Philippians-Colossians (Sections 227-230)
Section 227 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."—Php 4:4
Joy drives out discord. See how our text follows as a remedy upon the case of disagreement in the church, verses 1 and 2.
Joy helps against the trials of life. Hence it is mentioned as a preparation for the rest of faith which is prescribed in verse 6.
I. The grace commanded.
"Rejoice."
1. It is delightful: our soul's jubilee has come when joy enters.
2. It is demonstrative: it is more than peace; it sparkles, shines, sings. Why should it not? Joy is a bird; let it fly in the open heavens, and let its music be heard of all men.
3. It is stimulating, and urges its possessor to brave deeds.
4. It is influential for good. Sinners are attracted to Jesus by the joy of saints. More flies are caught with a spoonful of honey than a barrel of vinegar.
5. It is contagious. Others are gladdened by our rejoicing.
6. It is commanded. It is not left optional, but made imperative. We are as much commanded to rejoice as to keep the Sabbath.
It is commanded because joy makes us like God.
It is commanded because it is for our profit.
It is commanded because it is good for others.
II. The joy discriminated.
"In the Lord."
1. As to sphere. "In the Lord." This is that sacred circle wherein a Christian's life should be always spent.
2. As to object. "In the Lord."
We should rejoice in the Lord God, Father, Son, and Spirit.
We should rejoice in the Lord Jesus, dead, risen, etc. Not in temporals, personal, political, or pecuniary. Nor in special privileges, which involve greater responsibility. Nor even in religious successes. "In this rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you through my word, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven": Luke 10:20. Nor in self and its doings. Php 3:3.
III. The time appointed.
"Always."
1. When you cannot rejoice in any other, rejoice in God.
2. When you can rejoice in other things, sanctify all with joy in God.
3. When you have not before rejoiced, begin at once.
4. When you have long rejoiced, do not cease for a moment.
5. When others are with you, lead them in this direction.
6. When you are alone, enjoy to the full this rejoicing.
IV. The emphasis laid on the command.
"Again I say, Rejoice." Paul repeats his exhortation, 1. To show his love to them. He is intensely anxious that they should share his joy.
2. To suggest the difficulty of continual joy. He twice commands, because we are slow to obey.
3. To assert the possibility of it. After second thoughts, he feels that he may fitly repeat the exhortation.
4. To impress the importance of the duty. Whatever else you forget, remember this: Be sure to rejoice.
5. To allow of special personal testimony. "Again I say, Rejoice."
Paul rejoiced. He was habitually a happy man. This epistle to the Philippians is peculiarly joyous.
Let us look it through. The apostle is joyful throughout:
He sweetens prayer with joy: 1:4.
He rejoices that Christ is preached: 1:18.
He wishes to live to gladden the church: 1:25. To see the members like-minded with his joy: 2:2.
It was his joy that he should not run in vain: 2:16. His farewell to them was, "Rejoice in the Lord": 3:1.
He speaks of those who rejoice in Christ Jesus: 3:3.
He calls his converts his joy and his crown: 4:1.
He expresses his joy in their kindness: 4:4, 10, 18. To all our friends let us use this as a blessing: "Rejoice in the Lord." This is only a choicer way of saying, Be happy; Fare ye well.
Fare ye well, and if for ever Still for ever fare ye well.
Joy-bells
It is not an indifferent thing to rejoice, or not to rejoice; but we are commanded to rejoice, to show that we break a commandment if we rejoice not. Oh, what a comfort is this, when the Comforter himself shall command us to rejoice! God was want to say, Repent, and not Rejoice, because men rejoice too much; but God here commandeth to Rejoice, as though some men did not rejoice enough: therefore you must understand to whom he speaketh. In Psalms 149:5, it is said, "Let the saints be glad"; not, let the wicked be glad. And in Isaiah 40:1, he saith, "Comfort my people," not, comfort mine enemies, showing to whom this commandment of Paul is sent, "Rejoice evermore." —Henry Smith. The thing whereunto he exhorteth, as ye see, is to rejoice; a thing which the sensual man can quickly lay hold on, who loves to rejoice, and to cheer himself in the days of his flesh; which yet might now seem unreasonable to the Philippians, who lived in the midst of a naughty and crooked nation, by whom they were even hated for the truth's sake which they professed. Mark, therefore, wherein the apostle would they should rejoice, namely, in the Lord; and here the sensual man, that haply would catch hold when it is said, Rejoice, by-and-by when it is added, in the Lord, will let go his hold. But they that by reason of the billows and waves of the troublesome sea of this world, cannot brook the speech when it is said, Rejoice, are to lay sure holdfast upon it when it is added, Rejoice in the Lord; which holdfast once taken, that they might for ever keep it sure, in the third place it is added, Rejoice in the Lord alway, to note the constancy that should be in Christian joy. —Henry Airay.
