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First Thessalonians chapter 5 beginning verse one. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, for when they shall say peace and safety.
Then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
Brethren.
Are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief, for ye are all the children of light.
And the children of the day, we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober, for they that sleep, sleep in the night.
And they that be drunken or drunken in the night.
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and foreign helmet the hope of salvation.
For God hath not appointed us to us, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together within.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and they defy one another, even as also you do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them, which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.
To esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.
And be at peace among yourselves.
For we exhort you, brethren.
Warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble minded St. hearted, support the weak. Be patient toward all men.
See that none render evil for evil under any man.
Whatever. Follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.
Rejoice several more. Pray without ceasing in everything, give thanks.
For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Quench not the Spirit.
Despise, not prophesying.
Prove all things.
Hold a fast that which is good.
Abstained from all appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved lameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We took up and we closed our last meeting spent mentioning some of these days and there's a marginal reading on 1St Corinthians chapter 4. Is it First Corinthians chapter 4 and verse three? But with me, it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you.
Or of man's day, man's day. Then we have the day of the Lord that we looked at, and the day of Jesus Christ and the day of God. So there are these four days, aren't there? And this is man's day. This is when the mystery of God is going on, the silence of God. Some people often say, why doesn't God intervene? Well, he is, He will in the coming day they're asking for.
Though if they want God to intervene and so this is man's day wherein lawlessness prevails and eventually it's going to be headed up in the man of sin with violence and corruption and falsehood there when he's revealed in Second Thessalonians chapter 2. So man's day will reach its height and the display that a manifestation of the man of sin, the lawless one well.
We spoke about the day of Jesus Christ, the heavenly side of it, and then the day of the day of the Lord, the earthly side that relates to the earth and the judgments of God in it, the whole millennial scene, and then the day of God. Let's just mention this one other thing then. This is a time now when righteousness suffers. You and I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
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And as we walk in the Spirit.
And the new nature is energized and strengthened, and we walk for God's glory, righteousness produced in our walking ways. The world don't want us, doesn't love us, and the Lord warned us about that. This is a day then when righteousness suffers, when the Lord Jesus Christ comes, it says in Isaiah 32A, King shall reign in righteousness.
Righteousness shall reign, then, in the millennial state of things.
But then in Second Peter chapter 3, when it speaks about the day of God, it says righteousness shall dwell. Righteousness in the eternal state shall permeate everything. In the millennial day there will still be that wickedness in the heart of man. As we learn from some of those songs, they will render feigned obedience. Everybody won't be born again or saved in the Millennium.
But in the eternal state that is Revelation 21, one to eight, it's the day of the fruition.
Of John 129 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, and when every trace of sin has been fully eradicated, when God is All in all, will have the eternal state, and righteousness will not only reign but dwell. It's very difficult to do the will of God on earth at this time.
There's opposition, there's temptation that we're exposed to.
In the millennial time, it will be easy to do God's will on earth. I don't suppose you can object to this if you wish.
That you would be praying in the Holy Ghost to pray Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven, because you would really be asking for judgment. And that's not a Christian prayer now.
Is important in connection with these things.
Recognize that in second Peter 3 where the day of the Lord is spoken of merging into the eternal day, the day of God. It's important that it becomes very practical when you get to verse 14 of that chapter. We might do well to look at it.
Because as in other things in the Word of God, as we learn of these truths, they are to translate into action in our lives. And that's what we have in second Peter three, we have in verse 10 the day of the Lord as was referenced going on.
Merging into the eternal day which is the day of God in verse 12.
And the question of wherein dwelleth righteousness in verse 13.
Verse 14.
Wherefore, beloved?
Seeing that, she looked for such things.
Be diligent, she may be found of him in peace.
Without spot.
And blameless.
We've been told of that which is God's purpose and that which is His counsel. Now we're being told that as we know it, it ought to have an effect. For instance, when Abraham was told of God's counsel regarding Sodom and Gomorrah.
What did it produce in his heart? The simple thought that he was intelligent as to a matter that others were not intelligent about? No, it produced a godly concern for those that are without automatically, right away he began. But Lord, there are people in that city and and what if this and what if that there was a concern?
Not only did he know what was coming for Sodom and Gomorrah.
But it produced its effect. Now, as he had a godly concern for the welfare of those in that city, do you think it would have been suitable for him to live in a manner inconsistent with that concern? It all has to go together. It's our position in Christ. It's the glory of God to take of the things of Christ.
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And all that relates to His glory and make it real to us by the Spirit of God.
