Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
General meetings, Montreal, October 1971 Third reading meeting.
Our journey go here on earth. Be room to find and have a flavor our spirit home for our city.
But he found the gold free to look up to heaven in our Rd. #56.
Oh, oh, oh.
Rift me to give out one more hymn brethren before we read why those fears. Behold his Jesus holds the helm and guides the ship.
00:10:07
#290.
Covered fairly well, Brother London, the third chapter First Corinthians.
I think it would be nice to go on to something else if someone has something.
All of the Brethren think of taking up the second chapter of Second Timothy.
The reminder to raise your voice as much as possible for you. Very difficult to hear the four corners of the community.
Suggested that we might take up the second chapter of Second Timothy.
Second Timberlake, second chapter.
Now therefore, my son.
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
00:20:04
And the things about her to me among many witnesses the same, Commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Thou therefore endure hardness.
As a good soldier of Jesus Christ, no man, that war entangled himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who have chosen him to be a soldier.
And if a man also strive for mastery, yet is he not proud except he strive lawfully?
The husband that laborers must be first partaker of the fruit. Consider what I say, and the Lord give the understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my God.
Wherein I suffered trouble as an evildoer even on the ball, but the word of God is not found.
Therefore I endure all things for the elected sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful thing, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him if we deny him.
He also.
Will deny us if we believe not. Yet he abides faithful. He cannot deny himself.
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words, and no problem.
But for the subverting of the here.
Studying to show myself approved unto God a Workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word truth.
But Sean profane and vain badly, for they will increase unto more ungodly, and their word will eat at as Duffy tanker of whom is time even.
And.
Who, concerning the truth have aired saying that the resurrection has passed already and overthrow the basins off. Nevertheless the foundation of God stands pure. Having this seal the Lord knows them that are his. And let everyone, the name of the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only methods of gold and of silver, but also.
And a murder, some water, some dishonor. If a man therefore burns himself from thee, he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the master Jews, and prepare unto every good work.
Flee also youthful love, but fall righteousness, faith.
Peace with them that fall on the board out of a pure heart, but foolish. Not alert questions. Avoid knowing that they do gender strikes, and the servant of the Lord must not strive.
But we gentle unto all men have to teach patience, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves, if God her adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves, and to snare the devil who are decapitated by him at his will.
00:25:07
Yes, thank you. Wealth of instruction we have in this chapter.
And specially.
Important for the very day and time in which we're now living.
Some questions of God's word are especially important in giving us what Peter speaks of as the president, who all scriptures have foretell Timothy farther on.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable under doctrine.
Righteousness. Man of God may be perfect, thoroughly punished unto all good works. So whether it be Old Testament or New Testament, the Gospels or the Epistles, or Revelation, or the Acts of the Apostles, it's all intended for us. But sometimes it may be that we need special instruction for the problems.
And for the needs and the establishment of God's people.
At a special time.
In the history of this world, and especially what here, in connection with our responsibilities.
In the Church of God.
As you go, as he's already taught, Timothy, which is the pillar and ground, are part of the truth.
There's a verse that says something like this.
Speaking the truth in love, I like to think of this second epistle.
As just that.
The apostle here is about to be offered up.
And he could say of Timothy. I have no man like minded Timothy could enter in with the apostles.
And have the same mind as to the things of Christ.
The He had sat under the apostle, and he had learned the truth of these precious revelations that God had communicated to Paul, and especially in that which was so precious to God a testimony here on the earth according to the truth itself. And so he he commits certain things to Timothy.
In this matter, in this regard, but he does so.
In affection, and we have it in the beginning of this chapter.
Now, in other places in Scripture the apostle asserts his apostleship in a very definite way. But here it seems that in the very last moments of his life his heart is poured out to Timothy and to us through Timothy, the deep affections of the heart of the apostle.
Who Dr. deeply in the love of Christ is now expressed to Timothy, and so when he says my son is more than an expression.
