Let's turn our Bibles to Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3. We continue our study in this great section of Ephesians on the mystery of Christ. The mystery of Christ. He's the fullness of deity in bodily form, Colossians 2, in verse nine. Now I want to read to you where Paul picks it up at the end of chapter two, showing the amazing mystery that Jews and Gentiles could become one new man, which was astounding to the mindset of the Jew at that time. And then now we pick it up here with chapter three, verse one and following. Paul says, For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ which was made not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body. and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister, Paul says, according to the gift of God's grace, which was given to me by the powerful working of him. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance to the eternal purpose that has been realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you. for the wealth we have in you, that we have the treasure of your powerful life in us as believers. We thank you, Lord, for what we're going to learn even more this morning about the riches that you have given to us, the precious value of who you are for us, for your people. the true wealth that we have in knowing you. It's amazing and astounding. And it's in your name now we ask your blessings. Amen. In 1 Peter chapter 2, which we looked at last week for a moment or two, speaking how we as believers are living stones in God's spiritual house, His holy temple, the church. But in the early part of chapter two, it says in verse four, which is what we looked at last week, it says, as you come to him, a living stone, rejected by men, but in the sight of God, chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood. to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But notice here, referring to Christ in chapter 2, verse 4, that Jesus is precious. He's a precious cornerstone. To we who have wearied ourselves at times, like many people in the world, to have our priorities Appropriated, we tend to get pulled away from the main thing, and maybe even accused of pursuing wealth in the wrong place. God reminds us that the true wealth we have is in knowing Christ, who He is, and what He has done for His people. And so we keep coming to Him as living stones in His spiritual house, like a priesthood, drawing near to God. Because He is chosen and precious to His people. What a powerful reminder. In Colossians also, Colossians chapter 2, it tells us further of this great, amazing story. In Colossians 2, verses 1 through 5, it says this, For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea, for all who have not seem like me face to face as Paul, that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ. In whom are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments, for though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ." In each of those sections, we saw the preciousness of Jesus Christ, the mystery of Christ, God's mystery, who is our Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, the reminder of where we will be seeking to unpack the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. We are a wealthy people, and Christians can drift away from remembering that, that our wealth is in Christ, and not intangible wealth, but the wealth of knowing Christ, who He is. Not just who He is, but what He has as well. And this is vital for us, otherwise what happens is we get drifted off to the side, away from the things most focused, most necessary, and that is the mystery of Christ. The mystery again is this, He's the fullness of deity in bodily form. God has come in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the fullness of deity of God in flesh. So powerful, such a powerful reminder. We could easily drift from that, from our faith in Christ. If we are not in the Word, we heard about the Gideons this morning. We'll hear more at the end as we give, but we want to be reminded of the importance of being in the Word, because otherwise what happens is we are not rooted. Notice in Colossians 2, 6 and 7, Therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. walk in the fullness of the Lord, verse 7, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Or what happens is, it says, see to it that no one gets you captive by philosophy and emptied the sea. That's what happens. You get derailed away from the reality of what it means to know Christ, to love Christ, to see Him as the treasure He is for His people and how He is a precious value to us who believe. I see in verses 8 through 13, where we want to focus this morning then, I see four things about the riches of Christ. And that's what we're talking about, the riches of Christ. Again, just to reiterate the riches to you, I want to just remind you how vital this is. What are the riches of Christ? They're all doctrinal truth about Christ. His person and His work. What are the riches of Christ? It's all the treasure and the blessings He's given us in Him. Notice in Colossians 1, verse 3, we know this passage. in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Every spiritual blessing in Christ. This is the riches of Christ. We are overwhelmed and lavish with the wealth of what it means to know God, to have His word in our own language, to make choices to put Him first in our life and to follow hard after our Lord Jesus Christ. so crucial, so vital is it for us. But also notice in 2 Peter chapter 1, again this amazing wealth is stated in amazing ways. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 3, His divine power has granted, it has, granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who has called us to his own glory and excellence. Notice here, again, everything pertaining to life and godliness. What a treasure, what riches, what blessing given to us in Christ. But we can miss it if our mind and our focus gets miscalculated, turned away from it, sucked in by the world, not being in the word. not spending time with God. And what happens is you begin to fall after the philosophies of this world. The easy belief is in false teaching. And we begin to see, think to ourselves, well, I don't feel like I know Christ the way I should anymore. Why? You forgot who Christ is. Not that you actually forgot, but you practically lived out a life that forgot all that you are in Christ. that you've been granted all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, that you've been granted everything pertaining to life and godliness. It's easy for this to happen if you're not anchored into the Word as you should, and remembering the great mystery is Christ Himself. Now notice here the first point. If we are to understand the riches of Christ and embrace them, then we need to first of all understand they're incomprehensible. They are unfathomable. They're untraceable. They're immeasurable. The first thing we must say is, yes, this is true, and let's keep mining this great truth. Look at me in Romans just for a second. Romans 11.33. These passages are so helpful in illustrating. Romans 11.33, oh the depth. This is a deep doctrine. Oh the depth. Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways. Again, to know God, it's a life of pursuing a walk with God and spending time with God. It doesn't happen one, two, three, four, rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub. It's understanding that the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God It takes a deliberate focus to enter into this untraceable area, this immeasurable area of thinking, this unfathomable area, this incomprehensible thought of God. It's the calling we have because of the fullness of deity and bodily form has come. He's called us to draw near to him. And look what Paul says in verse 8 then. He says, to me then, though I am the very least of all saints, this grace was given. Paul saw to even be able to speak about the riches of Jesus Christ to God's people, the amazing truth of that. Paul said, I'm the very least of all the saints. to have received the gift of this grace, to preach this message, the importance of preaching the word of God. What is this mystery? It's this amazing riches. It's the gospel and its extension to all nations, to every part of our life. It's the gospel. And Paul says, listen, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, this grace was given. It's a grace. It's a grace to be able to share about the work of the Gideons. It's a grace to be able to be teaching in some capacity in a church or instructing your own family in family worship. It's a grace. It's a privilege. It's an opportunity to give God the glory for being able to begin to tap into the depth of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. It's something that should not be taken lightly because whenever we handle God's Word in our own language, it's a privilege, it's a grace. Paul sees it as a grace given to him to preach the gospel, which is the unsearchable. Notice that we're called to preach it, but it's still unsearchable. In other words, we'll never stop pursuing the depths of God. Oh, the depths. of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways. Men think they could figure God out and rub the genie a certain way, say a couple of formulaic prayers, and God's got to perform for them. No. The Bible's very clear. He's inscrutable. Proverbs 25, too, it says, It's the glory of God to conceal a matter. God conceals what He does and un-conceals it if He wants to. He reveals what He wants to reveal. And what happened was, it was this gospel, this amazing gospel that needs to be brought to the light. It says in verse 9, and to bring the light to everyone, what is the plan of the mystery of the hidden for the ages in God? Notice, God hid it. It's the glory of God to conceal a matter, Proverbs 25. God hid it. Why? He's sovereign. He's in control. He kept it to the time that He decided when it would be unveiled. And God chose to do that through His Son, Jesus Christ, when the fullness of deity became in bodily form to the glory of God. So he says, Paul says, so I'm the very least of all the saints. It reminds us of the language where Paul says that he is of all people the least who should have been called to preach. It says in 1 Timothy 1 in verse 15. Hussain's trustworthy and deserving full acceptance that Jesus came into the world to save sinners of which I am the foremost. Paul saw himself, the more he looked at the grace of God and the gospel, the more he saw the mystery that was open and unhidden now to him, the more Paul saw that, the more he saw how unworthy he was. He was the last guy that should have been selected, but Paul says, Even though I'm the very least of all these saints, I was given the grace to preach. God often does this. He chooses the least likely people to preach. I never thought I would preach, never even crossed my mind. I had other plans and God chose to move me to preach the gospel. This grace that Paul is talking about was given to me to preach this unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. I was given to do this. Why? Here it tells us in verse nine, to bring to light for who? For everyone. So now we're back to the motif where Paul is talking about Jew and Gentile now are becoming one New man. He's back to the reality of no more divisions in the Christ and the gospel. There's no more divisions. God is not partial at all. It's whoever calls upon the name of the Lord can be saved. Romans 10 and verse 13. It's for everyone who sees their sin and turns from their sin and puts their faith in Jesus Christ can be saved, eternally washed. of the gospel. So he says, God's called me to bring to light the world sitting in darkness and then the gospel, the mystery of Christ, which He unveiled at the right time. It had been hidden in ages in God who created all things. That same message God unveiled at the right time to fulfill His purposes for His glory. It brings to light. Why? Continually to the Christian, just how rich he is in Christ. This is why preaching is important. Preaching is important not only to exhort and challenge, but to build up God's people in the right way. In other words, should you understand the detail of this amazing Jew and Gentile becoming one? Of course. Why? Because of the global impact, the mystery of it all, this plan of God brought to light for everyone. Paul's telling the Ephesians, who were Gentiles, it's for you, Ephesians. It reminds me of the passage in Acts 13. And Acts 13 is a wonderful portion of God's Word where it reminds us again of just how thankful the Gentiles were when they realized they were let in on this hidden mystery. Now it was for them as well, and Paul is preaching this and bringing this to light to them so they'll see the privilege and opportunity is for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord. Notice it in Acts 13, 48. I'll go with 47 and 48 of Acts 13, and watch. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. So this is the Holy Spirit speaking, the Lord is speaking to Paul. Now watch this, verse 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they heard that this mystery was for them as well. When they heard this, watch, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and watch. as many as were appointed to eternal life believed." How many is that? That's as many as has been what? Appointed to eternal life believed. They heard the message. They saw it was for them as well. They were amazed. They were rejoicing. You could see them dancing probably. They were rejoicing and glorifying God. They got the message. They understood the preached message. And the preached message said, it's for you too. I remember that when I was in college, and the gospel came to me, and I'm thinking, well, yeah, these people have been in church their whole life, and I've messed up, screwed up my life. And they were explaining to me, you could be forgiven, Jerry, of all your sins. I said, I know that God says that, but I don't feel, really, me? And they explained, I'll never forget, I was overwhelmed with the reality that I could be forgiven from head to toe. It wasn't just people who were raised in a normal home, the way from my vantage point, who went to church, which I'm thankful for such opportunities people have. Many have in this church here, children raised in a godly home. Don't play games with that. Don't take it lightly. God's calling you right now to give your life to Jesus Christ. Have you put your trust in Jesus Christ? Paul said he was given this grace. He called it a grace, something he didn't deserve, he didn't earn. It was given to him to preach. That's how important preaching is. People can't be saved unless they hear preaching. Go with me to Romans. 10. When you only get to preach one sermon a week, you got to take some time. Romans 10. 13 and following. For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him in whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone? What? Preaching, God works through the means of preaching, the communication of the word, that's how he primarily works. He works through a private reading of the scripture, because the scripture itself does its own preaching, but watch. He says, verse 15, and how are they to preach unless they are sent? And as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ, the word of God preached. No, someone might say, does that mean God only works through people who communicate from a pulpit? No, that's not what he's saying. What he's saying is the word is spoken, and men called to light their need for Christ, closed with Christ. The mystery for ages had been hidden from God, and God had hidden this Which God? The God who made the heavens and the earth. Go with me to Revelation 4. Revelation 4, 11, watch. Worthy are you, O our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power. Why? For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. That's the vital point because we don't want to miss this near the end of verse 9. To bring to light for everyone, everyone who is, what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This is important. Who created all things. Do you believe that? Do you hold to theistic evolution? Or do you hold to biblical creationism? See, he's saying there's a connection here. He ends it with this first section with, who created all things? The one who hid this mystery on purpose according to his plan for his time, that same God who said the unsearchable riches of Christ are also for the Gentiles. And so what's God do? I already read it to you in Acts 13, 48. He sent Paul to the Gentiles. Now, unless my mathematics is messed up right now, I'd say that lifting of the hiddenness of it all has been awful successful, because I'm looking at a bunch of Gentiles. It's successful. The gospel went forth because God ordained the right time to unveil the mystery hidden by Him, but for everyone who calls upon His name. It's amazing. So what are these riches? They're all God's truth, all His blessings, all that He is, all that He has. It's all from God for His glory and amazing work. of God, so we must understand then what Christ has already done for us. If we don't keep seeking to understand the depths of what Christ has done for us, then we will not benefit and be strengthened and encouraged. And we'll fall off into drift, theological, spiritual drift that ends up being fruitless at times. So powerful. And the last thing I want us to say in this first point is this. These riches are in us. Watch this. 2 Corinthians 4. 2 Corinthians 4. Look what he says. He's talking about the gospel in 2 Corinthians 4. 