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2000, 17.
And right now, I'm confident and praying.
About where I'm crying.
Nsnoise.
Psalm 145.
Invert 15.
The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou give us them their meat. In due season Thou openest thy hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The Lord's blessing on the Word.
Wherever the brother liked to start.
I would think that perhaps.
Uh. The uh.
18th verse where we come in with the next second group of exhortation.
Should we go into chapter 3 at all or just right to the end?
Peter, chapter 2, verse 18.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward. For this is thank worthy, if a man, for conscience toward God, and your grief suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even here unto where you called, because Christ also suffered for us.
Leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him. That judgeth righteously.
To his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live under righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed, for ye were a sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
As was mentioned the last time we were on this chapter that the, uh, practical expectations in the official theater which begin at chapter one verse.
13.
Uh, find the they are laid out in what we might call three groups of exhortation and from chapter 113 through to the end of the 17th verse in the second chapter, which we have looked at, uh, already.
Bring before us expectations in the light of our spiritual blessings.
But now, from chapters 2, verse 18 through to chapter 3 and to the end of verse seven, we have another group of exhortations.
Exhortation in the light of our natural relationships, household relationships, and then from chapter 3, verse eight onward to the end of the festival, we have excitations in the light of our suffering in the path of faith.
So what's before us here in the passage that was read to us this morning?
Our expectations in connection with our natural relationships in households doesn't take up every aspect of persons in the household. We don't see children mentioned as in other epistles of the New Testament, but we have servants.
00:05:16
Then in verse chapter 3 verse one we have wives. Chapter 3 verse seven we have husbands.
MMM And so the expectations of the flow now are more on the practical side of things with regard to these natural stations in life as a servant or relationship for husband and wife.
Within the circumstance and sphere of the household.
I don't want to hold us back unnecessarily, but I would like to, uh, just briefly touch on.
Verses 15 and 16. These other verses were commented on.
But what is true in whatever relationship of life there is, is the importance of being genuine and being real.
When it says for us so is the vote God, that with well doing you may put the silent ignorance of foolish men. Perhaps the desire of the flesh would be that with my, my keen wit and my strong arguments, I might, might put to silence the ignorance of foolish men and then we might move in as a concrete hero and and uh, debunked the arguments.
That may be put up against us, but as the will of God, as we put the silent ignorance of men by well doing.
That is the display of Christ and the life and doing what is honoring to him. And one may rail against you, but if you're doing the will of God from the heart that that commands their conscience.
But on the other hand too, there is this real danger versus not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness or a cloak of malice, but as the servants of God.
And sometimes things are not always as they appear, and things are not always as people say they are. And that we find here that our hearts are very subtle and it may not be characteristic of the people of God generally.
But here we will find those that would use liberty, but they use it as a cloak, in other words, to cover malice. And uh, we think of those words and proverbs, whereas speaks of one of his characters is when you speak, it's fair. Believe him not, for there are 7 abominations in his heart whose hatred is covered by deceit. His wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. And so we, we see that also with, you know, Judas Iscariot when he, he condemned Mary and her outpouring of that sacrifice to the Lord.
He very indignantly said, why was not this old ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor? How noble, how aspirational to think of the poor in that way. And and he would use funds in such a proper way as to help out the poor. But the Spirit of God says this, he said, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag. And so I just mentioned this as an aside, that sometimes what is said is not really under the underlying root of something.
And to show how treacherous our hearts can be, that we would even use something as liberty for a cloak of malice. But as the servants of God can use it rather well, I don't. Again, I don't want to hold this, uh, out, hold this back unnecessarily. But how God deals with us and says he desires truth in the inward parts and how critical that is, whether it's in the home, whether it's among brother or it's in the relationships of life at work.
Perhaps a word on verse 17 as well.
Honor all, says men with Dutch and italics. And as we know from the King James Version, when something's in italics, it's not in the original text of the Greek manuscripts. That's been added by translators for what they believe to be a help. But, uh, honor all.
Love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the king. This is the this is all part of the excitation in connection with being strangers and pilgrims. And it's important that we pass through this world in a way that, uh, we honor the.
Institutions that men have, and we pay attention to even honoring the King.
00:10:02
Oftentimes there are things said about the governors in the land, Prime Minister of Canada or President of the United States. They would, uh, be anything but honoring those who are in a place of government. We may not endorse what they uphold or what they do because we can see it to be unrighteous, but nevertheless, it's not our place to be tearing down these officials.
Speaking evil of dignitaries, Jude says.
I'd rather to, uh, honor where honor is due.
Fear God, honor the king. Isn't there a verse in Chronicles that has something like that? Let me see if I can find that.
Uh, First Chronicles chapter 29 I think is where where they found.
The chapter was read in The Breaking of Bread.
Yes, verse 20 and David said to all the congregation, now bless the Lord your God, all the and all the congregation bless the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and worship the Lord.
And the king.
You say what?