We learned earlier that he remembered him with tears because he felt those bombs, those Christian bombs, were so strong and so precious especially.
In the day when always that in Asia had forsaken him, now, brethren, this is a word for our hearts.
We're living in a day when things are breaking down around us. The very fundamental truths are being given up around us.
There's one way in which we can express Christianity. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, and that you have love one for another, and as we express the truth in any way.
Be done in love, as the apostle shows us here in connection with Timothy.
00:30:03
I know it's the first chapter of this epistle, and this is in connection with what my brother Lundeen reminded of us holding the truth in love. It says here in verse 13 of chapter one.
Whole fact, the form of sound words without heard of me.
In faith and Lama with faith and love.
This is very important. There are two things, faith and love, and that's the balance, isn't it?
All the truth in love.
But also remember to hold it in faith, in faithfulness, perhaps is the thought we must hold the truth and love, and in faith as well and.
This cast us. It was a test for Timothy.
He saw the Apostle in prison. He saw him suffering for the truth sake, for Christ sake.
And no doubt Timothy was tempted to give up.
Paul has to tell him in verse eight of the first chapter, be not now, therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. And remember, Timothy was a young man, and perhaps we might say it would be easy for him to be stumbled, or try to sign, or to be ashamed and give up, but the apostles encourages him to go on.
And that's what we need today.
An encouragement to go on and.
We noticed in this same first chapter that Paul reminds him.
This thou know that all day which our name can be turned away from me. But then it seems that he's saying Timothy, don't turn away, don't turn away from me, don't turn away from the truth, hold on the truth, and don't turn away from the grace as we have here in the first verse of our chapter.
Be strongly grace that is in Christ Jesus. Don't give up.
You can't stand in your own strength. The only way you can stand is by grace.
There are three special names by the team mentioned in these officials.
In the first chapter to find out those whose feet were wrong.
First of mentioned 1St 15 This thou love of all things in our nation be turned away from me. Well as we prolonged and turning away from the cops before because he was following sight, let me find the statement after the motion hits were wrong.
7/16/17 first and the second chapter.
And their word will lead to stop a canker of whom is Himanius and Philetus who concern you? The truth have heard saying that the resurrection is passed already and overthrow the faith of some. They're wrong in their heads.
Well, in the third chapter.
In verse 11.
Verse 10 For Demas hath forsaken me. Having loved this present world, the heart of demas was wrong, and turning to this world instead of following Christ. And we have the three remedies for them too. How to keep the feet right? How to keep the head right? How to keep the heart right Now we have in.
And the 21St verse of the second chapter.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, and prepare unto every good work This show you'll keep the feet right.
Then it tells us in the.
The fourth verse of the second chapter. No man at war entangled himself with the affairs of this life.
But he may please him who have chosen him to be a soldier. Disentanglement from the affairs of this life will help to keep the heart rate, and it tells us how to keep the head right.
The 15th first of the second chapter.
Study to show thyself approved, undergone a work when that need is not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
00:35:06
That will help to keep the head right. So these are three special dangers mentioned. And we all need the warnings too, that our feet might be kept right in the path which the Lord has marked out, and our heads right and our hearts right.
Before he enters into the subjects of this chapter, he says far away from the strong in the grief that is in Christ Jesus.
In a similar way, the Apostle speaks to the Ephesians.
In in Ephesians 6 chapter.
Where he is about to bring before them to put on the whole armor of God. He may be able to stand in the evil day, but before he enters into that subject and the 10th verse, he says, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord.
And in the power of his knight in this chapter he says, be strong in the grief that is in Christ Jesus.
When it's a question of.
Warfare. When we're in conflict with the enemy, we need special strength. And where we will find that strength? Did he tell us to put on the whole armor of God that?
In order to use that armor, we must be strong in the Lord.
Not in our own might, not in our own strength, but in the power of his might.
Well, in this chapter where he's about to give instructions first way.
Partially we have to God's children as to their walk and their preservation.