Then it ought to have its effect. It ought to have its effect in my life and yours in a diligent manner of living before God, reading the Word, and knowing how to walk in the good of what is told us in it. It ought to produce in our hearts even more the thought of concern for those around us who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. And as we hear of judgment, two things should.
Our hearts, dear brethren, one is the fact that that judgment is that which will produce.
A circumstance in which finally, everything will conform to the holiness of God in every essence, to the honor and praise of the one to whom it belongs. And our hearts beat with praise to think of the blessed Lord Jesus acknowledged in every sense.
But it should also produce a godly concern for those who would be brought into judgment and those who would be dealt with in that manner, of a holy One dealing with judgment consistent with His nature, and some falling under that judgment. There ought to be that dual concern, that rejoicing concerning the blessed Savior and that which would be His glory and praise.
A real concern for those without.
All that this might just press upon us because responsibility is clearly brought in here.
It tells us here that this day of the Lord is coming as a thief in the night. Well, how does a thief come? Does he tell you he's coming? Are people aware that the thief is coming? It's not advertised. No, people wouldn't believe it. They wouldn't understand it. And when people hear this, that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming in judgment, they don't believe it. They don't understand it. They don't.
Even though they might read it in the word of God, it's no advertisement to them. It's not a notice to them, it means nothing to them.
And so people are not prepared for a thief, nor are they those who will be left behind when the Lord has taken his own to be with himself.
They're not. They're not expecting anything else because it says.
In the third verse, for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, well, that would perhaps indicate that the people have a certain reaction to certain ones that are missing.
When the Saints are all gone, perhaps they say, well, now we can have it all our own way. We'll have peace and safety. We can just go on as we please.
But what happens then? Sudden destruction cometh upon them. This day of the Lord comes as a thief and comes suddenly. Or many people have been hurt by burglars.
And they have broken into houses unexpectedly, and lives have been lost, and the property has been stolen and havoc has been rocked. When those thieves come, well, what will it be when the Lord comes as a thief? When the day of the Lord comes as a thief to them, it will mean destruction for them.
It will not simply be their property taken or their lives.
Taken. But it will be moral destruction, eternal destruction, because they got to meet the one who is the judge of all the earth, the one that's been prophesied of. That's the judge, and they're going to meet him right then and there on this earth. Thousands will have to stand before him.
And he will scrutinize them all and he will divide them into two companies.
And destruction will come upon them. And I don't know that we know all the details of the destruction that's coming on this earth when the Lord comes as judge. But it's going to be a solemn thing because they're they're real enemies here in this world that have risen up during the tribulation period. There's the beast, the false prophet, and all those that follow them.
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All these wicked people, and when the Lord comes back, and we will accompany him down.
From the skies, but we will be left up above this earth in what is called the New Jerusalem. But the Lord himself will come way down to earth and the enemies of the Lord will meet him. And they think, well, this is just a usual thing. We can meet him. We're it's just an ordinary warfare.
But the Lord by the word of his mouth can destroy them all, and houses will be slain there and not battle. So much so that God has to call all the flesh eating birds from all over the world to come there to feed upon that flesh, to clean, to clean it up. What a destruction that will be. And even when they're saying peace and safety, everything is lovely now.
Anderson that this word, that the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
There should also be a voice to the conscience of a believer, Because if we do not walk with the Lord, and if we do not have before our hearts the coming of the Lord, if we get involved in the things of this earth or this world, the coming of the Lord will not be an event to us then as individuals, as if we had been waiting and watching and longing for Him.
It will overcome us at such a time when we look the least for when it may surprise us. We do not wish it to be that way. But we cannot serve 2 masters. And if we get engrossed in the world, it detracts from the hope of his coming. And it may just be as a thief in the night. And the very thing that I believe was expressed on Saturday already.
That there is that within us, when we get so occupied with earthly things, that says.
Well, but I'd like to get married first think that was brought up or I like to 1St have this pleasure yet, and then I'll be looking for should exercises when we read it as a thief in the night that it might not be that in that character for us. We have enough in this chapter to tell us that the believer is of the day he is does not belong to the night nor to that event when the Lord comes in judgment, but.
The character of his coming to us, let us beware that it does not overtake us by surprise.
For that, for that purpose, to stir up the Saints, I don't see any reason why it should be put in this letter. But we have other scriptures in other places like in Hebrews 6 warnings there and then in Philippians also we have a warning to those who are earthly minded and who are enemies of the cross of Christ.
And this is written to Saints as well. The Saints is vilified. So we have other scriptures along the same lines.
That these things that are brought in in this way can be a warning to any that are going on carelessly because sometimes we have a big question mark in our minds as to certain ones, whether they're really the Lords or not. There is reading and watching and there's also in that same loop 12 and aspect that connects with the appearing and there are several young people that had asked questions.