But you have to understand that the word worship here is more the thought of homage or honor, as we've been speaking in our chapter. It is, it would be pure blasphemy to take a, uh, a man, even a dignitary as a king and worship him in the common sense of the word. And I think if you look at the Darby translation on this verse in First Chronicles 29, he distinguishes that point, makes it very clear that he's using the word as it was in the days once this translation was made, which is over 400 years ago.
And they use the word worship in a different sense on occasion. And we think of it today in Christianity. So let's remember that we still have a responsibility to honor the King.
So what is the thought of brotherhood?
Well, exactly why does he turn in her head?
What's the standard?
OK.
Peter really doesn't bring out the full light of Christianity, does he? Doesn't take us to the truth of the one body where Jew and Gentile are uh, united together in, in one body. So really Jews that are Christian, we, we have it in Hebrews, don't you? Hey, your brother and Alpha Naksh men's brother and it's brethren according to the flesh, Jewish brethren. And, and you'll have umm, beloved or holy brethren that were believers among the Jews. And so there is a love of brotherhood here now I think it's here.
But it's not just the love of natural relationships, but likewise other Jews because he is addressing elect Jews. Uh, but we know in our places, dogs and the Gentiles have been brought into, uh, Mimico joint heirs with the Jews that, that the brotherhood really and spirit of thought would embrace the whole family of God. Would not, I just take it a lot of these references, they just don't take us as far as the truth that we've been brought into now.
But I'm willing to for another thought.
Did you have a thought on Brother Ken? No, I just merely asked me a question because I wanted an answer.
Well, you had mentioned on the first date, Brother Ken.
The whole household of faith, remember? Yeah. Now what's the difference between the whole household of faith and the Brotherhood?
Well, I just, I was, what I was wondering was whether this brother had extended something beyond just Christian's, uh, fellowship and, uh, that which had to do with, with the, uh, with Christianity, or whether he's referring to, uh, like the brotherhood of mankind that we are to recognize and, and to be, uh, and to remember. And I, I don't know, but as far as the whole household of faith on that.
00:15:20
And that's the drive. I think we're referring to a lot of people of God, not just those that we know today as those gathered to the Lord's name. We quite often can get narrow minded in that sort of thing, but the whole household of faith is, is extends to all the people of God, I believe. And so we have to remember the bird mentioned that in his prayer that, umm, we needed to remember those that are, are in that, that, uh, broad fellowship of Christians.
Is that true?
I don't think this is the brotherhood of all mankind. I'd rather think that it's what Brother Brockmire has brought before. Is that? Am I right about that? There was there have the faith among the elect Jews. Yeah, I might. I might just say something else maybe or may not be helpful, but it's been helpful to me. I think of three epistles that are addressed to the Jews.
The first is the Epistle to James and is addressed to the 12 tribes is the only epistle in the New Testament that's dressed to Old Testaments belie, uh, Old Testament, uh, Jews, rather it's the 12 tribes, all of Israel. And so in that it looks at the people of God outwardly as the people of God. They may or may not have faith, you know, test them live at Israel, some in faith, some did not, but they are viewed as people of God. Then they come to the book of Hebrews. It's a little bit more.
Restrictive, that is, is to those that profess Christianity.
They are holy and beloved brethren, but the danger in Hebrews is that some that made the profession were not real and the danger was that they would apostatize and give up Christianity and go back. But they all have professed it a little bit more of a narrow sphere than in James versus the 12 tribes in general. But when we come to first Peter, as we have in chapter one and verse two, it is elect according to the, uh, foreknowledge of God the Father. Peter is addressing only.
Jewish Christians that are truly that are elect that are safe, not profession, not all the Jews, not all of Israel, but just believing Jews and the I have taken for myself that the brotherhood is are those to whom he addresses love the brotherhood. Now we do know Paul had a very large heart. His desire is reading in Romans 10 was all Israel that they might be saved. He longed for his countrymen according to the flesh. His heart went out to them.
But again, this is written from more the Jewish perspective and for us, you're so right where they can, our hearts should go far beyond, uh, just those with whom we break bread. And it's not an optional thing. Our love should go out to all those that love the Savior, all those that belong to the Church of God.
We have them in the loaf and I remember them.
You know the even though we cannot scholarship them as fellowship with them, but nevertheless we do see them and remember them in that note. And so we need to remember they're all God's people. And I thank you for that explanation that I commend you so.
Some someone had said in connection with Colossians.
Uh, the 1St chapter in the fourth verse since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and love and of the love which you have through all the sinks. And someone said, if you, that's all we think. And if you forgot one of them, what's on your heart doesn't matter. What's on God's heart and the culture we are to the Lord, what's gone, God's heart will be on our heart. We'll have a love to all our brother. But like our brother said, that doesn't mean we have to walk with them.
Yes, Sir, in a path, but we we do treasure that because we're so apartment to be sectarian and we make the assembly a sack in our own heart and think it's something different, but it's not. We're just gathered to the Lord's name trying to carry out his word, Ecclesiastes. When God recovered the truth to the Church, he recovered it to the Church, not to the gathered Saints, but he recovered it.
And some of those truths that he recovered the rapture.