1 to 6, look at what he says, the same idea about bringing to light. He says in verse 6, for God who said, let light shine out of the darkness. He's talking about Genesis 1. The same God who said that has shown in our hearts. If you're born again, the God who said in the beginning, let there be light. That same God has shown in your heart in salvation, bringing you from darkness to the light of the gospel. Has that happened to you? The Bible says it will happen to everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. So he continues, and watch. I love this. 2 Corinthians 4. Then he says, Verse 4, in their case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbeliever. to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Now watch, I want you to see this next verse. I want you to see that the riches I've been talking about in Christ are now inside you. Watch. Verse seven, but we have this treasure in jars of clay. To show, why? Why? To show that the surpassing power in our lives as believers belongs to God and not to us. So are you growing as a Christian? You say, yes. Who's growing you? You or God? God is powerfully at work. God is bringing you to maturity. God is unveiling great truths that were once hidden. God is the one unveiling the depths of the riches to you. God is causing you to say, Christ is my all in all. God's calling you to praise and receive His Son. Secondly, not only are these riches unfathomable, and they therefore call for a life of pursuit of the depth of the riches, but watch in verse 10. They're knowable, right? Watch, he says, he goes, he says, through the church, so that through the church, all this was done in verses eight and nine, all that was for, us to understand so that the church, so that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. Let me unpack this. So the church, who is that? That's us. That's every church around the world that preaches the gospel. That's who it refers to. So Christ's church, which is His spiritual house, So all this has happened, this mystery being unveiled, so that through the church, so the church is to be a resource, a wisdom center. The church is to be a place where the mystery is explained, that is the gospel is explained. Christ is the mystery as well, who's explained his person and his work. The church is to be well taught and to go forward in faith with other churches who are proclaiming the amazing work of God in their lives. That's why it's important to testify what Christ has done. Look what he says, and also in chapter three of Ephesians, verses 20 and 21, about the church. I want us to see this. He says, now to him, verse 20, who is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or think according to the power at work within us, watch verse 21, to him be glory, where? In the church. in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever, amen. The church, God works through the visible church, God's spiritual house that he's filling with living stones and building us up in our most holy faith, seeing Christ as precious. It's an amazing picture and we as the church join with arms with all true churches and we proclaim together this amazing gospel, the manifold wisdom of God made available through the church, the churches. And that's why he says, In verse 21, now to him be the glory and the church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations. God works generationally through faithful churches that proclaim the gospel and go to the nations proclaiming this message. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord can be saved. Now John MacArthur makes a great point here. He says about the church, is this not a staggering thought that the church on earth is observed, so to speak, By those spiritual powers and that to the degree the church is spiritually united, it portrays to them the wisdom of God. Now what he's talking about is he's talking about angels and demonic forces and all that. They're all watching the church. They're all locked in on the church. In other words, why is all this going on? Why is he saying, so that through the church? What's the driving point? The driving point is to make known this wisdom from God, from ages past, to make it known to the authorities. You say, well, these people, I mean, these spiritual beings, they know everything probably, so why all the acting as if they're ignorant? Well, let me take you to a few parts. Go to 1 Peter. First Peter 1. This is why it's so important through the church. First Peter chapter 1. verses 10 and following. It says, concerning this salvation, verse Peter 110, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. And it was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look." Angels don't fully understand that. How do I know that? I'll quote this verse. This is in Luke 15 10. What happens when a person's saved on earth? What happens in heaven? Angels rejoice. Angels have a praise party. That's what he's saying there in Luke 15, 10, right? Why? Because they could see, they're not omniscient like God, they can see the sinfulness of man, they can see the work of God in history, and then when they see a person turned around and born again, they just go, we don't understand it, but praise God. The angels are stunned. The ranks of angels. That's why he uses the words to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, the different ranks of angels. They're all observing. They're watching the church on earth live out its faith by sharing the gospel to the ends of the earth. That's what's going on. They see it, and they're amazed, they're stunned, they're trying to understand how all that works in 1 Peter 1, 10 to 12. How does all this work? But one thing they know is this, people's lives are changed, and they start having a praise service in heaven. I'm sorry, but I have to just read that one little verse. I'll try not to give you too much Bible today, okay? Luke 15. It says, or what, verse eight, or what woman having 10 silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it, and when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. Just so I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Have you repented? God commands all people everywhere to repent, Acts 17 30. And those who repent, it's a praise service in heaven. God is glorified. It's a staggering thought, MacArthur says, that the church is showing these ranks of angels what the wisdom of God is. And the wisdom of God is the mystery that Jews and Gentiles are now one in Christ. And he sends a message to all. The church is from God. God tells us, show the powers of the universe the profound wisdom of God and prove to them that Jesus rules the universe. He's not one day hopefully going to rule the universe. He is reigning. And as the church goes forward with the manifold wisdom of God message, guess what's happening? He's showing the ranks of angels who runs the universe. That's God and through His Son, Jesus Christ. Thirdly, these riches are believable. Verses 11 and 12. Paul says, all