And we might just take a moment rather than to go over it because there might be other young people with the same thoughts.
The statement was made earlier in these meetings regarding responsibility associated with the appearing and the simple fact that we are his own is that which is associated with him coming for his office. We have those two thoughts and one chapter in Luke 12.
For in verse 37, Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them. Serving them. Just a simple thought of the servants being received and Him serving them.
Not a question of what they are doing other than.
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Watching. But now there's another aspect, and that's in verse 43.
Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. That is responsibility for how you and I have lived during this life, and it is connected with Him and with the glory of that which will be his in the future.
And that also brings us the first John chapter 2 and verse 28, first John 228 and now.
Little children abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Now we're committed here to abiding in Him.
The sense of that very position which must be ours consciously daily in order to walk as pleasing to Himself with respect to any aspect of servantship at all, there would have to be abiding in Him that we may have confidence. And then the verse that was referred to us yesterday afternoon.
And 2nd Epistle of John.
Mercy, look to yourselves. And we lose not those things which we have wrought. They will receive a full reward.
Very simple thought I believe is that the blessed Savior wants His own with Him and so He will come for us.
But then later, at least seven years later, there is the fault of him coming with us as his own. He's going to set up a Kingdom then and we associated with him and as our brother Anderson has been bringing out some of the detail related to it. But the real thought there is the setting up of a Kingdom and the acknowledgement of him, the Lord Jesus, as King of.
Lord of Lords Now how does the thief in the night aspect fit together with it? Well, perhaps we can read Matthew 24 and it might just.
Make it plain to us.
Matthew 24 and verse 27 for as the lightning cometh out of the East.
Shineth even unto the West.
So also also the coming of the Son of Man.
Now the lightning shining from the east to the West is apparent to people living on the earth, and the coming of the Lord and the display of glory will be apparent to those that live on the earth. The coming of the Lord for His own will not be as we've been enjoyed. He's joined Just take us to be with Himself because He loved us and He died for us and He's waiting for that.
That we would all be with him.
For his praise and for his honor and for His glory. But why does it say Son of Man here? Because it's as man beloved that he was rejected. It's this man that he was cast out. It's as man that he hung upon that cross. And God is going to be honored. That blessed man is going to be honored here.
Not in some other planet. Here the Son of Man is going to be acknowledged.
And magnify. Why would there be that coming as a lightning from the east to the West? Because it is identified with the glory of the Lord. It says in Psalm the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Why doesn't it say that about the earth?
Because man is included largely in the Earth, and in general there's been much spoiling.
But man's little intrusion in the starry heavens will never disturb the glory of the fact that the heavens of God will display the wonder of who He is. The language of Scripture. Carefully then, saying that lightning from the east to the West, controlled by God himself, and in God's perfect timing, and a display to the natural eye of man, surely there will be the coming of the Son of man.
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And our delight in it has spoken up in Timothy unto all them. That love is appearing is connected with the fact at the very place where that blessed Savior was crucified and cast out is the very place, this earth where he will be honored and magnified, and everyone will bow right here.
You and I identified with him, all, beloved brethren, as we think of identification with himself.
Do we understand the concept of sharing glory? We probably don't.
We probably don't because in scripture we little grass what God tells us about us to the glory in our identification with it. Look at Zechariah 14. If there's ever a place where you would be not expecting to find the end of verse five in this at all this chapter, you would not be expecting to find an expression.
All the Saints with it. Let's read verse four and five is just have the connection to forest.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the West. And there shall be a very great valley. Half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the South. That is an actual cleavage, and the marvel of the one, the Lord of glory, the very.
Right here and a cleft very apparent. Now you shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel. Yeah, you shall flee like as you've fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah.
That is all natural circumstance in respect of the fact that this is the Lord of glory, the one who created all, and then the Lord my God shall come.
And all the Saints with thee.
All the Saints with thee in this kind of a context. Yes, because the purpose and counsel of God does not only relate to His power.
It relates to His glorious grace, and you and I are identified with Him in that. Beloved, it's the power of God that can command your attention and respect, but it's a loving kindness of Christ. It's the glory of God and His love toward us in Christ Jesus. That alone can draw my soul and yours.
For all eternity.
In identification with Himself, one with Him in glory. Amen. Identification with Him in a coming day of display, Yes, And with Him and like Him for His glory for all eternity. That's what the Word of God brings us all, beloved, that we might sense how we're linked with Him, and counsel and purpose.
And plan and design and all to share with him in the coming day.
One and 10.
When he shall come to be glorified in His Saints, not by His Saints here, but in His Saints.