Uh, uh, the difference between, uh, Israel and the church and those things are still tough. And we can thank God that they're taught, Don't we thank God that Christ is exalted, uh, among our brethren, Yes. That we're, we're not, uh, we're not, uh.
00:20:21
Advertising just a, a, a SEC, but we could be thankful for that. But they can. Can I be thankful when I see a man replace the spirit of God in, in their breaking of bread or, you know, having these little pieces of wafers? I used to be, I used to think it was AI didn't know why God would have something like that. It was so much of A waste of time, you know, taking this time out to pass these, uh, little cups around and, and take a little bit of breath. What does that have to do? It was, it was just.
Seems nonsense to me and not to me only because I've heard another brother who was in the nomination say the same thing. But it, you know, it wasn't carried out according to the word of God. You know, the man, he stood down and we're gonna, uh, we're gonna remember the Lord and so we're gonna sing this to him. And brother so and so is gonna bring the plate of the passenger. So it's just a ritual. Uh, what can I go along with that? No, but did I learn a lot of, uh, that recovered truth and that Baptist churches.
And so I'm thankful for that. We can be thankful that the people of God are afraid, but that doesn't mean that we can go on with them. Some people think that that's what you're saying. It's not what you're saying. And you can't, you can't paint it all with a broad brush and say, christened them hold this because many times the brethren will say that it wasn't where I went. They didn't hold it back. So we have to be more specific than what we're trying to say. And, and so, uh, we're thankful.
We're if our brethren our best and but that doesn't mean that we can go along with nothing. So I'm thankful for Billy Graham.
And his preaching the gospel. But could I go along with a man who feels that the Lord, the Lord Jesus could have sinned? No. So we make those distinctions, right?
We have to differ anymore against that because we don't want, we can become in our own heart sectarian and and that's not a God. Sectarianism is not a God. We have to differentiate between the system and the people.
I think that's very important. I learned I had to learn that myself. But uh, umm, it's the system that is wrong. The people may be ignorant.
As to what what it's connected with.
But if they love the Lord, the Lord understands that, and God will honor His word no matter how it goes out. And who goes out by it can be an unsafe person, and he'll honor His word.
But we understand those things. Jealousy is of the flesh. And sometimes we can be jealous because the Lord is working somewhere and it's not with us, you know?
But that's the flush he had all he said.
Is that what he told us? We saw this man, he was casting out demons, but he's not with us.
So the whole household of faith which that's found in Galatians 6, is something broader than the brotherhood mentioned here in this epistle, simply because of the context of the epistles that were bringing these statements from.
Our tendency is to project all of Paul's doctrine into every epistle and it just doesn't, just doesn't work. We have to limit ourselves to the passage we're taking up. I was thinking of that verse. The spirit of a man is the candle of Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly. And that's true and in, uh, in ecclesiastical matters. But as we move into the last half of our chapter, how important our spirit is in the workplace. And, and that's what the, as we get into the section that we began with, to be subject to our masters of all fear, not only the good and gentle, but to the forward or the ill tempered.
And where our spirits tested so much oftentimes is in the workplace.
And it's one thing we've all had good bosses and they're sometimes almost a joy to work for, but, uh, some of the, uh, some of us have had some very ill tempered, uh, bosses or owners to work for. And it's a real test on the spirit, but that's really where the, the things of Christianity are worked out. And so the word of God takes up with these very practical, uh, these very practical matters, but they really have to do with our, our spirit and the circumstances that God has placed us.
00:25:06
So when we come to these expectations with regard to servants, we may say, well, how would that apply to us today because.
None of us have households like they had in other times where they have a huge estate and many servants, men, servants, maid servants and so on. Uh, does this not have an application to us and try to rule it out? But no, it does. His brother Bill has already mentioned that there is a time when most of us are in a position where we are selling our services to an employer and that may be 8 hours a day when we go to work and in the workplace, these things that are exhorted here to the servants.
We have application to us.
And so, though we may not have servants in our household.
In the sense that they had them in literally in in other times.
The expectations here are very applicable to employment when we're in the workforce. It says here with all fear, that is, uh, I take it that's a fear of dishonouring the Lord by not obeying. So you heard the.
The story, maybe some young people have it, but we've probably all heard the story where, uh, a, uh.
Uh, a boy was, uh, they were going down to swim in the river, you know, and, and, uh.
He, he knew that his, his dad had told him he's not to do that, you know, And so they said, oh, Europe, you're a, you're afraid that your father will hurt you. He said, no, I'm afraid I'll hurt my father if I could. So I think that's the thought, you know, it's, uh, fear of dishonouring the Lord.
MMM.
Now I mentioned masters here as well.
You say, well, we don't have slaves today or masters and so on. How would this apply? Well, it would be the thought of an employer where we're in the workforce. So whether we are an employee or an employer, have masters and services not directed so much to the master at all really here to the master, but uh, expectations with regard to our conduct as servants. There are other places where masters are addressed at Ephesians chapter six, I think in first Timothy chapter.
