Sum up All Things in Christ

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces Ephesians 1:10 as a difficult but crucial verse, providing a preferred translation by Lenski. He then meticulously defines key terms: 'administration'…

Explains the meaning of 'dispensation' or 'administration' by comparing Christ to a house manager appointed by a wealthy man to govern his estate. This illustrates Christ's role as God's appointed administrator of His purposes.

an administration. The noun for this word is the word used of a house manager. Here's a wealthy man who buys a big estate. Well, he can't stay there to administer the estate.

11:18 - 11:33 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces Ephesians 1:10 as a difficult but crucial verse, providing a preferred translation by Lenski. He then meticulously defines key terms: 'administration'…

Illustrates the meaning of 'sum up' or 'unite under one head' by comparing it to adding numbers, where the sum gathers all lesser numbers under one. This helps visualize Christ as the head under whom all things are gathered.

But the word can mean, not so much as a sum, but to unite under one head. When you take a bunch of numbers, you kids at school, and you've got, say, ten different numbers, and you add them up, the sum of that number gathers together under one number all the lesser numbers. And that's the picture here. That as Christ administers God's purposes in this gospel age, He does so as one under whom everything is summed up.

16:54 - 17:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Worship Christ in the perspective of Ephesians 1:10, recognizing Him as God and the administrator of all things.

Uses the examples of Vietnam, crumbling cities, ecology problems, and racial tension to highlight the perceived chaos and meaninglessness of life. This sets up the argument that Christ's administration provides ultimate purpose and order.

then we see why the apostle can say as he does in Colossians 1, 17, Then we see why the apostle can say as he does in Colossians 1, 17, In Christ, in Christ, in Christ, in Christ, all things consist, or they hold together. Men look out into life in our own day, and one of the things that causes despair is they say, Nothing seems to make sense. How can you get any purpose out of Vietnam, crumbling cities, the problems of ecology, the great tension between the races? All of this seems to make sense.

25:05 - 25:42 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin highlights Christ's awareness of His administrative authority in John 17, where He states He has authority over all flesh to give eternal life. The triumph of the gospel in…

Describes the Roman practice of soldiers compelling citizens to carry burdens, explaining Jesus' teaching to 'go two miles.' This illustrates the oppressive context of Christ's earthly ministry and the apparent disorder of the time, which Christ nevertheless administered.

If you were living as an onlooker in the days in which our Lord ministered you'd say as people say today there's no sense to it. Look at this nation with such a tremendous history. Tremendous heritage. And now they're trodden underfoot by this usurper power called Rome.

35:42 - 35:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Learn to trace your conversion back to Christ's administration in power.

Martin recounts Paul's reflection on his conversion from Christ-hater to bondservant, emphasizing that there were no external indicators of his impending salvation. This illustrates how Paul traced his conversion back to Christ's mighty administration of gospel purposes.

Remember this is a hymn of praise and everything he says is with a view to leading the Ephesians to think about their salvation as Paul thought about his salvation that they would praise God as he praised God. And so as the apostle Paul contemplated his own salvation he had but one explanation. I'm sure there were many times when the apostle Paul lying upon his bed at night or walking out from one missionary appointment to another would reflect back upon those days prior to his conversion. And he could remember when his heart was full of this venom against the people of God.

40:43 - 41:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Learn to base your expectations for the success of the Gospel, not upon our administration of the Gospel, but upon Christ's administration of Gospel purposes.

Recounts the Lord's words to Paul in Corinth, telling him not to be afraid because 'I've got much people in this city.' This illustrates that the success of the gospel is rooted in Christ's administration, not human fear or circumstances.

That's the core of its success. That's what God had to get through to Paul at Corinth. He began to look at the circumstances and get afraid. So the Lord comes to him at night, and what does He say?

45:27 - 45:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not afford the luxury of shoddiness in our gospel enterprises, but administer the gospel according to Christ's precise directions.

Compares a property owner giving precise directions to an administrator for his precious estate. This illustrates that believers, as administrators of the gospel, must not evaluate or disregard Christ's commands but obey them precisely, as the success rests on His authority.

If I own the estate and I say to the man who's going to be my administrator, look, this estate is precious to me. And this is how I want it administered. And I come back in a year and I find that he's only carried out one third of my orders. And I say, what's the problem?

50:14 - 50:28 Read in full sermon