Let us turn in God's holy words to Paul's letter to the Colossians. Letter of Colossians and chapter number 2. As we continue this series through the book, this letter to the Colossians. This evening we're going to be looking at Colossians chapter 2, beginning with verse number 9, down to verse number 12. Galatians chapter 2 from verse 9 down to verse number 12, let us hear God's holy word. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised. But the circumcision made without hands Inputting off. the body of this, of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Amen. And may the Lord bless the reading of his word. Our title for this evening's message is this, Union with Christ. union with Christ. I wonder if you went around the streets of Stockton today, or perhaps even yesterday, and you asked them, where's the most exciting place to be? Where is the best place to be? I'm sure you would get many different answers. Some would like to be famous. Some would like to be a famous musician or perhaps a football player. Because why? Because the glory of this world is so attractive. And as it is to us as well. With all the wealth we enjoy today and with all the the things that we have at our disposal. We have more and more access to things with the wealth that we have. Friends, for much of human history, you couldn't take out an app and press a button, and the next day something would arrive at your doorstep. We can have most things that we like, For many of us, this has been more of a hindrance than a help. That is much of today's culture. But how many would say, on the streets of Stockton, would say, well, the best place to be is God's house. That would be a wonderful answer to hear, wouldn't it? If somebody said to you, where's the best place to be throughout the week? God's house, in the presence of God. Some do, but you rarely hear it. We are very excited as believers in Jesus Christ when we meet people we don't know and they show interest in spiritual things. We get excited, don't we? We should get excited. And we want to talk about them with these people because we care about their souls. We want them to know Jesus. But What is the reality for most people in our day? Most look to the glory of this world, this fallen world, rather than the glory of the world to come. Friends, we need to know what we have in Jesus Christ. We need to know how blessed we are so that the temptations that are seen in this letter are not as strong. We need to know how special and how wonderful it is to be in union and communion with Jesus Christ. To share life in Him. That's a phrase you'll see throughout the scriptures. In Him. In Jesus Christ. So we have this word union. And we may hear that word a lot. Union. What does that mean? If this might help you to understand what union means, back in 1707, the two kingdoms of Scotland and England joined together to form the United Kingdom. Two nations effectively became one kingdom. There's also the union of marriage. There's various kinds of unions that we see in this world, and there's various ways of oneness. And it can vary from situation to situation. But to be one with Christ, how special is that? Now we don't become a God or anything like that, but we share intimate, close union and community with Christ by faith. And by faith alone, with that being taught of, do we lack anything? Does the world have all the excitement? Does the world have all the fun things that are going on? Does the world have all the interesting things? Does the world, as verse 3 tells us, have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? It claims it. But it has limited knowledge. It has limited treasures. It has limited and temporary things. But in Christ, not at all. See, to be in union with Christ is special. In this letter, Paul writes to the Colossian believers, there's a real danger. They must understand this. They must understand the specialness of being in Christ. Verse 1 of chapter 2, for I would that you knew what great conflict I have for you. Paul is going to struggle difficulty because of this great danger. This possibility that some of them who are perhaps outwardly flirting, you could say, with the world and the philosophies of the world. It says in verse 4, and this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, with persuasive words, to draw you away from Christ. What might they have thought in that day? Well, maybe you need to add something. Maybe Christ isn't enough. Maybe you need the philosophies of the world. And maybe you need some of the Jewish ceremonies. Things that in the Old Testament, the law and the prophets pointed towards Christ, the substance. See, it's dangerous if we're not content. The 10th commandment, thou shall not covet, speaks about contentment. You're only gonna covet something and lust after something that doesn't belong to you if you're not content. And if you're not content with Christ, what will happen? You will be drawn away. So as we look at this topic of union with Christ, the first one we're going to look at is undivided. Undivided. Verse number 9. For in him, that's in Christ, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. All the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Here in verse 9 we see this specialist of Christ in terms of his deity. This word Godhead. His divine nature. Now at the beginning of this verse it says 4. 