Six are places where there are expectations given to masters and Colossians, Three I think as well. But here it's focusing on those who are in the position of being under authority in the workplace. And there is a, umm, beautiful model that's set before them and set before us as to how we're to behave in this. And the example is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Each chapter has a exhortation and different aspect of suffering. And so this chapter, we get it in the 19th verse, don't we? For this is bank worthy. If a man for conscience sake toward God, endure greed, suffering wrongfully in the other chapters, that's uh, for for Christ's sake.
That might be uh.
Interesting and enlightening for someone to bring that out how it's, you know, the different kinds of suffering and the different chapters.
Verse seven of the first chapter is, uh, is, is that the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, don't be tried by fire might be found under praise and honor at the hearing of the Lord Jesus. So there is suffering and trials. Is that it and for the glory of the Lord in the second chapter.
This, uh, in the 19th verse, that's, that's what we're in. So that's the the third chapter.
Is uh.
To the 14th verse but and if you suffer for righteousness sake, happy argument and be not afraid of their care need to be troubled. You you know, I bought a car one time and the man said well, let's say that you bought it for this because then you won't have to pay that money taxes. So we were I said we're going to split it. I said well I'll just pay the whole thing because I'm a Christian.
00:30:04
Oh, maybe Mark, uh, raffle against me because I had said something, uh, I guess that made him think he wasn't righteous, but, uh, it was suffering for, I think that's the suffering of righteousness saved. And then of course, uh, in the 5th chapter, it's, uh.
Ninth verse whom Rita said fast in the faith, knowing that sin afflicted accomplished in your brother that are in the world.
Yeah, but it's temporary. But the God of all grace has called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ. After that he'll suffered a while.
Make you perfect, establish, strengthen and, uh, settle your.
Perhaps I could summarize it.
Chapter one Suffering in the trial of faith. Chapter 2 Suffering for conscience sake. Chapter 3 Suffering for righteousness sake. Chapter 4 Suffering for Christ sake Chapter 5 Suffering that rises from opposition from the devil.
Who was by suffering from opposition, from the devil.
There is any suffering for righteousness sake in chapter 3, and suffering for Christ's sake is like you were saying, You bear me to repeat what you said.
Is, uh, they need some transaction like that. You may say, well, no, I don't want to do that because, uh, it wouldn't be right. Well, why, what are you a goody 2 shoes? You get the reproach connected with it, but you don't necessarily bring Christ into it. But then if you go a little further and say, well, actually I'm a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ and we'd be dishonored to him. Now you're suffering for Christ's sake because you brought his name into it.
OK.
Imagine that in in these verses the Lord is our example and I was shaping your power. We also have other examples in the Old Testament and so.
In connection with servants and masters here, as it says servants be subject to your masters, because fear not only to the good and gentle, but also to the thriller for that in spaghetti. If a master conscience toward God and your grief suffering wrongfully.
So I just think of Joseph in Potiphar's house.
He adjourned grief softly along the way.
And, uh, he went to jail because that, that he, he, uh, he was doing, uh, what was right and he suffered for it.
So he suffered for conscience sake there, and he also suffered righteously living on.
He did that which was right. He did it also because he feared God.
So that's a good example because he's one of the probably the better examples of the of the Lord Jesus that we get in the Old Testament.
It might be helpful in looking at this portion and some of these different relationships were brought out and it's in contrast to what we have in Flash and and in Ephesians.
In what relationships are brought out and the the overarching theme in in these relationships that we're looking at.
Yes, similar to what we had in in verse 13 submit or to be subject and that Peter is bringing this out and for a Jew that was something that ran contrary to the whole national character of the Jews. They were they were God's chosen people and they were told that they were faithful that they would be the head and not the tail and that they would have those those positions over the nation and yet here Peter is stressing through.
Through the Spirit of God, obviously, but in verse 13 we have submit yourselves to every ordinance of man and then in the position of a servant that needs to be subject. The example of Christ is given in that he was subject to his Father's will and all that he endured taking it patiently perfectly subject. We have the example of why we subject to her husband and then just that word in verse 7. Likewise the husband.
00:35:17
The husband's authority is not to be used as a tyrant, but in.
Subjection price.
And so just, it's, it's something that's contrary to, to the current of this world that we live in. If we have a boss that we don't like and we're at work, well, we quit. I mean, this, this boss, he wasn't treating me right. I quit. Umm, even the way that this world looks at marriage, you're, you're in a relationship, you're not being treated right. You quit, you, you divorce. I mean, obviously you're not being treated right. But what scripture is presenting and so beautifully in the example of Christ is subjection, submission to the will of God.
And allowing him to, to work, to teach us and, and to work things out for our good and for our blessing. And so we see that that theme developed in this, in this portion very distinctly. We've heard the expression submission and obedience of the healing principles of mankind, of humanity. So it, it extends not, it's not only in the household of faith, but it also extends to, to the world and extends to the family. You get in submission and disobedience in the family. What do you get? You get chaos.