this I've just talked about, all that was in accordance with the eternal purpose. that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness." So this mindset, this thinking that we've been talking about, this amazing embracing of the gospel to the ends of the earth, this thinking, right? is a source of our boldness because we have access to God with confidence through our faith in Him. The faith is a gift, and He gives us a confidence to draw near to Him, as it says in Hebrews 4.15, draw near with boldness. And then the confidence we have is a confident access. What's the confidence we have? We have this, if we ask anything in His name, He hears us. That's the confidence. As the answer is to prayer, we leave it with God. But one thing we do know is this, is that as we believe the message and trust God and pray to Him, we know He hears us, and that gives us confidence and boldness because we have access to God, to go forward in faith, trusting Him, living for Him, for the glory of His name. So he says, in whom then, in whom we have boldness, Not maybe, we have boldness. Is your faith bold? Maybe the reason why your faith is not as bold as it used to be is maybe your access to God has been kind of waffled. Maybe it's time now to return to Jesus in an awakening where you say, I have bold access, I'm going forward in faith, trusting Jesus, living by the wonderful wisdom of God, because this message is a message that he's called me to believe and trust in. And lastly, verse 13, these riches are comfortable. What do I mean by that? Well, we've talked about the scriptures a lot today, but let me just say, if we go to Romans 15, verse four, we see a great passage that reminds us of the comfort of God. And that is, Paul said in Romans 15, verse four, for whatever was written for our instruction, that's the scriptures, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. So as we mind the scriptures, guess what happens in verse 13. Therefore I ask you, he says, don't lose heart. Don't lose heart, believer. God's plan will not be stopped. He'll bring about salvation to all His people through the four corners of the earth. Don't lose heart. Paul's concerned here because Paul is in prison and he's suffering and they're concerned about Paul. And Paul says, watch, don't lose heart over what I am suffering for you. And now he's not suffering like the suffering servant Jesus Christ to pay for their sins. It's the suffering for the gospel. So this message, this hidden message is going to bring some persecution. As we go forward in maturity, we're going to face challenges. Don't be shocked when we are persecuted and called upon to endure, as it says here, tribulations, in one translation it says. But why do I say comfortable again? Because the comfort of the Scriptures is to not, when we believe the Scriptures, we don't lose heart, right? We lose heart when we walk by sight and not by faith, right? So he tells us here, be careful. And then he reminds us in Romans 8, verse 18. Romans 8, watch. This is so powerful. Romans 8, in verse 18, Paul then says, this is what happens when you think right and you keep reminding yourselves about the riches you have in Christ, the depth of the knowledge of God and all that, as you keep focusing on that and maturing. Verse 18, watch. Romans 8, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed. See, we have to train each other, counsel each other to think this way. Remind each other, direct each other to think this way. Otherwise, what happens is we get greatly discouraged, and we're not comforted by the Scriptures, and yet these riches are meant to be comfortable. Not comfortable in the way of, oh great, I can relax now in the Christian life. Not comfortable in the way in which now I can just rest on my chair. No, it's a spiritual rest that comes. It's a spiritual rest. It's a resting from our labors so as to live and truly live for God. That's why it says in John 10.10, I have come to give you life and life more abundant. The abundant life, true living. And God said to Ezekiel, speaking to Israel, he said, turn that you might live. True life. As I close in the last section here. So what's the takeaway then, believers, Rehearse often what you have in Christ of the riches that he's given you. Of his life, remember, I've been crucified with Christ, there's no longer I live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. His life in our life. Treasures and earthen vessels. God's at work, calling us, saying, I've unveiled the hidden mystery. Now go preach it. Go live it. Oh brethren, you're rich in Christ. You have the treasures of Christ. Go live like it. Go live like you're a blessed people. You've received every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. You've been granted all things pertaining to life and godliness. Go live that way. For my sake, do it for me so I could follow your example and we could pray for each other. And if you're not a believer, I say to you, O unbeliever, O contemplator, O delayer, don't delay." I was thinking, I talked to a little Matthias Santos the other day. I had heard the ordeal they went through, and he almost drowned, one of his brothers. And I thought, and Matthias and I talked yesterday, when they went to the beach, they weren't planning on maybe drowning. We don't know the future. We know who holds the future. And whether it's Matthias or Nicholas or all the other brothers, or any other person of whatever age, don't presume on God. Call upon His name. Turn from yourself. Trust in Jesus Christ as your only hope. Why? Because now is the acceptable time, said Paul. 2 Corinthians 6, 1 and 2. Today is the day of your salvation. Don't delay. Lord, we thank you for the gospel, the hope of eternal life, privilege of having your word in our own language. And Lord, we praise you and thank you for the opportunity we have to be comforted by your scriptures and to speak the gospel to those in our sphere of influence. Lord, give us a burden for the lost. Give us a heart like Paul, The Gentile world, it was a heart for all men, Jew and Gentile. Thank you, Lord, for the gospel. Bless us. Now, may we go forth in faith. In Jesus' name, amen.