4, which it kind of explains the part before then, verse 8. Verse 8 says, beware lest anyone spoil you. And then talks about philosophy and traditions of men, the rudiments of this world. And then very important at the end, and not after Christ. And then here we have in verse 9, the explanation of the danger that they're in. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Being led away from Christ by the thinking. of this world. Again, not all philosophy is wrong. But we need to test all things by the Word of God. And it must be consistent with the Word of God. In Him. So it's all in Christ. Now, to turn your back on Christ is to turn your back on the fullness of God. It is to turn your back on the goodness of God. It is to turn your back on the wisdom of God. It is to turn your back on the power of God, the glory of God, because of this, the nature of the divine nature. What do I mean by that? It's very important that we have some understanding of the Trinity. I know that the Trinity is an incomprehensible doctrine in some ways. But we must understand the oneness between the Father and the Son. See, the danger is we can think that here's two individuals who are just coming together and they're in a family and what is their oneness? Well, they're just a family. That is the big danger. And that is happening in a lot of evangelical books today. I'm talking about the Trinity. This is a drift that has gone on for almost 200 years now. The father and the son are one in their essence, in their being, in their substance, undivided. And that word divided, you know, in mathematics. Remember, I suppose the boys and girls would know your mathematics and you get division and you see the division sign and you go, oh, the times tables and you're trying to remember. But what does division do? It lessens it, it makes it smaller. But you can't also divide the divine nature because it can't be made any less than what it is. But it can't be made any more than what it is either because it's infinite. It's without limit. The Father and the Son are one. John 10. John 10 and verse 30. John 10. And verse number 30, I and my father are one. Now, I may labor on this because this is very important. We can say the husband and wife are one, but we don't say that you're one being, do we? You're two people, but there's a union that takes place in your marriage, but you're still two individuals. But in the case of God, God is one. One being, not made up of two parts or three parts in the Trinity. God is one. And what this shows us, especially in this text, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It shows the specialness of Christ. We do struggle with this and there are challenges, but there are certain phrases that the church has learned from the scriptures that has kept us in guardrails. You know, when you're younger, You say to your children, okay, you can play in that area, but whatever you do, don't go over that fence, it's dangerous. And it's the same with the doctrine of the Trinity. There are certain phrases and grammar, you could say, that we have learned over the years to keep us within those guardrails, because once we go outside of them, danger. God is one, but he is three in another sense. The Father begets the Son. The Son is begotten of the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. 1 John chapter 5 and verse 7. 1 John and chapter 5 and verse number 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. So when we think of the Father is God, the Son is God. and ever continues to be. You see, we've got to not think of it like this either. Well, when the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit get together, that's God and they're made up of three parts. That's another error that can be fallen into. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God, and these three are one. This essence, this being, this substance cannot be multiplied, cannot be made greater, and it cannot be divided. And it shows the specialness. It shows here in this verse, for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the divine nature bodily. Now I know We do have to say that our understanding will always be limited with this. It will always be so. And we must, when we get to where scripture stops, we must stop. But we can't just say, well, it's a mystery and we leave it alone. Because we're always in danger of making less of Christ than what He is. That the greatness of Christ is the greatness of the Father. The power of Christ is the power of the Father. The wisdom of Christ is the wisdom of the Father. And this is always the great temptation that we have, to diminish Christ, to see Him in some way limited You see, as well, even this verse could be misunderstood. Dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. But He's not limited in any way. He's not limited even to the human body. His divine nature filleth both heaven and earth. Yes, the human body is in one place. And yes, they're unified with each other in one person. But in His divine nature, Christ is without beginning and without end. Without shadow of turning. The creator and sustainer of all life. The one who