You get that in the, in the world, you get chaos. So you don't submit to the authorities that are in the land. And we see it coming to Bo coming about wor more and more all the time and rising up against the police forces down in the US and it's UH-22, uh, turn it into anarchy. And, uh, so if they were all obedient to authorities, whether they liked them or not, Paul was obedient to, to Nero and he was the worst Caesar that there was. And, uh, yet he's the one that was in power when he could say that we were to submit to the authorities.
And so, uh, in and so much in the assembly, why has there been so many divisions amongst the Saints of God because of the insubmission and disobedience. So if we can only remember that in our individual lives or collective lives, umm national lives, it would what a difference that would make in this world.
So I just say that again, that that that submission and obedience are the healing principles of humanity.
I don't always know I need all the orders and what we need or we set aside not in order and take Doctor fail and and she as my brother mentioned, society fails. Well, it begins at home, isn't it When the monthly order in the household failed in the society fails, but also that it's still in the essentials it failed. I'm thinking of the issue surveys and give some example of what the body will be decreased.
Or it's going to happen to stop at 21. We know the story we're still getting all about, but it's also going to be part of that.
Sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall be the masters, and he shall go out by himself. And if the serpent shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children.
I will not allow for you then it faster she'll bring them into effective. It shall also bring him to the door or into the doorpost, and his master shall forward his ear through with and all.
And he ulcer than forever. Now here I will take you more particularly the quarter you need. We find it servant who loves his master.
Well, what about his children and his wife? Well, he loved them too, but here we live over, he said. I lost my master.
I come first and then if you notice the age I love my master, my wife and my children. Disappointed with him. I have heard from him say the assembly that happened to my children. I have to think about my children's living. I believe because of children 'cause that's not the problem and we can think of different scenarios. The property order is.
00:40:17
Uh-huh. And we have to ask ourselves, I've been who? First of all, do we acknowledge that? Our manager? Do we we truly acknowledge the whole deep side and our Lord is our Master so we can put in the 1St place. It doesn't mean we don't know our lives, our lives and our children that we come first.
And then otherwise and I.
So in verse 20.
He showed us very clearly what is unacceptable.
We wrongly behave ourselves in the workplace and we get demerits from the employer rebuked or buffeted in some way.
Well, that's because of our wrong behavior. It is a poor testimony to the name that we bear. It is not acceptable. But when you do well, he says, and suffer for it, and you take it patiently, this is acceptable. So suffering is part of Christian experience and it's part of normal Christianity, as he goes on to say, For even here unto where ye called.
Called to what?
Were called to suffer for Christ.
Because it's part of the path of faith. We're in a world that is opposed to God, opposed to Christ, hates God, hates Christ. And when we seek to live according to Christ and walk in the path of faith according to our conscience, there's going to be suffering and you cannot escape it. It is part of the Christian experience. And we have been called to to bear that as something that is normal. And then it breaks into this beautiful example of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Another verse along that line that I'd like to bring out would be Philippians chapter one and verse 29.
Philippians 129 says, For unto you it is given in behalf on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, that's a wonderful portion, but also to suffer for His sake. This is something that is given to us to do.
Because it's normal to Christianity.
Doesn't buffeting how the thought of being hit with rods, it's something very severe and and he said even if you're buffeted it, if you did wrong, you've got it coming to you. And if you take it in the right spirit, there's no glory to you. That's that's the attitude that we should show. And it is rather sobering when we recognize and even among those who profess the name of Christ, that in the sphere of employment that some cannot even handle a mild rebuke.
They cannot even handle a correction for something that they did wrong without flying off the handle, without becoming defensive, without justifying what they did or giving you all the reasons why they did what was wrong, even if the correction or the review was done in a mild manner, much less being buffeted for it. And so these things really test our spirits, don't they? How do I accept correction? The context here is employment. That could be true in the home or in the assembly as well. I think of the blessed Lord and speak that we have here and and as an example.
But even as a boy or almost a young man of 12 years of age, one is uh, when uh, Mary and Joseph came back, he was not among the company. And Mary said to him, Thy father and I have sought me sorrowing.
And we marvel at the beautiful. It might be worth just reading that verse there in in Luke chapter 2 just to see the beautiful response of the Lord.
Luke chapter 2 and verse.
48.
And when they saw him, they were amazed. And his mother said to him, Son, why hast thou dost dealt with us? Behold thy father, and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that he sought me? Wished he not that I must be about my father's business? And they understood not the same when she speak unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.
00:45:11
But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart, and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor of God and man. So Mary, the mother of Jesus who corrected him wrongly, he was perfect. He never did anything wrong, and she corrected him wrong and even referenced his father. We know that God was his father and we see as a beautiful spirit here with the Lord that he, he does not, he's not compromised in any way. He says, how is it that you saw him? Was she not that it must be about my father's business.
So he actually corrected his mother, but with the subject spirit, and the result was.
What followed there he was subject unto them and whether it's true in the homecoming office's parents have corrected any and all of our children wrongly and sometimes, well, she corrected the Lord wrongly, but he was subject to them and the result was his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. There was moral power there. And if we apply this to the workplace, it is someone perhaps I do get corrected and you do get corrected incorrectly at times or wrongly at times. Well, that's well doing and there's moral power.