The word grace is prominent to be strong in the Lord, where we need power because it's facing those wicked spirit and heavenly places. We need that power here in connection with the health and instruction for the people of God. There is much need of Greece and brethren how we do need grace to go on together.
In an evil day.
And we can be strong in it. And they remember this too.
The Great sets self entirely aside because it is of grace. It's entirely apart from ourselves.
That by which we are saved, We're saved by grace and His grace that keeps us. And when we get to glory, it will be.
Great health, great that has brought out in our lives that will be that for which the rewards are given.
Don't you say of that seven verse of Ephesians 4, Brother Perry.
Coated No Season 4, not 6.
How do every one of us is given grace?
According to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Well, I thought a brief there really as the gift.
If a gift is bestowed, it's really God's grace. None of us didn't deserve any of his favor.
Perhaps you have some thought More than that, I was wondering if.
This suggests that possibly.
The soul would be more concerned now about being in close communion.
So that we do not overstep that which he has given to each individual, because each one in the body has his place and.
We're to act according to this, the grace that he's given, but not to go beyond it. That word measure there may suggest this, that he has given grace and each member has his place now, Timothy.
00:40:00
Had much committed to him, and the apostle has to exercise him as to what had been committed to him.
There may be the danger, especially with the younger one, of going beyond that which the Lord has committed to him. I suppose that's the danger of all of us. But I think in communion we learn this, do we not? What he has committed and how far we should go?
But it says all to be turned away from me. It wasn't that they had turned away from Christianity, but they had turned away from all doctrine. They were not walking in that truth. That was communicated to Paul. And that's why this pistol has its particular application today, because we see a vast profession of Christianity.
It has become what is described in the second chapter as a great house with vessels to honor and vessel to dishonor, and also as we had in First Corinthians 3IN that house where the spirit of God dwells, there's wood, hay, and stubble, as well as gold, silver, and precious stones. There are those that defile the temple of God. And I believe that this is a great concern for every true Christian.
That is, he looks about on the profession of Christianity and he says, well, there are so many people believe differently, and they all claim to get it from the Bible. How are we to know what is the truth of God? Well, I believe this shows us our path, that we're not satisfied that they merely profess Christianity. But now we must make a test. Is it according to the word? Is it according to that truth of Christianity that has been revealed?
For Paul speaks of that which he had received from Christ in glory, and it says, see that she turned not away from heaven, that speaketh from heaven, and saw. I believe it has a very special word for us in this day, that we might know what our conduct should be in this great House of Christendom, and that there is a path for faith where we can follow righteousness, faith.
Love with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. It isn't that we have proposed to say that only certain ones are believers. Even Paul when Speaking of these two men who said the resurrection was passed, he didn't pass judgment and say they were not saved. He said the Lord not them that are his. But his path was clear. Let everyone that name is the name of Christ.
Depart from iniquity. And therefore in this chapter it's been noticed before. The Christian is looked upon in seven different ways, and in these different ways the particular character of conduct. And so the first one we're considering as being in the family well, what is to characterize the family Well, to be strong in the Greece, that is in Christ Jesus, as our brother remarked that grace has been shown to us. And what is grace?
Is an overlooking of sin. Oh no, God didn't overlook sin. God judged them that He might manifest what was in his heart. And sin was perfectly and completely judged at the cross. And now God abounds to us and all the riches of His grace. Well, in giving out the truth, let us remember we're no better than others. But God has revealed something to us from His word and as we pass it on to others.
It's in the sense that it's only grace that has made it known to us and that can make it good in our own souls and having its power over our own lives.
To notice too that it's the grease which is in Christ Jesus.
So that necessitates that we are much occupied with His blessed life down here.
I found a remedy lots of times.
Well, I can't sleep to start out with one of the Gospels and justice travel through the gospel and follow the Lord from step to step.
Find it. I get up to enjoying the Lord in my soul and occupied with him the first thing I know, I said, which seemed to be.
Evading me, I get. I get a peaceful sleep then.