Is that what you were talking about brother? Believe that's that's it. I like the picture that was given to me once on this.
And it's important to see that it's the Lord in the midst of his Saints here.
When he shall come to be glorified in or in the midst of his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that faith. That's Second Thessalonians 110.
Sometimes Jewelers or brother Tony Kelly here can vouch for this. I think that Jewelers make up some very nice arrangements of gems.
And I have heard that sometimes they will take a diamond, make that the center of a ring setting, and then put pearls all around it to display it.
Well, the Lord Jesus Christ is the diamond in the center, and we will be around him. And what will be we be there for? To be looked at? No, to put the Lord Jesus Christ on display.
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By Him, that's what we'll be there for, to honor and glorify Him, to set him off as it were, to put Him on display. And that's what we're going to be taking the glory for, to set the Son of God on display and as Son of man to put Him on display there. God has that one thing in mind, to display the glory of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was denied everything when He came the first time.
But the second time.
He's going to have his rightful place in the whole scene where he was rejected, and he's going to be set on the pinnacle to be observed and glorified by all the Saints around him. And of course the world that's left here will see that too, and they can't help but bow before him, even though they might not like to do it. The character that the Lord comes upon the world is as a thief in the night.
You said our consciences should be exercised if walking carelessly, and that's the way it's presented in the Revelation chapter 3.
The messages to the seven churches and we have the church Sardis, which historically of course would have been that period right after the Protestant Reformation and how that of course the Reformation itself was a work of the Spirit of God as it degenerated into state churches and became just dead and ceremonies and forms why it was in the hands of man.
And.
It says here in verse three. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. So I think there's the principle of what you mentioned in Sardis, that coming upon the world, he's going to come as a thief, but also.
Hearing Profession.
Of Christianity, which is makes a profession that they're the Lords and ostensibly waiting for his coming and walking so carelessly. And yet of course there's a a message to our own conscience too might point out to one other correction here and that's in Matthew 25, Matthew the 25th chapter and verse 13. We know that this is the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 and 25.
In response to the questioning of the disciples, When shall all these things come to pass? What shall be the sign of thy coming, even the end of the age?
So the Lord unfolds to them in this whole passages 24 and 25. And I don't want to take too long and going through the unfolding of it. It's not an address, but just here in verse 13. Watch therefore, for, you know, neither the day nor the hour period. Isn't it the new translation?
That leaves the rest of that First off, because as soon as you introduce the Son of Man, you're dealing with the appearing.
The revelation and this passage here is talking about the Lord's coming for us, for believers, and it is one other correction, verse 14 for the Kingdom of heaven. You notice that's italicized. That doesn't belong there. The last similitude in this gospel of the Kingdom of heaven is in chapter 25, the first verse. Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto.
There are 10 similitudes of the Kingdom.
There are six of them in Matthew 13, There are three in the intervening chapters, and this is the last one, the 10th one in the Gospel of Matthew. And it makes, it completes things, the Kingdom of heaven, the whole spirit of profession. It's time, it's sojourn on earth. And here it ends with the five wise and the five foolish. And the announcement goes out.
And dear ones, we believe it went out in 1830 and 1840.
And then there's a little interval of time and the Lord comes. And if our understanding of the whole scope of Scripture is right.
We're down and Daniel chapter 2, that whole image, we're all the way down to the toes in the formation of the 10 nations of Europe. Then the stone cut out of them out without a hand, comes down and grinds the whole thing in the powder becomes a mighty rock and fills the whole earth, the Kingdom of the Lord.
Isn't that where we are down to the formation of in Europe, of the nations? Is it Matthew 25, the little interval of time after the announcement has gone out? Behold the bridegroom isn't Revelation two and three. Isn't our understanding of it that we're all the way down to lay it to see in times of indifference and lukewarmness and that they can say anything about the person of Christ, the work of Christ and the need of blood atonement just.
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Shove them under the carpet. Let's get together on one big world church. We're not cared about. We don't care about doctor and truth of the Word of God. Well, that's where we are. So what should our expectation be? Oh, our hearts beat high. The dawn is nigh that ends our Pilgrim story and thine eternal glory. All dear ones were on the tiptoe of expectation. We of our understanding of the Word of God is correct. The Lord is at the door. He's about ready to open.
Believe with all my heart like Albert Hale, who used to say, I expect the Lord in my generation. And remember that man, he won the Christ. One time he was thinking he was up on a ladder and Albert reached up and shook hands with him and held on. And he said with a smile on his face to us, You know what I was waiting for? I thought that maybe this was the last one and the church would be complete and we would be caught away.
Well, the the how the expectation, dear ones, that this afternoon.