Connected with accepting a correction, perhaps for something that we didn't even do wrong, but the spirit of challenging and defiantly, uh, seeking clarification as to what's wrong, It really, it loses the testimony. But when we're, when there's a spirit of subjection and that carries with it a moral power that commands the conscience. And with Mary there, she kept all these sayings in her heart. And simply because she made a mistake, it did not.
Uh, the Lord did not use them not to be subject, to continue to be subject to them. And so these things really test our spirits. But it's an encouragement for us if we've ever wrong, been wrongly accused about something, wrongly corrected, to take it patiently, knowing that it's acceptable with God. Brother Bill, I have a question.
Were his parents aware at this time that they were admonishing him about this?
They were obviously frustrated and concerned. Some of us have lost our children in big grocery stores or big department stores at times. They just walked away when we found them and caught up to them. We weren't just super happy, we were a little bit upset. But my question is, was his parents aware? Was his mother when he said to them I must be about my father's business? Do they understand the difference? Do you think then?
Or Bruce. Or anyone. I'm just, I'm just.
Just wondering about that.
You wouldn't think they would deliberately.
Say things to him, uh, out of line or not, right? They did what parents do.
Think about the children.
Whether you're going to be done on this, whether it is or did not understand the response about others go to their commendable incident. If you're not fighting that and, and, and when you you said they had been there for a while, That was two things that sometimes we don't really know why someone is upset at that because they mentioned before too often your question is not the real question. And then and if it's just something else and and the world will trade is that there's always a question behind the question.
But it does not need to think. There are thoughts here too. So that's the diversity in the world that we noticed in this incident. They were one day away.
They didn't keep the eye on the whole east side and I think that could be an example for us. Only for one day, but it took them three days afterwards to replace yourself and you buy and that was the work itself. I was thinking this also, if I may.
The We all know the wonderfulness of our Lord Jesus.
Unthinkable. Unspeakable.
But I was thinking more so he was always respectful.
Not only of his parents, but others.
In his life, I believe it would be safe to say he was always respectful and and at the cross, he said to John.
00:50:08
I guess I'll have to paraphrase when he said that. John, take my mother to your house.
See his feelings about his mother seeing him crucified.
He wanted her to be confident. John, take my mother acknowledged her to your house and take care of her. I think that's a beautiful portion.
It shows his humility and love and care.
For his mother.
And I believe it's, uh, the very fact that the Lord Jesus that, that he was always God, whether he was a child of babe in the Manger or, or whether he's hanging on the cross, he was cha, he was always gone. And whenever he spoke, there was, there was power behind that. And I fully believe that when he, when he replied to his mother that way, his mother was slightly rebuked.
Because.
We read in other places where, uh, in certain instances she hid these things up in her heart, so she knew who his father was. And it's interesting too, that the very word that we get here, uh, wishing not that it must be above my father's business. And then in, in First Timothy where it says, meditate upon these things, gives thyself wholly to them. But thy profiting may appear to all. It's the same word.
And so for you and me to be exhorted to meditate upon these things, what things, the things of God, it's, it's our Father's business. And so it's the same word that is given there as it is in Timothy. And to me, that's kind of instructive. It's important.
Thinking also that when the Lord.
Was.
About to be crucified or going to the cross?
The only place.
I believe that we're told of where he had any rest at all, felt loved at all within the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus.
And as much as he loved Mary.
He had the mildly. He had the milder review of her. Martha. Martha.
Now that was in the scolding. Martha Martin, thou art covered about but much, Sir.
It is in love that he did that.
Even though he was capable of teaching, of course, he was 12 years old. And so it's in keeping with what he'd done in the 46th version. You know, it says. And it came to pass that after three days, they found him in a temple.
Sitting in the midst of the doctor, he could have thought these doctors both hearing them and asking questions and that's exactly what he did with his mother didn't read buicker, but he asked a question that was teaching her but it wasn't it was in keeping with her 12 year old should do not teach his mother. You know, say well you should have known this, but was she not that I was about my father's business.
Question.
It you know, he didn't yell at that pilots or those men that were trying to put him to death. He was, I believe, even respectful of of Pilate, the government, because when Pilate said art thou who they say you are? And he just said thou sayest. He didn't argue with them. He didn't say, well, you should have known that he just said thou sayest.
Well, we have that in the chapter here in verse 22 and three, who did no sin, nor there was God found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, he reviled not again and so on when he suffered, he threatened not.
But committed himself to him, a judge, righteously. And I would assume that that would be a reference to the ecclesiastical trial that he went through for the Sanhedrin when they beat him and they mocked him and they reviled upon him. Read that in Matthew 26 and how he behaved in that situation gives you a lot of light as to how you to behave. And authorities misuse their power and accuse you of this and that. That is not true.
And how the Lord so perfectly took it. And his brother Bill has been telling us.
00:55:00
There's the example for us.
Hope this is not off the subject or out of line, but.
I really never knew what the word scourge mean.