00:45:02
My father taught me that. He said start in one of the gospel, chapter after chapter, and see how much you can remember in each gospel. And I found it a very practical, simple way to get rest times when I'm restless.
The grief which is in Christ Jesus. It was perfect. There all think of those gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth, and then think that the next thing, that those who would not accept that grace were ready to throw him over the brow of the hill.
You know where it was to be despised because of His grace. And so those who were faithful in connections with their testimony will have to experience the same thing. But that never changed the Lord.
Going on in that same gracious ministry all through his pathway down here.
I'm thinking of this expression, My son. It's it, really. Paul is Speaking of Timothy as his son.
I think if we can connect that with the what we have in chapter one where the apostle says I have.
In verse 3.
Our first four greatly desiring to see thee being mindful of light here.
Timothy was one who had great affection for Paul, not just as a personality, but as you mentioned, Paul is brought before us in this epistle as the the one who has brings the truth of God in Christianity to us. He is the vessel of testimony, we might say and Timothy.
When others had turned away, as they did in Asia. From Paul.
Timothy was sympathetic and there was a fraction, and it's reciprocal here, he says. My son, I'd like to contrast that with what we have in the 18th chapter of Acts.
Around the 20th chapter of Acts, when the Apostle Paul has the elders.
Of emphasis before him.
In this 20th chapter of Acts.
We have really the culmination of the ministry of the apostle. He had been raised up of gods who.
Complete or fulfill the word of God, as he says in Colossians. And here he says that he had not shown to declare unto them the whole council of God.
They had all of the truth brought to them. The testimony had been fully revealed through the apostle, and he commends them to God and to the word of his grace. But what I had, especially before me, is the affection that they showed for him. At the end of the chapter we read in verse 37 that they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him.
This, I believe, would speak of the fact that in these early days there was a real love of the truth that Paul had brought. Because, you see, their affection for him was because he had been the one used of God to bring the truth to them. They spoke of their affection for the truth of God, the truth not only of the gospel, but he was a minister of the assembly as well, the truth of the Church.
The truth of Christ, love for the Church. So in the beginning we might say that this characterized the whole church. They were.
They had the love of the truth that Paul brought. But now when we come to the days of Second Timothy, that Second Timothy speaks of the day of the ruin and failure of the church. Why they have left the first love. They've departed from that first love.
And like Demas, he had forsaken the apostle, having loved this present world, not necessarily the sinful amusements and pleasures of the world, but he had to no longer that affection for the truth that called it brought, and other things he was interested in. We might say that he he was more or less attracted by that which gave him a place in this world.
00:50:08
And those that in Asia turned away. But here was Timothy he he still had love and affection for that truth, that Paul had brought Pauls doctrine, Paul's truth, the truth of the assembly as well as the gospel. And it speaks of that affection, I believe, for the truth that the Lord would look for even in a day of ruin and failure, when the vast majority of those who profess to know the Lord.
Have no concern for the truth of gathering to the Lord's name the truth of the assembly, the truth of that Paul has brought to us by the grace of God. Well he I believe, that the Lord appreciates.
That affection for Paul, in that sense that there is a love for the truth of the assembly in a day when it is, and as to its outward testimony and ruin and failure.
There were 10 positions. That's where you used your 7. Seven ways that the believer is looked at in this chapter. Well, we have immediately before us.
Three of those positions, first we have the soldier, then we have the athlete.
And then we have the husbandman or the farmer, each giving us a special line of instruction. It's very helpful.
But before we enter into that subject in the second verse.
He says the things that thou hast heard of me, among many witnesses, the same commits out of faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Now here is the scriptural way in which the truth of God is ministered and preserved among his people. In the 1St place we have.
Paul, who was an inspired man committing their truth that have been revealed to him by the Spirit.
To Timothy.
Of whom you are just mentioned that there was no one like minded, who would naturally care for the for the Saints. Apostle could remind the Philippians as a son with a father, how he had gone on for years.
There was a suited vessel.
Into which the apostle the great inspired apostle.
Could pull up the pure, undiluted truth of God.