Or before even the gospel is preached. Tonight we might be home in the glory, but the Lord Jesus Christ and all of the redeemed together.
Chair another saw dive in here. We'll have to turn to 1St Kings for that to find out.
Verse in the second.
Of Thessalonians in the first chapter verse 10 might return to Second Chronicles the 9th chapter for couple verses there Second Chronicles Chronicles 9 it says there in King Solomon made 200 targets of beaten gold, 600 shekels of beaten gold went to one target and 300 Shields made here beaten gold. 300 shekels of gold went to one shield and the king put them.
House of the Forest of Lebanon, Stay First Kings 14, First Kings 14. There's the day of Reborn and the Glorious Departed.
There we read in verse 25.
It came to pass in the fifth year of King Reboom, that Sheshack, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, and he took away the treasures of the House of the Lord, and the treasures of the King's house. He even took away all, and he took away all the Shields of gold which Solomon had made. And King Riabour made in their stead brazen Shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard which kept the door of the King's house.
And it was so when the king went into the House of the Lord, that the guard bear them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
Now here we learned what the Shields were used for. When the king went into the House of God, these guards lined up.
Can't you see them in two rows? And the king passed through this line, and these Shields from either side were facing to the inside, where the king went through and his image would be displayed on those Shields. But why wasn't this told us in Solomon's day? Because the glory of that one who was to come.
And who was going to be glorified in his Saints was so tarnished in Solomon's day.
That the application isn't even mentioned, but now in rehab stay there, we have find out what they were used for. But the Shields who were made after the pattern of the first ones and who were, were used here as well. They consist now of brass. They do not reflect quite the same image now beloved, I wonder.
When we come together on the Lord's day and we read in First Corinthians in the 11Th chapter, so let a man examine himself and so let him eat. Brethren, our approach into the Lord's presence is mixed with judgment, self judgment, and then it doesn't say, so let him stay away.
But we have the way into His very presence, but it is mixed.
Was self judgment, but that's part of our earthly journey when we meet the Lord in the in the glory S will be all gone and the targets of gold will once more be displayed and our blessed Lord Jesus as he comes along and he Saints as it were on either side will reflect his image.
And those Shields of gold, as it were. I've enjoyed that thought and I would like to be corrected, but I just thought I'd share it with you better. I noticed here in the end of verse three that this destruction is called sudden destruction, cometh upon them as travel I'll upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. Now every mother here.
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Has gone through this experience, can understand this. You don't escape.
And they're not going to escape.
But a solemn thing. They may want to escape, try to escape, but they can't.
This destruction comes suddenly and they have to go through it.
Running awful thing it will be to be left behind.
And I trust there's not anyone in this room that will be left behind when the Lord comes to catch us up to be with himself.
Because if you're left behind.
Look what's before you. Something is coming that you can't escape.
Impossible to escape it. And now he talks he's writing to the to the brethren at Thessalonica, the Saints there. But ye, brother, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Now they're the darkness is connected with.
Being overtaken by that which is as a thief, darkness, well, they don't have eyes to see. They're in darkness. They can't understand anything they can't preserve.
That's why it comes suddenly upon them as a thief.
But those who are the Lords are something else. They're not in darkness, but that day should overtake you as a thief. You're not in darkness, you're all children are sons of light.
And Sons of the day, I believe it should read Sons there because it's a character brought the force of the child of God. It's his character.
Person who is saved is a child of light, and he is light in the Lord.
The Lord Jesus Christ is, of course, the light.
We read about him in the first chapter of John, that he was that light.
We read about light and doctors in the very beginning of Scripture.
And we see how there's a division, a separation between light and darkness.
And so we come right down to this chapter and we find the same thing, that there's a separation between light and darkness.
And light and darkness have nothing to do with each other, and it's quite a subject.
That we have before us now the subject of light and darkness. God is is in the light, isn't he or he wouldn't be a child of God. But every child of God isn't working, isn't walking according to that light. We have that expectation in Ephesians don't walk as children of light. Just thinking about in Ephesians.
Ephesians chapter 5 verse seven be not, be not ye therefore partakers with them, that is, with these children of disobedience that are in the dark, for ye were sometimes dark. That this is a remarkable statement because.
It doesn't say here you were in the dark, you were darkness itself, the darkness of the soul before God. He were sometimes darker and it's a strong statement here, isn't it? But now are you light in the Lord walk as children of light for the fruit of the light. Really it's the fruit of the light, isn't it is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
This reflects back upon ourselves, doesn't it? We prove it by walking in it. We prove it by being enjoying the fact that we are in the light and a testimony to God that we are light in the Lord. So it's an expectation to it says for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and fruit. Well, this is where we are.