When it says they scourged you.
I've been studying on that. I'll tell you, it's far worse than I ever imagined. And they did that to the Lord Jesus.
Even Pilot, when they let him go, I had to go out and scourge him.
He didn't have to, but he did.
It was an awful thing. That's where Yavi, they plowed upon my back. Really it was the Roman whip with blasts and their metal pieces that was plowed was back up unspeakable. You know, you think too with a contrast source. We began the readings that were to lay aside all malice and all guile, and now they come to this blessed One who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. And as part of the verse in the end of Isaiah 53.
That's often, uh, I impressed me. We know this is a great prophetic chapter as to the sufferings and death of Christ, but, uh, just beyond the end of verse.
We'll read verse nine and where it says and he made his grave with the wicked or man appointed his grave with the wicked and our buddy was with a rich in his death. Thanks to Joseph Barimatheon Nicodemus, but this part.
Because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Book of Proverbs warns us of the violent man, the corrupt woman, those two great dangers symbolically and literally represented there the the violence and the deceit that's in this world. And yet we come to our blessed Lord. He did no violence. The path of the believers of this world is to do no violence nor any deceit in his mouth there was no guile. The Lord could say I am altogether that which I say unto you.
He he, he was the full expression of what he was. And with Paul, you know, he says, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. There was nothing false. He was not fraudulent in any way, but there was no dial in his mouth.
And then to think of the charges, to think of these, the martyr sufferings at the hands of man, how difficult this is for us. When he was reviled, he reviled not again. The wisdom of this world is responding kind. Or to take it up the next level, but to be reviled, to be demeaned, to be disdained, to be scorned, to be ridiculed and mocked, and so on. These things, these things can cut deep. And then our natural reaction is to respond and want to crush the person.
The level these things against us, but the blessed Lord perfect in every way. He heard it, He felt it deeply. It's a perfectly righteous man to feel it. But he did not respond in contact.
Retaliation.
Not part of Christianity.
And then the next verse goes on to speak about his suffering in connection with bearing our sins. Now what connection?
Does this have with the passage because he's been set before us as an example for us and we cannot of course follow him and making atonement. So why is his suffering in this connection and then brought in in the 24th verse.
Brother burn that I have the same question so I'm.
Could it be that there's a difference when we suffering and actually with our own actions?
Uh, summon the Corfairy?
The, uh, the accusations against ourselves that we can see in that and suffering that is the truth and others.
01:00:15
I didn't do that tomorrow from from the office like the last.
So he was willing to even take the wrong of others upon himself.
So I see.
This verse, uh, that we're considering also always reminds me of the of the.
The story that brother Eric Smith told, and many, perhaps some here know that, but for the sake of younger ones, I've never heard it. He told the story of a brother over in Bolivia that was dealt with in his assembly wrongfully.
For an an immoral act and he didn't say anything and so he suffered the the act of being put aside from the Lord's table and he sat in the back row for.
I believe it was a year and a half.
He came to the meeting. He sat back, didn't say a word.
Until one time in a reading movie.
A brother up in the front someplace suddenly got up and he said that brother back there is innocent. I'm negotiating.
And so I was thinking of this verse here when when it says when he was reviled, reviled not again. And so this brother followed that the principle that leda is laid out by the Lord himself. And what did it do to that assembly? Well, that brother was reinstated.
To the front and the brother in the front was put away and the whole assembly profitable because.
They, there was no sides taken, there was no, uh, one sticking up for the other one. And the brother suffered it willfully, willingly and, uh, it's profitable everyone.
And so to me, that's a a tremendous example of.
Following our Lord's example.
Ourselves.
It seems, though, that it has something to do with, uh, that work bringing us into the same position where we can live under righteousness.
Except who is on oneself there our sins, and his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live under righteousness.
So we can follow them in that He's given us a life like himself.
Because this is an example, we know that you can't.
Of their own sins. But He did. And that we, being dead, should live under righteousness.
I was thinking it's often speak of being dead to stand in connection with Paul's ministry, don't we? And as soon as the master was dead to that, but here the result is dead since it's the app and it's the thought of having done with that as you see our.
Blessed Lord went all the way to the cross to suffer for sins.
What we have done that, we are now done with that that.
Umm, that we, we've given up that course of action, whether it's retaliation or threatening or, or sins, whatever might be, in view of that, that work, it has a very practical bearing in my practical life now.
And the stripes that were laid upon him in this verse are not discouraging that we were Speaking of. This is a stripes that came upon him from God in connection with our sin. And the healing that's mentioned here is not a physical healing, as our Pentecostal brother might tell us, but rather a spiritual healing of the soul. And it corresponds with what you have.
In Isaiah chapter 53, we've referenced that chapter. We reference it again.
01:05:01
Is Isaiah 53 does bring that in in connection with the Jews?
Being converted, we can make an application for it from our for ourselves.
Isaiah 53.
And uh.
Verse.
5.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our face was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed again. I said. This is a spiritual healing in the soul.
The Salvation.