Another note to distinguish this joy in the Lord from all other joys is the fulness and exuberancy of it; for it is more joy than if corn and wine and oil increased. Else what needed the apostle, having said, "Rejoice in the Lord alway," to add, "and again I say, Rejoice"? What can be more than always, but still adding to the fulness of our joy, till our cup do overflow?
Upon working days rejoice in the Lord, who giveth thee strength to labor, and feedeth thee with the labor of thy hands. On holidays rejoice in the Lord, who feasteth thee with the marrow and fatness of his house. In plenty, rejoice again and again, because the Lord giveth; in want rejoice, because the Lord taketh away, and as it pleaseth the Lord, so come things to pass.—Edward Marbury. The calendar of the sinner has only a few days in the year marked as festival days; but every day of the Christian's calendar is marked by the hand of God as a day of rejoicing.—Anon.
'Tis impious in a good man to be sad.
—Edward Young.
Napoleon, when sent to Elba, adopted, in proud defiance of his fate, the motto, "Ubicunque felix." It was not true in his case; but the Christian may be truly "happy everywhere" and always.
Section 228
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or Dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."—Colossians 1:16 Any theme which exalts the Saviour is precious to the saints. This is one in which the preacher cannot hope to do more than to show how vastly his theme is above him.
All things were created by God and for him, yet by Jesus and for him, because he is truly God and one with the Father.
I. Consider the statement itself.
1. Heaven itself was created by and for Christ Jesus.
There is such a place, as well as such a state, and of that place Jesus is the center. Enoch and Elijah in their bodies are there, Jesus as man is there, and there all his people will be. God, as a pure Spirit, needed no such place; nor angels, for everywhere they would see God.
It was created for Jesus, and for the people whom he will bring there to be one for ever with himself.
It exists by Jesus and for Jesus.
Everything in heaven is prepared by Jesus. He is the designer of it.
Everything in heaven reflects Jesus. He is the soul of it.
Everything in heaven praises Jesus. He is the King of it.
2. The angels. All their ranks were made by him and for him. To worship him, and glorify him with their adoration. To rejoice with him and in him, as they do when sinners repent. To guard Christ's people in life, and bring them to him in death. To carry out his purposes of judgment, as with Pharaoh, etc. To achieve his purposes of deliverance, as Peter from prison.
3. This world was made by him to be— A place for him to live and die upon. A stage for his people to live and act upon. A province to be fully restored to his dominion. A new world in the ages to come, to bless other worlds, if such there be; and to display, for ever, the glories of Jesus.
4. All the lower creatures are for Jesus. "And that are in earth."
They are needful to man, and so to our Lord's system of grace.
They are illustrations of Christ's wisdom, power, and goodness.
They are to be treated kindly for his sake.
5. Men were created by and for Christ. That he might display a special phase of power and skill, in creating spiritual beings embodied in material forms. That he might become himself one of them. That he might himself be the head of a remarkable order of beings who know both good and evil, are children of God, are bound to God by ties of gratitude, and are one with his Son. That for these he might die: to save them, and to make them his companions, friends, and worshippers for ever. That human thrones, even when occupied by wicked men, might be made to subserve his purpose by restraint or by overruling.
II. Review the reflections hence arising.
1. Jesus then is God. "By him were all things created."
2. Jesus is the clue of the universe; its center and explanation. All things are to be seen in the light of the cross, and all things reflect light on the cross. For him all things exist.
3. To live to Jesus, then, is to find out the true object of our being, and to be in accord with all creation.
4. Not living to Jesus, we can have no blessing.
5. We can only live for him as we live by him, for so all things do.
6. It is clear that he must triumph. All is going well. If we look at history from his throne, all things are "for him." "He must reign." Let us comfort one another with these words.
What an honor to be the smallest page in the retinue of such a prince!