And the expectation is if you're in that condition, if you're in that state, let's walk in it, let's enjoy it. Let's be a testimony to the fact that we are in the lake because there are many that are walking, there are children of God, but they're walking in dark paths. They not enjoying this. So it's a it's an expectation for us, isn't it?
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You're all here, it says in our chapter. You're all the children of light, the children of the dead.
We are not of the night, nor of dark. Why should we walk in that condition if we're not of it? God wants us in His presence, and in His presence is only light, That's all.
Is connected with darkness in the very beginning.
The the light he called day and the night he called darkness, or the darkness he called night. The light was day, the darkness was night, and there was a definite separation there between light and darkness.
And we notice here that he says to these Thessalonians, hear all the children of light and children of the day, light and day.
He says we are not of the night nor of darkness. Apostle Paul puts himself in with that company of Saints at Thessalonica.
And Speaking of themselves as a body that are like.
They're they're not darkness.
Nor of the night.
Wonderful saying, wonderful place, wonderful, wonderful condition that we've been brought into. We can look back when we were darkness.
We were children of darkness, children of the night and walking in darkness, and we didn't know where we were going. We were like blind people walking through this world.
And then all of a sudden, the Lord dealt with us. We were convicted of our sins. We saw the Lord Jesus Christ to die for our sins, suffered on Calvary for us.
And we felt the working of the Spirit of God in our souls.
Joining us that we were sinners in the need of a Savior. We accept that the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. And there was a change. We became light. We became children of the day. Well, that's God's work. That isn't our work. People try to make themselves children of light, children of the day by their own works.
Well, that's not possible, because way back in the beginning in Genesis, that whole work of light and darkness was God's work.
And so it is now. It's God's work, the changes from darkness to light.
To make us children of the day instead of the night. It's God's work.
130 gives us a wonderful verse that fits in here. The entrance of thy words giveth light.
And giveth understanding unto the simple. I think that verse was quoted already.
During a conference once before. But how wonderful to see that the Word of God is that which has given us life, and when by faith we were unable to accept it and brought us into the light. If that is so, beloved, I'm sure we all realize the importance of reading and meditating.
This blessed book, the Word of God.
That brought us into life, saved us and transferred us from darkness into light. And it also is that which gives us intelligent and understanding all along the vast pathway.
First John 1 seven or three positive statements aren't there. It's as if we walk in the light as he is in the light. We have fellowship one with another in the blood of Jesus Christ. His Son cleanseth us from all sin. The if there is not a conditional in this verse, it's the fact there. If we walk in the light that is true of every child of God. They are in the light. It's not how we walk, it's where we walk every child of God.
In the light, every child of God has fellowship one with another, though in its practical demonstration it might be restricted. Like we say before, we love all the Saints of God, and there is a fellowship that we've been called into with a father, with a son, and it's just as true of every child of God. And so there is that fellowship. And the blood of Jesus Christ has its continuing efficacy before God for every child of God. So there are three positive.
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In that verse, we're all in the light, we all have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ positively provides for every spot and stain of sin, and I'll never lose its power. What characterized the law and the giving of the law was thick darkness. God dwelt in thick darkness, we read.
But now he dwells in the light.
And He is the light, and we walk in the light, the light of the full, complete revelation of God the Father in the Person of the Son.
That God cannot be more perfectly revealed than He has been revealed in the person of His Son. We walk in the light of the full, complete, total revelation of what God is. He cannot be more fully revealed.
That he has been revealed. And so in second John it says, Whosoever goes forward and abides not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. I remember talking to a man on the train one day, and I gave him all the precious truths of the Gospel. He says, Oh yes, Oh yes, I know that, I know that, but I've got something beyond that. And I said, dear friend, there's nothing beyond Christ.
He is the fullness of God. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him.
And he is the full complete revelation of what God is. And that's what the light is. And we walk in the light of that in the full blessed truth of it. In the second, second chapter of first John. I'd just like to read a few verses in the seventh verse.
First, John, two brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning.
Again a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing, should read, and the true light already shines. Now shines he that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in the darkness. Even until now he that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. To be in the darkness and to walk in the darkness is to be what is the darkness. It's the ignorance and non revelation of God, and that's what characterizes the world through which we're passing. We were once darkness.
Once walked in darkness, as our brother has said, we were darkness itself, but now we are light in the Lord. We walk in the light as children of light. And that which was true of him when he was down here as a blessed man, is now true in us. A new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you that which was true of him as a blessed man down here. The expression of.