Now in the second place.
He was still commit these things from the apostle.
To faithful men, well, that's important, isn't it? Faithful men. Men who have proved through years that their conduct is above reproach.
And that their walk among their brothers has committed itself so that all fields, that certain one is one who and with a whole heart desires to please the blessed Lord. And true that one can't be a faithful unless He's one who is walking in obedience, simple, humble obedience to the word of God. And then?
The third step is.
Who shall be able to teach others also?
Now that the dispensers any such thought, the theological school or a Bible school, this is the divine way of when man begins to interfere and think he has a better way to perpetuate the truth. Why he spoils it, he brings in.
A system that is open to all the work of the enemy. So many Bible schools or theological schools started out sound and then as time went on then corrupt minds got in and after a while the whole system becomes just a modernistic system but the way the apostles.
00:55:19
Set things before Timothy is perfect.
It's. It will exclude anything like.
Coming in.
Of wrong teaching without a faithful man, who shall be able to teach others also.
Brother Potter told me that when he attended general meetings in England years ago, he said you'd see Mr. Darby.
With a group of brothers around him, told of another brother that went astray, He said that he would. You see him surrounded by the sisters. Well, we don't want to belittle the sisters, but he just called attention to this that.
Brother was continually preparing others to carry on the truth. The Lord had given him to others. So when he first went to Chicago, he saw a young man who was a Shoemaker there, working humbly making shoes to provide for his family. And he recognized in that young man a gift. And he spent much of his time with that young man. And that young man was our brother, Walter Potter.
Who was greatly used and continued on, and the testimony to the end of his journey.
Brother Barry that in regard to the sisters, we have two circles here, one in the first chapter and one in the second that you have just referred to. In this second verse of the second chapter, we have 4 generations that have had the truth communicated to them.
In the first chapter there are three, but this we have the sisters, that is, the mother and the grandmother who had communicated the truth to Timothy. Now this is very important to notice.
Because.
Little do the sisters perhaps realize how important their work is in the hall. They're in close contact with their children.
And that's why the spirit of God says keepers at home. Because unless the woman is a keeper at home, she cannot fulfill her duty and privilege with those dear children. Now, there may be exceptions, of course. We're not trying to lay down laws, but we're Speaking of principles that the the mother and the grandmother.
Have a very important place in communicating the truth to the little ones. I'm going to refer to something that I have referred to before, but I think it's very important to notice this. In the first chapter I was called with another brother to the deathbed of a man who was 100 years old.
And on his deathbed he confessed.
The Lord Jesus as his Savior and we asked him how he came to this when he said, when the Lord put me on my back, I remembered the words that my grandmother taught me. Now that was almost 100 years before.
And so let's not grandmothers give up. You have something to do that no one else can do.
With those dear grandchildren of yours, because you can show affection to them in a way perhaps, that can attract their hearts and communicate the truth to them. There was an old grandfather who was unsafe and a little girl. This is just the reverse of it, of course.
A little girl came to him and she said, Grandpa, aren't you going to heaven with us? Well, it broke his heart. And so it works both ways, you know, works both ways.
In connection with the existence speaks about being keepers at home, I often think of what she was said to Abraham. Abraham, where is your wife? He said in the tent.
01:00:09
He didn't say round the neighbors having a coffee break.
He said in the tent he knew where his wife was. She is a keyboard home.
We hear the expression Apostolic succession.
We know, of course, there's no such thing in the word of God.
This is the only succession that I see in scriptures what we have right here.
In this murder, and this is a simple one, isn't it? And I believe we need to be exercised about this, that we help others in the truth and the older ones should help the younger ones, because there will come a time when the older one will be gone, the Lord carried. And who's going to carry on the younger one the responsibility passes on from.
Generation to generation.
On each generation needs to be an exercise about the truth of God.
For written ministry. But it never replaces this, does it? We have often found one is that spend a great deal of time over written ministry, but neglect the fellowship of their brethren. And that shall I say word of mouth help that God is able to give mess a great deal and can perhaps to become one sided.