Words of Homage When the Christian martyr Pionius was asked by his judges, "What God dost thou worship?" he replied: "I worship him who made the heavens, and who beautified them with stars, and who has enriched the earth with flowers and trees." "Dost thou mean," asked the magistrates, "Him who was crucified (ilium dicis qui crucifixus est)?" "Certainly," replied Pionius, "Him whom the Father sent for the salvation of the world." As Pionius died, so died Blandina and the whole host of those who, in the first three centuries, without knowing anything of the Nicene Creed, held it implicitly, if not explicitly, and proclaimed it in flames and in dungeons, in famine and in nakedness, under the rack and under the sword.—Joseph Cook. In creation God shows us his hand, but in redemption God gives us his heart.—Adolphe Monod.
What sublime views does this subject (the creation of angels) furnish us of the greatness of Christ! By him, says the apostle, were all those illustrious beings created, together with all their attributes, importance, and dignity. The character of every workman is seen, of course, in the nature of the work which he has made. If this be insignificant and worthless, it exhibits nothing but the insignificance and worthlessness of the maker. If curious and excellent, if sublime and wonderful, it unfolds strongly and certainly his greatness, wisdom, and glory. Of what faculties are angels the subjects! Of what intelligence, purity, power, loveliness, and elevation of mind! What, then, must be the perfections of him who contrived and formed angels; who with a word called them into being; who preserves, informs, directs, controls, and blesses them for ever! Great and excellent as they are, they are exhibited as "unclean in his sight," and as "charged with folly," before him. How amazing, then, must be the perfection of his character! how great, how wise, how good!—Timothy Dwight.
Paul would prevent the shadow of a doubt crossing our minds about our Lord having a right to the divine honors of the Creator. "By him," he says, "all things were created"; and as if an angel, standing at his side when he penned these words, had stooped down to whisper in his ear that men, attempting to rob Jesus of his honor, would rise to throw doubt upon that truth, and explain it away—to make the truth still more plain, he adds, "that are in heaven, and that are in earth." Not content with that, he uses yet more comprehensive terms; and to embrace all the regions of God's universe above the earth and beyond the starry bounds of heaven, he adds, "visible and invisible." Nor leaves his task till, sweeping the highest and lowest things, men and worms, angels and insects, all into Christ's hands, he adds, "whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers."—Dr. Guthrie.
It was well said of a heathen, Si essem luscinia—if I were a nightingale I would sing as a nightingale; si alauda—if I were a lark I would soar as a lark. Since I am a man, what should I do but know, love, and praise God without ceasing, and glorify my Creator? Things are unprofitable or misplaced when they do not seek or serve their end; therefore, for what use are we meet, if we are unmeet for our proper end? We are like the wood of the vine, good for nothing, not so much as to make a pin whereon to hang anything (Ezekiel 15:2); good for nothing but to be cast into the fire, unless it be fruitful. What are we good
Section 229 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."—Colossians 2:6 There is great safety in going back to first principles. To make sure of being in the right way, it is good to look back at the entrance gate. Well begun is half done. The text is addressed, not to the ungodly, nor to strangers, but to those who have received "Christ Jesus the Lord." They have commenced well, let them go on as they have begun. For the spiritual good and establishment of such in the faith, the apostle longs, and to this end he gives the exhortation.
I. Notice in the text the fact stated.
Sincere believers have in very deed "received Christ Jesus the Lord." This is the old gospel word. Here is no evolution from within, but a gift from without, heartily accepted by the soul. This is free-grace language: "received," not earned or purchased.
It is not said that they received Christ's words, though that is true, for they prize every precept and doctrine; but they received Christ.
Carefully observe:
1. The personality of him whom they received, "Christ Jesus the Lord": his person, his Godhead, his humanity; himself.
Received him into their knowledge.
Received him into their understanding.
Received him into their affections.
Received him into their trust.
Received him as their life at their new birth; for when they received him he gave them power to become the sons of God.
2. The threefold character in which they received him. The words of the text, "Christ Jesus the Lord," indicate this.
They received him: As Christ, anointed and commissioned of God. As Jesus, the Saviour, to redeem and sanctify them. As the Lord, to reign and rule over them with undivided sway.
3. The looking away from self in this saving act of reception.
It is not said, as ye have fought for Jesus and won him; or, studied the truth and discovered Christ Jesus; but, as ye have "received" him. This strips us of everything like boasting, for all we do is to receive.
4. The blessed certainty of the experience of those to whom Paul wrote: "As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord." They had really received Jesus; they had found the blessing to be real: no doubt remained as to their possession of it.
II. Notice, next, the counsel given.
"So walk ye in him."
There are four things suggested by that word "walk."