I mentioned that because there are Christians all over there about the notion that if you're a real believer and you're walking with God, you should never get sick because Christ bore all those sicknesses on the cross. And they'll bring in those verses with regard to.
Bearing our infirmities and so on.
That's not what this is talking about.
Perhaps you'll be well done to amplify in that thought about varying our infirmities as well because that wasn't in depth. That was in his life. And if we can go to chapter 8 of Matthew.
Umm, because many times we hear things that are confusing on this subject, not distinguishing what he suffered in life and what he suffered in death and in Matthew chapter 8.
And uh, following the healing of Peter's mother in verse 16, when the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed, the devils, and he cast out the spirits with his words, and healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled.
Which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet St. Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. When was that the cross? No, it was when He entered in to the sorrows and the suffering of those He healed. And this is when it was fulfilled. This was in His life when He took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. The Lord himself was never personally sick. He never, He never personally felt the effects that we feel as a result of sin, but He entered in to His suffer the suffering creation.
And those as He took it away in power, He felt it in His spirit. And so it is important to distinguish between that and His life and the sufferings that He endured at the hands of men on the cross. But none of that took our sins away, as you bring out by His stripes who are healed, and the atoning sufferings in those three hours of darkness.
When I think of this nation that was scattered, the pistol began. So the, uh, strangers that were scattered abroad. And now I said, here is the sheep going astray, but are now returning to the shepherd and Bishop of the shepherd and overseer of your souls just as an application. I know it's not the real sense of the passage, but we sometimes speak of the difference between gift and office.
That is a a pastor, a shepherd is a gift that the Lord raises up for the good of the body of Christ. And that gift is everywhere. It's it's universal one and one has that gift. And that is some men speak of bishops or overseers and a local assembly. It's local. It's not with a whole Church of God universally, but rather in a specific area. But I've often been intrigued with this passage. How brings those two concepts together? Well, they're more than concepts, but attributes and titles of the blessed Lord, the shepherd of our souls.
And the Bishop of our souls. And so he overseas and as well as shepherds us along. And so just by way of application, as we think of the blessed Lord here, we know he's the, uh, he's the, the chief shepherd if you read in the 5th chapter that he looks after the good and care of the flock. And so how important that is that there is that character of shepherding. That's true for the whole Church of God. But in oversight in the local assembly as well to, to know the state of the flocks. And, uh, his brother bought out yesterday. We may not be an evangelist, but we can be engaged in the work of it. So he may not be a shepherd, but we.
Should be engaged with the spirit of a shepherd.
The shepherd loves the sheep. And I thought of this with David, you know, he loved the people of God. And before he was put in the place of administration as king, he was a shepherd. And the two times that David was rebuked and convicted of his sin, the first time was Nathan the prophet. When he was gonna, we brought that parable before David as he was sitting with Bathsheba. He used the analogy of, uh, of a sheep and one that had stolen and taken another man's sheep and had brought out the ire of David because he loved the sheep.
01:10:25
Nate knew that and it worked his conscience and then at the end of his pathway, when David sinned in numbering the people and his sin is brought home before him, he says As for these sheep, what have they done? The wrong that and the sorrow that come upon the people. He he took it upon himself. What have they done? The fault lies right here and I believe in that. We really see the the heart of a shepherd and how we need that in our local assembly.
Love for the sheep?
Yes. Would you, uh, consider too, uh, brother, that is he's talking here, he says, for you were as sheep going astray, talking to these Jewish people, but now they were gone astray, they were lost. And so it's a shepherd, uh, he goes after the sheep, but as a, as a Bishop, he takes care of it. Would that be true?
You think 238?
Our shepherd is the Lord.
The living Lord who died #238.
So, umm.
You need any registered medication? Do you need anything else So.
And then it's laughing.
And the big ones where I'm wondering if you're alone.
I'm glad, I'm not going to lie.
All right, so what's up with you?
Umm and give me plastic and get Wednesday.
Evening things are gone, but I'm trying to run from danger to the day.
Through the blood pressure. So Oh no, no, no, it's easy.
I'm going to have my.
But I didn't wish I had 1000.
Beginnings go to bed and no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Dial 0458700 eleven 5136.
Let me disconnect a couple of portions that we've had today before our arts in verses 12 Through 16, we had our testimony and then we have had suffering here before us. And I just like to encourage young people and those of us that are a little older as well, you know, there is no stronger testimony.
That we can have in this world.
Than to suffer for crisis. It's a testimony that no one can speak of anything contrary to.
01:15:04
It speaks volumes.
There's a sweetness.
That comes from that, the sweetness that is demonstrated most beautifully in the life of our Lord. But it's the sweetness that we can display as well. You know, most flowers only give off their sweetest perfume when they're crushed.
Dear brethren, we've been called to be Christ.
May the Lord give us strength encouraged to be willing for it. And just one more thing.
I know from personal experience and I know from the testimony of many others.
That if we're willing to go through trial, if we're willing to be crushed.
We will find the presence of our Savior.
And a greater, clearer, more blessed way than we'll ever experience in any other form. Let's thank you, our gracious, loving God.