That same life is now been communicated to you and to me, and as we walk down here and live in the power of it, we express the very same life and become the expression of the very same life. That He is the essence of Himself, that eternal life that was with the Father and was manifested unto us. And so that which was true in Him is now true in us. How blessed that we.
Eternal life, and that's all connected with being in the light and walking in the light. Maybe someone can add to that.
What we have in Second Corinthians chapter four, we read how the light got in Second Corinthians chapter 4 verse six. For God who commanded the light shine out of darkness going back to creation has shined in our hearts.
To give the light to the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in person vessels.
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Why did God put the light, this divine light, into an earthen vessel?
That the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
Put it into a weak vessel.
That God might be glorified.
That the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
We're troubled on every side, if possible, goes on to speak of difficulties, problems, trials. We yet not distressed with, perplexed but not despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying or the putting to death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. Now it's not only that the light is there, but it speaks of the manifest.
Of the light, that the light, the light force of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. She's linked with the life. Well, Jesus was that life, and he is that life.
That's what we read of in the first chapter of John's Gospel.
And so we have the light, and we have the light for we which are.
Always. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake. Well why? Why are we delivered to death?
Moral death.
Feeling that we have no connection with things here, reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. Why, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh as long as.
The elements of darkness are working in us and is if morally we are not up to the light, what happens?
Well, the Lord has to deal with us. He allows different things in our lives to bring in this.
Grace to us, that we might reckon ourselves indeed to be dead under sin, and so death.
Is there that we might be delivered to it? Why that the life also Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies?
So it's something like.
I read this story but.
Of how they used to make lanterns.
In the old country, I don't know if they ever did it as pioneers here in this country, but they would use a large turnip.
I suppose.
Several inches in diameter and they would hollow out that Turner, scrape all the flesh out.
Of the inside, leave only the skin or the shell of the turnip, Leave it all intact.
And then they would put their candlelight inside of that tournament.
Well, the thinner they could make the shell of that turn of the better light they would have, the better the light would shine through.
And perhaps that's the illustration of what the Lord is doing with us, working with us, delivering us to death, delivering us to circumstances where we're dead to South, dead to sin, reckoning ourselves dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is God working this way in US that that light He has put in US might shine out? This is what God wants.
Because.
The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light is not here anymore. They wouldn't have him here to shine in this world. He's up there shining in the glory, but he's left us here to shine and that's why the Lord kills was us to thin us down as it were, so that the light can shine out and we don't like that process that the Lord is putting us through bird to brother Anderson and I've enjoyed the thought there in in second Corinthians chapter 4.
For God, verse six. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our heart, not our heads here, but in our heart. And the purpose is to give, give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, that that it might be seen that this one belongs to Christ, that that light might shine out.
Well then if it does, I was thinking if you turn over to the 26th of of the book of Acts.
I was thinking of this too, that not only does it give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, but it goes out beyond that. Acts chapter 26, verse 16 to get the but rise and stand up on my feet. This was to Saul. Remember who we have here in 2nd Corinthians 4. I have appeared unto thee for the purpose to make the administer and a witness.
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Both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things which.
In the which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people, from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them, which are sanctified by faith.
Me, but I enjoyed that thought that the light of God shone in his heart that it might shine out to the glory of God and have its effect upon those around to deliver them. There was that was the purpose, wasn't it Christ having his proper place first the glory of the Lord Jesus and then this shines out to others and they're brought into that same.
Precious portion of light in the Lord subject of the contrast between darkness and light is so prevalent in Scripture, and if it is so important, we would expect to find it right away in the Word of God, wouldn't we?
Well, we do find it because it says in Genesis One and the evening and the morning were the first day. But you and I don't refer to days like that. We refer to the day and then the night. We're tired, we go to sleep.
The Scripture says the evening and the morning were the first day. Why? Because all God's purposes. And in a glorious blaze of a displayed light, even though you and I look around and you say the world is in confusion, how will God's purposes ever be worked out? We look at everything committed to man and we say that's in confusion.
He'll say, well, how will that work out? Well, everything will work out according to the truth.
For instance, when the Glory left Israel, it left in Ezekiel from the eastward direction, and that's where it went, and when it is pictured as coming back in connection with Israel in the future as restored.
God's glory in connection with it, where does it come from? It comes from the east. The Tabernacle was to be facing east because clearly for us to understand how gracious of God that we can understand the sun comes up in the east, as simple as that. And it's depicting that light which has to do with what comes from God. And God said let there be light.
Without that statement, there is no physical light.
No spiritual light and nothing else but darkness. Isn't it interesting, beloved, that the Spirit of God is seen in Genesis chapter one, although it is not the Spirit of God that is credited with the subject of creation? Why is the Spirit of God there in chapter one?