1. Life. Vitally enjoy the Lord Jesus.
2. Continuance. Remain in Christ: make him your constant place of daily movement and occupation.
3. Activity. Busy yourselves, but not with a new way of salvation. Work for Jesus, and with him, and in obedience to him.
4. Progress. Advance, but ever let your most advanced thought remain in him.
III. Notice, lastly, the model which is presented to us.
We are to walk in Christ Jesus the Lord "as we received him." And how was that?
1. We received him gratefully. How we blessed his name for regarding our low estate!
2. We received him humbly. We had no claim to his grace, and we confessed this and were lowly.
3. We received him joyfully. Our first joy was bright as the dew of the morning. Have we lost it?
4. We received him effectually. We brought forth many spiritual fruits, and abounded in life, faith, love, and every grace.
5. We received him unreservedly. We made no conditions with him, and we reserved nothing for the flesh.
Thus we should continue to walk in him, evermore in our daily life excelling in all these points.
Alas, some have never received Jesus! Our closing words must be addressed to such.
If you will not receive Jesus, you refuse mercy here and heaven hereafter. What! will you not receive so great a boon?
Explanatory
Inquirers are not infrequently counseled to give their hearts to Christ, or to consecrate themselves to the Lord. We would not be over-critical with what is well-meant; but really this is not the gospel. The good news of grace is that God hath given to us eternal life and redemption through his Son, and that in order to be saved the sinner has naught to do but to accept it. But having received the gift of God, and having become partakers of his converting grace, then and therefore the divine obligation for service begins to press upon us. The Lord becomes an asker as soon as we have become recipients. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him"; let consecration crown conversion, let self-devotement to Christ answer to his self-devotement for you.—Dr. A. J. Gordon.
If you would know how faith is to be exercised in thus abiding in Jesus, to be rooted more deeply and firmly in him, you have only to look back to the time when first you received him. You remember well what obstacles at that time there appeared to be in the way of your believing. There was first your vileness and guilt; it appeared impossible that the promise of pardon and love could be for such a sinner. Then there was the sense of weakness and death: you felt not the power for the surrender and the trust to which you were called. And then there was the future: you dared not undertake to be a disciple of Jesus while you felt so sure that you could not remain standing, but would speedily again be unfaithful and fall. These difficulties were as mountains in your way. And how were they removed? Simply by the word of God. That word, as it were, compelled you to believe that, notwithstanding guilt in the past, and weakness in the present, and unfaithfulness in the future, the promise was sure that Jesus would accept and save you. On that word you ventured to come, and were not deceived: you found that Jesus did indeed accept and save you.
Apply this, your experience in coming to Jesus, to the abiding in him. By faith you became partakers of the initial grace; by that same faith you can enjoy the continuous grace of abiding in him.—Andrew Murray.
Since they had received the doctrine of Christ, they could not again part with it without convicting themselves either of imprudence, in having mistaken a false doctrine for a true one; or of instability, in quitting and altering a doctrine which they knew to be good and sufficient when they received it. If your belief be good, why do you change it? If it be otherwise, why did you entertain it? Though it be a heinous sin not to receive the Lord Jesus when he represents himself to us in his gospel, yet it is much more evil to cast him out after having received him; as it is a greater outrage to thrust a man from your house when you have admitted him, than to shut your doors against him at the first.—Jean Daillé.
Section 230
"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncir cumcision,
Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all."—Colossians 3:11 There are two worlds, the old and the new.
These are peopled by two sorts of manhood, the old man, and the new man, concerning whom, see verses 9, 10. In the first are many things which are not in the second. In the second are many things which are not in the first. Our text tells us what there is not, and what there is, in the new man.
Let us begin by asking whether he knows where he is; for the text turns on that word "where."
I. What there is not in the new. When we come to be renewed after the image of him that created us, we find an obliteration of—
1. National distinctions: "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew."
Jesus is a man. In the broadest sense he is neither Jew nor Gentile. We see in him no restrictive nationality: and our own peculiar nationality sinks before union with him.
Jesus is now our nationality, our charter, and our fatherland.
Jesus is our hero, legislator, ancestor, leader, etc.
Jesus gives us laws, customs, history, genealogy, prestige, privilege, reliance, power, heritage, conquest, etc.
Jesus furnishes us with a new patriotism, loyalty, and clanship, which we may safely indulge to the utmost.
2. Ceremonial distinctions: "There is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision." The typical separation is removed. The separating rite is abolished, and the peculiar privilege of a nation born after the flesh is gone with it.