I believe God has provided and we thank Him for the written ministry that we have, but we also thank Him that in this present time he has a testimony, and it has been said that there is a tendency to reject a present testimony from God.
We find this all through the history of God's people. Even when the Lord was here, they boasted that they accepted Moses, but they were rejecting the Lord. So if God has a present testimony, let us on it and seek to go on with it and realize that we need one another. I wonder if we see that in the last chapter of Acts. That seems to me to be very significant in connection with what has been said.
It's a wonderful, wonderful privilege to sit at the feet of those to whom the Lord has entrusted the truth. And really, before we know it, some of them are gone and their voices are silent. And we we feel that we missed something because we perhaps have not thought out the opportunity ourselves as sitting and listening to such ministry. In the end of the act, we found that great city of Rome which the spirit of God knew would someday be the boasted center of Christianity.
But in that city there was a man who was virtually A prisoner, the apostle Paul. And it says of him that he dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came unto him. I think that the very interesting picture they are in that great city of religion. There was one place where there was a despised man, virtually a prisoner.
But if there was a real desire for the truth of God, and a recognition of the present testimony that has been spoken of, they knew where they could go to hear it. They could go to that home. And it wasn't a very popular place to go. There was a man from whom they heard the ministry, a very popular man either, and it seems to me rather striking that this was only granted for two years.
I felt there's nothing rather significant about that. I feel those two years are just about ended, and I feel that the ministry of God entrusted through that, that servant bog off wondrous grace is still available. It's not popular.
But it's still, by the grace of God, I believe, accepted, and in contrast to this reference has been made to demons who had accompanied Paul and had listened to his ministry. But there came a time when Demas made a choice.
And somehow, I don't know whether I'm using the right word or not, but I've always felt it was a bit of a compliment to the Apostle Paul.
01:05:00
That FEMA?
Felt he could go along with Paul and with the world at the same time. Demons had forsaken me, having lost his present world. There was something about the presence and the ministry of the Apostle Paul that made demos reorg that he just couldn't go along with both. And I cannot help but feel that if the ministry of the precious word of God is and it ought to be.
It just could greatly be mingled with that which he must not have.
There is quite a lengthy exhortation to the women in Scientists or Not.
Especially the way it reads in the new translation in the second chapter.
Titus 2.
His first speech of the elder man and then?
In regard to the women.
The fourth verse in regard to the women.
And it says.
For the third word, Father, that the elder women in like manner be in deportment and becoming those who have to say the sacred things.
Not slanderers, not enslaved much wine teachers of what is right.
That they may admonish the young women to be attached to their husbands.
To their children, discreet, chase, diligence in homework, good subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of.
Younger men in like manner start to be discreet and dawn.
It's very, very good, isn't it?
I believe in this next verse.
That we're coming to.
It might be.
A well to notice that another translation puts it this way. And take our share in sufferings. Take thy share in sufferings as a good soldier.
Jesus Christ.
Not to shrink, Timothy might be willing to.
To speak. All right. But now there's something else comes in.
There's something that characterizes Christianity in a special way.
As was told to the apostle at the beginning of his ministry, and that is in fact it was told.
To the Prophet, not to fall, but to another I will show him what great things he must suffer for my sake. Now I'm sure that no one wants to go into suffering, but when it comes, take thy share of suffering. As a good soldier, I believe that's the thought.
And in the fourth verse it says no man that Warren. Here we find a soldier on active service.
Not merely in the barracks, there's nothing but his daily drills to worry about. He's on active service, and so therefore he needs the grace which is in Christ Jesus, and his desire should be to please him who have chosen him to be a soldier. But for the grace of God would be the soldiers of the devil. Still, how thankful we should be that we are soldiers of Jesus Christ through his work at Calvary. Otherwise we'd be in the devil's army.
So here we have a soldier on active service, one who is has an enemy to face.
And he needs that grace, special grace which is in Christ Jesus. And his desire should be to please him who have chosen him to be a soldier.