is making it to reign upon this building right now. That is Christ. That is Christ. We also have to make sure as well, as we talk about this, that we don't say, There's also a heresy that says, well, God is sometimes the father, and then at other times he's the son, and then at other times he reveals himself as the Holy Spirit. That's another heresy, and that's dangerous. It's called modalism. One being. But remembering that there is a distinction between the Father and the Son, and that it is the Father begets the Son. The Son is eternally, unchangeably so, begotten of the Father. Undivided. We talk about union with Christ, but there's a union, a wonderful union between the Father and the Son. and how the Father and the Son work together. This is not three individuals, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is one being. Undivided. To have the Son, if you have the Son, you have the Father. If you do not have the Son, you do not have the Father. 1st John chapter 2. 1st John chapter 2 and verse 23. 1 John chapter 2 and verse number 23 and 24. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. But he that acknowledge the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father. The blessings of the Son is that the fullness is in Him and His relationship between Father and Son and Holy Spirit. They are undivided. They're undivided. Our second point, undiminished. on diminished. Verse number 10, and ye are complete in him, or you have the fullness in him. As we see in this book of Colossians, as many temptations to add to the wisdom of Christ. Sure, we'll take Christ and Add something else and a little bit of sprinkle of this and maybe a bit of this. And as you go along, you keep adding in things as if it's some strange, you know, experiment when you're cooking. But Christ is perfect, complete. We don't lack anything in Him. And see, that sounds very restricting to many people, but Christ is undiminished. She's the wisdom and glory of the Father. They express image of the Father. All that we need for salvation, all that we need for life and holiness is found in Jesus Christ. See, if all we need is in one place, the abundance of what we need is in one place, in Jesus Christ. Why would we go anywhere else? Actually, in this text, and ye are complete in Him, there's a perfect tense used here, is something that has been already done. Christ provides, but He's provided all for us. It is a finished work. And this is all for those who believe. If you believe, If you are in union with Christ, if you've been taken out of darkness into marvelous light, if you've been taken out of foolishness and brought into love Him who is wisdom. You've been brought out of a relationship with foolishness and brought into relationship with wisdom. You've been brought out of a relationship with darkness and you've been brought into relationship with undiminished light and glory and beauty in the sun. I think, too, we can say, we can know these things in our head, and then when we hear them, we hear them in sermons over the years, and gonna go, yeah, yeah, I know, and then we kinda switch off, and we think, oh, well, we're okay with that. I want us to think about verse number three, which was from the previous sermon, but verse number three in Colossians 2, in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Think about this as well, and you're complete in Him, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. When you're in trouble, when you need counsel, when you need help, what should I do? Where do you go? Oh, it depends on the nature of the trouble, of course. I mean, if... But surely, The wisdom, the infinite wisdom of God, undiminished in Christ, is the most important place to go. Who should you marry? Deconsult Christ. Where should I work? Do you consult Christ prayerfully? No, there's not going to be a page that will give the name of the person you're going to marry, or there's not going to be a page in the scriptures that's going to tell you specifically, but that you're reading the scriptures, learning principles, and then prayerfully thinking over these things, and patiently, painstakingly thinking about it. and using wisdom and discernment, the Lord's wisdom and discernment. You see, if we go to the world and substitute the world's wisdom, supposed wisdom, that is diminished. That is tarnished. Now the world will at times get things right. Scientists, philosophers even at times will go into the world, study nature. They'll find out various principles that will sometimes be right. because the heavens declare the glory of God. Creation itself shows forth these things. Sometimes they will get things right, but many times they get things wrong because of their bias against God, because of their hostility against the God of heaven and earth. But we need to test all things by God's revelation. And this is not just about reading a book. You know, sometimes you'll talk to people in the open air or various things. Have you read the Bible? And they'll talk about it like it's a novel. Like it's just another book. It's not. It is divine revelation. It is God's word. It is God's commandment. It comes with authority. And so when we have a difficulty, we need to be led by the scriptures, by the Holy Spirit. Because