Those who were reckoned far off are brought nigh.
Both Jew and Gentile are united in one body by the cross.
3. Social distinctions: "There is neither bond nor free."
We are enabled through divine grace to see that—
These distinctions are transient.
These distinctions are superficial.
These distinctions are of small value.
These distinctions are non-existent in the spiritual realm.
What a blessed blending of all men in one body is brought about by our Lord Jesus! Let us all work in the direction of unity.
II. What there is in the new.
"Christ is all and in all"; and that in many senses.
1. Christ is all our culture. In him we emulate and excel the "Greek."
2. Christ is all our revelation. We glory in him even as the "Jew" gloried in receiving the oracles of God.
3. Christ is all our ritual. We have no "circumcision," neither have we seven sacraments, nor a heap of carnal ordinances: he is far more than these. All Scriptural ordinances are of him.
4. Christ is all our simplicity. We place no confidence in the bare Puritanism which may be called "uncircumcision."
5. Christ is all our natural traditions. He is more to us than the freshest ideas which cross the mind of the "Barbarian."
6. Christ is all our unconquerableness and liberty. The "Scythian" had not such boundless independence as we find in him.
7. Christ is all as our Master, if we be "bond." Happy servitude of which he is the head!
8. Christ is our Magna Charta: yea, our liberty itself if we be "free." In closing we will use the words "Christ is all and in all" as our text for application to ourselves. It furnishes a test question for us. Is Christ so great with us that he is our all? Is Christ so broadly and fully with us that he is all in our all? Is he, then, all in our trust, our hope, our assurance, our joy, our aim, our strength, our wisdom—in a word, "all in all"?
If so, are we living in all for him? Are we doing all for him, because he is all to us?
Embroideries
What a rich inheritance have all those who are truly interested in Jesus Christ! Christus meus et omnia. They possess him that is all in all, and in possessing him they possess all. "I have all things, my brother," saith Jacob to Esau: Genesis 33:11 (Margin). He that hath him that is all in all cannot want anything. "All things are yours," saith the apostle, "whether things present or things to come, and ye are Christ's": 1 Corinthians 3:22-23. A true believer, let him be never so poor outwardly, is in truth the richest man in all the world; he hath all in all, and what can be added to all?—Ralph Robinson.
Christ is not valued at all unless he be valued above all. —Augustine.
He is a path, if any be misled;
He is a robe, if any naked be;
If any chance to hunger, he is bread;
If any be a bondman, he is free;
If any be but weak, how strong is he! To dead men life he is, to sick men health, To blind men sight, and to the needy wealth; A pleasure without loss, a treasure without stealth.
—Giles Fletcher.
All, then, let him be in all our desires and wishes. Who is that wise merchant that hath heart large enough to conceive and believe as to this? Let him go sell all his nothings, that he may compass this pearl, barter his bugles for this diamond. Verily, all the haberdash stuff the whole pack of the world hath, is not worthy to be valued with this jewel.
I cannot but reverence the memory of that reverend divine (Mr. Welsh) who, being in a deep muse after some discourse that had passed of Christ, and tears trickling abundantly from his eyes before he was aware, being urged for the cause thereof, he honestly confessed that he wept because he could not draw his dull heart to prize Christ aright. I fear this is a rare mind in Christians, for many think a very little to be quite enough for Jesus, and even too much for him!—Samuel Ward.
"At length, one evening, while engaged in a prayer-meeting, the great deliverance came. I received the full witness of the Spirit that the blood of Jesus had cleansed me from all sin. I felt I was nothing, and Christ was all in all. Him I now cheerfully received in all his offices: my Prophet, to teach me; my Priest, to atone for me; my King, to reign over me. Oh what boundless, boundless happiness there is in Christ, and all for such a poor sinner as I am! This happy change took place in my soul March 13th, 1772."—William Carvosso.
Dannecker, the German sculptor, spent eight years in producing a face of Christ; and at last wrought out one in which the emotions of love and sorrow were so perfectly blended that beholders wept as they looked upon it. Subsequently, being solicited to employ his great talent on a statue of Venus, he replied, "After gazing so long into the face of Christ, think you that I can now turn my attention to a heathen goddess?" Here is the true secret of weanedness from worldly-idols, "the expulsive power of a new affection."
I have heard the voice of Jesus, Tell me not of aught beside;
I have seen the face of Jesus, All my soul is satisfied.
—Dr. A. J. Gordon.