Himself with the affairs of this life.
To do with the politics when he's in the army, has he?
He's the soldier and that's his position and he has his duties to perform, but he has nothing to do with politics.
While he's in the army.
01:10:01
Well, I'm sure there are many other entanglements that we can have. We can get into things and large debts over our head and all kinds of things like this that hinder us. Perhaps when we want to do something for the Lord, we have put ourselves in a position where we say, well, I just have to attend to this and that. Whereas the one who seeks to go on as the scripture says, Oh no man, anything seeks to go on in a somewhat simple life.
Find that when there's a call to do something for the Lord, he's not entangled with that which would hinder him from saying yes. We find that when the Lord called people, he called busy men. He called Jeff. He called Moses when he was keeping the flock of Jethro. He called a fisherman. When they were fishing. He called Matthew when he was sitting at the receipt of custom. They were fulfilling their ordinary jobs.
But they were in a position where they could leave at the call of the Lord. And I believe, I I think it's a very helpful thing for us all, and especially those who are young and planning their lives, not to put themselves in a position where they become perhaps obligated for years to come. And if the Lord should say, I want you to go here to do this and that their son tangled that they can't go, it's not that these things are are positively wrong.
Things may be perfectly normal and right, but it's a question of pleasing him who has called us to be a soldier. I believe this is a very good and helpful word for those of us who make plans, and especially for those who are younger.
I believe we can do a lot in our youth to fit ourselves so that when the Lord does want us, we're free to go. The the Levites were numbered from a month old.
It appears that when they came to 20, they began to be broken in, as it were. And finally, when they were 30 years of age, they were doing full service. But it wasn't something that just came suddenly, was something that came gradually because they belonged to a family.
Who owned the Lord's claims over them? They were his set apart for him.
Gideon's army.
Well, he had a quiet army to begin with, but they were pared down to only 300.
Well, at the last, when they came to the to the water, there were those that bowed down to drink, but there were those that that laughed as they went along. Well, I suppose that brings before us, but in every one of us a desire for ease and comfort. A dis.
For ease and comfort and all, what a hindrance this is to us in serving the Lord. But here were 300 that had as it were abandoned themselves, and they were not seeking any comfort at all. If they could get a little water by as they were walking long, laughing it up with their hands, well, that was all right, but they were not going to bow down in a comfortable way to get a drink.
And they were the ones, the 300.
That got used well. There were soldiers, and they were not so only soldiers in May, but in reality in their hearts. And isn't this what God is looking for? It's so easy for us, and every one of us has this in him, to seek for comfort and ease, just to settle down and have it easy. And perhaps we're thinking about the day when we're going to retire and have it easy.
Oh, this is the main one of the veins of the Christian, I believe. And May God give us grace to, as it were, yield ourselves to the Lord. Say, Lord, take me, and use me, if not that we want to be great, but to do some little thing that the Lord might want us to do, and to be a soldier, to stand for him, to be true to him, and if we have any testimony to give, that He'll give us grace for.
All we need to ask the Lord for grace.
Just to abandon ourselves to the Lord, and I believe here in this verse.
01:15:04
It could retake your share of suffering with the cause, or for the cause. It is the cause of praise. What cause do we have in this world? The only cause that we should be interested in is the cause of Christ.
The testimony for Christ, living for Christ, walking for Christ in the sea.
Someone they're worried about the the 19th chapter of First Kings Elijah is calling Elijah.
The last 19th chapter of First Kings. Yes, that's connected with a burst in Luke. Perhaps we should read that first. And that's the.
I have just turned to it when you've spoken.
The.
61St Birds of the 9th Chapter of Luke.
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go and bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hand to the plow.
And looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God. I want to read that verse again. No man.
Having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God.
Now in Kings Second Kings, our first kings 19 and 19.
We have.
What this refers to, I believe that our brother has mentioned.
In connection with.
Elijah as he is to take up the work.
Of Elijah.