I believe that we'll see very clearly.
The whole Godhead gloriously interested in that marvelous way in connection with this earth, which was to be the exact place for the display of all God's purposes and all God's ways. And so the Spirit of God is there.
In Genesis 1, because it was going to be that very that very place.
That very sphere where the blessed Lord Jesus would be the one to work out all God's councils and the Spirit of God so divinely interested in that place, because it is here where he takes of the things of Christ.
And Speaking of that which is given to him, it says the Spirit shall not speak of himself, or perhaps from himself in the sense that it's that which is his to speak of. Because the Spirit of God gives us the Word of God, and in the Word of God we are told about the Spirit of God. So it is a question of the Spirit of God speaking.
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From that which is all of the display of the Council of God, making it real in your height and mind.
And there in Genesis 1, because God said, let there be light, now there was going to be that very sphere of associated with that which God is in himself light. How would it work out the purpose of God in Christ Jesus, the basis of blessing?
The finished work of Calvary, the testimony to that finished work, raised from among the dead and a glorious man there, the Father's right hand in glory. The Spirit of God sent down, indwelling you, indwelling me individually, indwelling in the sense collectively at First Corinthians three and 1St Corinthians 6 and the light made real in our hearts, but in that general way, right away we find.
Genesis 1.
The evening and the morning were the first day, and do you think the Bible would end without the glory of that thought of the day? No, for if we simply look at the last chapter of the Bible, we find I am the root, verse 16. I am the root, the offspring of David.
The flight and morning star, all beloved there would have to be authority and displayed power, the root and offspring of David. But power isn't the subject, it's the glory that's the subject. And so we therefore have the bright and morning star. Then verse 20, he which testifies these things.
That surely I come quickly, and our hearts, beloved brethren, surely answer Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Jesus came in the second chapter of John. We have that same truth.
First the poor wine and last the best wine.
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Spirits mind from the very beginning.
All right, like the Lord Jesus Christ is.
Spirit of God is connected to that light.
And God has worked to put the light in us that we might be in harmony.
In light with that light.
And that that's the only thing that can shoot God.
Shall we see how out of harmony darkness is with that whole purpose of God?
And this should speak to souls who are not like in the Lord, but are still darkness, that you might leave in the Lord Jesus Christ, that that light might come into your heart, and that you might be light in the Lord and be in TuneIn harmony with God and all his purposes. Because if you're not, you're going to miss out the most wonderful thing that ever was that we come in.
With the only light they'll ever see is what is radiated through you and through me. They may. They may never read the Bible. They may never.
Enter to into a place where they're under the sound of the Word, that as you live, Christ in the life of Christ in you is manifested before their eyes. That very light which shot in all its blessed brightness in Him when He was here, will shine in you.
And so it's so important that we realize that God has put us here to be a light and to manifest the life of Christ. In order to that, the vessel must be broken. And that's what we had before us in 2nd Corinthians 4. The vessel has to be broken, that the life that is within, which is the light, might shine out of light, isn't it?
Well, God is the source of light. We now are, and now are ye light.
In the Lord, the only way that we can reflect that light is in the Lord that is going on in communion with him. So it's we are reflected light, He is a source, and when we're occupied with Christ, we're in the right place before God, aren't That's the source and that's reflected light.
The autumn way, the only way the moon can shine give light is when the sun shines on it, because the light is only reflected light. So sometimes there's an eclipse, and an eclipse is made by the earth getting between the sun and the moon, and then the moon isn't reflecting much of any light at all. You might see some of the fringes.
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Well, I believe the moon is a picture of the church.
The Son picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And if the earth or earthly things get in between US and the Lord Jesus Christ, how much light are we going to reflect? There's an eclipse then where we don't want to be eclipsed, Christians or light fares. We want to be in the sunlight of His love as we are exhorted in Jews, keep yourselves in the love of God.
Walk in the light of his love. Be occupied with his love, walking in the good of that love.
And when that light is shining into our hearts in fullness, then we can shine forth in reflective way. We must remember that that the light we give forth here is only reflection is the light of the Lord Jesus Christ and how He loves to shine through us. And so we need grace to judge the things here that they might not get in between US and the Lord.
I believe that's why John wrote in the end of his epistle.
Little children, keep yourselves in the love of God, keep yourselves from idols, keep yourselves from idols. Because those idols he knew would get in between them and the Lord, and then they wouldn't be giving forth light. Because in that very official, he speaks of God as being not only love, but light. And so it's important.
To the apostle John, and of course to God and the Spirit of God.
That we should not allow anything to come into our life as an idol to make more of it than the Lord Jesus Christ that would rob us of reflecting that light and shining for Him.