we need to be led by the Holy Spirit as well. If we're gonna understand this book, we need the Holy Spirit. We need prayer. We can come cold to reading the scriptures. We can come casually. And we can come even disobedient. The Lord has shown us light and we've ignored it. And why would he give us more until we have learned that previous lesson? See, here, what we have is divine revelation from the one who is infinite in wisdom. It doesn't matter how good human wisdom is, it is always limited. It is always limited. So even if it's right, it's limited where it's right. And the scriptures are able to make thee wise. In 2 Timothy chapter three, 2 Timothy chapter three, 2nd Timothy. And chapter number 3 and verse number 15. Verse 15. Paul writes to Timothy, and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in. Christ Jesus, in Christ Jesus. See, salvation is in Christ Jesus through faith. But very interestingly there is like, and that from a child, that word translated a child is the Greek word brephos. And that word is actually the same word used for an unborn infant in the womb. It's about any child from that age up until about two years old. That from a child, that from your youngest. See, even for the youngest among us, the scriptures are so, so important that are able to make you wise to salvation. We don't know when Timothy began to believe. He may not even know himself when he began to believe. He may have been in his mother's womb, like John the Baptist. The Scripture is God's Word, that is the wisdom. You see, do we see Uniate Christ as wonderful? Do we see that we are complete in Him, that we have the fullness in Him? We will ask Him. We will ask for that radiant, that undiminished, that untarnished, glorious wisdom, which saves. sinners from hell. Our third point is this undefiled. Undefiled. Verse number 11 says this, In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Now, there are different ways that this text can be looked at. And we see a reference to circumcision. We also see, then, a reference to baptism. And this text very much shows the connection between spiritual circumcision and spiritual baptism, which also points towards the physical version of those which points toward the reality of both. Both circumcision and baptism point toward the same reality, union in Christ. This passage is not really a passage per se with baptism in the front. Yes, baptism is there, it is spoken about, and it can certainly be preached from this. But union with Christ is there at its forefront. Union with Christ and the blessings and what is needed to come into saving relationship with Jesus Christ. It points out what we need. Now it says here in verse 11, in whom? That's in Christ. You also are circumcised. So if we are in Christ, see, think of the context. The Colossians believers, some of them, maybe all of them, it's not entirely sure, but think that maybe we need to go back to the Jewish ceremonies. You actually see it later on in chapter two. And that this temptation is to go back to these Old Testament ceremonies of the Jews. But he's saying to them, in whom ye are circumcised. You are circumcised. What kind of circumcision? With the circumcision made without hands. In the early church. And you can see the temptation. Who is in the church in the early church? It's all Jews. In the very, very beginning. And the Gentiles start to be brought in. And then after a while, some of the Pharisees are going, hmm, this is a bit different. They haven't become Jews first. They haven't been circumcised first. Something's a bit off here. Because everyone, well, everyone we've seen has been Jewish first and then they're trusting Christ. And you can kind of see the temptation to a degree. And so there was a temptation to go, are we missing anything? Are we lacking something? Paul's pointing out to them, in Christ, in this union with Christ, you don't lack anything. You are you in whom also ye are circumcised. Not physically, not with the outward sign, as we read earlier in Genesis 17. but with one made without hands. Now that phrase, without hands, is used a few times in the scriptures. It's used in Daniel, and it's also used in Mark 14, verse 58. Mark 14 and verse number 58. Mark 14 and verse number 58. We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, the physical temple. And within three days, I will build another made without hands. So we remembered there was a temple, time Jesus came, and this temple will be destroyed. And three days later, we raised again. The old temple, that temple, which pointed toward the spiritual temple, which pointed toward the real inner, you could say even more important temple, the spiritual reality of the temple. So there's one with hands and there's one without hands. This circumcision is the one without hands. This circumcision is the circumcision we all need. And the scriptures point towards the circumcision of the heart. We need a new heart. We need a new nature. See friends, we have to, pause to think about this for a second. Like we have circumcision in verse 11. Verse 12 it says being buried with him in baptism. Buried with him in baptism. And we have here an Old Testament sacrament and a New Testament sacrament. And whether it's the Lord's table, whether