As a successor.
We find here in this passage.
In first Kings 19.
And 19.
So he departed fence, that's Elijah departed then and found Elijah, the son of Shaytan, who was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen before him, And he with the 12 and Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxygen and ran after Elijah and said, let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother.
And then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again, for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took not a yoke of oxen, but the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boil their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
The picture here is.
What comes first? The issues of the Kingdom of God or self?
We have in the picture of Elijah.
Juan, who was now going to pass his mantle, that is the work was going to be put on another, and his mantle wants to be transferred to Elijah. And we find that Elisha is plowing now. Plowing in Scripture suggests, I believe, the state of soul repentance.
And so he finds the man who is repentance, a man who is just self. That's the first point.
Perhaps you better not go into too much of this just to refer to the main points. I believe that the 12 yoke of oxen, however, suggests that it's the end of a dispensation. The law and the prophets were until John, after that the Kingdom of God's preached, however.
He passes by him, and he casts his medal upon him. Now we notice he leaves the oxen, and he ran after Elijah.
And he said.
Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother now. This is equivalent to what the Lord was Speaking of in Luke, going back again to the old order of things, putting that first.
01:20:08
Father and mother suggest the first principles Nature.
But instead.
He rebukes him, and he says, go back again for what have I done to thee? This won't do you go back again. And he does go back, not to kiss his father and mother, but to bring death in upon everything.
That had gone before.
He had been plowing with Oxford, but now he slays them. He takes the very instruments that he had been using to make the fire wind, so he can boil the flesh for the people of God.
It suggests the new ministry of grace that follows that of Elijah.
A ministry.
That.
Has to do with the subject of the Kingdom of God.
Righteousness.
Peace, joy, and the Holy Ghost. These are pictures, of course, but he he brings death in upon everything that's gone before. And now he's ready to follow Elijah. Because Elijah, I believe later in the in the second chapter a second king sets before us, the risen man.
The one who has gone on high with Elijah, Elijah now following him.
And being his representative down here, which really is a picture of the believer.
Once you have brought the forest, brother, I believe is very important in connection with putting the Lord first in the ninth of Luke. We have three types of followers mentioned. One has already been mentioned by a brother, it says in verse 57, and it came to pass as they went in the way a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee with us, whoever thou God.
With us whoever there are goals, And the Lord turns to him and says Foxes have holes, the birds of ear have nests of the son of man have not where to lay his head. Are you prepared to follow me under those conditions? We hear no more about the man, then we find the next, one says.
Verse 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me for us to go and bury my father.
I do not believe it necessarily means that his father was dead. But he put himself under an obligation and he was not free to serve the Lord till his father was dead. So he says me first and then in the verse 61 and another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first again go and visit them farewell which are at home. So we have three types of followers. When the Lord told the first one what conditions were we hear no more about He's following the Lord.
Than the other two said me first, Lord, me first.
On both occasions, well, it should be the Lord first. So do we not have a picture here entanglement with the affairs of this life?
In here about John Mark, because I think he was an example of one who did turn back, was unwilling to take his share and suffering when there was difficulty in the work, it says he went back and saw the next time Paul didn't feel free to take him because he hadn't taken his share in suffering.
But the story doesn't end there. It's nice to see that he was afterwards restored, and Paul could speak about him and say bring Mark or he is profitable to me for the ministry. No doubt he had learned lessons by the mistakes that he had made, and some have suggested that it was by writing the Epistle of the Gospel of Mark. We know that this one who had been a failing servant.
Was used as the Spirit of God to write the gospel of Mark, which presents the Lord Jesus to us as the perfect servant. So what a change it wrought in the life of Mark. And we afterwards find this very man profitable to Paul for the ministry. So let us not be discouraged, if we have perhaps turned back in difficulties, to realize that the Lord can still use us if we seek to come beforehand.
01:25:01
And the profit by even the mistakes that we have made and on them before him and seek to go on.
50.
2 Lord, we are Lord.
I love.
You.
I love you.
Right.