church

Ephesians 3:14-21 To grasp and “. . .to know this love that surpasses knowledge. . .”
- The typical prayer request is for somebody’s relative’s sickness, someone’s friend’s bereavement, someone’s safety in traveling, etc. I do not want to minimize the need to pray for all our concerns, but why don’t we also pray prayers to know God’s power more often? It is a sad condition for the church that so many are so ignorant of what we are in Christ, and the riches we have in him.

Philemon 1:1-7 “. . .so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. . . . you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. . . .” Theresa has gone to refresh the saints in San Pedro Sula.

- Lisa Fellis is about to give birth yet still talking about who she’s getting with to study the Bible or encourage. We came here to give our lives. It’s time to work.

- Tiffani Harris called to tell me about a man she had shared with and had given my number to.

WE DESIRE TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE GOD KNOWN.

What is the gain of being IN CHRIST JESUS?

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise . . . It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. . .” (Wisdom that has led us to righteousness holiness and redemption!)

- People can come to you to hear the wisdom of God (if you are a disciple).

2 Peter 1:3-4 “. . . everything we need for life and godliness . . . through our knowledge of him who called us . . .” That’s why Paul’s continual prayer was, “That I may know him.” That’s why Paul kept praying for knowledge for his converts. Where do we get knowledge of God? The word of God (Psalm 119).

John 1:1-18
- We have direct access to God, the creator: what power! This is all through Jesus (verse 14).

Two challenges for the church today:

Challenge 1. We must be full of grace so that God can fill this place.

First, with ourselves, and then with others. . .

1 John 1:5-10 “. . .If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. . .”

Light and darkness, there’s a big difference between the two. Imagine a room with many windows, and lots of sunlight, and then imagine a dark basement. In one, everything is out in the open. In the other, things are hidden, and covered in darkness. Now, what do you think God means when He tells us to walk in the LIGHT? Verse 9 talks about confession: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Satan’s only ground is darkness. When we sin, and we all sin, how do we handle it? Do we hide it or confess? When we openly confess, we take away Satan’s only base of operation, and we enjoy the POWER of God’s grace. And when we walk in the light, we are promised two things: fellowship and forgiveness. So, tomorrow, when you blow it, it should make a big difference that you stand in grace?

It’s like the game HORSE (basketball): With grace we are still in the game. Without it, game over! GET IT.

Great quote about grace:
“There is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and there is nothing I can do to make God love me less.” - Yancey

Psalm 32:11
- When you know God, you rejoice and celebrate God.

Challenge 2. We must be full of truth, so God can raise the roof.

John 8:31-32 Truth

2 Thessalonians 1:9-10
- We must love the truth. Be like Jesus, full of truth.

Paul told us, “As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).

For services rendered during the American War, General Washington gave an Indian spy a parchment entitling him to a considerable pension. He hung it round his neck as a charm, and many years after, when he was dying in great poverty, that’s where they found it. This paper entitled him to have so many dollars a year until his death, yet he had never drawn a cent of the money . . . he had been no better off than if he had been without it. The faithful spy received that valuable gift from General Washington in vain. We are in danger of losing God’s precious gifts as well, through our spiritual ignorance and unbelief.

- Get into the Word.

- Share your testimony.

The goal is to be like Jesus.

A poem from the 1700s (possibly by Robert Keene) sums it up nicely:

“. . . What more can He say than to you He hath said, You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health; In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;

At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go, The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

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