it's Passover in the Old Testament, what did the sacraments do? They set before people sensible. And what I mean by sensible is the senses, the sight, the touch, the smell, all these things. They set before sensible signs, which point, and seals, which encourage. those who believe the promises of them. Or put it another way, as Augustine put it, the sacraments are the visible word. So we read earlier from the scriptures, that's the audible word, you hear it in your ears. And when you see the sacraments before you is the visible word. It's the same with baptism. It's the same with circumcision. And what is it teaching? It's teaching the gospel. It's teaching the need to deal with the filth of the flesh. The removing of the flesh in circumcision and the need for shedding of blood, Old Testament, points forward to baptism. And in the New Testament, baptism is pointing towards our need to be washed. need to be cleansed. By what? The blood of Him who was shed. There's no more shedding of blood. So what you see before you in baptism in the Lord's Supper, in baptism you see what is needed to come into union with Christ. We need to be washed. We need to be undefiled. We need to be cleansed. Because what can come into the presence of Christ, but that which is undefiled, that which is not tainted with sin, that's not any of us by nature. And circumcision in the Old Testament taught the same thing. Deuteronomy 16. And verse number 10, Deuteronomy 16. And verse number 10. I usually think I've got the wrong verse down there, but circumcision in the Old Testament points toward what? circumcision of the heart. And one verse that would be very good to look at this is the end of Romans chapter 2. Romans chapter 2 in verse 28 and 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which was outward in the flesh. Paul is saying that's not what the Jew is, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and the circumcision that is of the heart. in the Spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." You see, physical circumcision doesn't just say, well, get that done and you're done. You're okay. You're circumcised, do the other works outwardly, and you're okay. And we would say the same thing with baptism. Baptism without faith in Jesus Christ does not save. But what does bless, the sacraments do bless those who believe the promises that are set before them. By faith. Without faith, they condemn you. Think of the Lord's Supper. If we don't examine ourselves before we come to the Lord's Supper, and we come to the Lord's Supper without faith in Jesus Christ, we eat and drink damnation unto our souls. We make things worse for ourselves. You see, the sacraments are not there, whether it be the Old Testament, Passover, whatever, so that we can do it in an outward way and we're done. No, they point toward the one who saves. They point toward the one we are to believe in. They point toward the one we are to depend on. And what is baptism and circumcision teaching? The same thing. Our need to be cleansed, our need to be washed, our need to deal with the filth of the flesh, the need for the removing of the old man, the sin which plagues us. And how is that done? When we're brought into union with Christ, and it says in verse 12, through the faith of the operation of God. Through the faith of the operation of God. It's through the power of God. And it's by faith. If you are in union with Christ, friend, you are undefiled in Christ. And you see, the devil does not want you to know that. He wants you to carry around that guilt, all the things you've done in the past. And the devil wants you to remember every single one of them, so you forget your blessings in Christ. He wants the true believer to carry around that burden for the rest of his remaining days. To never look to the cross, to never find relief. But he wants the person who's not converted at all. I think he's great. To think he's undefiled in his own self. That's the devil's work. Friends, we need to see what we, believers, have in Jesus Christ. And the next time you're at a baptism, think of what it pictures. See, that baptism you go to next is not just about that person. It reminds and encourages all who look unto it, and it reminds you of your own baptism. Which brings us to our fourth and final point. Undefeated. Undefeated. Verse number 12. Buried with him in baptism. wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. In Adam, in our fallen nature, we are defeated, by nature defeated, by grace undefeated. Fallen in Adam, but raised in Christ Jesus because of this union and communion in Christ. Death is a defeated foe. Death is placed under the feet of Christ through the cross. Verse 10 again, and ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power. Christ is triumphant over it. He is the head. He is the most important over all rulers, over all authorities. That is Christ. He triumphs. And His victory by union in Christ becomes our victory. His death becomes our death. That's what it means. Buried with Him in baptism. The picture of baptism is not being buried. The picture of baptism and circumcision is union with Christ. And Jesus died and He rose. You see, we've been brought into union with that. His death becomes our death. His resurrection becomes our resurrection. Because He rose from the grave, we have that to look forward to. Our bodies will go into the ground. But because Jesus rose from the dead, He's been victorious. We are undefeated in Him. You see, the picture here is not about mode of baptism. How we are to carry it out. It's about union. It's about the picture. We're brought into union with Christ. And what did Christ do? He died. And He rose again from the grave. How do we avail of this victory? By faith. By faith. If you look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians. And chapter 15, verse 57, verse 57. Just for context, we'll look at 55, 56, and 57. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 5, 4. 1 John and chapter 5 and verse number 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. By faith we've been brought into union with Christ. He has been victorious over death and over hell in the grave, and you lack nothing. in him. Undefeated. You see, friends, by being brought into union with Christ, he's dealt with what would keep you away from union with Christ. Think about it. What would keep you away from him? Sin. Sin keeps you far from God. The filth of the flesh. And then once we're washed, once we've been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, what keeps us away from Christ? What keeps us from union with Christ? And this union with Christ is so, so special, friends. I just want to point out one verse, Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2 and verse number Verses 4 to 7. Verses 4 to verse 7. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath he quickened us together with Christ. You see the reference? With Christ. By grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. and the ages to come to show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us through Jesus Christ. But that verse, number 6, Ephesians 2, 6, and hath raised us up, surely that's in the future. Surely this is some future reality. Friends, this is something that has already happened and has raised us up together and made us sit in heavenly places. This is why we're in this world and this world is not our home. We sit in heavenly places. We're in union with Christ. We are there with our Savior. That's what's so wonderful about this doctrine. That is what is so wonderful that we've been brought into this wonderful relationship And He's been raised from the grave. He's been brought. And because He's been raised from the grave, He is triumphant. He is in heaven. We sit in heavenly places. And I think, friends, think about this. As you read throughout the scriptures, you're gonna see this phrase a lot. In Him, with Him, to Him, because we can do nothing without Him. We can do nothing without Him. We don't just go to Him when we are in trouble. We go to Him for everything. Everything. Every morning we get on our knees. Every evening we thank Him for all that we have gotten. Because the victory is in Him. In Him. His life becomes our life. Because of this union. He represents us before the Father. His perfect record represents us. Oh, but I'm such a wretched sinner, friend, if you have trusted in Jesus Christ. The Father does not see your sin. Clean, white, glistening. Will you challenge the claims of Scripture? Have you trusted in Jesus? You have no confidence in the flesh. You have given up on yourself. His death is yours. So why would you face it anymore? When that time, none of us know when we're going to breathe our last breath. Oh death, where is thy sting? Do you have anything to fear from death? Do you have anything to fear from death? As Paul said in Philippians 1 and verse number 21, For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. He's not wishing to die in a kind of a morbid sense. But if he does die, and if he does come as he's in prison at this point in Philippians, what does he face? Gain, greater riches, greater glory, greater joy, greater union, greater closeness. We get a taste of it here. We'll have the fullness in the world to come. We'll have the enjoyment of him in the world to come. In the fullness, we have a taste here, just a taste. But that taste is wonderful. Taste and see that the Lord is good, who trusts in him, his blessed friends. I want to ask you as we conclude, is Christ yours by faith? Have you laid hold upon Him? Is He yours? But you hide, you lay hold upon Him and you wish not to let go of Him. You see your great gain. You see your great blessings. You pity. You're not better than anyone else. None of us are. We're all sinners. We all deserve the wrath of God. But we have been given such a wonderful blessing of being union with Christ. Christ gave us what was needed to bring us into relationship with Him. In Christ, you have access to the Father. In Christ, you have access to wisdom, closeness to intimacy. I know in this world, there can be many human relationships that can kind of let us down over the years. but Christ will never fail you. Christ has never failed you. Christ will never fail you. And so often we can compare him to the experiences we've had in this world, but I beg of you, friends, while many may fail you in this world, Christ never will. He died in your place. He lived in your place. And He loves those who are His. Amen.